Prevalence of refractive error amongst school-going children aged 10 to 12 years in Harare province (Zimbabwe)
- Author
- Ngwarati, Danai
- Zirota, Rosalia
- Mavhunze, Tadiwanashe M.
- Title
- Prevalence of refractive error amongst school-going children aged 10 to 12 years in Harare province (Zimbabwe)
- Abstract
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Background of Study: In Zimbabwe, refractive error among children has not yet been given much attention, therefore this research provides an overview on its prevalence and frequency.
Purpose: To determine the pattern of refractive errors amongst school going children aged 10-12 years in Harare (Zimbabwe).
Method: This study was a cross- sectional study conducted at 10 primary schools in Harare. Participants for this study included school going children aged 10 to 12 years, taking grade 5 to grade 7 classes. The study period was from June to October 2022. A total of 589 pupils was used for this study. Each student’s unaided and aided visual acuity at far was measured using a Snellen chart at 6metres. The visual acuity was measured for the right eye first, then the left eye and then with both eyes open. Participants with visual acuity less than 6/6 wore a trial frame and a pin hole was placed in front of each eye at a time. If the visual acuity of the participant improved with the pinhole, then they had a refractive error. A Spot Vision Screener portable auto-vision screener was used to determine the magnitude and type of refractive error for each student assed.
Results: The prevalence of refractive error amongst school going children aged 10 to 12 years in Harare province was 42.2% with 23.4% being female and 18.8% being male students. Astigmatism had the highest prevalence with 37%, followed by myopia at 4 % and hyperopia had the least with 1% of the total students being affected. A total of 26 students wore spectacle correction (12 females and 14 males), and this constituted 4.4% of the total student population who took part in this study.
Conclusion: The overall prevalence of uncorrected refractive error among school going children aged 10 to 12 years in the province of Harare in Zimbabwe is high at 42.2%. This is a serious public health issue that has to be managed in Zimbabwe by a variety of stakeholders, including those in the health and education sectors as well as parents.
- Date
- 2022
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Refractive error
- Supervisor
- Mr Mtuwa, C.N.
- Item sets
- Department of Optometry