[Causes of blindness in Zaire].

From 50.000 patients treated at Eye Department of University Hospital of Kinshasa (Zaire), 944 or 19% were registered legal blind. The male-to-female ratio was 2/1 and 24% of legal blind were in the age group of 0-19 years corresponding to preschool and school period. Blindness incidence increased with advancing age. Glaucoma (31%) was by far the commonest cause of blindness in our sample and in all age groups. Cataract (18,4%) and optic atrophy (16,3%) respectively came in the second and the third position. Only cataract not treatable surgically was considered. Onchocerciasis (4,9%) appeared in the fourth position but this evaluation is a minimal one because Kinshasa is situated far away from some important endemic areas and villages. Onchocerciasis was absent among legally blind younger than 20 years, its importance increased with advancing age. Trachoma is unknown in Zaire and was absent from our list of blinding ocular diseases. Xerophthalmia and keratomalacia in its typical form was rarely a cause of blindness. The common blinding affections in developed countries such as, senile macular degeneration, hereditary chorioretinal dystrophies, diabetic retinopathy are poorly represented in our statistics. Some prophylactic and therapeutic suggestions are given: Persons with glaucoma are generally examined very late, and are difficult to be treated by either rigorous application of current miotics or surgical techniques for glaucoma. Pilocarpine with high concentration (4%, 6%) alone or associated to Timolol gives usually rather good tonometric results. Filtering operations for glaucoma (Elliot trepanation, trabeculectomy) can improve or stabilize the glaucoma but in some cases no improvement is noted.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)