Cataract and corneal opacity are the main causes of blindness in the Samburu tribe of Kenya.

An ocular status survey of the Samburu tribe of Kenya was carried out. There were 844 survey members in an age and sex stratified cluster sample. The prevalence of those who were found to have moderate visual loss or worse (less than 20/60 [6/18] in the better eye) was 3.8%. Those blind by USA criteria represented 1.7% of the total population. The two principal causes of blindness, cataract and corneal opacity, are both surgically amenable. A description of the Samburu people, the survey methods, and a summary of the survey findings are included.