East Timor

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With a population of 1.2 million, there are an estimated 12,000 people in East Timor who are blind.[4][5] The prevalence is greater than 1%.4 Seventy percent of the blind in East Timor are blind due to cataracts.[7] The most common eye problems are refractive error, cataracts, Vitamin A deficiency and trauma, all of which can cause significant visual impairment or blindness.[1] East Timor is one of the poorest countries in the world, with at least 40% of the people living on less than 0.55 USD a day.[1] Due to decades of unrest in East Timor, there has been a great shortage of health workers, including trained eye health personnel.[1] Two organizations are working to reduce blindness in East Timor, the East Timor Eye Program and Fred Hollows Program. Fred Hollows Program is currently working with the East Timor Ministry of Health to develop the country’s first ever national eye health strategy to oversee the implementation of a national eye health prevention program.[7]


Number of Blind

The country of East Timor has a population of approximately 1.2 million with over 12,000 blind.[4][5]

Number of Curable Blind

An estimated 70% are blind due to cataract.[7]

Prevalence of Curable Blind

The prevalence of blindness in East Timor is greater than 1%.[4]

Most Common Types of Curable Blindness

The most common eye problems are refractive error, cataracts, Vitamin A deficiency and trauma, all of which can cause significant visual impairment or blindness.[1]

Age Range of Affected Population

DALYs (per 100,000) [8]

0-14 years

Refractive errors: 1

 

15-59 years

Glaucoma: 0

Cataracts: 2

Refractive errors: 3

Macular degeneration: 1

 

60+ years

Glaucoma: 0

Cataracts: 1

Refractive errors: 1

Macular degeneration: 0

Gender Breakdown of Affected Population

DALYs (per 100,000) [8]

Males

Glaucoma: 0

Cataracts: 1

Refractive errors: 3

Macular degeneration: 1

Trachoma: 0

 

Females

Glaucoma: 0

Cataracts: 1

Refractive errors: 3

Macular degeneration: 1

Trachoma: 0

Racial/Ethnic Breakdown of Affected Population

Information unavailable.

Income Range of Affected Population

As one of the poorest countries of the world, 40% of the people living in East Timor live on less than 0.55 USD a day.[1]

City/Rural Breakdown of Affected Population

Information unavailable.

Single/Married Breakdown of Population

Information unavailable.

Cases of family history/genetic factors

Information unavailable.

Causes of Blindness

Risk factors for age-related cataract include diabetes, prolonged exposure to sunlight, tobacco use and alcohol drinking. Vision can be restored by surgically removing the affected lens, and replacing it with an artificial one.[6]

Awareness of curable blindness/different types of treatment

Information unavailable.

Percent of individuals with access to clean water

Population using an improved sanitation facilities [2]

Urban – 76%

Rural – 40%

 

Population using improved water source [3]

Urban – 86%

Rural – 63%

Level of government intervention

Over the years, the focus of the East Timor Eye Program has changed from service delivery towards making East Timor self-sufficient in eye-care by 2015 and the eradication of preventable blindness by the year 2025.[1]

 

The Fred Hollows Foundation  has joined with the Ministry of health to develop the country’s first ever national eye health strategy and to oversee the implementation of a national eye health and blindness prevention program.[7]

Amount of economic burden/economic productivity

East Timor is one of the poorest countries in the world, with 40% of the people living on less than 0.55 a day.[1]

Level of access to eye doctors per 1000 individuals

Due to decades of civil unrest, there has been an acute shortage of health workers, including appropriately trained eye health personnel.[1]

 

There is just one eye surgeon to address the entire population's surgical needs.[7]

Success of eye surgeries

Information unavailable.

1. Ramke, J., Palagyi, A., Naduvilath, T., et al. Prevalence and causes of blindness and low visition in Timor-Leste. British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2007. 91(9):1117-1121. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17709584

2. Brian, G., Palagyi, A., Ramke, J. Cataract and its surgery in Timor-Leste. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol. 2006. 34(9):870-9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17181620

1. East Timor Eye Program. Accessed March 26, 2011. www.etep.org.au

2. "Estimates for the Use of Improved Sanitation Facilities." WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, Mar. 2010. Web. <http://www.wssinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/resources/TLS_san.pdf>.

3. "Estimates for the Use of Improved Drinking Water Sources." WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, Mar. 2010. Web. <http://www.wssinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/resources/TLS_wat.pdf>.

4. Prevalence of Blindness Map. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/blindness/data_maps/blindness.jpg

5. Timor-Leste. CIA World Fact Book. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tt.html

6. Cataract. World Health Organization. 2011. http://www.who.int/topics/cataract/en/index.html

7. Fred Hollows Organization. http://www.hollows.org/Timor_Leste/ 

8. Excel spreadsheets – WHO Health Statistics – DALY estimates for 2004. <http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/estimates_country/en/index.html>.