Spectrum of Corneal Disorders in a Tertiary Facility in Sokoto, North-West Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: To describe the pattern and causes of corneal disorders in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Sokoto state.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective hospital-based study involving the review of the medical records of all patients that were diagnosed with any corneal disease between January 2017 and December 2019 in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto was undertaken. The patients' demograhic data, place of residence, presenting visual acuity, final diagnosis, type of corneal lesion, and predisposing factors were recorded.
Results: There were a total of 8641 patients seen in the eye clinic during this period, of which 352 subjects (4.1%) had different forms of corneal disorders. The mean age of the participants was 39 (±17) years. Infectious keratitis was the commonest diagnosed aetiology of corneal disorders followed by trauma while bullous keratopathy was the least.
Conclusion: Most of the causes of corneal disorders in this study are avoidable, public health prevention programmes will appear to be the most cost-effective means of decreasing these disorders.