Prevalence, causes, and risk factors for blindness and visual impairment among nursing home residents in Lebanon

Objective: To determine the prevalence, causes, and risk factors for blindness and visual impairment in the elderly population of Lebanese nursing homes, to encourage the development of an effective campaign against blindness.

Methods: Transversal study in all nursing homes in two Lebanese regions (298 residents). All respondents (89.6%) underwent a complete ocular examination. Personal and medical data were also gathered for each participant.

Results: The prevalence of blindness (visual acuity20/200 in the best eye) was 36%. The rate of blindness in underprivileged residents was found to be double that of the well-off residents (27% and 15%, respectively). Cataract was the leading cause of blindness, followed by age-related macular degeneration and open-angle glaucoma. At least 55% of the causes of blindness and 58% of the causes of visual impairment are potentially curable or avoidable.

Conclusions: Blindness and visual impairment were high among Lebanese nursing home residents. This is an unfortunate observation given that the leading ocular diseases are treatable and that good vision is essential to these residents' quality of life.