Biomedical subjects

M F al Faran

Publications and source records attributed to M F al Faran.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1993

Prevalence and causes of visual impairment and blindness in the south western region of Saudi Arabia.

A population-based survey of the prevalence of major causes of blindness and visual impairment was conducted in Bisha region, Saudi Arabia. Overall, 2882 people were examined. The prevalence of blindness (visual acuity of < 3/60 in the better eye with best available correction) was 0.7% and the prevalence of visual impairment (visual acuity < 6/12 but > or = 3/60 in the better eye with best available correction) was 10.9%. Cataracts were responsible for 52.6% of blindness and 20.6% of visual impairment. Refractive errors accounted for 67.9% of visual impairment. Proper management of cataracts and correction of refractive errors will cure 73.6% of blind subjects and 88.5% of visually handicap people in this part of the world.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

Causes of low vision and blindness in south western Saudi Arabia. A hospital-based study.

The authors studied 1,681 consecutive patients who attended their ophthalmic outpatient clinics over a period of 12 months to determine the patients' visual acuity status and the causes of any visual loss. Using the World Health Organization criteria for definition of visual acuity status, 1004 (59.7%) patients had normal vision. Four hundred and thirty-one (25.6%) patients had low vision or visual impairment and 246 (14.6%) patients were blind. Twenty-eight (1.9%) patients had no light perception in both eyes. Cataract, both in isolation and co-existing with other ocular pathology, was the major cause of both low vision and blindness (58.5% and 81.7%, respectively). A concerted attack on cataract alone will markedly reduce blindness and low vision in this region.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Corneal dystrophies among patients undergoing keratoplasty in Saudi Arabia.

Diseases leading to corneal opacities are inflammations, infections, metabolic causes, trauma, or genetically determined diseases. Corneal dystrophies may lead to corneal blindness. A clinical and pathological review of 2,108 corneal specimens received from December 1983 to January 1988 revealed 86 (4%) corneal specimens with corneal dystrophies. Fifty-three (62%) patients had macular dystrophy, 11 (13%) had congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy (CHED), 12 (14%) had Fuchs' corneal dystrophy, 5 (6%) had lattice corneal dystrophy, and 3 (4%) had granular dystrophy. Macular dystrophy appears to be the most common cause of corneal dystrophy in Saudi Arabia. Twenty-two (42%) patients with macular dystrophy and 10 (91%) patients with CHED were the result of consanguineous marriages. Genetic counseling is advisable among families who carry the trait of CHED or macular corneal dystrophy.

Consanguinity↗

PubMed1990

Visual outcome and complications after cataract extraction in Saudi Arabia.

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in Saudi Arabia. The author studied 1383 patients who had undergone cataract extraction (total of 1520 procedures) from October 1985 to March 1986 at the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All patients were observed for at least two months. Of 1520 eyes 555 (37%) achieved a visual acuity of 20/40 or better, 309 (20%) a visual acuity of 20/50-20/60 after surgery, and 656 (43%) eyes a visual acuity of 20/70 or less. The number of eyes that had intraoperative complications was 176 (12%). The number of eyes that had postoperative complications was 539 (35%). Some eyes had more than one complication. The main factors responsible for failure to achieve visual acuity of 20/40 or better were: (1) error of refraction in 492 (32%) eyes; (2) pre-existing corneal scarring and opacity in 211 (14%) eyes; (3) climatic droplet keratopathy in 134 (9%); and (4) presumed visual loss due to glaucoma in 134 (9%) eyes.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Brucella melitensis endogenous endophthalmitis.

A 17-year-old female patient was examined and found to have Brucella-sp.-induced endophthalmitis in her left eye. The specific organism was Brucella melitensis, biotype 3, a known virulent organism. Serum agglutination titres from two independent laboratories were positive, yet of different levels: 1:320 and 1:1,280. Although brucellosis is thought to be eradicated in many countries, it prevails in agrarian environments, where it can be transmitted to man. This report is the first evidence to confirm that B. melitensis is a definitive causative organism of endogenous ocular infection.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Cyclocryotherapy in selected cases of congenital glaucoma.

We investigated the efficacy of cyclocryotherapy, a procedure which destroys the ciliary epithelium, thereby decreasing the production of aqueous humor, by retrospectively studying 109 eyes with advanced primary congenital glaucoma that had undergone the procedure. The eyes were divided into two groups: group I comprised 75 eyes (69%) that had undergone conventional surgical procedures for congenital glaucoma prior to cyclocryotherapy; group II, 34 eyes (31%) that had not undergone any such previous procedures. All eyes were followed for at least 12 months after the last cyclocryotherapy. With "success" defined as "having an IOP greater than or equal to 8 mmHg, greater than or equal to 19 mmHg with or without medication," the success rate in all eyes was 30%, with no significant difference between the success rates in groups I and II (P greater than .05). Chronic hypotony (IOP less than 8 mmHg) was found in seven eyes (6%). Six eyes (6%) developed cataract during the course of treatment with cyclocryotherapy. Cyclocryotherapy appears to be a reasonable addition to the treatment of eyes with advanced, uncontrolled, primary congenital glaucoma.

Child↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Low prevalence of trachoma in the south western part of Saudi Arabia, results of a population based study.

Trachoma remains one of the world's leading causes of blindness. A population based survey of the prevalence of trachoma was conducted in the South Western part of Saudi Arabia in the period of between July and November 1991. Overall, 7126 people were examined. Of these, 19 (0.26%) persons had active trachoma and 35 (0.5%) people had inactive trachoma. Sequelae of trachoma included conjunctival scarring, trichiasis and corneal scarring. Among 635 subjects with visual impairment, 6 (0.95%) patients had visual impairment due to trachoma. Trachoma does not seem to be a major ophthalmic problem in this area and proper management of the complications of trachoma will exclude it from the causes of blindness and visual impairment in this part of Saudi Arabia.

Adolescent↗