Table 2 Main anatomical site of abnormality, and underlying aetiology in 1935 severely visually impaired and blind children, by gender and age.
| Boys | Girls | 0–5 years | 6–10 years | 11–15 years | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | ||
| Anatomical | Whole globe | 155 (12.7) | 98 (13.7) | 48 (16.2) | 85 (13.9) | 120 (11.7) | 253 (13.1) |
| p<0.001* | Cornea | 301 (24.7) | 213 (29.8) | 39 (13.1) | 140 (22.9) | 335 (32.6) | 514 (26.6) |
| p<0.001† | Lens | 451 (37.0) | 178 (24.9) | 129 (43.4) | 230 (37.6) | 270 (26.3) | 629 (32.5) |
| Uvea | 21 (1.7) | 17 (2.4) | 1 (0.3) | 10 (1.6) | 27 (2.6) | 38 (2.0) | |
| Retina | 148 (12.1) | 97 (13.6) | 36 (12.1) | 71 (11.6) | 138 (13.4) | 245 (12.7) | |
| Optic nerve | 88 (7.2) | 66 (9.2) | 21 (7.1) | 45 (7.4) | 88 (8.6) | 154 (8.0) | |
| Glaucoma | 47 (3.9) | 36 (5.0) | 19 (6.4) | 26 (4.3) | 38 (3.7) | 83 (4.3) | |
| Other‡ | 9 (0.7) | 10 (1.4) | 4 (1.35) | 4 (0.7) | 11 (1.1) | 19 (1.0) | |
| Aetiology | Hereditary | 176 (14.4) | 115 (16.1) | 55 (18.5) | 98 (16.0) | 138 (13.4) | 291 (15.0) |
| p = 0.06 | Childhood factor | 353 (28.9) | 240 (33.6) | 35 (11.8) | 163 (26.7) | 395 (38.5) | 593 (30.7) |
| p<0.001† | Other§ | 10 (0.8) | 7 (1.0) | 2 (0.7) | 4 (0.7) | 11 (1.1) | 17 (0.9) |
| Unknown | 681 (55.8) | 353 (49.4) | 205 (69.0) | 346 (56.6) | 483 (47.0) | 1034 (53.4) | |
| Type of | Preventable | 315 (25.8) | 222 (31.1) | 34 (11.5) | 146 (23.9) | 357 (34.8) | 537 (27.8) |
| blindness | Treatable | 549 (45.0) | 252 (35.2) | 157 (52.9) | 272 (44.5) | 372 (36.2) | 801 (41.4) |
| p<0.001* | Unavoidable | 356 (29.2) | 241 (33.7) | 106 (35.7) | 193 (31.6) | 298 (29.0) | 597 (30.8) |
| p<0.001† | Total | 1220 (100) | 715 (100) | 297 (100) | 611 (100) | 1027 (100) | 1935 (100) |
*χ2, showing significant differences between genders in anatomical site and type of blindness.
†χ2, showing significant differences between age groups in anatomical site, aetiology and type of blindness.
‡Includes children that had either no anatomical abnormality (n = 14) or no anterior segment abnormality, but the posterior segment was not examined (n = 5) because the child was too young and/or uncooperative and/or had multiple disabilities.
§Perinatal, intrauterine.