National survey of blindness and low vision in Lebanon.
OBJECTIVE
To survey level of blindness and low vision in Lebanon.


METHODS
A population survey was undertaken in 10,148 individuals to measure the prevalence and identify the causes of blindness in Lebanon.


RESULTS
The prevalence of blindness was 0.6% and that of low vision 3.9%. The major causes of blindness were cataract (41.3%) and uncorrected large refractive error (12.6%).


CONCLUSIONS
Most causes of blindness in Lebanon can be controlled by various educational and medical programmes.
Mansour
A M
AM
Department of Ophthalmology, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
Kassak
K
K
Chaya
M
M
Hourani
T
T
Sibai
A
A
Alameddine
M N
MN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000150:complications; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology