Profile of ocular conditions from school eye screening in Southern India
Purpose: To profile the presentation of ocular conditions among school children aged 6 to 17 years from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Methods: The study was conducted as part of a school eye health program in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu that aimed to address the refractive needs of chil...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Indian Journal of Ophthalmology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ijo.in/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2022;volume=70;issue=5;spage=1755;epage=1760;aulast=Chandrasekar |
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| author | Ambika Chandrasekar Subhiksha Rangavittal Saara Krishnamurthy Anuradha Narayanan |
| author_facet | Ambika Chandrasekar Subhiksha Rangavittal Saara Krishnamurthy Anuradha Narayanan |
| author_sort | Ambika Chandrasekar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: To profile the presentation of ocular conditions among school children aged 6 to 17 years from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Methods: The study was conducted as part of a school eye health program in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu that aimed to address the refractive needs of children (6–17 years) between July 2016 and June 2019. The study followed a three-phase protocol, which included visual acuity test, modified clinical test, color vision test, binocular vision assessment, objective and subjective refraction, dispensing spectacles, posterior segment evaluation using direct ophthalmoscopy, and referral to the base hospital. The demographics, clinical details, and ocular conditions (classified under 16 categories) were analyzed. Profiling and association of ocular conditions among different locations, types of schools, class grades, and gender were presented. Results: Data of 2,45,565 children were analyzed from 1,047 schools, of which 4,816 (1.96%) children were identified with ocular conditions other than refractive errors. The common reasons for referral were high myopia 901 (0.37%), strabismus 819 (0.33%), and amblyopia 691 (0.28%). Retinal problems (odds ratio [OR]: 1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22–2.22, P = 0.001) and strabismus (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.21–1.65, P < 0.001) were the conditions prevalent in the rural location. Cataract and related conditions (OR: 5.73, 95% CI: 4.10–8.01, P < 0.001) and retinal problems (OR: 4.76, 95% CI: 3.37–6.72, P < 0.001) were common in children studying in public schools. Of the 16 categories, 13 conditions were seen among primary school children. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (OR: 3.64 95% CI: 2.12–6.23 P < 0.001) was common among males. Conclusion: The study profiled ocular conditions among school children. Most ocular conditions warrant prolonged care and specialty eye care services. Ensuring the availability of such services and follow-up after school eye screening would safeguard the visual development of these children. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:52:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7e9b53b56452456cbe3b304cc065b02b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0301-4738 1998-3689 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:52:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Indian Journal of Ophthalmology |
| spelling | doaj.art-7e9b53b56452456cbe3b304cc065b02b2022-12-22T02:28:21ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Ophthalmology0301-47381998-36892022-01-017051755176010.4103/ijo.IJO_2569_21Profile of ocular conditions from school eye screening in Southern IndiaAmbika ChandrasekarSubhiksha RangavittalSaara KrishnamurthyAnuradha NarayananPurpose: To profile the presentation of ocular conditions among school children aged 6 to 17 years from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Methods: The study was conducted as part of a school eye health program in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu that aimed to address the refractive needs of children (6–17 years) between July 2016 and June 2019. The study followed a three-phase protocol, which included visual acuity test, modified clinical test, color vision test, binocular vision assessment, objective and subjective refraction, dispensing spectacles, posterior segment evaluation using direct ophthalmoscopy, and referral to the base hospital. The demographics, clinical details, and ocular conditions (classified under 16 categories) were analyzed. Profiling and association of ocular conditions among different locations, types of schools, class grades, and gender were presented. Results: Data of 2,45,565 children were analyzed from 1,047 schools, of which 4,816 (1.96%) children were identified with ocular conditions other than refractive errors. The common reasons for referral were high myopia 901 (0.37%), strabismus 819 (0.33%), and amblyopia 691 (0.28%). Retinal problems (odds ratio [OR]: 1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22–2.22, P = 0.001) and strabismus (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.21–1.65, P < 0.001) were the conditions prevalent in the rural location. Cataract and related conditions (OR: 5.73, 95% CI: 4.10–8.01, P < 0.001) and retinal problems (OR: 4.76, 95% CI: 3.37–6.72, P < 0.001) were common in children studying in public schools. Of the 16 categories, 13 conditions were seen among primary school children. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (OR: 3.64 95% CI: 2.12–6.23 P < 0.001) was common among males. Conclusion: The study profiled ocular conditions among school children. Most ocular conditions warrant prolonged care and specialty eye care services. Ensuring the availability of such services and follow-up after school eye screening would safeguard the visual development of these children.http://www.ijo.in/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2022;volume=70;issue=5;spage=1755;epage=1760;aulast=Chandrasekarhigh myopiaocular conditionsschool childrenschool screeningstrabismus |
| spellingShingle | Ambika Chandrasekar Subhiksha Rangavittal Saara Krishnamurthy Anuradha Narayanan Profile of ocular conditions from school eye screening in Southern India Indian Journal of Ophthalmology high myopia ocular conditions school children school screening strabismus |
| title | Profile of ocular conditions from school eye screening in Southern India |
| title_full | Profile of ocular conditions from school eye screening in Southern India |
| title_fullStr | Profile of ocular conditions from school eye screening in Southern India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Profile of ocular conditions from school eye screening in Southern India |
| title_short | Profile of ocular conditions from school eye screening in Southern India |
| title_sort | profile of ocular conditions from school eye screening in southern india |
| topic | high myopia ocular conditions school children school screening strabismus |
| url | http://www.ijo.in/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2022;volume=70;issue=5;spage=1755;epage=1760;aulast=Chandrasekar |
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