[A survey of blindness and low vision in Motuo county of Tibet].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the status of blindness and low vision in Motuo county of Tibet.


METHODS
Random cluster sampling based on the village was adopted in this survey. Six villages were chosen as the survey venue. The sampling percentage was 2.05% in the whole population in the county. The criteria of blindness and low vision from World Health Organization were used in the survey.


RESULTS
821 individuals were registered. The rate of final participants was 89.52%. The prevalence of bilateral blindness and low vision was found to be 2.59% and 4.35% respectively. Subjects over 40 years old had a significantly higher prevalence of blindness and low vision. The causes leading to blindness and low vision were cataract (42.11%), corneal opacity (21.05%) and glaucoma (15.79%).


CONCLUSIONS
The leading cause of blindness and low vision is cataract in Motuo county, therefore the surgical application in cases with cataract is the main measure in the treatment of blindness in the county.
Luobuciren
Department of Ophthalmology, Linzhi People's Hospital, Tibet 860000, China. liwensheng200651@126.com
Li
Jin-feng
JF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D018609:Tibet / Q000453:epidemiology; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult