Aim To determine the prevalence and the causes of severe visual impairment and blindness (SVI/BL) in children at a tertiary referral centre in Rwanda.

Methods In this retrospective study, files of all patients <18 years presenting during the year 2019 at the Kabgayi Eye Unit in Rwanda with SVI/BL (presenting visual acuity of <6/60 Snellen or lack of preferential looking behaviour) in at least one eye were analysed for age, sex, laterality, province of origin and cause of SVI/BL. Causes were categorised according to WHO standard classification.

Results Out of 3939 children presenting to the clinic, 428 (10.9%) had SVI/BL in at least one eye. 165 (4.2%) patients had bilateral and 263 (6.7%) had unilateral condition. Of patients with BL/SVI, 36.7% were below the age of 6 years. In bilateral BL/SVI, the main causes were cataract (18%), refractive error (18%), keratoconus (13%), congenital eye anomaly (9%), glaucoma (8%), cortical blindness (8%) and retinoblastoma (6%). In unilateral BL/SVI it was trauma (46%), cataract (8%), keratoconus (8%), infectious corneal disease (7%) and retinoblastoma (7%). In preschool children, retinopathy of prematurity accounted for 7% of bilateral BL/SVI. Avoidable BL/SVI accounted for 87% of all cases.

Conclusion The high number of avoidable causes for SVI/BL may be reduced through several cost-effective ways.