Publication: Unseen Colors: Prevalence and Patterns of Color Vision Deficiency Among School Students of Bhairahawa, Nepal
Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Rapti Academy of Health Sciences (RAHS)
Abstract
Abstract:
Introduction: Color vision deficiency (CVD), commonly referred to as color blindness, is a disorder of impairment in color perception, often due to an X-linked recessive genetic trait. While its prevalence varies across the globe, limited studies exist in the Nepali population. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of CVD among the school children of grades 6 to 10 in Bhairahawa, Lumbini, Nepal.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in October and November 2024, among 758 students from three secondary schools in Bhairahawa, selected by stratified random sampling. Students were tested using the 38-plate Ishihara chart under well-lit conditions. Parental consent was obtained before testing, and students with severe neurological disorders were excluded.
Results: Among 758 students, 53.95% were males. CVD was detected in 15 students (1.98%), comprising 13 males (3.18%) and 2 females (0.57%). Total color blindness was the most common type (6 cases, 1.47%), followed by protan (5 cases, 0.66%), deutan (2 cases, 0.26%), and combined red-green deficiency (2 cases, 0.26%). The male-to-female ratio was consistent with the expected X-linked inheritance pattern.
Conclusion: In the present study, 1.98% of school-going students of Bhairahawa from grades six to ten had color vision deficiency of different forms, with significantly higher prevalence of males. Total color vision defect was the most common, unlike typical global trends where red-green deficiency is most predominant, highlighting the need for larger epidemiological studies and school-based screening programs.
Description
Bishal Joshi
Department of Physiology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini, Nepal
Sanjit Kumar Kar
Department of Physiology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini, Nepal
Ajit Pahari
Department of Physiology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini, Nepal
Narayan Bahadur Mahotra
Department of Clinical Physiology, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine, Maharajgunj, Nepal
Laxmi Shrestha
Department of Pharmacology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini, Nepal
Yadwendra Yadav
MBBS Student, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini, Nepal
Bikash Kumar Agrawal
MBBS Student, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini, Nepal
Keywords
color vision deficiency, Ishihara chart, prevalence, school children, X-linked inheritance