Prevalence of blindness and its major causes in sub-Saharan Africa in 2020: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Global studies show that the prevalence of visual impairment and blindness continued to rise despite the implementation of strategies outlined in the Global Action Plan, aimed at reducing these by the year 2020. Vision impairment impacts negatively on one’s independence, opportunities, and quality of life. Therefore, knowledge of the prevalence, and the major causes of blindness impairment in any population, is vital in designing strategies to address this public health challenge. Methods: Literature mapping evidence of vision impairment was searched for on PubMed, Google Scholar, and EBSCOhost databases MEDLINE, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Health Source – Consumer Edition, CINAHL, and Academic Search Complete. Studies that were searched for included peer-reviewed and grey literature published in English from various countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Results: Only 77 studies with 191,173 participants, contributing data from 26 countries within SSA, met the inclusion criteria for the final review. The overall pooled prevalence estimate (PPE) of blindness from the selected studies was 10% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.0% – 11.0%). West Africa and East Africa had the highest prevalence. The identified leading causes of blindness were cataracts (46%; 95% CI: 40% – 52%), followed by glaucoma (14%; 95% CI: 11% – 18%). There was a high level of heterogeneity in most pooled estimates (I2 ˃ 80%, p < .001). Conclusion: The prevalence of blindness in SSA has increased in all four regions with most cases being avoidable. Policymakers should prioritise blindness prevention programmes, ensure enabling health systems, and provide the necessary resources towards reducing blindness in SSA.

Visually significant cataract and associated factors among older people attending a community ophthalmic service in central Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

“… *Includes transportation (n = 4 ), fear of surgery (n = 3 ), able to perform daily activities with the condition (n = 2 ), and taking traditional medicine (n = 2). …”

“…3 A systematic review showed that cataract is a public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for more than 46% of cases of blindness. 4 In Ethiopia, cataract is the main cause of blindness and low vision, contributing to 49.9% of blindness and 42.3% of low vision cases. 5 Community and institutionally based studies conducted in Ethiopia have revealed that the prevalence of cataract ranges from 9.7% to 57%.…”

Prevalence and associated risk factors of neglected tropical diseases in the Amhara region, Ethiopia

“…Its pooled prevalence (19.55%) (95% CI: 13.38%-25.72%) was higher than that in Brazil (6.3%), and sub-Saharan Africa (10%), but lower than in the SNNPR (35.7%) and Oromia regions (20.2%) in Ethiopia. [29][30][31] Variations in occurrence and water access can be attributed to socioeconomic development, awareness, socio-cultural factors, education, and local conditions. Understanding the impact of water supply, sanitation, and facial hygiene is crucial for policy reform and provides insights for combating trachoma in affected areas.…”

Multilingual Speech Recognition Initiative for African Languages

“…• Social and Economic Impact: The African continent is one of the regions in the world with the most illiterate people [22]. A disturbing study of the high prevalence of vision impairment in East and West African countries was showed in [23]. ASR systems could then bring a huge social and economic benefits to these communities by allowing technologies that could considerably help them in their daily lives.…”