Visual impairment and blindness in students of a school for the blind in Querétaro, México: A causal assessment

Abstract

Objective: To describe the causes of blindness in the students of the school for blind children“Josefa Vergara”in Querétaro, Mexico; as well as identifying treatable causes in the studied population. Methodology: The study was conducted in the period from December 2017 to February 2018, at the school for blind children“Josefa Vergara”in Querétaro, Mexico. Thirty students participated. The patients were interviewed and examined by the authors. The results obtained in the study were analyzed with the SPSSTM software version 21. Results: The majority of subjects were blind 28 (93%). The most frequent causes of visual loss were retinopathy of prematurity in 11 patients (36.7%) and congenital cataract in 5 patients (16.6%). In a lower percentage, Leber’s congenital amaurosis was found in 2 patients (6.7%), congenital retinal detachment in 2 patients (6.7%), retinoblastoma in 2 patients (6.7%), optic nerve hypoplasia in 2 patients (6.7%), among others. 73% of the participants in the study had a treatable cause of blindness. Conclusions: The retina was the main anatomical site affected. The most common diagnosis was sequelae of retinopathy of prematurity. Most patients had treatment alternatives that could prevent blindness in early stages of their disease. It is necessary to implement and intensify measures in the Mexican heal- th system for the prevention of blindness in the pediatric population.