[An epidemiological survey of blindness and low vision in Shandong Province]

An epidemiological survey of blindness and low vision was carried out in a sample population of 115 167 in Shandong Province to find that the prevalence of binocular blindness was 0.34%, that of unilateral blindness 0.65%, that of binocular low vision 0.46%, and that of unilateral low vision 0.64%. The prevalence rates increased with age and the leading causes of blindness, in order of importance, were cataract, corneal diseases and glaucoma in urban areas, and cataract, corneal diseases and retinal diseases in rural areas.