Ocular findings in leprosy patients in Nigeria

An ophthalmic assessment of patients in four out of the five leprosy clinics in Anambra State, eastern Nigeria, showed that 63% had ocular disease and 43.5% had sight-threatening disorders. Most of the problems occurred in multibacillary leprosy patients. The blindness rate of (8.7%) is nearly 10 times higher than that within the general population in area. The causes of blindness were cataract, exposure keratopathy and uveitis. Some patients also had glaucoma and chorioretinal lesions. Eye health service within the leprosy control service in the area is non-existent. The importance of giving priority to blindness prevention in leprosy patients in the area is emphasised.