Pattern of Ocular Ultrasonographic Findings at a Tertiary Hospital in Northwest Nigeria: A Retrospective Review

Background: Ocular ultrasonography is a safe, non-invasive and accessible imaging modality for evaluating ocular and orbital disease, especially when media opacity limits direct visualization. Objective: To determine the pattern of ocular ultrasonographic findings among patients examined at Federal Teaching Hospital Birnin Kebbi, Northwestern Nigeria. Materials and methods: This retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study reviewed records of all patients who underwent ocular ultrasonography between January 2020 and December 2024. Age, sex, clinical indications, laterality and sonographic findings were extracted and analysed with SPSS version 25 using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 158 examinations were reviewed; 93 patients (58.9%) were male and 65 (41.1%) were female. Cataract was the commonest indication, accounting for 40 cases (25.3%). The most frequent sonographic findings were cataract (34; 21.5%), retinal detachment (25; 15.8%) and vitreous haemorrhage (22; 13.9%). Normal findings were recorded in 17 patients (10.8%). Cataract was significantly associated with advancing age, while retinoblastoma occurred only in children. Conclusion: Ocular ultrasonography demonstrated a high diagnostic yield and remains valuable for evaluating cataract-related media opacity, posterior segment pathology, trauma and paediatric ocular abnormalities in this setting.