Incidence of myopia in school going children in Rahim Yar Khan

ABSTRACT

Myopia is becoming a major health problem all over the world. To assess the incidence of myopia among school children and to determine the association of genetics, nutrition and close work to myopia. Prospective study. In Rahim Yar Khan district. Period From Feb 2006 to June 2006. We conducted a cross sectional survey among school children of 8-15 years age. There was 300 children in this study from two school. They were checked for visual acquity and nutritional status after taking a complete personal and family history. Any student detected to have myopia was then brought to eye outdoor for further specialized check up and evaluation. A total 57 students [19%] were found to have myopia in school going children in Rahim yar Khan between ages 10-15 years. The genetic factor was present in 91% of myopes [P<0.001]. The average amount of near work after school in myopes was considerably more than the emmetropes P<0.05 for study and P<0.005 for recreational books. Regarding nutritional status, 30% myopes were mainourished whereas similar percentage of emmetropes was malnourished. In our study heredity was closely associated with myopia. The children in both groups [the myopes and emmetropes] did almost equal amount of near work for their studies but myopes spent more time in reading for pleasure than emmetropes who took more pleasure in out door sports activities. The nutritional status of children was not associated with incidence of myopia in our study