Prevalence of Visual Acuity Defect among High School Girls in Al-Khobar

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of distant visual acuity defect among high school girls of Al-Khobar City. A sample of 966 students was selected randomly for the study. Distant visual acuity for each eye was measured with use of Snellen's E chart. Visual acuity of 6/9 or more without aid [glasses/contact lenses] was considered as normal or near normal. Vision defects were arbitrarily classifdied into mild [> 6/9 - ≤ 6/15], moderate [> 6/15 - < 6/60] and severe [≤ 6/60]. The prevalence of unaided defective vision [6/9] was 24.9% for both eyes and 32.8% when one or both eyes were considered. Of the 966 students, 237 [24.5%] had a visual acuity of less than 6/9 with 105 [10.9%] of these having a moderate visual defect [> 6/15 - < 6/60] and 42 [4.3%] a severe visual defect [≤ 6/60]. Of the 966 students examined 340 [35.2%] had never had an eye check-up in the past. Based on these results there is a need to initiate periodic visual screening programs for children from the early age of school entry [6 years] in Saudi Arabia and every two to three years thereafter.

Keywords

Journal of High Institute of Public Health
Volume 30, Issue 2
April 2000
Pages 405-412

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