A survey of the prevalence of blindness and low
vision was conducted in the IngwaVUIIla district of
KwaZulu to assess the effectiveness of existing eye
care facilities in the prevention and treatInent of
im.paired vision and blindness. One hundred subjects
frOIn each of 60 randomly selected clusters
(N =6 090) were screened. Of these, 293 were
identified and referred to an ophthalmologist for
exam.ination. Of the 268 (91,5%) exam.ined, 241
were found to have visual im.pairm.ent. Sixty-one
of these people were blind, 85 had low vision, 61
were blind in one eye but had norm.al vision in the
other, and 34 had low "ision in one eye but norm.al
vision in the other. The prevalence of blindness
was 1,0% (95% confidence interval 0,7 - 1,2%), and
the prevalence of im.paired vision was 1,4% (95%
confidence interval 1,1 - 1,7%). Age-related cataract
(59,0%) and chronic glaucom.a (22,9%) were
the two m.ain causes of blindness. Age-related
cataract (75,3%), refractive error (10,0%) and
chronic glaucom.a (4,7%) were the m.ain causes of
im.paired vision. Existing eye care services for the
region have reduced the prevalence of blindness
by only 7,0%. The training of ophthalm.ic nurses
and the establishm.ent of a sight-saver clinic in the
area are necessary to reduce the prevalence oflow
vision and blindness.