RESUMEN
Objective: The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of decreased visual acuity, strabismus, and spectacle wear in children aged 5 to 13 years
Methods:A cross-sectional study was performed in primary education schools. A total of 1938 participants, including 940 females [48.5%] and 998 males [51.5%] with a mean age 8.96 +/- 2.31 [5-13 years old], were screened. The comparisons were performed with gender, age, and age groups. The children attended to vision screening were assigned to three age groups as 5-6 years, 7-9 years, and 10-13 years
Results:The prevalence of the parameters was detected as decreased visual acuity 12.4%, strabismus 2.2%, and spectacle wear 6.9%. The prevalence of decreased visual acuity was significantly higher in girls and in children aged 7-9 years old [p = 0.013, p < 0.001]. The prevalence of spectacle wear was significantly higher in girls and in children aged 7-9 years old [p = 0.019, p < 0.001]. There was a visual acuity decrease in 33 of 106 [31.1%] children despite wearing own spectacle. There was no significant difference among three age groups for strabismus
Conclusion:Increased prevalence of decreased visual acuity, as well as the higher frequency of spectacle wear in children at ages of 7-9 years old may point out a threshold for visual impairment