Survey of blindness and visual impairment in Bioko, Equatorial Guinea.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to estimate the prevalence of blindness and its main aetiologies in Bioko, an onchocerciasis endemic zone of Equatorial Guinea.


METHODS
Random sampling was applied, proportionally to population distribution into urban or rural areas. All the subjects underwent a basic eye examination by trained nurses. In the presence of any ocular affection or a visual acuity of less than 0.3, the subject was visited by the ophthalmologist. This visit included direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy, anterior segment examination with a slit lamp, and intraocular pressure recording. Blindness and visual impairment were defined by using the WHO criteria.


RESULTS
3218 subjects were screened, with a mean age of 34.1 (SD 21.6) years, ranging from 1 month to 102 years (median 34 years). The overall prevalence of blindness was 3.2% (95% CI: 2.6% to 3.9%). Unilateral blindness was present in 4.2%. Visual impairment was diagnosed in 200 patients (6.8%). More than 20% of the acuities inferior to 0.7 improved when explored with a pinhole. The main causes of blindness were cataracts (61.3%); macular affection (25.3%), optic atrophy (16%), and glaucoma (13.3%). Ocular onchocerciasis was detected in 12 cases (0.4%).


CONCLUSIONS
Ocular onchocerciasis was very uncommon in an area of high endemicity. Results also pointed at the lack of basic ophthalmologist eye care and optician resources in the island.
Moser
C L
CL
Ophthalmology Unit, Consorci Sanitari de la Creu Roja a Catalunya, Hospital de l'Hospitalet, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. cluis.moser@chcr.scs.es
Martín-Baranera
M
M
Vega
F
F
Draper
V
V
Gutiérrez
J
J
Mas
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016703:Equatorial Guinea; D005260:Female; D005369:Filaricides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015827:Onchocerciasis, Ocular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity
D005369:Filaricides; D007559:Ivermectin