title: Causes and anatomical site of blindness and severe visual loss in Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran.
abstract: This study in 2005 evaluated the causes and major anatomical site of blindness and severe visual loss at a school for blind children in Isfahan province, Islamic Republic of Iran. All 211 students were examined according to the modified WHO/PBL eye examination record: 70.4% were blind, 24.3% had severe visual loss and 5.3% were visually impaired. The major causes of abnormality were hereditary factors (42.7%), prenatal/neonatal (18.5%) and unknown etiology (35.5%). The main sites of abnormality were the retina (62.6%), whole globe (17.5%), lens (7.1%) and optic nerve (7.1%). A high proportion of parents were in a consanguineous marriage (49.2%). The pattern of blindness in Isfahan encompasses characteristics of both developed and developing countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dehghan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kianersi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moazam
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghanbari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001766:Blindness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003241:Consanguinity; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004519:Education, Special; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*