ArticleConflict and health2026
Prevalence of visual impairment, ocular trauma, and ocular disorders among conflict-affected and displaced populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Article in Conflict and health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
15 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionConflicts and forced displacement often leave behind severe health consequences, including a significant burden of eye diseases and injuries. Refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) face increased risk due to limited access to eye care services and exposure to trauma. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence and outcomes of ocular injuries and diseases in displaced and conflict-affected populations.
methodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases for studies published between January 2000 and April 2025. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction, risk of bias assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and meta-analyses were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Prevalence estimates were pooled using a random-effects model, and subgroup analyses were performed by study design.
resultsThe review included 19 studies from 14 countries, with a combined sample of 59,728 participants. Ophthalmic trauma had a pooled prevalence of 22.7%, while phthisis bulbi, a severe outcome of eye trauma, had a prevalence of 3.6%. 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%). Blindness affected 2.5% of the studied populations, while severe visual impairment had a pooled prevalence of 7.3%. Reliable pooled estimates for mild and moderate visual impairment were heterogeneous and variably reported, and therefore a single consolidated range (e.g., 7.3%-19.4%) may overstate precision and should be interpreted cautiously.
conclusionDisplaced 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. 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.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.