Nicaragua

Blindness in Nicaragua

Nicaragua is the largest country by land area in Central America and has a multi-ethnic population. Due to decades of internal conflict caused mainly by the Somoza dictatorship, the country has struggled with providing healthcare to all its citizens. In recent years, however, the Ministry of Health has made enormous strides in expanding its network of services by increasing the number of health facilities and basic health centers across the country.

There have been no comprehensive studies to determine the number of blind people living in Nicaragua. However, it is known that the main causes of blindness are due to age-related conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma, which are treatable in many cases. Unfortunately, due to a lack of education surrounding the issue, especially in rural regions, many affected individuals will continue to live their lives needlessly blind. Additionally, many children and adults will never get their eyes checked due to a lack of eyecare facilities available, especially for the poor. This has serious consequences on children’s education and overall quality of life.