Ocular morbidity among 3 to 6 year old children visiting a tertiary care hospital: A prospective study

Introduction: Preschool children are reported to have visual deficits ranging from 5 to 29%. Children are unable to understand their symptoms, communicate it, hence early detection and intervention remains a challenge. Usually there is no manifestation of the visual disorder and are unheeded. Purpose: To determine the ocular morbidity among 3 to 6 year old children visiting a tertiary care hospital. Method and procedures: Ethical Committee approval was obtained. Children with developmental delay, non co-operation and parental reluctance were exclusion criteria for the study. Each child was assessed with E chart for vision, stereo acuity measurement with randot preschool, dry refraction, anterior and posterior segment evaluation and cycloplegic refraction. Descriptive statistics and chi square tests were employed for statistical analysis Results: Two hundred eyes (100 participants) were analyzed. 52% were boys and 48% girls. Mean age was 64.6± 12.3 months. Refractive error was observed in 80 eyes(40%),45 eyes(22.5%) had amblyopia, anterior segment disorders were noted in 24 eyes (12%) and squint observed in 5 eyes(2.5%). Conclusion: Refractive error, amblyopia, anterior segment disorders, squint and posterior segment pathology were the ocular morbidity found in 3 to 6 year old children.