Publication: Study on the refractive errors of school going children of Pokhara city in Nepal
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Date
2009
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Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives: Refractive errors are the one of the most common visual disorders found worldwide in school going
children and it is also one of the causes of blindness. It can easily be prevented, if timely proper measures are taken. In
Kathmandu valley and Mechi Zone of Nepal, the distribution of refractive errors was found to be very high. No records
are available from the Western part of Nepal. Considering the importance of the refractive errors the present study had
been undertaken in Pokhara city.
Materials and methods: Nine hundred and sixty four subjects (474 boys, 490 girls) were selected between age groups
10 to 19 years from six schools representing different region of Pokhara. After Preliminary examination: on acuity of
vision with Snellen’s and Jaeger’s charts, the subjects were referred to the Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara for
confirmation of the refractive errors.
Results: Sixty two schools children (6.43%), out of 964 had refractive errors. Myopia was found to be most common
(4.05%). The refractive errors were found more in Private school children (9.29%) than Government school children
(4.23%), which is statistically signi cant (P < 0.05). More boys (7.59%) were found to have suffered from refractive
errors than girls (5.31%). Further, children with vegetarian diet (10.52%) had greater number of refractive errors than
non-vegetarian diet children (6.17%).
Conclusion: In the present study, percentage distribution of myopia was found to be higher (4.05%) than the hyperopia
(1.24%) and astigmatism (1.14%). Interestingly, in the present study the refractive errors were found significantly higher
in Private schools children than Government schools because the children who read in Private schools have higher
socioeconomic status; spend more time in home work, watching Television and Computer as compared to government
schools children. These near activities of the eyes causes stress on eyes of the children and might be one of the causes
of developing myopia.
Key words: Refractive errors, Nepal, Myopia, Hyperopia
Description
Niroula DR 1 , Saha CG 2
1 Lecturer, Nobel Medical College & Teaching Hospital, Biratnagar, Nepal, 2 Professor and Head, Department of Physiology, Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal