title: [Causes of blindness in 25% of the blind population in Croatia and the possibilities of prevention].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the causes of blindness and to launch preventive actions to reduce the prevalence of blindness in Croatia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In February 2005, data on 25% of the blind population in Croatia including associations of the blind in the City of Zagreb, Koprivnica-Krizevci County and Medimurje County were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis showed the blind to account for 0.13% of the 4.5 million population of Croatia. The leading causes of blindness were myopia, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. In 212 individuals, blindness developed before age 16, in 84 of these due to retinopathy of prematurity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many ophthalmologic diseases are preventable or curable if early detected and timely treated. The prevention of blindness is of paramount social importance and definitely among most cost-effective interventions in health care.
authors.affiliation: Djelatnost za ocne bolesti Dr. Tomislav Bardek, Opća bolnica Koprivnica, Koprivnica, Hrvatska.
authors.forename: Tigrena
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Czik
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sobota
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Slugan
authors.forename: Branka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jambrek
authors.forename: Jasna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pavicić-Astalos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged