Blindness and eye disease in Kenya: ocular status survey results from the Kenya Rural Blindness Prevention Project.

Whitfield, Randolph; Schwab, Larry; Ross‐Degnan, Dennis; Steinkuller, Paul G.; Swartwood, J.

doi:10.1136/bjo.74.6.333

Cited by 65 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Trauma was found to be the second most prevalent blinding condition in the Kenya Rural Blindness Prevention Project. 13 Vitamin A deficiency and measles are responsible for more than half the childhood blindness in Africa.3 In our series, xerophthalmia was ranked in fifth place for all age groups. Among children under 6, xerophthalmia and cataracts share first place.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Ophthalmology in Luanda (Angola): a hospital based report.

Carreras

Rodríguez-Hurtado

David

1995

British Journal of Ophthalmology

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Ophthalmology in Luanda (Angola): a hospital based report.

Carreras

Rodríguez-Hurtado

David

1995

British Journal of Ophthalmology

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“…10 The prevalence of bilateral blindness in this rural population is higher than in the U.S. (0.4% versus 0.2%) especially considering that American estimates are based on a more liberal visual acuity cut-off criterion for blindness (equal or worse than 6/60). 17 However, compared with other countries, bilateral blindness was less common than in rural Kenya (0.7%), 9 and much lower than in Nepal (0.9%), 18 Malawi (1.3%) 19 or Tanzania. 4 Similarly, the prevalence of bilateral visual impairment (1.6%) observed in the study was lower than that observed in Kenya (2.5%), 9 Ethiopia (2.5%) 6 and Tanzania 4 but close to that in Nepal (1.6%).…”

mentioning

confidence: 50%

“…Better estimates can be made from well-conducted large community surveys, but these are often expensive and require trained personnel. 4 A few population-based surveys conducted in Africa, for example in the Gambia, 5 Ethiopia, 6 Benin 7 and Kenya, 8,9 reflect the high morbidity due to trachoma or onchocerciasis, which are common in these countries. A recent eye survey conducted in Uganda reported a prevalence of bilateral blindness of 0.5%, visual impairment of 1.8%, with 2.1% suffering blindness or visual impairment in at least one eye.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of E-optotypes as a screening test and the prevalence and causes of visual loss in a rural population in SW Uganda

Mbulaiteye¹,

Reeves²,

Karabalinde³

et al. 2002

Ophthalmic Epidemiology

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“…However, many common changes are seen in human cataracts of different morphol- For references see Harding (1991) except for Kenya (Whitfield et al 1990 ogies and also in experimental cataracts induced by different agents. This implies that there are final common pathways in the development of cataract ( fig.…”

Section: Pathogenesismentioning

confidence: 98%

Pharmacological Treatment Strategies in Age-Related Cataracts

Harding

1992

Drugs & Aging

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Cataract is the major cause of blindness worldwide and at present the only approved treatment in many countries including the UK and USA is surgical removal of the lens. In other countries various anti-cataract drugs are available without proof of their efficacy. Research is continuing into the possible benefits of several groups of drugs and some vitamins. The first to be studied were sorbitol-lowering agents (aldose reductase inhibitors) based on the sorbitol hypothesis for diabetic cataract. Sorbitol-lowering agents have distinct effects in vitro and many of them delay the development of cataract in galactose-fed rats. A few delay cataract in diabetic rats but none have been proved effective in clinical trials, although these continue. Aspirin, paracetamol (acetaminophen) and ibuprofen delay diabetic cataract in rats, and have been shown to delay other experimental cataracts. Case-control studies from 3 continents indicate that these drugs, or at least aspirin, protect against cataract. Results of studies on all 3 drugs indicate a benefit even at low doses. Population-based studies did not identify any protection against early lens opacities but tiny opacities that do not impair vision are not a problem. Bendazac protects lens proteins in vitro and delays cataractogenesis in x-irradiated rats. In humans, it reached the clinical trial stage but most trials have been small and with subjective criteria of opacification. One objectively monitored trial suffered from a high drop-out rate. Other preparations studied less extensively include vitamins, aminoguanidine to prevent protein cross-linking in diabetes and agents designed to boost glutathione levels. It is probable that some agents which may delay or prevent cataract will be proved effective soon, and in the end there may be different drugs to delay cataract in different high risk groups. This is what might be expected of a multifactorial disease, although compounds that intervene in the final common pathways to cataract could have a broad efficacy.

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Blindness and eye disease in Kenya: ocular status survey results from the Kenya Rural Blindness Prevention Project.

Cited by 65 publications

References 5 publications

Ophthalmology in Luanda (Angola): a hospital based report.

Ophthalmology in Luanda (Angola): a hospital based report.

Evaluation of E-optotypes as a screening test and the prevalence and causes of visual loss in a rural population in SW Uganda

Pharmacological Treatment Strategies in Age-Related Cataracts

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