Indian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
Official Publication of Innovative Education and Scientific Research Foundation
Official Publication of Innovative Education and Scientific Research Foundation
Print ISSN: 2395-1443
Online ISSN: 2395-1451
CODEN : IJCEKF
Indian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (IJCEO) is open access, a peer-reviewed medical journal, published quarterly, online, and in print, by the Innovative Education and Scientific Research Foundation (IESRF) since 2015. To fulfil our aim of rapid dissemination of knowledge, we publish articles ‘Ahead of Print’ on acceptance. In addition, the journal allows free access (Open Access) to its content, which is likely to attract more readers and citations of articles published in IJCEO. Manuscripts must be prepared in more...Original Article
Author Details :
Volume : 8, Issue : 2, Year : 2022
Article Page : 265-270
https://doi.org/10.18231/j.ijceo.2022.053
Abstract
Purpose: To assess the prevalence of ocular disorders and visual disability in preschool children in Southern India and to know if preschool eye screening by ophthalmologist or ophthalmic officer is essential to be made mandatary program.
Materials and Methods: This is apreschool based prospective cross sectional study which was adopted in 47 Anganwadi (preschool), which came under one Taluk in Karnataka Total of 1283 children were screened and examined by ophthalmologist and ophthalmic officer at general hospital, over a period of 2 months. All the children were divided into 2 groups, 0-3yrs and 3-6 years, who underwent a detailed eye examination. Children aged 3-6 yrs were also examined for refractive disorders. The pattern of refractive errors and ocular disorders etc. were studied by cross-sectional descriptive analysis of data and statistical analysis for age and gender.
Results: Among 1283 children examined, 757 were 0-3 yrs and 526 were 3-6 yrs, out of which 66 (5.2%) children with ocular disorders were detected. The commonest eye disorder in children of 3-6 yrs group was refractive error 24 (4.6%) commonest being myopia 11(2%). No statistically significant differences in the distribution of ocular disorders by age or gender were detected.
Conclusion: Screening of preschool children by an Ophthalmologist or an Ophthalmic officer detects ocular disorders and makes timely intervention possible and also prevents the development of permanent visual disability and thus prevents socioeconomic urden. A large-scale community-based preschool eye screening program in India identifies morbid eye conditions early, that are amenable to cure and prompt rehabilitation.
Keywords: Ocular disorders, Preschool eye screening, Refractive errors, Strabismus.
How to cite : Tumbadi K L, Nagaraj K B, Preschool eye screening: A study in South India. Indian J Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2022;8(2):265-270
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