Abstract

AGUIN, Victor; ELENA CISNEROS, Ligia  and  MELENDEZ, Rosa. Ophthalmologic morbidity in schoolchildren of rural communities in Venezuela. Rev Cubana Salud Pública [online]. 2012, vol.38, n.2. ISSN 0864-3466.

Introduction: the deterioration of visual function limits the appropriate development of children and affects school performance. Objective: to determine the prevalence of ophthalmic morbidity in students attending schools in rural communities of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional study performed on 1183 schoolchildren through a customized questionnaire for this purpose. Result: there were 1183 diagnoses, of which 981 (82.94%) did not show any ophthalmologic disease, and the remaining 202 (17.06%) were evaluated as pathological. Ametropia was the most frequent pathology found in 10.65%, followed by conjunctivitis in 4.05% of cases. Conclusions: high incidence of ophthalmologic diseases that affect the comprehensive development of children and their adaptation to the school environment was found. Finally, it was recommended to implement programs of detection or screening of ophthalmologic diseases in schoolchildren, and to delve into the educational and orientation actions aimed at families and general population.

Keywords : Ophthalmology; schoolchildren; morbidity; rural communities; ametropia.

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