Variations in the prevalence of vision impairment across regions among school children in Telangana State, South India
Purpose: Undetected vision impairment (VI) could negatively affect the overall development in children. School vision screening program is a viable and cost-effective approach for the early identification and management of VI. Aim: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of VI, its risk factors,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Indian Journal of Ophthalmology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ijo.in/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2023;volume=71;issue=10;spage=3322;epage=3327;aulast=Prakash |
| _version_ | 1797649312172212224 |
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| author | Winston D Prakash Srinivas Marmamula Asha Latha Mettla Jill Keeffe Rohit C Khanna |
| author_facet | Winston D Prakash Srinivas Marmamula Asha Latha Mettla Jill Keeffe Rohit C Khanna |
| author_sort | Winston D Prakash |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: Undetected vision impairment (VI) could negatively affect the overall development in children. School vision screening program is a viable and cost-effective approach for the early identification and management of VI. Aim: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of VI, its risk factors, and ocular morbidity among school children in Telangana, South India. Methods: Children aged 4–15 years attending schools in the study area were screened in this study. The vision screenings were performed in schools by trained community eye health workers using 6/12 tumbling E optotypes. Children who failed the test and/or presented with other eye conditions were referred to vision centers or secondary and tertiary eye care centers. A comprehensive eye examination was conducted in these centers, including cycloplegic refraction and fundus examination. Results: A total of 774,184 children, with a mean age of 9.4 ± 3.27 years, were screened. Overall, 51.49% (N = 398,596) were male. In total, 4.33% [N = 33,528; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.29–4.38] required referral services, while 1.16% (N = 9,002) had a presenting visual acuity of < 6/12. Multivariate analysis showed a high risk of VI among older children [Adj. odds ratio (OR): 5.75; 95% CI: 5.18–6.38], those with disabilities (Adj. OR: 5.12; 95% CI: 4.14–6.33), female gender (Adj. OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.24 - 1.35), and those residing in the urban areas (Adj. OR: 2.87; 95% CI: 2.42–3.39). The main cause of VI was uncorrected refractive errors (74.14%). Conclusion: The prevalence of VI among school children was 1.16% in Telangana, South India, and refractive error was the leading cause of VI among this population. Increasing age, urban location, female gender and other disabilities increase the risk of VI among children. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:45:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9f25b2f851b74665888cd43b236f994a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0301-4738 1998-3689 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:45:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Indian Journal of Ophthalmology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9f25b2f851b74665888cd43b236f994a2023-10-26T06:49:35ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Ophthalmology0301-47381998-36892023-01-0171103322332710.4103/IJO.IJO_215_23Variations in the prevalence of vision impairment across regions among school children in Telangana State, South IndiaWinston D PrakashSrinivas MarmamulaAsha Latha MettlaJill KeeffeRohit C KhannaPurpose: Undetected vision impairment (VI) could negatively affect the overall development in children. School vision screening program is a viable and cost-effective approach for the early identification and management of VI. Aim: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of VI, its risk factors, and ocular morbidity among school children in Telangana, South India. Methods: Children aged 4–15 years attending schools in the study area were screened in this study. The vision screenings were performed in schools by trained community eye health workers using 6/12 tumbling E optotypes. Children who failed the test and/or presented with other eye conditions were referred to vision centers or secondary and tertiary eye care centers. A comprehensive eye examination was conducted in these centers, including cycloplegic refraction and fundus examination. Results: A total of 774,184 children, with a mean age of 9.4 ± 3.27 years, were screened. Overall, 51.49% (N = 398,596) were male. In total, 4.33% [N = 33,528; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.29–4.38] required referral services, while 1.16% (N = 9,002) had a presenting visual acuity of < 6/12. Multivariate analysis showed a high risk of VI among older children [Adj. odds ratio (OR): 5.75; 95% CI: 5.18–6.38], those with disabilities (Adj. OR: 5.12; 95% CI: 4.14–6.33), female gender (Adj. OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.24 - 1.35), and those residing in the urban areas (Adj. OR: 2.87; 95% CI: 2.42–3.39). The main cause of VI was uncorrected refractive errors (74.14%). Conclusion: The prevalence of VI among school children was 1.16% in Telangana, South India, and refractive error was the leading cause of VI among this population. Increasing age, urban location, female gender and other disabilities increase the risk of VI among children.http://www.ijo.in/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2023;volume=71;issue=10;spage=3322;epage=3327;aulast=Prakashchildhood vision impairmentrisk factors for vision impairmentschool eye health |
| spellingShingle | Winston D Prakash Srinivas Marmamula Asha Latha Mettla Jill Keeffe Rohit C Khanna Variations in the prevalence of vision impairment across regions among school children in Telangana State, South India Indian Journal of Ophthalmology childhood vision impairment risk factors for vision impairment school eye health |
| title | Variations in the prevalence of vision impairment across regions among school children in Telangana State, South India |
| title_full | Variations in the prevalence of vision impairment across regions among school children in Telangana State, South India |
| title_fullStr | Variations in the prevalence of vision impairment across regions among school children in Telangana State, South India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variations in the prevalence of vision impairment across regions among school children in Telangana State, South India |
| title_short | Variations in the prevalence of vision impairment across regions among school children in Telangana State, South India |
| title_sort | variations in the prevalence of vision impairment across regions among school children in telangana state south india |
| topic | childhood vision impairment risk factors for vision impairment school eye health |
| url | http://www.ijo.in/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2023;volume=71;issue=10;spage=3322;epage=3327;aulast=Prakash |
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