Article Sidebar
Article Details
Copyright remains in the Author’s name. The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial Works License. Authors are required to complete and sign an Author Agreement form that outlines Author and Publisher rights and terms of publication. The Agreement form should be uploaded along with other submissions files and any submission will be considered incomplete without it [forthcoming].
Material submitted for publication in the SAMJ is accepted provided it has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Please inform the editorial team if the main findings of your paper have been presented at a conference and published in abstract form, to avoid copyright infringement. The SAMJ does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.
Previously published images
If an image/figure has been previously published, permission to reproduce or alter it must be obtained by the authors from the original publisher and the figure legend must give full credit to the original source. This credit should be accompanied by a letter indicating that permission to reproduce the image has been granted to the author/s. This letter should be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.
Main Article Content
Impact of a sight-saver clinic on the prevalence of blindness in northern KwaZulu
Abstract
The prevalence of blindness in the Ingwavuma district of northern Kwazulu was 1% (95% confidence interval 0,75 - 1,25) in 1990, and the prevalence of blindness due solely to age-related cataract was 0,39% (95% Cl 0,24 - 0,54). Eight sight-saver clinics were held between 1990 and 1993. Nine hundred and thirteen patients were seen and 113 cataract extractions performed at a cost of R62 000. The prevalence of blindness due solely to agerelated cataract was reduced by 25% to 0,29% (95% Cl 0,17 - 0,41). The overall prevalence of blindness was reduced by 4% to 0,96% (95% Cl 0,72 - 1,20). The. provision of aphakic spectacles to aphakic patients whose spectacles have either been lost or broken would effect a further 11 % reduction to 0,85% (95% Cl 0,63 - 1,07). The establishment of a permanent sight-saver clinic staffed by an ophthalmic medical assistant who is working full-time in this capacity would facilitate an improvement in the delivery of eye care in the area.
