30,000 blind people

[NewsWhore]

A recent national survey of blind people has found that 30,000 blind people live in the DR, of whom 47.5% lost their sight due to cataracts. Doctor Juan Batlle and Cristina Nogueira of the National Commission for the Prevention of Blindness and the Pan American Health Organization, respectively, emphasized that this type of blindness is preventable. They announced a national campaign to make people aware of steps that can be taken to prevent cataracts. Of that 47.5%, all are over 51 years of age. The PHO says the DR should be performing at least 3,000 cataract operations a year, and not the present 900. She says the DR has the capacity to address this issue. The main causes of blindness are cataracts, refractory errors, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

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