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Corneal Diseases in Children in The Gambia
Abstract
Background: Blindness surveys carried out in The Gambia in 1986 reported childhood blindness from non-trachomatous corneal diseases as the commonest cause of blindness in children. The major causes were, post measles keratopathy, vitamin A deficiency and ophthalmia neonatorum.
Aim: This study aims to find out what impact the Expanded
Programme on Immunization and the development of human
resources have had on the causes/pattern of corneal eye
diseases in children in The Gambia.
Design: A prospective six-month hospital-based study.
Method: The eyes of all children aged 0-16 years presenting at the
Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH) in Banjul, The
Gambia, from December 2005 to May 2006, were examined
for aetiology of corneal eye diseases. All the children were
treated according to the diagnosis.
Result: A total of 169 children aged 0-16 years were seen during
the study period. Seventy-one (42%) had corneal diseases.
Their ages ranged from 2 weeks to 16 years; mean 7.5 years
and SD 3.1 years. The aetiology of corneal diseases were
trauma in 23 (32.4%) vernal kerato-conjunctivitis in 16 (22.54%), congenital eye diseases in 12 (16.9%), corneal infections in 12 (16.9%), corneal scarring from unknown causes in 5 (7.04%) and corneal dystrophy/degenerations in 3 patients. Ten patients (14%) became bilaterally blind while 22 patients (31%) suffered unilateral blindness, with
congenital diseases and trauma being the causes respectively.
Vernal kerato-conjunctivitis was a major cause of ocular
morbidity. Conclusion: Bilateral blindness is no longer due to preventable
causes like measles, ophthalmia neonatorum and keratomalacia. The use of harmful traditional eye medication is a contributory factor to the severity of vernal keratoconjunctivitis.
Aim: This study aims to find out what impact the Expanded
Programme on Immunization and the development of human
resources have had on the causes/pattern of corneal eye
diseases in children in The Gambia.
Design: A prospective six-month hospital-based study.
Method: The eyes of all children aged 0-16 years presenting at the
Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH) in Banjul, The
Gambia, from December 2005 to May 2006, were examined
for aetiology of corneal eye diseases. All the children were
treated according to the diagnosis.
Result: A total of 169 children aged 0-16 years were seen during
the study period. Seventy-one (42%) had corneal diseases.
Their ages ranged from 2 weeks to 16 years; mean 7.5 years
and SD 3.1 years. The aetiology of corneal diseases were
trauma in 23 (32.4%) vernal kerato-conjunctivitis in 16 (22.54%), congenital eye diseases in 12 (16.9%), corneal infections in 12 (16.9%), corneal scarring from unknown causes in 5 (7.04%) and corneal dystrophy/degenerations in 3 patients. Ten patients (14%) became bilaterally blind while 22 patients (31%) suffered unilateral blindness, with
congenital diseases and trauma being the causes respectively.
Vernal kerato-conjunctivitis was a major cause of ocular
morbidity. Conclusion: Bilateral blindness is no longer due to preventable
causes like measles, ophthalmia neonatorum and keratomalacia. The use of harmful traditional eye medication is a contributory factor to the severity of vernal keratoconjunctivitis.
