Visual Impairment and Types of Visual Disorders Among Attendees of an Outreach 21 Clinic for Eye Care in Rural Ghana, 2006

Authors

  • K. Amponsa-Achiano
  • S.Y. Lartey
  • C. Nti-Boateng
  • C. Tetteh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60014/pmjg.v3i1.53

Keywords:

Vision impairment, Visual disorders, Outreach clinic, Eye care

Abstract

Introduction: The international community for eye care has targeted 2020 for eliminating avoidable blindness as a public health problem in the VISION 2020 agenda. However, eye care services in sub-Saharan Africa remain poor. The burden of eye diseases is unknown countrywide and in many rural districts in Ghana.
Setting: We present data on patients examined at an outreach clinic for eye disorders in Ejura-Sekyedumase, a rural district in Ghana, in December 2006.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of vision impairment among eye clinic attendees. Our aim was to give a profile of eye diseases in the district as baseline data to health authorities for action.
Methods: In January 2012, we studied the characteristics of 780 patients examined at an outreach clinic organised in December 2006, in Ejura-Sekyedumasi District, Ghana. We performed descriptive analysis of data from records and reviewed clinic reports.
Results: Of 780 patients examined, 704 (90.3%) had a disorder in one or both eyes: 16.2% of all eyes examined were vision impaired while 14.5% of all patients had bilateral vision impairment including blindness. The topmost five eye diseases were allergy, cataract,
glaucoma, pterygium and uncorrected refractive errors. Together, these constituted over 84% of all reported eye disorders.
Conclusion: There was high prevalence of vision impairment among patients: more than three-quarters of reported visual disorders comprised five conditions namely cataract, glaucoma and uncorrected refractive errors which cause avoidable blindness; and allergy,
and pterygium. Health authorities should assess the district prevalence of vision impairment and blindness, and ascertain burden of eye diseases. A sustainable VISION 2020 prevention of blindness programme should be adopted.

Author Biographies

K. Amponsa-Achiano

Faculty of Public Health, Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Ridge, Accra, Ghana.

Ghana Health Service Headquarters, Accra, Ghana.

S.Y. Lartey

Department of Eye, Ear Nose and Throat (EENT), Eye Unit, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.

C. Nti-Boateng

District Health Directorate, Ghana Health Service, Asiwa, Bosome-Freho District, Ghana.

C. Tetteh

Faculty of Public Health, Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Ridge, Accra, Ghana.

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Published

2022-07-12

How to Cite

Amponsa-Achiano, K., Lartey, S., Nti-Boateng, C., & Tetteh, C. (2022). Visual Impairment and Types of Visual Disorders Among Attendees of an Outreach 21 Clinic for Eye Care in Rural Ghana, 2006. Postgraduate Medical Journal of Ghana, 3(1), 21–24. https://doi.org/10.60014/pmjg.v3i1.53