Clinical findings among nigerian paediatric glaucoma suspects during a school eye health survey.

Abdulkabir Ayansiji Ayanniyi,Rashidat Oluwafunke Ayanniyi,Abdulraheem Olarongbe Mahmoud,Fatai Olasunkanmi Olatunji

doi:10.2174/1874364100802010137

Abdulkabir Ayansiji Ayanniyi, Rashidat Oluwafunke Ayanniyi + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.2174/1874364100802010137

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Abstract

Objective:To report clinical findings suspicious of glaucoma among primary school children in Ilorin, Nigeria.Methods:A cross sectional survey of ocular health among 1,393 school children carried out between July 2005 and January 2006. Criteria for suspecting glaucoma included a cup disc ratio (CD) of > 0.5, a CD asymmetry between the fellow eyes of > 0.2, and/or intraocular pressure (IOP) > 21mmHg by applanation tonometry.Results:Eleven (6 boys and 5 girls) of 1,393 pupils (0.8%), aged between 7 and 13 years, had ocular findings suspicious of glaucoma. Twenty two eyes of 11 pupils had a CD ratio ≥ 0.6, and among these 5 eyes had IOP > 21. Three of the pupils had a CD asymmetry of > 0.2.Conclusion:A significant proportion of these Nigerian school pupils had clinical signs suggestive of glaucoma. A functional school health programme with eye health component coupled with efficient referral system is advocated.

Highlights

Glaucoma is a dreaded blinding eye disease yet vision can be preserved if detected early and necessary intervention employed
These clinical features alone may not necessarily confirm glaucoma, they would be found useful in situations where sophisticated resources are not available more especially where rapid screening is required
The aim of this paper is to report clinical findings suspicious of glaucoma among primary school children in Ilorin, Nigeria, with the view that such features can serve as basis for referral especially during epidemiological eye surveys to ophthalmic clinics where further evaluation to confirm or rule out glaucoma can be done

Summary

Introduction

Glaucoma is a dreaded blinding eye disease yet vision can be preserved if detected early and necessary intervention employed. At its very early stage the diagnosis of glaucoma is difficult and requires sophisticated resources [2, 3] This is a challenge for screening for glaucoma more especially in resource limited economy. The limitation notwithstanding, there are ocular clinical features that can arouse suspicion of glaucoma once they are found during eye examination These clinical features alone may not necessarily confirm glaucoma, they would be found useful in situations where sophisticated resources are not available more especially where rapid screening is required. This implies that individuals with eyes examination findings suspicious of glaucoma would be referred appropriately for further ophthalmic evaluation at ophthalmic clinic

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Conclusion