AIM：To evaluate the distribution of refractive error in young subjects in a rural area of Paraguay in the context of an international cooperation campaign for the prevention of blindness. METHODS：A sample of 1466 yo...AIM：To evaluate the distribution of refractive error in young subjects in a rural area of Paraguay in the context of an international cooperation campaign for the prevention of blindness. METHODS：A sample of 1466 young subjects（ranging from 3 to 22 years old）,with a mean age of 11.21±3.63 years old,were examined to assess their distance visual acuity（VA）and refractive error. The first screening examination performed by trained volunteers,included visual acuity testing,autokeratometry and non-cycloplegic autorefraction. Inclusion criteria for a second complete cycloplegic eye examination by an optometrist were VA 〈20/25（0.10 log MAR or 0.8 decimal）and/or corneal astigmatism ≥1.50 D. RESULTS：An uncorrected distance VA of 0 log MAR（1.0decimal）was found in 89.2% of children. VA 〈20/25 and/or corneal astigmatism ≥1.50 D was found in 3.9% of children（n=57）,with a prevalence of hyperopia of 5.2%（0.2%of the total）in this specific group. Furthermore,myopia（spherical equivalent ≤-0.5 D）was found in 37.7% of the refracted children（0.5% of the total）. The prevalence of refractive astigmatism（cylinder ≤-1.50 D）was 15.8%（0.6% of the total）. Visual impairment（VI）（0.05≤VA≤0.3）was found in 12/114（0.4%）of the refracted eyes. Main causes for VI were refractive error（58%）,retinal problems（17%,2/12）,albinism（17%,2/12）and unknown（8%,1/12）.CONCLUSION：A low prevalence of refractive error has been found in this rural area of Paraguay,with higher prevalence of myopia than of hyperopia.展开更多
文摘AIM：To evaluate the distribution of refractive error in young subjects in a rural area of Paraguay in the context of an international cooperation campaign for the prevention of blindness. METHODS：A sample of 1466 young subjects（ranging from 3 to 22 years old）,with a mean age of 11.21±3.63 years old,were examined to assess their distance visual acuity（VA）and refractive error. The first screening examination performed by trained volunteers,included visual acuity testing,autokeratometry and non-cycloplegic autorefraction. Inclusion criteria for a second complete cycloplegic eye examination by an optometrist were VA 〈20/25（0.10 log MAR or 0.8 decimal）and/or corneal astigmatism ≥1.50 D. RESULTS：An uncorrected distance VA of 0 log MAR（1.0decimal）was found in 89.2% of children. VA 〈20/25 and/or corneal astigmatism ≥1.50 D was found in 3.9% of children（n=57）,with a prevalence of hyperopia of 5.2%（0.2%of the total）in this specific group. Furthermore,myopia（spherical equivalent ≤-0.5 D）was found in 37.7% of the refracted children（0.5% of the total）. The prevalence of refractive astigmatism（cylinder ≤-1.50 D）was 15.8%（0.6% of the total）. Visual impairment（VI）（0.05≤VA≤0.3）was found in 12/114（0.4%）of the refracted eyes. Main causes for VI were refractive error（58%）,retinal problems（17%,2/12）,albinism（17%,2/12）and unknown（8%,1/12）.CONCLUSION：A low prevalence of refractive error has been found in this rural area of Paraguay,with higher prevalence of myopia than of hyperopia.
