The prevalence and pattern of ocular disorders among mentally ill patients in Mathari Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Objective: To establish the prevalence and pattern of ocular disorders in psychiatric patients admitted in Mathari Hospital. Design: Hospital based cross sectional study. Setting: Mathari Hospital wards from November 2006 to February 2007. Subjects: Three hundred patients admitted in Mathari Hospital wards that scored >22 marks on the mini mental state exam (MMSE) and gave consent. Results: A total of 300 patients were seen. The prevalence of ocular disorders in this group of patients was 41.3%. The commonest disorders were lens and corneal deposits which contributed 42.7%, refractive errors 25.8%, cataracts 5.6%, glaucoma 4.8%, while other conditions contributed 21.1%. There were no reported cases of self-infl icted ocular injuries. Fifty four patients had ocular side effects commonly associated with antipsychotic drugs (lens and corneal deposits and retinal pigmentary changes) and hence the prevalence of ocular side effects of antipsychotic drugs was 18%. Conclusions: There is a relatively high prevalence of ocular disorders in this group of patients (41.3%). The prevalence of ocular side effects for antipsychotic drugs was relatively high at 18%.