A STUDY ON PREVALENCE OF REFRACTIVE ERRORS IN SCHOOL CHILDREN

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:
Dr. Kolli Sree Karuna Murthy,
Flat-502, Kamala Residency,
Currency Nagar, Vijayawada-520008,
Andhra Pradesh.
Email: kollisreekaruna@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: ‘’Sarvendriya nam nayanam pradhanam”  Of all the organs in the body, eyes are the most important. The blindness or defect in vision decreases the productivity of the nation in addition to increased dependability. The refractive errors in the school children throw them in to defective future. Nutrition deficiency, mental strain, wrong reading habits etc are some of the causes for this defect in these children. Vision is essential for all the children, for the academic and overall development of the now children who are the future Indian Citizens.

An attempt was made to study the prevalence of refractive errors in school children. The Lions clubs International has come forward to present the spectacles to all the needy children to correct the refractive errors. MATERIALS & METHODS: By Quantitative method--History taking from all the students by questionnaire method using a preformed structural format and all the visual acuity was clinically examined thoroughly using Snellen’s chart, pinhole occlude for all the students. Colour vision was also tested using Ishihara chart.500 students participated in cross sectional study.

The results were analyzed using Microsoft excel.

21.4% eat carrot daily, 15.9% eat weekly one, 20.2% eat weekly twice, 27.1% eat monthly once, 23.8% eat monthly twice, and 26.4% do not eat carrot at all. Defective vision is more prevalent in children eating carrot once in a month. 6.7% eat green leafy vegetables daily, 21% eat weekly once, 21.9% eat weekly twice, 13.6% eat monthly once, 27.3% eat monthly twice, and 33.3% do not eat at all. Defective vision is more common in children who do not eat green leafy vegetables at all.19.9% eat fruits daily, 24.9% eat weekly once, 21.3% eat weekly twice, 20% eat monthly once, 6.7% eat monthly twice and the remaining 50% do not eat fruits at all. Defective vision is more common in children who do not eat fruits at all.

All the students with refractive errors were provided with appropriate suitable prescribed glasses by Lions Vice Governer Ln Upendra Mulpori.

KEYWORDS: Refractive errors, defective vision