Pattern of neuro-ophthalmic disorders in a tertiary eye care centre in Addis Ababa

A neuro-ophthalmic subspeciality clinic was established in Ethiopia for the first time in September 1993. A total of 700 patients attended this clinic over a period of two years. Optic nerve lesions (22%), herpes zoster ophthalmicus (18%), ocular motor palsies (17%), facial palsy (10%) and papilloedema (7%) were the leading neuro-ophthalmic disorders observed. Myasthenia gravis and muscular dystrophies were not rare diseases as well. HIV infection manifested in a variety of neuro-ophthalmic disorders. In a significant number of the patients, precise diagnoses could not be made due to lack of diagnostic facilities. Most patients presented in advanced and irreversible state. Increased awareness on the part of patients as well as health care providers is thus of paramount importance in order to avert unnecessary death and blindness, also is underlined the need for improved diagnostic facilities like magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography.