Causes of Blindness and Visual Impairment Among Children Studying in Schools for the Blind in Central Development Region of Nepal

Introduction: This study was done to find out the causes of visual impairment in students studying in schools for the blind in the central development region of Nepal. Materials and Methods: The study was done in six schools for the blind in the central development region of Nepal. It was conducted by a team of Eye care professionals using standard eye examination protocols of the World Health Organization Prevention of Blindness Program in the year 2009. Results: A total of 133 students (5 - 21 years age group) enrolled in six schools for the blind were examined. 52.6% of children were visually impaired at birth and 12% developed vision impairment within one year of age. Twenty-one students (15.8%) had mild visual impairment, 5 students (3.8%) had severe visual impairment and 101 students (76%) were blind. The main cause of vision impairment was found to be lens-related anomaly 23.3% and retinal diseases, 18% followed by corneal lesions, 16.5%, and problems with the whole globe, optic nerve, and glaucoma accounting for 12.03%, 11.3%, and 7.5% respectively. The etiology could not be identified in 48.1% followed by hereditary causes (31.6%) and childhood factors (12%). Of the total students examined, 37.6% were visually impaired due to avoidable causes; preventable in 22.6% and treatable in 15% of cases. Conclusions: A high proportion of childhood blindness in schools for the blind in the central development region of Nepal is avoidable

Computer vision syndrome, musculoskeletal, and stress-related problems among visual display terminal users in Nepal

Background The use of computers and other Visual Display Terminal (VDT) screens is increasing in Nepal. However, there is a paucity of evidence on the prevalence of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) and other occupational health concerns among employees working in front of VDT screens in the Nepalese population. Objectives This study aims to estimate the prevalence of CVS, musculoskeletal and work-related stress among VDT screen users in the office, as well as their understanding and usage of preventive measures. Methods The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study among 319 VDT users in office settings in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Nepal, using a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the associated factors at 95% CI. P-value Results The prevalence of CVS was 89.4%. More than eight out of ten study participants reported at least one visual and musculoskeletal symptom. Work-related stress, which was moderate-difficult to handle, was present in 36.7% of the study population. The mean±SD computer usage per day was 7.9±1.9 hours. Tired eye (63.3%), feeling of dry eye (57.8%), headache (56.9%) were the common visual symptoms of CVS reported. Total computer use/day > = 8 hours OR 2.6, improper viewing distance OR 3.2, Not using an anti-glare screen OR 2.6, not using eye-drops, and not wearing protective goggles OR 3.1 were significantly associated with the presence of CVS. There was no statistically significant association between visual symptoms of CVS, musculoskeletal symptoms, and stress with gender. Conclusion CVS was substantially related to not employing preventive measures, working longer hours, and having an incorrect viewing distance. With more hours per day spent in front of a VDT screen, work-related stress and musculoskeletal complaints were also found to be important correlates. Similarly, work-related stress was found more among those who had less than five years of job