ABSTRACT
A retrospective hospital-based study was conducted in Princess Haya Military Hospital. The aim was to evaluate the emergency eye cases during the feast vacation in Aqaba. We chose four feast vacations during the years 2001 and 2002, counting 20 days, and compared the emergency cases during these days with those seen on other randomly chosen 20 days during these two years. The cause and type of ocular trauma were studied. One hundred seventy nine cases were treated. The traumatic to non-traumatic ratio was 4.3:1 and the traumatic cases had a pediatric to adult ratio of 1.8:1 vs. 1:3.9 in the non-traumatic cases. Males were significantly more involved than females. During the non-festive period, the total number of emergency cases was 56 cases; the traumatic to non-traumatic ratio was 1:1.3. The traumatic pediatric to adult cases ratio was 1:1.7 vs. 1:1.5 in the non-traumatic cases During the festive period the hugest group was adult mate traumata. cases The highest number of patients during the feast had corneal foreign body as a single problem The highest number of admissions was due to hyphema. Children's toys were at the top of the list as a source of traumatic eye emergencies; and tile most common traumatic toy was tile air-powered gull. The emergency room and staff should be prepared for this increase in the number and the type of cases during tile feast vacations. Community education concerning prevention of domestic injuries is needed
ABSTRACT
To assess the refractive errors among school children and to evaluate their eye condition, particularly visual acuity. This is a prospective survey that has been performed in Aqaba, at Princess Haya Hospital, eye clinic A total of 194 children were included: 166 came from public schools with an age range between [6-14] years. The rest were chosen from kindergarten schools with age range between [4-5] years. The period of the survey extended from August 2000 to February 2001 [one semester]. Only those with correctable refractive errors as a cause of low vision were included. More than half of the students [56%] noticed for the first time to have a refractive error were already above the age of 10 years. The highest percentage included those who had difficulty in seeing the blackboard in the classroom, followed by those watching television from a close distance. Only a quarter of these children were referred to the ophthalmologist by the school physician after routine medical checkup. Hypermetropia was more common among children 4-5 years. Myopia was noticed to be more common after the age of 6 years. This survey showed that there was a delay in presentation to ophthalmologists for refractive error correction, as well as lack of a routine ophthalmic school check -up, which is usually delayed till the fourth grade. We recommend yearly vision check to be started at the age of four years to prevent significant consequences of high refractive errors, like amblyopia, and to achieve a better school performance. A campaign for parental education for early signs of low vision detection is vital