Screening in a school for visual acuity and amblyopia

To detect the visual acuity by Snellen visual acuity chart and then to find out the incidence of amblyopia. A descriptive and observational study. School health section of Divisional public school and eye department of Allied Hospital, PMC, Faisalabad. 15 December, 2008 to 31 March, 2009. A total of 2600 school children between age 8 to 16 years were included in the study. The visual acuity at 6 meters was checked. The pin hole vision and vision with glasses was done of each student for each eye [right and left]. The cover, uncover, alternate cover-uncover tests, Hirschberg test [to observe the deviation] and ocular movements were done for each child. Distance direct ophthalmoscopy, and Bruckner's test[to confirm the deviation] were performed at the same setting. Children having defective vision were checked further at Eye department of Allied Hospital, PMC, Faisalabad. Here slit lamp examination was done to role out corneal, lens or vitreous opacities. The anterior chamber activity was noted Cycloplegic refraction and fundus examination of the selected subjects was done. All the findings were entered in the Proforma. Out of 2600 children, 383 [14.73%] had glasses and normal 6/6, 6/6 vision. Seven children [0.27%] had defective vision. 13 children [0.50%] without glasses had vision less than normal. A total of 20 children [0.77%] were found to be having amblyopia. The total children with glasses were 390[15%] while 2210 children [85%] were without glasses and having normal 6/6, 6/6 vision. Anisometropic amblyopia was found in 8 children [0.31%], isoametropia in 6 children [0.23%], strabismic amblyopia in 3 children [0.12%] and stimulus deprivation amblyopia in 3 children [0.12%]. The study showed that amblyopia is found about 1% in the educated families. This can be further eliminated or decreased with routine or periodical check up of the children not only in school but also at the pre school age