Ocular Morbidity Among The Students Of Blind Schools In Allahabad And Its Vicinity: A Causal Assessment
Published 2024 - 42nd Congress of the ESCRS
Reference: OR01.02 | Type: Free paper | DOI: 10.82333/fe86-t586
Authors: Sushank Ashok Bhalerao* 1 , Basant Kumar Singh 2 , Pratik Gogri 3 , Uma Thigale 1
1Shantilal Shanghvi Cornea Institute,L V Prasad Eye Institute,Vijayawada,India, 2Cornea and Anterior Segment,Regional Institute of Ophthalmology,Prayagraj,India, 3Cornea and Anterior Segment,Agrawal's Eye Hospital,Mumbai,India
Purpose
Information on eye diseases in blind school children in Allahabad is rare and sketchy. A cross-sectional study was performed to identify causes of blindness (BL) in blind school children with an aim to gather information on ocular morbidity in the blind schools in Allahabad and in its vicinity.
Setting
A cross-sectional study was carried out in all the four blind schools in Allahabad and its vicinity in North India.
Methods
The students in the blind schools visited were included in the study and informed consents from parents were obtained. Relevant ocular history and basic ocular examinations were carried out on the students of the blind schools.
Results
A total of 90 students were examined in four schools of the blind in Allahabad and in the vicinity. The main causes of severe visual impairment and BL
in the better eye of students were microphthalmos (34.44%), corneal scar (22.23%), anophthalmos (14.45%), pseudophakia (6.67%), optic nerve atrophy (6.67%), buphthalmos/glaucoma (3.33%), cryptophthalmos (2.22%), staphyloma (2.22%), cataract (2.22%), retinal dystrophy (2.22%), aphakia (1.11%), coloboma (1.11%), retinal detachment (1.11%), etc. Of these, 22 (24.44%) students had preventable causes of BL and another 12 (13.33%) students had treatable causes of BL.
Conclusions
It was found that hereditary diseases, corneal scar, glaucoma and cataract were the prominent causes of BL among the students of blind schools. Almost 38% of the students had preventable or treatable causes, indicating the need of genetical counseling and focused intervention.