Eye Disease

Cataract

The incidence of this condition is the same as in other parts of Africa, but the large numbers of totally blind is because of lack of treatment.

Successful management of cataract for the older age group is becoming more important to compensate for the loss of people from the earning middle age group from HIV/AIDS.

Trachoma

It is estimated that 85% of people in Northern Ethiopia show signs of this infection which in middle life can lead to blindness.

Childhood Blindness

This is mainly due to Vitamin A deficiency.

 

These three conditions which are either treatable or preventable cause 80% of rural blindness, perhaps 520,000 in Ethiopia.