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Eye and vision defects in under-five-year-old children in Oman: A public health intervention study

Rajiv Khandekar1, Saleh Al Harby, Ali Jaffer Mohammed

  • 1Eye and Ear Health Care, Direcotrate of Health Services, Ministry of Health, Oman.

Oman Journal of Ophthalmology
|July 8, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Early eye screening for children under five in Oman identified significant vision defects. Targeted screening for 3-4 year olds for vision and 1-2 year olds for ocular issues is recommended over universal approaches.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Early detection of vision and ocular defects in children is crucial for timely intervention.
  • Existing health services in Oman may not identify all children with eye problems.
  • A public health intervention was conducted to assess the prevalence of visual impairments in young children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify children under five years old with vision or ocular defects in two Omani provinces.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of screening methods for early detection of eye conditions in young children.

Main Methods:

  • A public health intervention study involving ocular examinations of 1,520 children under five.
  • Examinations included assessing eyeball size, strabismus, nystagmus, and pupil appearance.
  • Visual acuity was tested using LOGMAR charts and preferential viewing tests appropriate for different age groups.

Main Results:

  • Strabismus was detected in 2.9% and nystagmus in 1.2% of children.
  • Vision screening identified significant numbers of children with defective vision, with some cases missed by existing services.
  • Screening specific age groups (1-2 years for ocular, 3-4 years for vision) proved effective in predicting eye problems.

Conclusions:

  • Eye and vision screening effectively detects eye problems in under-five children at early stages.
  • Targeted screening of high-risk populations or specific age groups is more efficient than universal screening.
  • The study highlights the importance of systematic screening programs to complement existing healthcare services for pediatric eye health.
Abstract

Keywords:
Childhood blindnesspreschool screeningvision screening

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