PREVALENCE AND EVALUATION OF REFRACTIVE ERRORS IN CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES 10-15 YEARS IN RIMS TEACHING HOSPITAL RAICHUR

Purpose : Prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of refractive error is relativity simple and easiest way to reduce impaired vision, population-based data in children are not sufficiently available for India. In view of importance of detecting the refractive error in children an effort is going to be made in this study. To find out the extent of problem of refractive errors among children in Raichur. Materials and Methods : the prospective study was conducted with 100 number 10-15 years children from the Raichur. All the children were examined with visual acuity by snellen’s chart, Examination of anterior and posterior segment, Retinoscope, trail set and cycloplegic refraction followed by subjective correction will be done. Results : The prevalence of Refractive error in the 10-15 years children was found to be 11%, higher in 15 years (3%), more in girls (6%) and in urban area children had more prevalence (7%). Myopia was the commonest type of refractive error in this study which constitutes 55%, Astigmatism 27% and 18% of hypermetropia was seen in the 10-15yrs children. Conclusion : Most of the children are unaware of Refractive error, so screening of children is very important. Parents have to take the responsibility of this screening for vision error and they should monitor the their vision vial watching tv, reading books. The screening system should be yearly at least 3 time a year to every child especially 14-15 years student.