Prevalence of vision impairment in Rwanda: a hospital-based study.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Vision impairment (VI) presents a substantial global health challenge impacting all demographics.
• Increasing life expectancy worldwide is projected to exacerbate the prevalence and burden of VI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of vision impairment (VI) in the general population within public hospitals in Kigali and southern Rwanda.
• To identify key risk factors and causes associated with VI in the study population.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective hospital-based study was conducted using patient records from five public hospitals in Rwanda.
• Data from January 2018 to December 2023 were analyzed, focusing on patients diagnosed with VI based on defined criteria.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of VI ranged from 8.1% to 18.2%, with higher rates observed in females (18.0%) and the elderly (29.1%).
• Diseases of the lens and normal globe diseases were identified as primary causes of VI.
• Significant risk factors for VI included being male (AOR: 1.25), older age (AOR: 1.57), and having lens diseases (AOR: 2.17).

Conclusions:

• Rwanda faces a growing burden of vision impairment, influenced by demographic shifts.
• Enhancing human resources and addressing unmet needs for cataract and refractive error correction are crucial public health priorities.