"Changing patterns of global childhood blindness suggest a reassessment of research, training, and programmatic needs," says a team of eye specialists from India, Malawi, and Tanzania.
There have been major reductions in nutritional and infectious causes of childhood blindness in developing countries, largely as a result of vitamin A supplementation and measles vaccination programs. "With reductions in nutritional and infectious causes of blindness," say Paul Courtright (Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology, Good Samaritan Foundation, Moshi, Tanzania) and colleagues, "intra-uterine and genetic causes of blindness (e.g., cataract and congenital anomalies) have assumed increased importance and need tertiary care–level interventions and long-term follow-up to achieve good visual rehabilitation."
Further research is needed, say the authors, to identify the underlying causes of congenital and developmental cataract and to determine the best strategies for recognition, referral, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Funding: No specific funding was received for this piece.
Competing Interests: Paul Courtright is married to Susan Lewallen who is on the Editorial Board of PLoS Medicine. Susan Lewallen was not involved in the peer review of this paper.
Citation: Gogate P, Kalua K, Courtright P (2009) Blindness in Childhood in Developing Countries: Time for a Reassessment?. PLoS Med 6(12): e1000177. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000177
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CONTACT:
Paul Courtright
Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology
Tumaini University/KCMC
PO Box 2254
Moshi,
United Republic of Tanzania
255-27-2753547
pcourtright@kcco.net
Journal
PLoS Medicine