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Epidemiology and trends in the uptake of refractive error services in Harare, Zimbabwe: a hospital-based
Vimbainashe Evidence Kahoto1, Michael Agyemang Kwarteng1,2,3, Bismark Owusu-Afriyie1
1Department of Optometry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Bindura University of Science Education, Bindura, Zimbabwe.
Aim:
The study aimed to determine the epidemiology and evaluate the trends in the uptake of refractive error services in Harare.
Methods:
A clinic-based retrospective study at the Greenwood Park Eye Centre and its three subsidiaries was conducted from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2020.
Results:
12,216 patients' records were retrieved, out of which 1074 (8.79%) had refractive error cases. The prevalence of visual impairment at presentation was 5.80% [95% CI: 5.39 - 6.23]. Among those with refractive error, the sample prevalence of visual impairment before correction was 41.30% [CI: 38.3 - 44.3, 95%], and 2.20% [95% CI: 1.4 - 3.3] after correction. There was inconsistency in the percentage utilization of refractive error services, with the highest being 42.60% in 2015. Refractive error types were related to age, employment position, and type of visual impairment prior to refractive error treatment.
Conclusion:
There was a low percentage of refractive error services uptake in urban Zimbabwe.
