Ocular Disorders in Adult Patients with Tuberculosis in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Nigeria

OBJECTIVES: To determine the ocular disorders in adult tuberculosis (TB) patients in Benin City, Nigeria. METHODS: A prospective study of adult TB patients presenting at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria, between March 2006 and October 2006 was undertaken. The patients were interviewed and examined by the authors and the ocular findings recorded. RESULTS: There were 92 patients (45 males and 47 females) with mean age 37.9 years (SD±15.6). Only one (1.1 percent) was HIV positive. Among the ocular findings in patients with TB, 8 patients had monocular blindness that included cataracts in 3 (37.5 percent), glaucoma in 2 (25 percent), optic atrophy, retinal vasculitis and maculopathy accounting for one case each (12.5 percent). Ocular disorders due to TB occurred in 9 patients (9.8 percent). These include cataract in 2 cases (2.2 percent), phlyctenular conjunctivitis in 2 cases (2.2 percent), glaucoma, anterior uveitis, chorioretinitis, retinal vasculitis, maculopathy, and optic atrophy each occurring in 1 case (1.1 percent). CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis is a cause of ocular morbidity, visual impairment and blindness. Prevention, early diagnosis and early treatment of TB may prevent avoidable visual loss.