Purpose: To evaluate refractive error in VKC patients at tertiary health care centre.

Methods: This prospective observational longitudinal single-Centre study, included 200 eyes of 100 patients with age group 05-20 years with diagnosed VKC. Subjects who satisfy all inclusion criteria and meet no exclusion criteria were included in the study. A written and detailed Informed consent was taken and demographic details of all patients were documented. Best corrected visual acuity was noted and each patient was examined thoroughly with slit lamp.

Results: In the study, the age group 11-15 yr was in majority (49%) followed by 16-20 yr (26%) while 25% cases belong to the age group 5-10 yr. The study included 76 males while 24 were females.In the present study, maximum cases had visual acuity between 6/12 – 6/9 (52%). While the cases with VA 6/6 were 44% and cases with VA 6/24-6/18 were 2% only. Amongst all patients 24% were emmetropic, 39% myopic,9% hypermetropic and 29% astigmatic. So, myopia was the commonest refractive error while hypermetropia were present in least proportion. In acute type of VKC cases, myopia was present in highest proportion (46.2%) while in chronic cases astigmatism was present in highest proportion (36.1%).

Myopia was present in palpebral in maximum proportion (p=0.447). Hypermetropia was present in mixed in maximum proportion (p=0.376). Astigmatism was present in palpebral in maximum proportion. However, no significant association was found between type of refractive error and VKC type. (p=0.475).

Conclusion: Refractive errors are also becoming serious public health problem and are major cause of poor quality of life in children. So, each VKC patient should have proper refraction after diagnosis. There is need for better understanding and management of VKC.

Keywords: Vkc, Visual Acuity, Astigmatism, Palpebral , Bulbar.

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Dr Rajneesh Singh

Senior Resident, Department of Ophthalmology, Shyam Shah Medical College, Rewa M.P. 486001