Demand of ophthalmic services in a rural district of Costa Rica

Abstract

Purpose: To report the demand of ophthalmic services and the prevalence of the main ophthalmic pathologies in a rural population of Costa Rica. Study Design: A cross-sectional study of all individuals seen at the ophthalmology outpatient clinic during March 2016 to February 2017. Methods: All cases presenting to the ophthalmology outpatient clinic during March 2016 to February 2017 were reviewed (n = 895 patients, 1790 eyes). Visual acuity was measured using the Snellen chart. Results: The most common reasons for consultation were decreased visual acuity in 37.7% (326/865), foreign-body sensation 20.2% (175/865), glaucoma control 5.9% (51/865), screening or follow-up of diabetes mellitus (DM) 5.8% (50/865), and blunt trauma in 5% (43/865) of patients. A total of 252 (14.1%) eyes presented with a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≤20/200; 357 (19.9%) eyes had a BCVA 20/200; and 1181 (65.9%) had a BCVA ≥20/40. There were 40 (4.5%) patients that had a BCVA ≤20/200 bilaterally. The most common ophthalmic findings included cataract in 552 (30.8%) eyes, pterygium in 296 (16.5%) eyes, primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) in 187 (10.4%) eyes, age-related macular degeneration in 168 (9.4%) eyes, and 131 (7.3%) eyes with diabetic retinopathy (DR). Conclusions: The most common cause of ophthalmic consultation was decreased vision, of which 14% had a BCVA ≤20/200. The common findings included cataract, pterygia, POAG, age-related macular degeneration, and DR. Seventy-five percent of bilateral visual loss is avoidable.

Keywords

• blindness costa rica
• blindness latin america
• visual impairment costa rica
• visual impairment latin america