Research

• The aim of this study is to evaluate the distribution of refractive error in young subjects in a rural area of Paraguay in the context of an international cooperation campaign for the prevention of blindness.

• A sample of 1466 young subjects (ranging from 3 to 22 years old), were examined to assess their distance visual acuity (VA) and refractive error.

• An uncorrected distance VA  was found in 89.2% of children.

• VA <20/25 and/or corneal astigmatism ≥1.50 D was found in 3.9% of children (n=57), with a prevalence of hyperopia of 5.2% (0.2% of the total) in this specific group.

• Furthermore, myopia) was found in 37.7% of the refracted children (0.5% of the total). The prevalence of refractive astigmatism was 15.8% (0.6% of the total).

• Visual impairment was found in 12/114 (0.4%) of the refracted eyes.

• Main causes for VI were refractive error (58%), retinal problems (17%, 2/12), albinism (17%, 2/12) and unknown (8%, 1/12).

• The study concluded that a low prevalence of refractive error was found in this rural area of Paraguay, with higher prevalence of myopia than of hyperopia.

To download the full study, click here: Refractive error study in young subjects: results from a rural area in Paraguay