---
license: cc-by-4.0
task_categories:
- tabular-classification
language:
- en
tags:
- disability
- visual-impairment
- blindness
- cataract
- ophthalmology
- synthetic
- sub-saharan-africa
pretty_name: Visual Impairment & Low Vision Services (SSA)
size_categories:
- 10K<n<100K
configs:
- config_name: urban_eye_clinic
  data_files: data/vision_urban.csv
  default: true
- config_name: district_outreach
  data_files: data/vision_district.csv
- config_name: rural_community
  data_files: data/vision_rural.csv
data_type: synthetic
---

> ⚠️ **Synthetic dataset** — Parameterized from published SSA literature, not real observations. Not suitable for empirical analysis or policy inference.

# Visual Impairment & Low Vision Services in Sub-Saharan Africa

## Abstract

Synthetic dataset modelling visual impairment causes, eye care access, cataract surgery rates, spectacle coverage, and outcomes across three service tiers in SSA. 26M visually impaired in Africa; 80% avoidable; SSA has lowest ophthalmologist density (2.7 per million).

## Parameterization Evidence

| Parameter | Value | Source | Year |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 26M visually impaired in Africa; 4.8M blind | Burden | WHO | 2023 |
| 80% avoidable; cataract leading cause | Causes | Lancet Global Health | 2021 |
| 2.7 ophthalmologists per million in SSA | Workforce | IAPB Vision Atlas | 2023 |
| Rehabilitation access 3-62% in LMICs | Access | PMC6210163 | 2018 |

## Validation

![Validation Report](validation_report.png)

## Usage

```python
from datasets import load_dataset
ds = load_dataset("electricsheepafrica/visual-impairment-low-vision", "urban_eye_clinic")
```

## References

1. WHO. World report on vision. 2023.
2. Lancet Global Health. Causes of blindness in SSA. 2021.
3. IAPB Vision Atlas. Eye health workforce. 2023.

## Citation

```bibtex
@dataset{electricsheepafrica_visual_impairment_low_vision_2025,
  title={Visual Impairment and Low Vision Services in Sub-Saharan Africa},
  author={Electric Sheep Africa},
  year={2025},
  publisher={HuggingFace},
  url={https://huggingface.co/datasets/electricsheepafrica/visual-impairment-low-vision}
}
```

## License

CC-BY-4.0