THE BURDEN OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AMONG THE CHILDREN IN AZERBAIJAN

The purpose of the study was to determine the dynamics of the burden of childhood blindness in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The official data of the State Committee on Statistics for 2011-2017 were obtained from the website. The burden of blindness was conducted by determination of the arithmetic mean of the age of the formation of blindness; individual duration of future life after the formation of blindness, arithmetic mean of the age of children at the time of the formation of blindness; calculating of life duration of children by age groups by multiplying the number of blind children in age groups; determining of burden of blindness in childhood as summary of years of future life of blind patients by calendar years. The prevalence rate of blindness was the lowest in 2012 (17.8 & PLUSMN;0.80/0000), and the highest in 2017 (30.4 & PLUSMN;1.10/0000). The tendency of burden of blindness is linear, accuracy of linear equation is 57.97 %. During period 2011-2017 the prevalence of blindness among children population changed within the range 17.8-30.40/0000, the main tendency of which is dynamic increasing. The dynamics of the prevalence of blindness among children and its burden in Azerbaijan confirms the importance of developing a plan to reduce this pathology.