Ocular morbidity among adult patients with chronic leukemia presenting to tertiary hospitals in Jos, North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

Background Chronic leukemia is the most common leukemia subtype seen among adults in Jos, Nigeria, with few reported isolated cases of ocular morbidity. There are no published comprehensive data on adult leukemic ophthalmopathy from this region. Aim The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, pattern, and causes of visual impairment (VI) among adult patients with chronic leukemia in Jos, North-Central Nigeria. Patients and methods The study included adult patients diagnosed with either chronic myeloid leukemia or chronic lymphocytic leukemia, confirmed by bone marrow biopsy, in two tertiary hospitals in Jos, North-Central Nigeria, between January 2016 and June 2017. Visual acuity was assessed and categorized using the International Classification of Diseases. Detailed ocular examination was carried out and causes of vision loss were noted. Results A total of 104 eyes of 52 patients were examined within the study period. The mean age of the patients was 45±17.7 years, and 35 (67.3%) patients were males. The majority (63.4%) of the participants had chronic myeloid leukemia. Ocular disorders were present in 32 (61.5%) of all patients, and 10 (19.2%) patients were visually impaired. Of these, nine (90.0%) had moderate VI due to refractive errors, cataract, glaucoma, and disk swelling; and one (10.0%) person was bilaterally blind from exudative retinal detachment and vitreous hemorrhage. Only 27% of all causes of VI were leukemia specific and included disk swelling, exudative retinal detachment, and vitreous hemorrhage. Conclusion Although ocular disorders were frequent among adults with chronic leukemia in Jos, the magnitude of vision loss from chronic leukemia-specific ocular disorders was low.