Research

A Survey of the Prevalence of Refractive Errors among Children in Lower Primary Schools in Kampala District

  • The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of refractive errors among school children attending lower primary in Kampala district, Uganda.

  • This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted with 623 children aged 6 and 9 years in Kampala district.

  • Seventy-five children had a visual acuity of 6/12 or worse in at least one eye.

  • Seventy three children had a visual acuity of 6/12 or worse in one or both eyes, giving a refractive error prevalence of 11.6%.

  • The common refractive error was astigmatism (52% of all errors), followed by hypermetropia, and myopia was the least common.

  • Refractive errors are common among primary school children aged 6 to 9 years at a prevalence of approximately 12%.

  • There is a need to screen young children regularly or at least on first attending school.

Publication date

March 5, 2018

Publication

African Health Sciences

Authors

Kawuma, M. and Mayeku, R.
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