Abstract
BackgroundEye diseases are important causes of medical consultations, with the spectrum varying in different regions. This hospital-based descriptive study aimed to determine the profile of childhood eye conditions at St. John tertiary Eye hospital serving in Hebron, Palestine.MethodsFiles of all new patients less than 16 years old who presented to St. John Eye Hospital—Hebron, Palestine between January 2013 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Age at presentation, sex, and clinical diagnosis were extracted from medical records. Data were stored and analyzed using Wizard data analysis version 1.6.0 by Evan Miller. The Chi square test was used to compare variables and a p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsWe evaluated the records of 1102 patients, with a female: male ratio of 1:1.1. Patients aged 0–5 years old were the largest group (40.2 %). Refractive errors were the most common ocular disorders seen (31.6 %), followed by conjunctival diseases (23.7 %) and strabismus and amblyopia (13.8 %). Refractive errors were recorded more frequently and statistically significant (p < 0.001) among (11–15) age group. Within the conjunctival diseases category, conjunctivitis and dry eyes was more prominent and statistically significant (p < 0.001) among the 6–10 year old age group. Within the strabismus and amblyopia category, convergent strabismus was more common and statistically significant among the youngest age group (0–5 years old).ConclusionsThe most common causes of ocular morbidity are largely treatable or preventable. These results suggest the need for awareness campaigns and early intervention programs.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13104-016-2011-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Eye diseases are important causes of medical consultations, with the spectrum varying in different regions
In the United States of America, the most common vision disorders reported among children were strabismus, amblyopia and optical problems [2]
In a study in Tikrit, Iraq, allergic conjunctivitis, refractive errors, ocular trauma, infection, squint and nasolacrimal duct obstruction were the most common ocular conditions treated in an outpatient department [4]
Summary
Eye diseases are important causes of medical consultations, with the spectrum varying in different regions. This hospital-based descriptive study aimed to determine the profile of childhood eye conditions at St. John tertiary Eye hospital serving in Hebron, Palestine. Several ocular morbidity studies have estimated the magnitude of eye diseases among children. In Nigeria, refractive errors, vernal conjunctivitis, eye injuries, and corneal inflammation were the leading causes of childhood eye morbidity [3]. In a study in Tikrit, Iraq, allergic conjunctivitis, refractive errors, ocular trauma, infection, squint and nasolacrimal duct obstruction were the most common ocular conditions treated in an outpatient department [4]. Understanding the specific causes of visual reduction helps in proper and efficient allocation of resources for preventive and control measures as well as treatment
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
