Causes of corneal blindness: a multi-center retrospective review.
OBJECTIVE
To assess prevalence and causes of corneal blindness in four hospitals in Thailand and to compare the causes between hospitals.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review of six hundred and sixty four patients records with best-corrected visual acuity not better than 6/60 in at least one eye due to corneal disease in Siriraj, Mettapracharak, Sappasitthiprasong and Banmee Hospitals in a one-year period were reviewed. The collected data included age, sex, laterality, causes of corneal blindness, and prognosis.


RESULTS
Seven hundred and sixty nine eyes with corneal blindness and a median age of 55.0 years were reviewed Leading causes of cornea blindness were corneal infection (35.6%), surgical bullous keratopathy (27.8%), and trauma (14.0%). The prevalence at Siriraj Hospital was 1.7% (498/28,728 patients). Most of the treatable cases (84.6%) underwent penetrating keratoplasty procedures and 73% of patients had a chance of recovery.


CONCLUSIONS
Corneal infection and surgical bullous keratopathy were the leading causes of corneal blindness.
Prabhasawat
Pinnita
P
Department of Ophthalmology, Siriraj Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. sippb@mahidol.ac.th
Trethipwanit
Kanok-orn
KO
Prakairungthong
Nualjira
N
Narenpitak
Sudarat
S
Jaruroteskulchai
Sunsern
S
Anantachai
Jirapas
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000150:complications*; D015817:Eye Infections / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology