|
 
 |
| EDITORIAL |
|
| Year : 2021 | Volume
: 29
| Issue : 1 | Page : 1-2 |
|
Nigerian Journal of Ophthalmology Editorial Comments, January – June 2021 Edition
Bolutife A Olusanya
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ibadan and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| Date of Submission | 28-May-2021 |
| Date of Acceptance | 28-May-2021 |
| Date of Web Publication | 16-Jul-2021 |
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Bolutife A Olusanya
Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital, Ibadan
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/njo.njo_35_21
How to cite this article:
Olusanya BA. Nigerian Journal of Ophthalmology Editorial Comments, January – June 2021 Edition. Niger J Ophthalmol 2021;29:1-2 |
This issue of the Nigerian Journal of Ophthalmology contains a mixture of articles on general ophthalmology as well as those with subspecialty focus. The review article by Achigbu et al. provides an update on the prevalence and risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in sub-Saharan Africa. They reviewed a total of 27 publications from 12 African countries over the last decade and majority of these were from hospital-based studies. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy reported from the different studies has a very wide range, which is likely to be a consequence of the varied nature of the study designs and methods. The findings of the review demonstrate the urgency of the need for population-based research on the epidemiology of diabetic retinopathy in Africa, particularly in view of the global epidemic of diabetes mellitus.[1]
Two of the articles in this issue bring to the fore the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its disruption of ophthalmic care in Nigeria. First, Nwosu and colleagues discuss the importance of giving consideration to the perspective of patients about the pandemic, especially in the development and implementation of measures to prevent transmission of the causative virus in eye clinic settings. Their study shows that the knowledge of patients regarding disease transmission and preventive measures was suboptimal. In addition, adherence to the recommended protective measures was poor. Although the pandemic has continued for over a year and it might be safe to assume that knowledge about COVID-19 should have increased among the populace, the need for continuous and repetitive health education among eye clinic patients cannot be overemphasized. Second, in another article titled “Glaucoma follow-up care in the face of COVID-19 pandemic in Enugu, Nigeria,” Kizor-Akaraiwe et al. report that there was a reduction in number of glaucoma clinic visits during the pandemic, presumably as a result of the lockdown and fear of transmission. This highlights the possible role of “teleglaucoma” in maintaining regular follow-up despite disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]
In addition to the aforementioned article on follow-up of glaucoma patients, two other articles on glaucoma are included in this issue. The article by Abraham and Udofia provides further evidence on the significance of long-term use of topical antiglaucoma medication as a cause of ocular surface disease (OSD). Their recommendation on the need for detailed OSD assessment and treatment in glaucoma care is quite pertinent, not only for the purpose of ensuring patients’ adherence to medications but also to reduce the risk of subconjunctival fibrosis that may impair the outcome of subsequent surgery.[3] Mbatuegwu et al., in their study, found a statistically significant positive correlation between central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure in keeping with previous studies.[4] Their article illustrates the importance of the measurement of central corneal thickness in the diagnosis of glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
The effectiveness of self-evaluation of vision with the use of vision corridor among secondary school students in southwest Nigeria is described in the article by Ugalahi et al. They noted moderate utilization of the vision corridor with a high level of agreement between the self-assessed visual acuity and vision assessed by a trained ophthalmic assistant. This has strong policy implications for the successful implementation of school eye health programs, particularly with respect to the detection of uncorrected refractive errors in resource-limited settings that have inadequate numbers of skilled eye care manpower for vision screening among school children. Further research on the utilization of this method for school eye health programs is highly desirable.
From East Africa, Kifle and coworkers report the clinical features and risk factors for thyroid eye disease (TED) in a population of Ethiopian patients with goiter. They found lid retraction to be the most common sign of TED, while proptosis was uncommon. In addition, thyroid dysfunction and cigarette smoking were significant risk factors for TED among goiter patients. Their paper includes a fairly robust discussion of the global epidemiology of TED and emphasizes the necessity of referring patients with goiter for detailed ophthalmic evaluation.
The case report by Ogun et al. of a young girl with Marshall syndrome More Details exemplifies the importance of a detailed systemic review in patients who present with seemingly isolated ophthalmic disorders such as refractive errors. In a similar vein, the role of a high index of suspicion in the diagnosis of ocular manifestations of systemic diseases is underscored in the case of a young male with choroidal tuberculoma reported by Babalola and Basu. The case report by Musa et al. also demonstrates the need for public enlightenment on early presentation for care and provision of financial support for patients with malignant ophthalmic tumors.
On behalf of the Editor-in-chief and the entire editorial board, I welcome our subscribers to read the articles featured in this issue of the Nigerian Journal of Ophthalmology.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
| References | |  |
| 1. | |
| 2. | Lam PY, Chow SC, Lai JSM, Choy BNK. A review on the use of telemedicine in glaucoma and possible roles in COVID-19 outbreak. Surv Ophthalmol. 2021:S0039-6257(21)00081-3. doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2021.03.008. Epub ahead of print.  |
| 3. | Tekin S, Seven E, Batur M. Evaluation of antiglaucomatous drops on conjunctival thickness in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther 2019;35:216-22. |
| 4. | Belovay GW, Goldberg I. The thick and thin of the central corneal thickness in glaucoma. Eye (Lond) 2018;32:915-23. |
|
Search Pubmed for