Outcome of eye screening among primary school children in Benin City

Abstract

Good visual health in children is essential to enhance the quality of learning and achievement in school. It is therefore important for children's eye health to be monitored and managed to ensure children learn with their optimum vision. The school health programme is necessary to help achieve this for good eye health in children in schools. This study was carried out to assess the vision needs of primary school children as part of a collaboration between professional, academic and service providing eye care institutions in Nigeria. Eye screening was carried out at a recent Children's day celebration in a selected private institution. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to determine vision complaints of the children and an eye examination was done. A total of two hundred and twenty-five children were examined. There were 114 (50.7%) males and 111 (49.3%) females giving a male female ratio of about 1:1. The age range was from 5 to 10 years with the modal age of 6 years. Ninety-two (40.9%) children had eye problems which included refractive error (41 out of 92), glaucoma suspect (28 out of 92) and allergic conjunctivitis (17 out of 92). Only 5 children out of the 41 who required glasses had their corrective glasses showing a low spectacle use rate of 12.2%. Eye problems are not uncommon in school age children. There is a need to institute or revamp eye care services for school-going children through a school health programme.

Keywords: vision screening, school eye care programme, Nigeria