Blindness: Causes

Pathogenesis (development of disease)

The pathogenesis of blindness is very diverse. Blindness can be congenital, but it can also be acquired.

Etiology (causes)

Biographic causes

• Genetic burden from parents, grandparents – hereditary eye diseases account for approximately 7% of blindness in Germany

Disease-related causes

Eyes and eye appendages (H00-H59).

• Ablatio retinae (retinal detachment).
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – progressive loss of central visual acuity (40-50% of blindness in Germany).
• Glaucoma (glaucoma) – 15-18% of blindness in Germany.
• Corneal opacity, unspecified
• Cataract (cataract)
• Retinopathia diabetica – retinal disease caused by diabetes mellitus (diabetes) (about 10-17% of blindness in Germany).
• Vascular processes in the eye, unspecified.

Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90).

• Vitamin A deficiency (childhood blindness).

Infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).

• Infections
  • Rubella
  • Toxoplasmosis
  • Tracheoma – conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva) caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.
  • Onchocerciasis (river blindness) – chronic disease caused by filariae of the species Onchocerca volvulus from the group of nematodes and leads to blindness in about 10% of sufferers.

Neoplasms – tumor diseases (C00-D48).

• Brain tumors, unspecified

Injuries, poisonings, and other consequences of external causes (S00-T98)

• Injuries to the eye, unspecified