Volume : IX, Issue : VII, July - 2019

BACKGROUND CAUSES OF HUMAN CATARACT

Dr. Aleyamma Kuruvilla

Abstract :

Among the people participated in the questionnaire method cataract prevalence was highest in the rurals than urbans and coastals, females than males, unilateral cataract blindness than bilateral cataract blindness; rice used as staple food than wheat, non–vegetarians than vegetariansin all the five districts. On a comparative study of usage of different fuels, it was found that the prevalence is significantly higher among those who used firewood than gas and kerosene in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts. All the above factors are statistically significant and found as a risk factor of cataract. Diabetics are highest in coastal districts than non–coastal districts. The findings highlight that aging, female gender, rural residence, history of other diseases, other drugs taken, non– vegetarian food, rice as staple food and firewood as cooking fuel might be operating in the causation of cataract.These factors are important not only for cataract causation but also for many other public health problems. The high proportion of responders over all age groups in this study suggests that our results are likely to be representative ofthe sampled population as a whole. The national level survey in a country like India is a major exercise and cannot be conducted regularly. However, the most important benefit of such survey is that they generate estimates, which are valid for the whole country. In India the absence of national level data, blindness data had been extrapolated to the entire country based on whole population and this may be representative of state of Kerala. Kerala despite being a state with total literacy and good health infrastructure still has a problem of treatable blindness. Kerala has been able to arrest the increasing prevalence of blindness by improving the general health conditions of individuals and by decreasing the population growth by community based programme. It is highly necessary to conduct outreach programmes particularly targeting rurals, females etc. to make aware about the healthy food habits, safe cooking fuels, and unnecessary use of drugs and avoid midday sunlight exposure which may cause lens opacities.

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijar  

Cite This Article:

BACKGROUND CAUSES OF HUMAN CATARACT, Dr. ALEYAMMA KURUVILLA INDIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH : Volume-9 | Issue-7 | July-2019

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