title: Prevalence and causes of vision loss in North Africa and the Middle East: 1990-2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To describe the prevalence and causes of visual impairment and blindness in North Africa and the Middle East (NAME) in 1990 and 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on a systematic review of medical literature, we examined prevalence and causes of moderate and severe vision impairment (MSVI; presenting visual acuity <6/18, ≥3/60) and blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In NAME, the age-standardised prevalence of blindness decreased from 2.1% to 1.1% and MSVI from 7.1% to 4.5%. In 2010, 3.119 million people were blind, and 13.700 million had MSVI. Women were generally more often affected than men. Main causes of blindness were cataract, uncorrected refractive error, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Main causes of MSVI were cataract and uncorrected refractive errors. Proportions of blindness and MSVI from trachoma significantly decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the absolute numbers of people with blindness and MSVI increased from 1990 to 2010, the overall age-standardised prevalence of blindness and MSVI among all ages and among those aged 50 years and older decreased significantly (p<0.05). Cataract and uncorrected refractive error were the major causes of blindness and MSVI.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, University of Monastir, , Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Moncef
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khairallah
authors.forename: Rim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kahloun
authors.forename: Seth R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Flaxman
authors.forename: Jost B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jonas
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keeffe
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leasher
authors.forename: Kovin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Naidoo
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pesudovs
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Tien Yin
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Resnikoff
authors.forename: Hugh R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Rupert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Bourne
mesh_terms: D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000453:epidemiology; D018912:Arabs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001766:Blindness / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Epidemiology; Public health