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AN ASSESSMENT OF EXTENT OF MYOPIA AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG CHILDREN OF 6 YEARS – 12 YEARS OF AGE

Dr Shaista Razzaq, Dr. Mahpara Zahid, Dr Rida Yasin

Background: The main reason for visual disability is myopia that can be avoided. Objective: The goal of this research study was to assess the extent of myopia and its associated factors in children of age between 6 to 12 years presented at the hospital. Patients and methods: We carried out this research at Services Hospital, Lahore in the time frame of July 2017 to June 2018. The children selected for this study were between 6 to 12 years. A written agreement was sign by the parents of children visiting Ophthalmology outpatient department. The ethical committee of the Hospital accepted the consent. By means of a questionnaire, factors that were associated with the disease were noted. Personal information f every child selected for study was assembled. In this way by using Snellen’s chart, the sensitivity of each child was noticed. 1% cyclopentolate eye drops were used for these children who were observed sensitivity less than 6/6. Then these children experience refraction. Refraction was carried out by means of retinoscopy. If any dissimilarity was presented, it was examined through Chi-Square test. SPSS was employed for data entry and assessment. The value of P was ≤0.05 which was considered value. Results: Total children selected for the study were 2936. The percentage of female was 67.37%. The percentage of children between 6 -8 years, 9-11 years and 12 years of age was 32.86 %, 54.67% and 12.47 respectively. The percentage of myopic children was 57.93%. The time duration of TV watching was _<1 hour per day, 2-4 hours and >4 hours in 62.39 %, 35.62% and 2.02% children respectively. The percentage of the children were playing games or using the computer for 1 hour was 60.72 %, 35.66% for 2-4 hours and 3.62% for >4 hours. 17.3% of children were reading for _<1 hour, 76.22% for 2-8 hours and 6.48% for>8 hours. The family background of 65.8% of children was positive for myopia. Conclusion: Work and myopia had a strong association. Parental myopia was also linked to myopia. Keywords: Myopia, Risk factors and Reading hours.

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