Ophthalmology
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Item Religious leaders Knowledge and Attitude toward Corneal Donation A Community-based, Cross-sectional Study in Butajira town, Central Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2025-11-10) Yeshiwond Abeje; Menen AyalewBackground: Corneal blindness is a significant public health issue in Ethiopia. There is a severe shortage of donor corneas, which limits transplantation services. Religious beliefs greatly influence donation attitudes, but the views of key religious leaders are not well explored. Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and related factors regarding corneal donation among religious leaders in Butajira town, Central Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was done from June to August 2025. Ninety-five religious leaders from Orthodox Christian, Protestant , and Muslim institutions participated. Researcher collected data through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically. Results: Awareness of corneal donation was high among Christian leaders (Orthodox: 82.1%, Protestant: 82.4%) but lower among Muslim leaders (66.6%). Overall knowledge was poor to moderate (80% combined), and 94.8% had received no formal education on the topic. A clear divide in attitudes appeared across faiths: most Christian leaders held positive attitudes (Orthodox: 85.7%, Protestant: 91.2%) and expressed a willingness to donate. In contrast, only 6.7% of Muslim leaders shared positive attitudes, while most (76.7%) believed their religion forbids donation. Despite their personal beliefs, not one leader ever advocated for donation to their congregation. Qualitative findings revealed key themes: Christian leaders supported donation based on altruism and stewardship, while Muslim leaders opposed it based on bodily sanctity. A major barrier was the need for official support from higher religious authorities. Conclusion: Religious leaders in Butajira could help promote corneal donation, but their influence is limited by theological views and a lack of institutional endorsement. Public health efforts should shift from general awareness to focused engagement with top religious bodies to obtain formal support and create faith-specific educational resources.Item Ocular Morbidity Pattern Among Adults in Butajira Town, Central Ethiopia.(Addis Ababa University, 2025-11-07) Asrat Tadesse; Alemayehu WoldeyesBackground: Ocular morbidity, encompassing all eye diseases with or without visual impairment, remains a major cause of preventable visual loss, particularly in low-resource settings. Identifying its prevalence and associated factors is crucial for guiding effective eye care interventions. Objective: To determine the prevalence, pattern, and determinants of ocular morbidities among adults aged 40 years and above in Butajira town, Ethiopia. Methods: This study employed a community-based cross-sectional study design from March to April 2025 among 410 adults selected using multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires and comprehensive ocular examinations performed by a senior ophthalmology resident. Data were entered in to EpiData and then transported to SPSS version 27 for analysis. Bivariate analysis was first performed, then factors which are significant on bivariate analysis were further analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Overall prevalence of ocular morbidity was 61.2% (95% CI: 56.5–65.9). The leading causes were trachoma (11.0%), refractive error (8.8%), cataract (7.3%), meibomian gland dysfunction (4.4%), and glaucoma (3.9%). Ocular morbidity increased significantly with age (P < 0.05). Females were more affected by trachoma and MGD (adjusted OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.04–3.36, P = 0.038), whereas Male participants were more likely to have glaucoma (adjusted OR=2.16; 95% CI: 1.05-4.45; p=0.034). The prevalence of visual impairment and blindness were 13.4% and 2.9%, respectively. Conclusion: Ocular morbidity is highly prevalent in Butajira, with most conditions being preventable or treatable. Strengthening primary eye care services, promoting regular screening, and improving community awareness particularly among older adults and women—are vital to reduce avoidable visual impairment and blindness.Item Pattern of ocular disorders among psychiatric patients(Addis Ababa University, 2025-11-30) Liyou Girma; Alemayehu WoldeyesBackground: Ocular disorders are often overlooked among individuals with psychiatric illnesses despite their potential to cause significant visual impairment and affect quality of life. Limited data is available on psychiatric patients on the pattern and burden of ocular morbidity in Ethiopia. Objective: To determine the prevalence and patterns of ocular morbidity among mental ill patients attending at AMSH, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods – A cross sectional study was conducted among 414 mental ill patients selected using systematic random sampling. The sample size was calculated using a single population formula, considering a 41.3% prevalence of ocular morbidity. 95% confidence interval, and 5% marginal error. Data was collected under structural interview and ophthalmic examination, and analyzed using descriptive statistic and comparative interpretation with earlier studies. Results: In this study the prevalence of ocular morbidity was 72.5%. The top rank among ocular morbidity was meibomian gland dysfunction (22.1%), refractive errors (17.2%), cataract (13.5%), and glaucoma (8.1%). Visual impairment was found in 22.1% of participants. The majority of affected individuals (64.2%) were aged between 26 and 50 years. Compared with previous studies in Kenya and Nigeria, the current study revealed a higher burden of ocular morbidity, likely reflecting both medication-related and functional ocular surface changes among psychiatric patients. Conclusion: Ocular disorders are highly prevalent among psychiatric patients in AMSH, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It showed the need for establishment of ophthalmic screening and integrated eye care center in mental health institutions to tackle avoidable visual impairment and improve overall health.