Research

The purpose of this thesis was to determine the magnitude and causes of visual impairment and blindness in children attending pediatric eye clinic at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar essalaam Tanzania.

This was a cross-sectional study conducted with 232 children aged 15 years and below attending pediatric eye clinic at the MNH.

Of 201 children assessed by quantitative methods, 8% had visual impairment and 4.0% were blind.

Ocular trauma was the predominant cause of both uniocular visual impairment and blindness causing 15, 29.4% and 17, 34.7% respectively.

Amblyopia due to congenital cataract was the leading cause of bilateral visual impairment (31.3%).

Cortical blindness was the main cause of bilateral blindness responsible for 50.0% of bilaterally blind children.

Visual impairment and blindness in children is high among the children attending the pediatric eye clinic at Muhimbili National Hospital.