Background: Ocular injury is one of the major causes of monocular visual impairment and blindness worldwide, with significant socioeconomic impact. The present study was done to establish the incidence and identify the common causes of ocular trauma in a tertiary care hospital of western Nepal. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, conducted at a teaching hospital in western Nepal from January 2012 to January 2013. All ocular trauma cases attending emergency and eye OPD were included in the study. A complete history and detailed ophthalmological evaluation was done. Results: Total number of cases was two hundred and nine. The incidence of ocular trauma was 1.74%. Average age of patients was 28.89±19.06 years. Maximum patients were from third decade of life and were males (66.5%). Majority of ocular trauma occurred in right eye and were sustained at the workplace. Only 2.4% of patients used protective agents. The cases presented to the hospital within 48 hours of injury were 71.8%. Maximum subjects didn’t use any medication before they presented to this hospital. Road traffic accident (RTA) was the commonest cause of ocular trauma followed by wood stick and fall injury. Conclusion: Males are more prone to ocular trauma. As the commonest cause is RTA and very few patients used protective devices so public awareness about eye health program and strict legislation for the use of protective devices may help to reduce the magnitude of ocular injury.   Nepal Journal of Medical Sciences | Volume 02 | Number 02 | July-December 2013 | Page 140-143 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njms.v2i2.8964

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nepjoph.v4i1.5881 NEPJOPH 2012; 4(1): 203-205

Background: Significant numbers of people suffer from color vision defect but most of the time remains an unnoticed problem. The present work was undertaken to study the profile of color vision defects in Western region of Nepal. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, hospital based study conducted in a tertiary care hospital of Western Nepal from January 2012 to December2012. Total of 971 patients were selected by simple random method. In each patient assessment of visual acuity and the examination of anterior segment and posterior segment was done. Color vision was tested by Ishihara Pseudo isochromatic chart. Results: Out of total 971 patients, 501 were males (51.59%) and 470were females (48.40%). Out of this total, 91 (9.37%) had color vision defects. Among the color vision defects patients,68were males (74.72%)and 23 were females (25.27%). Congenital color vision defect was seen in 10.97% of males and 2.97% of females whereas acquired color vision defect was observed in 2.57% of males and 1.91% of females respectively. Color vision defects were observed more in Chhetri (14.38%), followed by Brahmin (10.16%) and Magar caste (9.89%). Conclusion: The prevalence of color vision defect in Nepal is significant. All people should be screened for color vision defect and advised about it so that they can take special care in daily practice as well as in future life Nepal Journal of Medical Sciences | Volume 03 | Number 01 | January-June 2014 | Page 1-4 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njms.v3i1.10340

Background: Intra Ocular Pressure (IOP) is an important parameter for the detection and monitoring of glaucoma. Central corneal thickness (CCT) can influence the IOP estimated with Goldmann tonometry. A thick cornea overestimates the IOP and thin underestimates it. So, decreased CCT may lead to underdiagnosis and undertreatment of glaucoma and increased CCT may lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment of glaucoma. The aim of the study is to identify the factors affecting the CCT in Nepalese population.Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study which enrolled 152 subjects from period of January 2009 to May 2010. All subjects underwent ophthalmological examinations. CCT was measured with ultrasonic pachymeter and intraocular pressure was measured with Goldmann applanation tonometer. Results:The mean±SD CCT of right and left eye was 538±32 and 540±30µm respectively. CCT decreased with increasing age. Age and intra ocular pressure was significantly correlated with CCT. There was no significant correlation of gender and ethnicity with CCT.Conclusion: CCT decreased with increasing age. CCT was significantly correlated with age and intra ocular pressure but not with gender and ethnicity.

The measurement of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness can help significantly in the early diagnosis of glaucoma and monitoring of its progression. The objective of this study was to compare the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness by optical coherence tomography in primary open angle glaucoma, glaucoma suspects and normal Nepalese population. This was a hospital based cross-sectional study conducted in the Ophthalmology Out Patient Department of Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara. Total 100 numbers of subjects (40 primary open angle glaucoma, 30 glaucoma suspects and 30 normal people) were evaluated. Complete ophthalmological examinations including tonometry, gonioscopy, optical coherence tomography, perimetry were performed. Statistical analysis was carried out using Epi-info 7. The result showed that the average retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was 70.22±12.07μm in right eye and 69.42±11.53μm in left eye in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), 88.87±10.39μm in right eye and 88.73±9.59μm in left eye in glaucoma suspects (GS) and 94.40±9.21μm in right eye and 94.73±6.76μm in left eye in normal group respectively. The mean RNFL thickness was statistically significant in all three comparison groups except in nasal quadrant. The mean RNFL thickness was statistically significant in two comparison groups except in GS-Normal (nasal and temporal quadrant), GS-POAG (left nasal quadrant) and Normal-POAG (left nasal quadrant). The study concluded that the RNFL thickness is lower in POAG as compared to glaucoma suspects and normal group in the Nepalese population.