Etiology of corneal blindness in patients attending a tertiary care center in Kashmir

PURPOSE: To study the etiology of corneal blindness in patients attending the cornea clinic of a tertiary care center of Kashmir. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study with prospective as well as retrospective recruitment of cases conducted over a period of 2 years. Patients with corneal blindness were included, and history regarding age, gender, laterality, residence, and occupation was taken. RESULTS: A total of 318 patients were studied with 151 (47.5%) males and 167 (52.5%) females; majority (48.8%) belonged to the age group of 31 to 50 years. 92.8% had unilateral and 7.2% had bilateral involvement, 57.2% belonged to rural and 42.8% to urban areas, and 61% were outdoor and 39% were indoor workers. The most common cause was infectious keratitis (57.54%) which included viral (25.8%), bacterial (23.27%), and fungal (8.5%). Bullous keratopathy accounted for 17.30% (aphakic 3.10% and pseudophakic 14.2%), followed by trauma 10.26% with mechanical trauma 6.29% and chemical trauma 3.46%. Advanced keratoconus accounted for 7.5% of cases and failed graft for 4.72%. Corneal dystrophies and degenerations accounted for 1.9% of cases. CONCLUSION: Majority of the causes of corneal blindness are preventable if addressed appropriately and timely with good health-care facilities at community level, education, awareness, and proper facilities, especially provision of protective tools and equipment at workplaces.