Abstract
Background: Visual morbidity is an important factor affecting the learning ability, personality and confidence of growing children. Early detection and treatment of visual morbidity is an easy way to improve child health and development. Aims: 1) To estimate the prevalence and causes of visual morbidity in children. 2) To create awareness about the preventable causes of childhood blindness. Methodology: Cross-sectional, School-based screening; Study site: 4 Schools in the radius of 20km around our Institute; Duration: Six months; Age group: 5-15 years (Both sexes); Sample Size: 896. SPSS software was used for statistics. ICD-10 codes are used to classify diseases. The parents were counselled and awareness was generated regarding the importance of early detection and treatment of eye diseases. Result: Ocular morbidities were observed in a total of 30.69% (279 children); Uncorrected refractory error was the most important cause; Unilateral refractory errors accounted for 19.35%; Bilateral errors formed the rest 31.18%.; Vitamin A deficiency which included Bitot’s Spots (21.14%) and Conjunctival Xerosis (11.11%) was the second common cause.; There were 3 cases of colour blindness diagnosed using Ishiara chart (1.07%); Significant association with socio-economic status and occupation of parents (p<0.05). Conclusion: Visual morbidity affects the various domains of child health and development. Hence, there appears a dire need for early detection and treatment.
Highlights
Visual morbidity is an important factor affecting the learning ability, personality and confidence of growing children
This study has found a prevalence of 30.69% in rural parts of central India
Study done by Rajesh Kumar et al[4], Ocular Morbidity amongst Primary School Children in Delhi with a school based sample size of 775 found prevalence of Visual morbidity to be 22.7%, with refractive errors accounting for the maximum morbidity
Summary
Visual morbidity is an important factor affecting the learning ability, personality and confidence of growing children. Its causes vary from abnormal eye development to acquired causes of reduced vision. The treatable causes of visual morbidity in children include refractive errors, congenital/developmental cataract, Vitamin A deficiency and infections of ocular adnexa. The primary aim of the present study was to determine the various causes of visual morbidity among children and create awareness amongst the parents regarding the treatable causes of reduced vision. 1.1 Aims and Objectives 1) To estimate the prevalence of visual morbidity in children. 2) To study the various causes of visual morbidity. Detection and treatment of visual morbidity is an easy way to improve child health and development. Aims: 1) To estimate the prevalence and causes of visual morbidity in children. 2) To create awareness about the preventable causes of childhood blindness.
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