title: Trachoma visual impairment in a SAFE area in Ethiopia.
abstract: A cross-sectional survey of visual impairment (VI) was undertaken in the Enemor district in Southern Ethiopian where five years of trachoma control programme has been implemented using the SAFE (Surgery, Antibiotics, Face washing, Environmental hygiene) strategy. The prevalence of VI (presenting visual acuity in the better eye < 6/18) in 451 people above 40 years of age was 22% (CI: 17.6 to 27.6) and most of it was accounted for by cataract (67%) and trachoma (13%). Whereas cataract remains a prominent cause, contribution of trachoma among leading causes of VI is declining in communities where SAFE strategy has been implemented.
authors.affiliation: Light for the World, Sector de Oftalmologia, Hospital Central Da Beira, 727-Aven. FPLM, Beira, Mozambique. agassegid@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Assegid Aga
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Roba
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zondervan
authors.forename: Daksha
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014141:Trachoma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology