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Prevalence and Causes of Visual Impairment and Blindness in the Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study
Abdulaziz H Alluhayb1, Saud K Alamri1, Ali S Alrashed1
1College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, SAU.
Introduction:
Visual impairment (VI) and blindness occur when processes and structures responsible for vision are malfunctioning or damaged. Neglect, inappropriate handling, and delayed treatment of this condition could lead to adverse visual health outcomes. Understanding the prevalence and causes of this condition will enhance preventative measures and ultimately reduce the number of occurrences.
Methods:
The study was a retrospective cohort study that interrogated 385 medical records of patients of various age groups who attended outpatient eye clinics at Qassim University Medical City (QUMC) between January 2023 and December 2024. Data was first cleaned and then analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States) to obtain crucial insights.
Results:
The study found approximately 58.2% prevalence of VI and blindness among the patients. Most patients had moderate VI (123, 54.9%), followed by mild (70, 31.3%), severe (27, 12.1%), and blindness (4, 1.8%). The leading causes were refractive error (125, 32.5%) and cataract (80, 20.8%). Statistically significant associations were found between patients' nationality, presenting visual acuity (VA), systemic comorbidities, intervention, and the prevalence of VI and blindness (p=0.030, p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.005). Intervention received by patients was positively associated with VI and blindness (AOR=3.40; 95% CI=1.219-9.498; p=0.019). Additionally, age (AOR=1.05; 95% CI=1.035-1.065; p<0.001) and presenting VA (AOR=0.42; 95% CI=0.231-0.756; p=0.004) were significantly associated with VI and blindness.
Conclusion:
VI cases are prevalent among patients attending eye clinics at QUMC, presenting symptoms like decreased vision and blurred vision. The leading causes were refractive error and cataract, with most patients presenting moderate and mild VI. The most common comorbidities were diabetes mellitus and hypertension. There is a need for patients to take prompt action and preventive measures, including regular eye examinations, to minimize the incidence of VI and the risk of blindness.
