title: A survey of ocular diseases in an isolated rural Haitian community: a retrospective evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the prevalence and incidence of ophthalmic pathology from a small, rural town in Haiti and to determine the leading causes of blindness in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study from 2002 to 2009. Data collected include visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and ocular and family history.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in a single center--Hospital de Lascahobas, Lascahobas, Haiti. Patients were natives of Lascahobas and the surrounding areas. Treatments were dispensed as indicated or warranted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 3702 patients were seen and examined: 51.52% were male and 49.48% were female. Ages ranged from 6 months to 92 years (mean, 48.69 SD +/- 49.94). Uncorrected refractive error was the most common diagnosis (53.27%), followed by presbyopia (43.76%), hyperopia (34.03%), and myopia (22.21%). A total 981 patients (26.50%) were diagnosed with cataract. Three hundred twenty-three (32.93%) cataract surgeries were performed. The overall postoperative complications rate was 9.29%. A total of 706 patients (19.07%) were diagnosed with glaucoma: 23.65% were glaucoma suspect and 76.35% were diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Of those diagnosed with POAG, 35.06% had end-stage (absolute) glaucoma. The mean age at diagnosis was 52.56 SD +/- 8.2 years. The mean intraocular pressure was 24.07 and 25.60 mm Hg, and the mean cup to disc ratio of the right eye (OD) and the left eye (OS), respectively, was 0.67 and 0.72.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glaucoma was the most common cause for blindness. The most common cause of correctable vision loss was uncorrected refractive error followed by cataract. Providing constant eye care in this region will most likely decrease the incidence of correctable and permanent vision loss.
authors.affiliation: Westfield Eye Center, Las Vegas, Nevada 89146, USA. hon-vu.duong@nsc.nevada.edu
authors.forename: Hon-Vu Q
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Duong
authors.forename: Kenneth C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Westfield
authors.forename: Leslie S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Tyree
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carr
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult