SPECTRUM OF OCULAR DISORDERS AMONGST CHILDREN VISITING EYE OPD OF TEACHING HOSPITAL

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this tertiary care hospital based retrospective study is to analyze the frequency and type of ocular disorders in children visiting pediatric eye OPD of department of ophthalmology and visual Sciences affiliated with Dow University of Health Sciences, in Dr Ruth KM Pfau, Civil Hospital Karachi.

Methods

This was a retrospective study. Permission from ethical board review was availed before assembling data. All participants of this study were less than 15 years of age who visited Pediatric Eye OPD of Department of Ophthalmology and Health Sciences, Dow University of Health Sciences, Dr Ruth K.M.Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi from 1st January 2021 till 31st December 2021. Parameters like age, gender, diagnosis and treatment were recorded and analyzed via Statistical Package for Social Sciences ( SPSS)  version 22.0. Frequencies, percentages and associations were calculated, tabulated and discussed.

Results

3609 children visited our OPD in the year 202. Amongst them 2069 (57.3%) were males and 1540 (42.7%) were females. The mean age of the children was 6.9 ± (3.6) years. Maximum percentage was reported in aged group 6-10 years that is1546 (42.84). Conjunctivitis was the most common ocular disorder found in (40.7%), followed by refractive errors (29.8 %) and strabismus and amblyopia (13.8 %). Amongst all patients who visited us, 66.6% of the patients had visual acuity ≤6/18.

Conclusion

Through early detection and awareness amongst parents we can easily prevent and treat common ocular diseases and hence also save children from irreversible blindness.