Significant refractive errors as seen in standard eight pupils attending public schools in Langata division, Nairobi, Kenya
Abstract
A cross sectional community based study of significant refractive errors as seen III
standard eight pupils attending public schools in Langata Division, Nairobi Province,
Kenya. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of significant
refractive errors, the proportions of different types of refractive errors and estimate the
proportions of uncorrected significant refractive errors in the study population.
Method: All the children attending public schools in standard eight in Langata Division
who were present during the survey were included. Those absent were excluded. The class
register was used to estimate the population size. All standard eight pupils in the selected
schools were examined. Data was collected on examination sheet that had been prepared
(see appendix A). This was stored in a floppy diskette and analyzed later using SPSS.
A case was defined as a pupil with significant refractive error. All students with visual
acuity worse than 6/12 who were not improving to a visual acuity of 6/6, cycloplegic
refraction was done. Refractive error was determined by taking visual acuity using the
Snellens chart.
Results: The total number of students examined was 1253. There were 611 males and 642
females. The population mean age was 14.5 (range 11.9-17.9) years and population
median was 14.4 years. The population standard deviation was 0.90 years. The prevalence
of significant myopia was 10.2% (128 out of 1253), hypermetropia 0.3% (4/1253) and
astigmatism 0.5% (611253) students.
Conclusion: Significant refractive errors were found among primary school children aged
11 to 17 years at a prevalence of 10.2%(12811253).The prevalence of myopia was 9.4%
(118/1253), hypermetropia 0.3% (411253) and astigmatism 0.5% (611253).
Publisher
School of Medicine