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Is myopia a public health problem in India?
Rohit Saxena1, Praveen Vashist, Vimla Menon
1Dr. RP Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Summary
Myopia, a common refractive error, causes significant visual disability globally. Despite successful school screenings in India, many children with vision problems remain undiagnosed, highlighting a substantial unmet need for vision correction.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Pediatric Optometry
Background:
- Myopia (nearsightedness) is a primary cause of visual disability worldwide.
- Uncorrected refractive errors are a leading cause of visual impairment and avoidable blindness in India.
- The public health and economic burden of myopia is substantial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence and impact of undiagnosed myopia in school-aged children.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of current school vision screening programs in identifying refractive errors.
- To determine the unmet need for vision correction among children in India.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on myopia prevalence and school vision screening programs.
- Analysis of data from school vision screening initiatives in various Indian states.
- Estimation of the proportion of school-going children with uncorrected refractive errors.
Main Results:
- A significant number of school-going children with myopia remain unidentified by current screening programs.
- The unmet need for refractive error correction in children is substantial, contributing to visual disability.
- Existing screening programs, while successful, do not reach all affected children.
Conclusions:
- Undiagnosed myopia in school children represents a major public health challenge in India.
- Enhanced and expanded vision screening programs are crucial to address the unmet need for myopia correction.
- Early identification and correction of myopia are essential to prevent long-term visual impairment and disability.
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