Abstract
Objective: To study prevalence and spectrum of refractive errors in children aged between 10 and 16 years who attended the outpatient department of ophthalmology SKIMS Srinagar between July 2014 and June 2015.
Methods:All children aged between 10 to 16 years coming to Outpatient Eye Department of SKIMS Srinagar from July 2014 to June 2015 were included in this repetitive study. Detailed ocular examination was performed on each patient. It consisted of visual acuity testing, pupillary reaction, ocular motility examination, anterior segment examination and direct ophthalmoscopy. The refractive error was noted with type and the patients who needed glasses were prescribed glasses.
Results: Total of 720 children were examined which included 450 male and 270 female children aged between 10 to 16 years. Out of 720 children, 624 (384 males & 240 females) had no refractive error and in 96 (66 males & 30 females) had varying degree of refractive errors. Myopia was most common type of refractive error seen in 51 (34 males & 17 females), hypermetropia in 35 (25 males & 10 females), Astigmatism in 3 (2 males & 1 female) and mixed refractive error (spherical & cylindrical) in 7 (5 males & 2 females). Among children having refractive error visual acuity of 6/9 was seen in 32 (19 males &13 females), 6/18 in 25 (18 males &8 females), 6/24 in 20 (15 males & 5 females), 6/36 in 15 (11 males & 4 females) and 6/60 in 4 (3 males & 1 females).
Conclusion: Refractive errors among children is quite common and need to be assessed at an early stage so that timely spectacle correction can be given to prevent amblyopia and poor performance of children in schools.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v3i8.26
