Demographic Characteristics and Causes of Visual Impairment in the White Nile State of Sudan: A Hospital-based Study

Atif Babiker Ali; Abdelaziz M. Elmadina; Saif H. Alrasheed; Sulaiman  Aldakhil; Mohammed Alluwimi; Roghia Abdarshead Derar

doi:10.3889/oamjms.2022.9028

Authors

Atif Babiker Ali Department of Low Vision, Faculty of Optometry, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan
Abdelaziz M. Elmadina Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5488-4938
Saif H. Alrasheed Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia; Department of Binocular Vision, Faculty of Optometry, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0247-8780
Sulaiman Aldakhil Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4409-6441
Mohammed Alluwimi Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
Roghia Abdarshead Derar Department of Low Vision, Faculty of Optometry, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2022.9028

Keywords:

Causes of visual impairment, Demographic characteristics, Cataract, Glaucoma, Refractive errors

Abstract

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) states that visual impairment (VI) is a reduction of vision functions due to eye diseases, trauma, and congenital eye conditions. Current estimates indicate that more than 90% of people with vision impairment live in rural and developing countries.

AIM: This study aimed to determine demographic characteristics and causes of visual impairment in the White Nile State of Sudan

METHODS: A cross-sectional retrospective hospital-based study, including all patients attending Kosti and Rabak eye hospitals from January to December 2017, was conducted. A total of 1000 records were reviewed, 300 of them met the required criteria and then included in this study, with a mean age of 59.8 ± 18.5 (ranging from 10 to 95) years old. Visual impairment was classified according to the International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision, 2018 (ICD-11).

RESULTS: The prevalence of VI was found at 28.5 %. Based on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), 6 participants (2.0%) were mild VI, 32 (10.7%) had moderate VI, 152 (50.7%) had severe VI, and 110 (36.7%) were blind. VI was associated with patients' age in children (3.6%) and reached (48.3) in older age (P=0.001). VI was more common among males 158 (52.7%) than females but was statistically not significant (P=0.35). The main causes of VI were cataract (52%), refractive errors (20.7%), glaucoma (16.3%), corneal disorders (5.3%), diabetic retinopathy (1.7 %), and other causes (4%).

Conclusion Visual impairment was high in the community and more prevalent among older age. Cataract was the leading cause of VI, then refractive errors and glaucoma. Among children, uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts were the common leading causes of VI. In adults, the main causes were cataracts, uncorrected refractive errors, and glaucoma.

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