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Pattern of refractive error in paediatric patients coming to rural tertiary care hospital of Central India

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Original Article

Author Details : Ojha Sushil, Babbar Meenu, Jain Vaibhav, Sharma Reena, Singh Brijesh, Sonali Singh

Volume : 2, Issue : 1, Year : 2016

Article Page : 72-75

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Abstract

Background: Refractive error is a important cause of low vision in paediatric age group. If uncorrected it can lead to severe visual impairment in paediatric age group. Around 12.8 million children in age group range of 5-15 years have undiagnosed refractive error or under corrected refractive error. In India, refractive error as social health problem not yet defined. The untreated refractive error can cause amblyopia and poor school performance, which in long run can lead to financial and social loss for the rest of life. The purpose of the present study is to know the different types of refractive errors in a tertiary care rural hospital.
Materials and methods: A cross sectional study to know the different types of refractive error in paediatric patients in a tertiary care rural hospital of central India from January 2015 to June 2015. The patients of birth to upto the age of 15 years were included. The patient particular were noted. The patient name, age, sex ,residence, visual acuity, refractive error were noted.
Results: The total number of 848 patients enrolled in the present study from eye OPD of UPRIMS &R, Saifai, UP from January 2015 to June 2015. The age of patients ranges from birth to 15 years of age. Out of these refractive error is seen in 260 patients (31.37%, 168 male, 92 female). So, refractive error was the cause of hospital consultation in around 1/3^rd of the patients.The most common refractive error noted was myopia in 160 patients (61.53%, 95 males, 65 females), followed by astigmatism in 40 patients (23.85%, 32 males, 6 females) and hypermetropia in 38 patients (14.61%, 32males, 6 females). The common age of presentation was from 11-15 years ( 130 patients, 50%), followed by 6-10 years age( 70 patients, 26.92%) and lastly less than 5 years age group (60 patients.23.08%).
Conclusion: In India, refractive error as public health problem is not yet defined. The untreated refractive error can cause amblyopia and poor school performance, which in long run can lead to financial and social loss for the rest of life.

Keywords : Amblyopia, Childhood disorder, Refractive error

How to cite : Sushil O, Meenu B, Vaibhav J, Reena S, Brijesh S, Singh S, Pattern of refractive error in paediatric patients coming to rural tertiary care hospital of Central India. Indian J Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2016;2(1):72-75

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