The study was a community based field survey that uses a rapid
assessment method to determine the prevalence of cataract
blindness in people aged 50years and above in 3 rural
Communities.
The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of
cataract blindness and barriers to cataract surgical intervention in
an area served by a health facility managed by a tertiary
institution.
Abedo, Akinyele and Ketepe Villages in Akinyele Local Government
Area of Oyo State Nigeria were selected based on their nearness to
the primary health care center in Abedo.
A total of 477 persons aged 50years and above were seen being
73.3 percent of expected. Those with visual acuity of less than 3/60
in an eye and those with visual acuity of less than 3/60 in the
better eye were examined in more details using a pen torch, an 3
ophthalmoscope and tonometer to determine the cause of
blindness. All persons who have had surgery were examined.
The prevalence of blindness in persons aged 50years and above
was 1.47% and that of cataract blindness in the same age group in
the villages was 0.84% constituting 57.14% of blindness. The main
barriers to hospital presentation were cost of surgery (52.8%) and
distance to hospital (33.8%).
The constraints and limitations encountered during the study
included rural-urban migration and population discrepancies
between what obtained at the villages and those supplied by the
Local Government Population Commission.
It is hoped that this study will serve as a preliminary survey and a
base line for further studies and the initiation of a blindness
prevention programme in the area.