J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  1973 Jun;14(2):86-100.

Survey of Causes of Blindness on Hospital Patients in Korea: Preliminary Report

• Koo BS
• Kim SM
• Chai BS
• Yoo JH

Abstract

Survey of causes of blindness on 45,400 eye patients of various hospitals(total 16 in number) in 1970 is attempted. Blindness is defined as visual acuity for distance of 0.1 (20/200) or less in the better eye with best correction. Representation of diagnosis of ocular affection is based on exmination of ophthalmologists and the Standard Classification of Causes of Blindness recommended from the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness (revised) is applied. Estimated number of blindness is 1,162(2.6%). Distribution of blindness cases by age group, is: in male - under 5(2.7%), 6~19(8.2%), 20~44(17.3%), 45~64(12.0%), 65~74(6.4%), 75 and over (3.3%) and in female - under 5(1.8%), 6~19(5.2%), 20~44(11.4%), 45~64(13.6%), 65~74(11.7%), 75 and over(6.4%). Proportion of blindness by causes indicates: Senile cataract (29.7%), Injury and poisoning (13.3%), Refractive errors (11.8%), Infectious diseases (11.3%), Systemic diseases (11.1%), Others (6.5%), Glaucoma (5.4%), and Congenital diseases (2.2%), etc. Rate of blindness by site and type of affection is shown as: Lens diseases (cataract) (38.5%), Optic nerve diseases (12%), Refractive errors (11.6%), Corneal diseases (7.6%), Retinal diseases (7.3%), Glaucoma (6.4%), Atrophia bulbi (3.9%), and Others (3.4%), etc. Some comparisons with different statistics of inland and foreign countries are made. Evaluation of results and problems for a better reliable survey in future are briefly discussed in comment. (Specia] thanks go to our colleagues in ophthalmology at hospitals namely - Drs. Won Shik Yoon, Jung Ja Park, Wun Ho Park, Joon Sup Oh, Sung Koo Choe, Tae Wung Oh, Jae Myung Kim, Yung Tae Jung, In Sang Yoo, Byung Kook Park, Byung II Park, Sung Min Hong, and Bong Yul Kim).

MeSH Terms

Blindness*
Cataract
Classification
Communicable Diseases
Corneal Diseases
Diagnosis
Female
Glaucoma
Humans
Korea*
Lens Diseases
Male
Ophthalmology
Optic Nerve Diseases
Poisoning
Refractive Errors
Retinal Diseases
Visual Acuity