Knowledge and awareness of undergraduate university students towards eye donation in North-west, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Background: Corneal blindness still remains a large contributor of childhood blindness in Africa. Corneal transplant is a sight saving procedure that is still lacking in most of African countries despite the first successful corneal transplant in 1905 by Dr. Eduard Zirm. The cornea eye bank and transplant procedure in Nigeria is still in the infancy stage despite Federal Government of Nigeria acknowledged the need for an eye bank and promulgated the decree No. 23 titled Corneal Grafting Decree 1973. Objectives: To assess the level of knowledge and awareness on eye donation among the undergraduate students of Kebbi State University of Science and Technology. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken among undergraduate university students, using a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaires. Information on the socio-demographics, the participants' knowledge and willingness to donate eye was obtained. The questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: Of 281 participants, 157 (55.9%) were males and Muslim 204 (72.6%). Few students 59 (21%) were willing to donate their eyes after death, while131 (46.6%) were not willing to donate their eye because of their religious belief. Ninety-three (33.8%) of the students support eye donation. Television was the main 94 (33.5%) source of information about eye donation. Conclusion: The knowledge and awareness of eye donation among the students was low. Furthermore, majority were not willing to donate their eye mostly because of their religious belief. Health education on eye donation is needed to increase the uptake of eye donation among population

Survey of Medical Officers Attitudes and Knowledge of Eye Conditions in Older Patients.

Aim: To assess medical officers’ attitude and knowledge of eye conditions in the elderly. Study Design: Convenient sampling technique. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Ophthalmology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria, November 2012. Methodology: Thirty four medical officers were shown 10 slides of common external eye conditions in the elderly and were asked to give the diagnosis of each slide and complete a selfadministered questionnaire during a hospital clinical presentation. The questionnaire and the answers to the 10 slides were collected immediately after the presentation. Results: All the medical officers agreed that eye examination is an important part of the general medical examination. However, only 16 (47.1%) routinely examined the eye of the elderly patient as part of the general medical examination. Fourteen medical officers (41.2%) were comfortably examining the eye of the elderly. Though 6 (17.6%) medical officers reported being sufficiently trained in the ocular examination but only 1 (2.9%) admitted being proficient in the ocular examination. The entire medical officers agreed that ageing is a risk factor for some ocular conditions, but only 18 (52.9%) ever inquired from the older patients if they had any specific eye conditions. Many of the medical officers wrongly diagnosed the presented slides. There were associations between duration of the medical practice and attitude with the medical officers of less years of practice not bothering about the eye examination in the elderly during the general medical examination (P<.05). Conclusion: Most studied medical officers were not routinely examining the eyes of the older patients and many were unable to diagnose common eye conditions in the elderly. Medical training should emphasize the ocular examination and diagnosis. The continuing eye medical education for medical officers can bridge the knowledge gaps in eye care and enhance early detection of the eye conditions.

Cataract Surgical Services in Kwara State, Nigeria.

Introduction: Service provision for tackling cataract blindness is a key priority and remains a challenge for eye care programs in Nigeria. At the moment, paucity of data on these services makes evaluation and effective planning difficult. Objective: To evaluate the infrastructure, equipment, and human resources for cataract surgical services, and determine the cataract surgical output in Kwara State, Nigeria. Materials and Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study of all cataract service institutions in Kwara state was conducted in May-July 2008 using pre-tested questionnaire and on-site review. Output data for 2003-2007 was collected and channels of yearly reporting of cataract surgical output for 2008-2009 established. Descriptive and analytical statistics were performed. For all comparisons, statistical significance was indicated by p<0.05. Results: There were 14 cataract surgical centres (9 Base Hospitals and 5 Surgical Outreach Centres); all the Base Hospitals were located in the urban centres with over two third cited in Ilorin, the state capital. The state had adequate equipment and infrastructures; however they are mal-distributed in favour of urban areas. A total of 157 eye care workers comprising 12(7.6%) ophthalmologists (consultants=8, Diplomates=4), 16(10.2%) trainee ophthalmologists, 94(59.9%) mid-level ophthalmic personnel and 35(22.3%) support staff serve the state’s 2.37million people. Eighty per cent of the eye care workers reside in the state capital where less than 30% of the population lives. Cataract surgical output increased from 218 in 2,003 to 1020 in 2009. Conclusion: There is adequacy of infrastructure, equipment and human resources with improving cataract surgical output. To attain vision 2020 target, mal-distribution of infrastructures, equipment and human resources and poor staff mix need to be addressed. There is urgent need for establishing state- and nation-wide systems for reporting cataract surgical output.