Paediatric Refractive Errors in an Eye Clinic in Osogbo, Nigeria

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Paediatric ophthalmology is an emerging subspecialty in Nigeria and as such there ispaucity of data on refractive errors in the country. This study set out to determine the pattern ofrefractive errors in children attending an eye clinic in South West Nigeria.METHODS: A descriptive study of 180 consecutive subjects seen over a 2-year period. Presentingcomplaints, presenting visual acuity (PVA), age and sex were recorded. Clinical examination of theanterior and posterior segments of the eyes, extraocular muscle assessment and refraction were done.The types of refractive errors and their grades were determined. Corrected VA was obtained. Data wasanalysed using descriptive statistics in proportions, chi square with p value <0.05.RESULTS: The age range of subjects was between 3 and 16 years with mean age = 11.7 and SD = 0.51;with males making up 33.9%.The commonest presenting complaint was blurring of distant vision (40%),presenting visual acuity 6/9 (33.9%), normal vision constituted >75.0%, visual impairment20% and lowvision 23.3%. Low grade spherical and cylindrical errors occurred most frequently (35.6% and 59.9%respectively). Regular astigmatism was significantly more common, P <0.001. The commonest diagnosiswas simple myopic astigmatism (41.1%). Four cases of strabismus were seen.CONCLUSION: Simple spherical and cylindrical errors were the commonest types of refractive errorsseen. Visual impairment and low vision occurred and could be a cause of absenteeism from school.Low-cost spectacle production or dispensing unit and health education are advocated for the preventionof visual impairment in a hospital set-up.