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Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness in Two Northern Provinces of Burundi without Eye Services

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and causes of blindness, severe visual impairment and visual impairment as well as cataract surgical coverage in two northern provinces of Burundi for the purpose of planning eye services. Methods: The population-based Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness survey methodology was used. Results: Of 3800 people enrolled, 3684 (97%) were examined. The sample prevalences of blindness, severe visual impairment, and visual impairment were 1.1% (95% confidence interval, CI 0.8–1.4), 0.6% (95% CI 0.4–0.9), and 1.7% (95% CI 1.3–2.1), respectively. The leading causes of blindness were cataract (55%) and posterior segment causes (37%). Severe visual impairment was mainly due to cataract (43%) and refractive error (39%), and visual impairment was mainly due to refractive error (67%) and cataract (18%). Cataract surgical coverage by person at the level of <6/60 was 15%. Conclusions: The low prevalence of vision loss in this area with no eye services and a low cataract surgical coverage rate is surprising and possibly due to the effects of the previous years of conflict in which those with decreased vision may have been most likely to perish. If this explanation is correct, then Burundi needs to plan to deal with a markedly increasing prevalence of cataract in future.