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Five years' retrospective analysis of childhood ocular morbidities: A priority setting guidelines for pediatric eye
Sadia Bukhari1, Shua Azam2, Shahid Ahsan3
1Dr. Sadia Bukhari, (MS Ophth). Department of Ophthalmology, Al Ibrahim Eye Hospital, Isra Postgraduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Karachi, Pakistan.
Insights
Pediatric eye conditions like conjunctivitis and refractive errors are common. Most cases are manageable at primary care, reducing tertiary unit burden.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Pediatric eye diseases require effective management strategies, especially in developing countries.
- Understanding disease patterns is crucial for optimizing ophthalmic pediatric unit operations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the prevalence and patterns of pediatric eye diseases from 2015-2019.
- To inform improved management of pediatric ophthalmology services in resource-limited settings.
Main Methods:
- Observational, cross-sectional study design.
- Analysis of 35,348 patient records (children under 16) from a tertiary eye care hospital.
- Inclusion criteria focused on complete demographic, clinical, and diagnostic data.
Main Results:
- Conjunctivitis (32.67%), refractive errors (20.08%), and squint (14.7%) were the most frequent conditions.
- Approximately 60% of children presented with simple, manageable ocular issues.
- Less common but significant conditions included cataract (4.51%) and retinoblastoma (55 cases).
Conclusions:
- Most pediatric eye conditions seen at tertiary centers are simple and treatable at the primary care level.
- Enhancing primary healthcare facilities can alleviate the burden on specialized pediatric ophthalmology units.
- The roles of optometrists and orthoptists are vital for managing refractive errors and squint.
Objectives:
To observe patterns of Pediatric eye diseases over five years 2015-19, to improve management of ophthalmic pediatric units in the developing countries.
Methods:
It was an observational, cross-sectional study carried out in a tertiary eye care Hospital, Karachi. Records of the children under 16 years of age from 2015 to 2019 were retrieved. Inclusion criteria included complete records with age, gender of the children, symptoms, examination, investigation if necessary, and diagnosis. All incomplete records were excluded.
Results:
A total of 35348 records with 55.17% boys and 44.82% girls were analyzed. Similar gender difference was reflected in disease frequency. Seven percent of the children did not have detectable ocular pathology. Conjunctivitis, refractive errors and squint were the three most common ocular morbidities observed in decreasing order of frequency as 32.67%, 20.08% and 14.7% respectively. Cataract was present in 4.51%, Corneal disease in 4.11%, Retinal pathology in 1.04%, Glaucoma in 0.49% cases; but Retinoblastoma was present in 55 cases and ROP in 4 cases only. Almost 60% of the children had simple ocular problems like conjunctivitis, refractive error and absence of any pathology.
Conclusion:
Majority of the children attending pediatric ophthalmology had simple problems manageable at primary health facility level. Strengthening of the primary health care facility will reduce considerable burden of pediatric unit at the tertiary level. Optometrists and orthoptists are important members of the team for refraction and squint management.
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