Survey of eye complications in leprosy in Prakasam District (Andhra Pradesh)

A field study was conducted to find out the incidence of eye complications in leprosy. The ocular lesions were found in 4.72% of lepromatous leprosy and in 1.15% of non-lepromatous leprosy cases. Out of 130 patients with eye ailments, 60% were males; age varied from 9 to 70 years; 38 were suffering from lepromatous leprosy and 92 from non-lepromatous type. Mean duration of leprosy was 8.63 years in lepromatous and 6.42 years in non-lepromatous leprosy. The important eye complications observed were corneal anesthesia, lagophthalmos and anterior uveitis. The corneal lesions (63.1%) were found to be the most common in this study. It is suggested that a periodical ocular examination of all leprosy patients is essential for the early diagnosis and treatment of eye complications, which finally result in blindness if left untreated.