title: Measuring the burden of ocular morbidity.
abstract: This hospital-based study highlights the spectrum of eye ailments in 35,273 patients who attended the Department of Ophthalmology at the B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Eastern Nepal, during a 5-year period with varied clinical diagnosis. The attendance each year showed a progressive increase with a male preponderance. More than 13% of the patients were children. Cataract was the most common problem for which patients needed ophthalmic advice; diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy were frequent occurrences and infection was a common problem. Over 21% of the eyes examined had a refractive error: as high as 2.54% were amyblyopic caused by non-correction of refractive errors. Allergic conjunctivitis was frequently encountered. As shown by the magnitude of the problem, the existing eye care facilities must be enhanced and new strategies developed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. anitap49@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panda
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Upadhyay
authors.forename: Narayan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Badhu
authors.forename: Shekhar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koirala
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006782:Hospitals, Special / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D009885:Ophthalmology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution