An ophthalmic survey of African patients presenting at rural eye clinics in South Africa.

The records of 10,254 people attending rural eye clinics in South Africa during 1984-85 were analyzed to determine the reasons for presentation. The main reasons for presentation were refractive error, conjunctivitis, and cataract. It is expected that population growth plus the increased vocational needs for the correction of refractive errors will result in an increased demand for optometric services in rural eye clinics. It is suggested that optometry has a major role to play in providing primary eye care services to the underserved populations of the South African homelands.