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New research · Ophthalmology
Conflict and health · 23h
Meta-analysisConflict and health · 2026

Prevalence of visual impairment, ocular trauma, and ocular disorders among conflict-affected and displaced populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Fatima Elbasri Abuelgasim Mohammed, Anas Alamoudi, Jana Mahmoud Alyousef … Tragi Ahmed Ali Elshaigi
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OphthalmologyMeta-analysis

Ophthalmic trauma affected nearly a quarter of conflict-affected populations

Prevalence of visual impairment, ocular trauma, and ocular disorders among conflict-affected and displaced populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Fatima Elbasri Abuelgasim Mohammed … Tragi Ahmed Ali Elshaigi
Conflict and health · 2026
Background

Conflicts and forced displacement often leave behind severe health consequences, including a significant burden of eye diseases and injuries.

Purpose

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence and outcomes of ocular injuries and diseases in displaced and conflict-affected populations.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases for studies published between January 2000 and April 2025.

n = 59,728 participants
22.7%
Results
22.7%
eye injuries from trauma struck almost 1 in 4 people
n = 59,728 participants
More results

The review included 19 studies from 14 countries, with a combined sample of 59,728 participants.

Among non-traumatic conditions, cataract was the most frequently reported, with a pooled prevalence of 5.5%, followed by glaucoma (1.7%) and refractive errors (26.0%).

More results

Blindness affected 2.5% of the studied populations, while severe visual impairment had a pooled prevalence of 7.3%.

“
Conclusion · 1 of 2

Displaced and conflict-affected populations bear a substantial burden of both traumatic and non-traumatic eye conditions, often worsened by limited access to timely diagnosis and treatment.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

The findings highlight the urgent need for integrating eye health services into humanitarian response plans, with a focus on early detection, rehabilitation, and continuity of care to reduce preventable vision loss.

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