Ophthalmological screening of students in Campinas, Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To analyze eye health and visual acuity in children and teenagers to promote the early detection and treatment of visual impairments. Methods: Public school students were pre-screened by teachers, and those that presented behaviors, signs, or symptoms of decreased visual acuity (VA) or any type of ophthalmological disorder, participated in a VA screening. The measurement was made monocularly, with or without optical correction (i.e., if the patient was already wearing glasses). Children with VA less than or equal to 0.18 (logMAR) in the worst eye, and/or with complaints of asthenopia, eye irritation and itching, strabismus, conjunctival or corneal lesions, were referred for a complete ophthalmological evaluation at the Ophthalmology Department of Celso Pierro Hospital. Results: 50 patients (52.63%) were male and 45 (47.37%) were female. The average age of the participants was 10 years. Their eyes were evaluated and 114 (77.03%) presented with refractive errors; 9.64% of the patients who were referred to the clinic already wore prescription eyeglasses, and all of them had inappropriate refractive correction. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the relevance of visual health campaigns and screening exams for early diagnosis of ophthalmologic disorders.

Keywords

• term 1: eye health
• term 2: health promotion
• term 3: visual acuity
• term 4: diagnosis
• term 5: ocular refraction