[Ocular impairment in leprosy].

Leprosy causes several ocular disorders, and it also causes aftereffect with high frequency in various ways. Primary impairment is the ocular disturbance caused with direct invasion of nerve and ocular tissue by Mycobacterium leprae. Secondary impairment is the complication of nerve paralysis and residual inflammation due to primary disorder. Main work at Japanese national leprosariums has been the control of primary and secondary impairment in recent years. Clinical ophthalmic study in the leprosarium revealed a increase of age-related ocular disease in addition to aftereffect of leprosy. Severe sequelae due to sensory and functional disturbance will require suitable applications of advanced clinical technologies.