Age- And Sex-Specific Distribution of Visual Impairment Among Patients Attending an Ophthalmology Clinic in Gombe State, Nigeria: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Visual impairment (VI) is a major public health problem globally, with sub-Saharan Africa bearing a disproportionate burden. Understanding age- and sex-specific patterns of VI is essential for targeted interventions. This study aimed to describe the distribution of VI by age and sex among patients attending an ophthalmology clinic in Gombe State, Northeastern Nigeria.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study of 9,200 patients attending the ophthalmology clinic at Specialist Hospital Gombe. Diagnoses were categorized into blinding conditions, moderate visual impairment, and no/minor impairment. Age- and sex-specific frequencies were calculated. Chi-square tests assessed associations between demographics and VI. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Of 9,200 patients, 982 (10.7%) had blinding conditions, 990 (10.8%) had moderate VI, and 7228 (66.3%) had no/minor impairment. The leading causes of blindness were Cataract (78.2%), Corneal Ulcer (17.3%), and Corneal Opacity (4.5%). Age-specific analysis showed the highest blinding rate in 61+ years (46.1%). The age-VI association was highly significant (p < 0.001) (χ² = 1333.42). Sex-specific analysis revealed 10.3% of males and 10.9% of females had blinding conditions (M:F ratio 0.69:1). The sex-VI association was not statistically significant (p = 0.3809) (χ² = 0.77). Moderate VI (refractive errors/presbyopia) peaked in 51-60 years (22.4%). Notably, 8.6% of visual impairment was potentially preventable and 89.1% was treatable, indicating that 97.8% of VI in this population is avoidable with existing interventions.Conclusion: Visual impairment is highly age-dependent, with older adults bearing the greatest burden. Cataract remains the leading cause of blindness, highlighting the need for expanded surgical services. The high proportion of avoidable VI (97.8%) underscores the potential for public health interventions.