陨灶贼 允 韵责澡贼澡葬造皂燥造熏 灾燥造援 7熏 晕燥援 3熏 Jun.18, 圆园14 www. IJO. cn 栽藻造押8629原愿圆圆源缘员苑圆 8629-82210956 耘皂葬蚤造押ijopress岳员远猿援糟燥皂

窑Investigation窑

Prevalence and associated factors of corneal blindness in Ningxia in northwest China

Ningxia Eye Hospital, Ningxia People's Hospital, Yinchuan 750011, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China 2 Department of Ophthalmology, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750001, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China 3 Department of Ophthalmology, Tongxin Hospital, Tongxin 751300, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China Co-first authors: Xun-Lun Sheng and Hui-Ping Li Correspondence to: Xun-Lun Sheng. Ningxia Eye Hospital, 936 Huanghe Road, Yinchuan 750011, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. [email protected] Received:2014-01-04 Accepted:2014-03-01 1

Abstract

· AIM:

To describe the prevalence and demographic

METHODS:

A

stratified,

randomized

sampling

procedure was employed in the study, including urban

and rural area of all age group. Visual acuity, anterior segment and ocular fundus were checked. Related factor of corneal disease, including age, gender, education

status, ethnic group, location and occupation, were identified according to uniform customized protocol. An eye was defined to be corneal blindness if the visual acuity was