Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness in Negros Island and Antique District, Philippines
- Cristina Eusebio (tinaeusebio{at}yahoo.com),
- Hannah Kuper (hannah.kuper{at}lshtm.ac.uk),
- Sarah R Polack (sarah.polack{at}lshtm.ac.uk),
- John Enconada (enconadaj{at}yahoo.com),
- Noel Tongson (u_oy{at}yahoo.com),
- Donald Dionio (doc_don{at}lycos.com),
- Anne DumDum (anneddum{at}hotmail.com),
- Hans Limburg (hlimburg{at}quicknet.nl),
- Allen Foster (allenfoster{at}compuserve.com)
- Cataract Foundation of the Philippines, Philippines
- LSHTM, United Kingdom
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
- Fatima Eye Center, Manila, Philippines
- Iloilo Provincial Hospital, Iloilo, Philippines
- Western Visayas Medical Center, Iloilo, Philippines
- Iloilo Provincial Hospital, Philippines
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
- LSHTM, Philippines
- Published Online First 13 June 2007
Abstract
Objectives: To conduct Rapid Assessments of Avoidable Blindness to estimate the magnitude and causes of blindness in people aged >=50 years in Negros Island and Antique district, Philippines.
Methods: Clusters of 50 people aged >=50 years were sampled with probability proportionate to size. Households within clusters were selected through compact segment sampling. Visual acuity (VA) was measured with a tumbling E chart. Ophthalmologists examined people with VA<6/18 in either eye.
Results: In Negros, 2,774 of 3,649 enumerated subjects were examined (76.0%) and 3,177 of 3,842 enumerated subjects in Antique (82.7%). The prevalence of blindness (presenting VA<3/60 in better eye) was 2.6% (95% CI=2.0-3.2%) in Negros and 3.0% (2.4-3.6%) in Antique. The leading cause of blindness was untreated cataract, and was refractive error for visual impairment (VA <6/18->=6/60). Most of the cases of blindness (67% in Negros, 82% in Antique) and visual impairment (94% in Negros, 95% in Antique) were avoidable (i.e. operated and unoperated cataract, refractive error and corneal scar). In Negros 23% of eyes had a poor outcome after cataract surgery, and 13% in Antique.
Conclusions: The prevalence of blindness in two areas in the Philippines was relatively low. Since most cases were avoidable, further reductions are possible.
