Ocular Health Among HIV-Positive Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy at Federal Medical Centre, Yola, Adamawa State

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and its associated immunosuppression can lead to a range of ocular manifestations, while antiretroviral therapy (ART) may introduce additional ocular side effects. This study investigates the ocular health status of HIV-positive patients on ART at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, Adamawa State, North East Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive design will be used, targeting 250 HIV-positive patients recruited from the ART clinic. Comprehensive ocular examinations will assess anterior and posterior segment health, including visual acuity measurement, intraocular pressure assessment, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and funduscopic examination. The occurrence of HIV-related conditions such as cytomegalovirus retinitis, HIV retinopathy, and ART-related chloroquine toxicity will be documented. Data analysis will involve descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to assess the association between CD4 count levels, ART duration, and ocular manifestations. The study expects to find a significant burden of ocular complications in patients with low CD4 counts and prolonged ART use. Findings will be submitted to the hospital's HIV management committee to advocate for the integration of optometric screening into routine ART monitoring. This research fills an important gap in the literature on HIV-associated eye disease in north-eastern Nigeria and advances multidisciplinary approaches to HIV care in the North East geopolitical zone. Keywords: HIV, antiretroviral therapy, ocular manifestations, Yola, immune suppression