Myopia in secondary school students in Mwanza City, Tanzania: the need for a national screening programme.
Br J Ophthalmol
; 86(11): 1200-6, 2002 Nov.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-12386067
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS:
The prevalence of significant refractive errors and other eye diseases was measured in 2511 secondary school students aged 11-27 years in Mwanza City, Tanzania. Risk factors for myopia were explored.METHODS:
A questionnaire assessed the students' socioeconomic background and exposure to near work followed by visual acuity assessment and a full eye examination. Non-cycloplegic objective and subjective refraction was done on all participants with visual acuity of worse than 6/12 in either eye without an obvious cause.RESULTS:
154 (6.1%) students had significant refractive errors. Myopia was the leading refractive error (5.6%). Amblyopia (0.4%), strabismus (0.2%), and other treatable eye disorders were uncommon. Only 30.3% of students with significant refractive errors wore spectacles before the survey. Age, sex, ethnicity, father's educational status, and a family history of siblings with spectacles were significant independent risk factors for myopia.CONCLUSION:
The prevalence of uncorrected significant refractive errors is high enough to justify a regular school eye screening programme in secondary schools in Tanzania. Risk factors for myopia are similar to those reported in European, North-American, and Asian populations.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Erros de Refração
/
Transtornos da Visão
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
/
Screening_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Região como assunto:
Africa
/
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Br J Ophthalmol
Ano de publicação:
2002
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Tanzânia