Refractive errors among children, adolescents and adults attending eye clinics in Mexico.

AIM: To assess the proportion of refractive errors in the Mexican population that visited primary care optometry clinics in fourteen states of Mexico. METHODS: Refractive data from 676 856 patients aged 6 to 90y were collected from optometry clinics in fourteen states of Mexico between 2014 and 2015. The refractive errors were classified by the spherical equivalent (SE), as follows: sphere+½ cylinder. Myopia (SE>-0.50 D), hyperopia (SE>+0.50 D), emmetropia (-0.50≤SE≤+0.50), and astigmatism alone (cylinder≥-0.25 D). A negative cylinder was selected as a notation. RESULTS: The proportion (95% confidence interval) among all of the subjects was hyperopia 21.0% (20.9-21.0), emmetropia 40.7% (40.5-40.8), myopia 24.8% (24.7-24.9) and astigmatism alone 13.5% (13.4-13.5). Myopia was the most common refractive error and frequency seemed to increase among the young population (10 to 29 years old), however, hyperopia increased among the aging population (40 to 79 years old), and astigmatism alone showed a decreasing trend with age (6 to 90y; from 19.7% to 10.8%). There was a relationship between age and all refractive errors (approximately 60%, aged 50 and older). The proportion of any clinically important refractive error was higher in males (61.2%) than in females (58.3%; P<0.0001). From fourteen states that collected information, the proportion of refractive error showed variability in different geographical areas of Mexico. CONCLUSION: Myopia is the most common refractive error in the population studied. This study provides the first data on refractive error in Mexico. Further programs and studies must be developed to address the refractive errors needs of the Mexican population.

Salud de los jornaleros migrantes en el estado de Sinaloa / Health of migrant of day laborers in the state of Sinaloa

Reseña las carasterísticas geográficas del Estado de Sinaloa, México; muchos rios, 783 mil hectáreas de primera calidad bajo riego que producen 9 millones de toneladas de alimentos: arroz, cártamo, soya, hortalizas, trigo, frijol, caña de azucar. Empleando jornaleros del Estado y alrededor de 310 mil de otras entidades denominados trabajadores migrantes que llegan en los meses de noviembre a mayo. Las condiciones de vida de estos trabajadores son deplorables, el salario es fluctuante, vivienda precaria, servicio de agua deficiente, el 60//de los campos agrícolas disponen de letrinas comunes, el resto practica el fecalismo al aire libre; alimentación deficiente; características son las enfermedades gastrointestinales, las infecciones respiratorias agudas y la desnutrición infantil. No se precisa el número pero hay frecuencia de accidentes ligeros a más de fracturas y heridas cortantes. Existe la intoxicación con plaguicidas; no hay datos de alcoholismo y drogadicción, no tienen derechos laborales. Se señalan algunos propósitos inmediatos para remediar la situación de estos trabajadores, que es parecida a la que existe en otras zonas del país que requieren jornaleros migrantes