PREVALENCE OF REFRACTIVE ERRORS IN 10-16 YEARS OF STUDENTS IN EASTERN BANGALORE, INDIA

Background:-In eye care refractive error is common cause of avoidable visual impairment though diagnosis and treatment is simple and successful. Aim and Objective: To determine the prevalence of refractive errors amongst students of 10-16 years after one year of vision screening. Methodology: A prospective study of 2113 school children of 10?16 years age group in eastern Bangalore. Vision of the students were checked using Log MAR chart and Optometrist confirmed the findings. Students with refractive error were referred to eye hospital for spectacle. Results: 2450 government and 1776 private school children eyes were examined. Myopia was found to be more prevalent, 9.5% myopia, 2.60% hypermetropia, 0.47% astigmatism. Myopia was also more in female similarly greater proportion was noted in private schools. Conclusion: Prevalence rates of myopia increases with intensive near work1. Uncorrected refractive errors were prevalent in this age group. This can be due to lack of awareness on what quality of vision one should have.