Sadia Javed Khan, Afshan Hassan, Laila Khalid, Uzma Karim, Erurn Hashmi, Fariha Gul, Imtiaz Jehan.
Blindness in children at the Ida Rieu school for the blind and deaf.
J Pak Med Assoc Jan ;57(7):334-7.

Objective: To identify the causes of blindness at the Ida Rieu school for the blind and deaf, Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: Across sectional study was conducted at the Ida Rieu School for the blind and deaf. The data collected from medical record of students was entered into the WHO/PBL eye examination form for children with blindness and low vision. Results: Records of 144 pupils aged between 4-30 years were reviewed, including 67% males and 33%females. One third (31%) children had visual impairment (<6/18-6/60) and 69% were blind (<3/60-NPL). The commonest anatomical site was retina (41%) and whole globe (20%). The etiology was unknown in 49% cases. In 33% of cases, the data suggested hereditary cause as the etiology, 40% of cases were preventable and 13%treatable. Conclusion: Avoidable causes of blindness were seen in 53% of children, 58% of which were preventable and19 were treatable (JPMA 57:334:2007).

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