Morbilidad oftalmológica en escolares de comunidades rurales en Venezuela

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Abstract

Introducción: el deterioro de la función visual limita el desarrollo adecuado de los niños y repercute en el rendimiento escolar. Objetivo: determinar la frecuencia de morbilidad oftálmica en escolares que asisten a las escuelas ubicadas en las comunidades rurales de Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. Métodos: estudio descriptivo de tipo transversal en 1 183 escolares mediante un cuestionario elaborado para tal fin. Resultados: se registraron 1 183 diagnósticos, de los cuales 981 (82,94 %) no mostraron ninguna enfermedad oftálmica, y los restantes 202 (17,06 %) se evaluaron como patológicos. Las ametropías constituyeron la enfermedad más frecuentemente encontrada, 10,65 %, seguido por conjuntivitis en el 4,05 % de los casos. Conclusiones: hay una alta incidencia de enfermedades oftalmológicas que repercuten en el desarrollo integral del niño y su adaptación al medio escolar. Se recomienda la implementación de programas de detección o pesquisa de enfermedades oftalmológicas en escolares y profundizar en las acciones de educación y orientación a las familias y a la población en general.

Translated abstract

Introduction: the deterioration of visual function limits the appropriate development of children and affects school performance. Objective: to determine the prevalence of ophthalmic morbidity in students attending schools in rural communities of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional study performed on 1183 schoolchildren through a customized questionnaire for this purpose. Result: there were 1183 diagnoses, of which 981 (82.94%) did not show any ophthalmologic disease, and the remaining 202 (17.06%) were evaluated as pathological. Ametropia was the most frequent pathology found in 10.65%, followed by conjunctivitis in 4.05% of cases. Conclusions: high incidence of ophthalmologic diseases that affect the comprehensive development of children and their adaptation to the school environment was found. Finally, it was recommended to implement programs of detection or screening of ophthalmologic diseases in schoolchildren, and to delve into the educational and orientation actions aimed at families and general population.

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Most cited references 9

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Testing for hypermetropia in the school vision screening programme.

L. Köhler, G. Stigmar (1981)

The need and accuracy of a hypermetropia test, recommended as a screening test in Swedish schools, was evaluated in a series of 118 8-year-old children not wearing glasses. The distant visual acuity was determined without correction and with plus spheres of two different strengths, +1.5 D and +2.0 D respectively. When compared to the objective refraction and with an arbitrary limit of hypermetropia of +2.5 diopters, it could be shown that neither of the hypermetropia tests fulfilled the criteria of an adequate screening test. Except for two children all hypermetropics beyond +3.0 were previously known. The reading skills of the children were estimated by their teachers. No correlation was found between the degree of hypermetropia and reading difficulties. The results indicate that the hypermetropia test could be omitted from the regular vision tests of schoolchildren, at least in areas covered with an efficient pre-school vision screening.