Background:Allergic conjunctivitis (AC) may follow seasonal or perennial pattern. There are climatic and racial risk factors involved in some types of AC. It is more prevalent in warm climatic conditions and among Afro-Caribbeans, Arabs and Asians and less among the White populations. Clinical presentations also seem to follow climatic and genetic predisposition. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of AC and its clinical presentations in a hospital setting in this region in people of all ages.Materials and Methods:This is a hospital-based retrospective study of new patients seen at Adoose Specialist Hospital, Jos the capital city of Plateau State in North Central Nigeria with clinical diagnosis of AC from 2000 to 2009.Results:There were 972 subjects, 474 (48.8%) males and 498 (51.2%) females with M:F ratio of 1:1.05. The most common symptom was itching followed by redness, pains, watery/mucoid discharge, sticky eyes, puffy eyes and photophobia. The presence of papillae in the upper tarsal or lower conjunctiva, a discrete or confluent gelatinous hypertrophy of the limbal conjunctiva (Trantas dots), hyperpigmentation, hyperemia/chemosis of the conjunctiva were the common signs. AC was more prevalent in those aged 1−16 years 38.4% decreasing to 4.9% in the age group above 50 years. The presentation followed perennial pattern, with a peak around July. The most prevalent ocular comorbid condition was refractive error (distant RE and presbyopia) in 15.4%, followed by pterygium/pinguecula 3.6%, bacterial conjunctivitis in 2.2%, glaucoma 2.1% and eyelid disorders 1.7%. Cataract was present in 1.3%, and keratopathy 1.1%. Other conditions such as episcleritis, dry eye, vitamin A deficiency and posterior segment disease were also present in decreasing order. Systemic association were few with generalised body atopy in 0.3%.Conclusion:The prevalence of AC was 32% and is similar to what pertains in some of the African hospital studies, but differs in presentation from the Caucasians.

The study shows that refractive error is a common cause of VI and myopia is the most common type. It confirms that most of the refractive error can be corrected with off-the-shelf spectacles.

Purpose:To evaluate the epidemiological characteristics, the etiological factors, the type and severity of injury, visual outcome, and prognostic factors of open globe injuries in children.Materials and Methods:This was a retrospective non-comparative case study. A chart review was performed of patients aged 16 years or younger presented at the Eye Unit of the Federal Medical Centre Makurdi, Nigeria, between January 2001 and December 2006. Data were collected on patient demographics, geographic locale of injury, type of ocular injury and vision. Statistical significance was indicated by P < 0.05.Results:The study sample comprised 78 children. A statistically significantly greater number of males (n = 51) sustained injury compared to females (n = 27; P < 0.05). The mean age of the study sample was 9.7 ± 2.40 years (range, 1 year 2 months to 15 years 8 months). The age-group that sustained injury most commonly was 6 years to 10 years. Left eyes were more likely to be affected, accounting for 53 (68.0%) cases. There were 54% (n = 42) of patients injured at home and 51.0% (n = 40) were injured while playing. The most common injury was corneoscleral laceration, (67.9% [n = 24] eyes). Only 30.0% (n = 23) patients presented within the first 24 hours of the injury, 38.5% (n = 30) of patients were visually impaired and 25.6% (n = 20) patients were blind on presentation. Visual acuity at last follow up indicated that 39.7% (n = 31) patients were visually impaired and 39.7% (n = 31) were blind.Conclusion:More public health efforts should be geared towards preventing potential causes of ocular injury at home and at playgrounds.

No abstract

No abstract