Profile of eye lesions and vision loss: a cross-sectional study in Lusambo, a forest-savanna area hyperendemic for onchocerciasis in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
OBJECTIVE
To determine baseline data regarding eye lesions and vision loss in five villages of Lusambo, an onchocerciasis-hyperendemic forest-savanna area in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in preparation of mass ivermectin distribution.


METHODS
Five villages were selected by simple randomization. Through a cross-sectional design, 750 subjects were examined ophthalmologically. The eye examination included acuity visual measurement, slit-lamp examination, ophthalmoscopy, intraocular pressure measurement, and visual field assessment by the Wu-Jones test.


RESULTS
There was a high prevalence of onchocerciasis-related eye lesions compared with non-onchocercal lesions. Chorioretinitis (20%) was the most frequent disease, others were punctate keratitis and microfilariae in the anterior chamber in equal frequency (13.8%), white intraretinal deposits (10.4%) and iridocyclitis (8%). Vision loss was discovered in 8.5% of the subjects, of whom 0.5% had bilateral blindness, 2.2% had monocular blindness and 5.7% had visual impairment. Vision loss was mostly caused by onchocerciasis-related diseases, especially those affecting the anterior segment of the eye.


CONCLUSIONS
Features of ocular onchocerciasis usually described in forest and savanna areas were both found in this forest-savanna zone of the DRC.
Kayembe
D L
DL
Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kasonga
D L
DL
Kayembe
P K
PK
Mwanza
J-C K
JC
Boussinesq
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015827:Onchocerciasis, Ocular / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014504:Urban Health