title: Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness in Negros Island and Antique District, Philippines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct rapid assessments of avoidable blindness to estimate the magnitude and causes of blindness in people aged >/=50 years in Negros Island and Antique district, Philippines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clusters of 50 people aged >/=50 years were sampled with probability proportionate to size. Households within clusters were selected through compact segment sampling. Visual acuity (VA) was measured with a tumbling "E" chart. Ophthalmologists examined people with VA<6/18 in either eye.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Negros, 2774 of 3649 enumerated subjects were examined (76.0%) and 3177 of 3842 enumerated subjects in Antique (82.7%). The prevalence of blindness (presenting VA<3/60 in better eye) was 2.6% (95% CI = 2.0 to 3.2%) in Negros and 3.0% (2.4 to 3.6%) in Antique. The leading cause of blindness was untreated cataract, and was refractive error for visual impairment (VA<6/18 to >/=6/60). Most of the cases of blindness (67% in Negros, 82% in Antique) and visual impairment (94% in Negros, 95% in Antique) were avoidable (ie, operated and unoperated cataract, refractive error and corneal scar). In Negros, 23% of eyes had a poor outcome after cataract surgery, and 13% in Antique.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of blindness in two areas in the Philippines was relatively low. Since most cases were avoidable, further reductions are possible.
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eusebio
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuper
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Polack
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Enconado
authors.forename: Noel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tongson
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dionio
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dumdum
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Limburg
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001766:Blindness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000592:standards; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000150:complications; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000150:complications; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010679:Philippines; D015995:Prevalence; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000150:complications; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity