Prevalence of night blindness in Bashagard district in Hormozgan, Iran, in 2011

BACKGROUND: Night blindness is a visual disorder associated with unusual vision during the night or in darkness. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), which is easily preventable, is the main known etiology of night blindness. Malnutrition is a common health issue in Bashagard and some other areas in the Hormozgan province of Iran. The aim of the current study was to determine the prevalence of night blindness in Bashagard. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done on 814 Bashagard residences. Data was analyzed using SPSS software and descriptive studies. RESULTS: About 60% of the study participants were uneducated people or people with low education. Thirty-two out of 814 people that were studied had problems with night vision. Therefore, the prevalence of night blindness in Bashagard was 3.93%. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of night blindness in Bashagard is three times higher than its prevalence in all of Iran. Therefore, preventive interventions such as dietary regimes with vitamin A enrichments or supplementations are recommended.