Refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a medical college in North-East India

Purpose: To determine the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a new medical college in North-East India. Materials and Methods: A prospective study of the new patients (age ≥5 years), who were phakic and whose unaided visual acuities we...

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Main Authors: Tanie Natung, Trishna Taye, Laura Amanda Lyngdoh, Begonia Dkhar, Ranendra Hajong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2017-01-01
Series:Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2017;volume=6;issue=3;spage=543;epage=548;aulast=Natung
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author Tanie Natung
Trishna Taye
Laura Amanda Lyngdoh
Begonia Dkhar
Ranendra Hajong
author_facet Tanie Natung
Trishna Taye
Laura Amanda Lyngdoh
Begonia Dkhar
Ranendra Hajong
author_sort Tanie Natung
collection DOAJ
description Purpose: To determine the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a new medical college in North-East India. Materials and Methods: A prospective study of the new patients (age ≥5 years), who were phakic and whose unaided visual acuities were worse than 20/20 but improved with pinhole, was done. Complete ophthalmic examination and refraction with appropriate cycloplegia for age were done for the 4582 eligible patients. Spherical equivalents (SE) of refractive errors of the right eyes were used for analysis. Results: Of the 4582 eligible patients, 2546 patients had refractive errors (55.56%). The proportion of emmetropia (SE − 0.50–+0.50 diopter sphere [DS]), myopia (SE −0.50 DS), high myopia (SE >−5.0 DS), and hypermetropia (+0.50 DS for adults and >+2.0 DS for children) were 53.1%, 27.4%, 2.6%, and 16.9%, respectively. The proportion of hyperopia increased till 59 years and then decreased with age (P = 0.000). The proportion of myopia and high myopia decreased significantly with age after 39 years (P = 0.000 and P = 0.004, respectively). Of the 1510 patients with astigmatism, 17% had with-the-rule (WTR), 23.4% had against-the-rule (ATR), and 19% had oblique astigmatisms. The proportion of WTR and ATR astigmatisms significantly decreased (P = 0.000) and increased (P = 0.000) with age, respectively. Conclusions: This study has provided the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors in the study population. It will serve as the initial step for conducting community-based studies on the prevalence of refractive errors in this part of the country since such data are lacking from this region. Moreover, this study will help the primary care physicians to have an overview of the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors presenting to a health-care center as refractive error is an established and significant public health problem worldwide.
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spelling doaj.art-a7be0c9e6b1442bb8427160e12b706b62022-12-22T03:55:29ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family Medicine and Primary Care2249-48632017-01-016354354810.4103/2249-4863.222023Refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a medical college in North-East IndiaTanie NatungTrishna TayeLaura Amanda LyngdohBegonia DkharRanendra HajongPurpose: To determine the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a new medical college in North-East India. Materials and Methods: A prospective study of the new patients (age ≥5 years), who were phakic and whose unaided visual acuities were worse than 20/20 but improved with pinhole, was done. Complete ophthalmic examination and refraction with appropriate cycloplegia for age were done for the 4582 eligible patients. Spherical equivalents (SE) of refractive errors of the right eyes were used for analysis. Results: Of the 4582 eligible patients, 2546 patients had refractive errors (55.56%). The proportion of emmetropia (SE − 0.50–+0.50 diopter sphere [DS]), myopia (SE −0.50 DS), high myopia (SE >−5.0 DS), and hypermetropia (+0.50 DS for adults and >+2.0 DS for children) were 53.1%, 27.4%, 2.6%, and 16.9%, respectively. The proportion of hyperopia increased till 59 years and then decreased with age (P = 0.000). The proportion of myopia and high myopia decreased significantly with age after 39 years (P = 0.000 and P = 0.004, respectively). Of the 1510 patients with astigmatism, 17% had with-the-rule (WTR), 23.4% had against-the-rule (ATR), and 19% had oblique astigmatisms. The proportion of WTR and ATR astigmatisms significantly decreased (P = 0.000) and increased (P = 0.000) with age, respectively. Conclusions: This study has provided the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors in the study population. It will serve as the initial step for conducting community-based studies on the prevalence of refractive errors in this part of the country since such data are lacking from this region. Moreover, this study will help the primary care physicians to have an overview of the magnitude and pattern of refractive errors presenting to a health-care center as refractive error is an established and significant public health problem worldwide.http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2017;volume=6;issue=3;spage=543;epage=548;aulast=NatungAstigmatismhypermetropiamyopiarefractive errorsspherical equivalent
spellingShingle Tanie Natung
Trishna Taye
Laura Amanda Lyngdoh
Begonia Dkhar
Ranendra Hajong
Refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a medical college in North-East India
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
Astigmatism
hypermetropia
myopia
refractive errors
spherical equivalent
title Refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a medical college in North-East India
title_full Refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a medical college in North-East India
title_fullStr Refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a medical college in North-East India
title_full_unstemmed Refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a medical college in North-East India
title_short Refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a medical college in North-East India
title_sort refractive errors among patients attending the ophthalmology department of a medical college in north east india
topic Astigmatism
hypermetropia
myopia
refractive errors
spherical equivalent
url http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2017;volume=6;issue=3;spage=543;epage=548;aulast=Natung
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AT lauraamandalyngdoh refractiveerrorsamongpatientsattendingtheophthalmologydepartmentofamedicalcollegeinnortheastindia
AT begoniadkhar refractiveerrorsamongpatientsattendingtheophthalmologydepartmentofamedicalcollegeinnortheastindia
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