VISUAL STATUS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN INYISHI, IKEDURU, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, IMO STATE, SOUTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Aim: To describe the visual status of primary school children as baseline data and basis for 
recommending routine school eye screening.
Methods: This was a school-based, cross-sectional, descriptive study on primary school children 
aged 6-18 years attending 3 government-owned community primary schools in Inyishi, Ikeduru 
Local Government Area, Imo State. Visual acuity assessment, anterior and posterior segment 
examinations were performed. Intraocular pressure measurement and dilated fundoscopy 
were also carried out in children with a vertical cup to disc ratio > 0.6 in either eye and a poor 
view of the fundus through undilated pupils respectively.
Results: Three hundred and sixty-seven children were examined. Majority 275 (74.93%) had 
normal ocular findings while 92 (25.07%) had ocular morbidity. Prevalence of mild, moderate 
visual impairment, and monocular blindness were 7.9%, 0.5% and 0.3% respectively. The ocular 
morbidities noted were Glaucoma suspect (9.54%), refractive error (7.63%), allergic 
conjunctivitis (6.27%), amblyopia (0.82%), corneal opacity (0.54%)) and strabismus (0.27%). 
There was a statistically significant association of ocular morbidity with gender but none with 
academic class and age. A statistically significant association was also recorded between gender 
and glaucoma suspect. 
Conclusion: High prevalence of ocular morbidity and the various types of ocular morbidities 
were recorded, with the commonest eye disorder being glaucoma suspect. It is important, 
therefore, to conduct routine school eye screening programme in order to identify such ocular 
morbidities and refer adequately.