Cataracts

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. As of 2007, the number of adults with operable cataracts in Nigeria was estimated to be 450,000 and this number was projected to increase by 43% to 600,000 in 2020. Cataract blindness presents an enormous problem in terms of magnitude, functional disability, loss of self-esteem, considerable economic loss, and social burden, particularly in poor communities, and contributes to the perpetual cycle of poverty. Outreach screening has been shown to enhance access among underserved groups such as women and the elderly. Blindness from cataract can be reversed with cataract surgery and the implantation of an intraocular lens.