Kingo A U, Ndawi B T
Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Tanzan J Health Res. 2009 Jul;11(3):111-5. doi: 10.4314/thrb.v11i3.47695.
Low vision is a major cause of morbidity and has profound effects on the quality of life for many people as it inhibits/reduces mobility and economical well being of the affected individuals and their families. The objective of the study was to determine the magnitude and causes of low vision among primary school children in Kibaha district in Tanzania. Primary schoolchildren were recruited for the study. The inclusion criterion was individual child with low vision of less than 6/18. Visual examination was used for screening the children to identify those with vision less than 6 /18. Snellen's chart was used to measure visual acuity of the children with low vision. A total of 400 (6-17 years) schoolchildren were screened. Thirty-eight (9.5%) had low vision. The prevalence of low vision was statistically higher (N = 33; 87%) among 12-17years old than among 6-11 years old (13%) (P < 0.05). Of the 38 children with low vision, the prevalence in females (68%) was statistically higher than in males (32%). There were multiples causes of low vision among affected children. Congenital anomalies accounted for the largest proportion (65%) of the causes of low vision. In twenty-three (60%) of the children (12-17 years), low vision was due to retinopathies. Fifty-five percent of the children with refractive error were aged between 6-11 years. Among the cases, 8 (54%) had low vision caused by uncorrected refractive errors while the rest (46%) were due to other types of refractive errors. Two children had corneal scars; one with central and another with whole corneal scar. In conclusion, prevalence of low vision among schoolchildren in Kibaha district is high and increases with age. The main causes are congenital anomalies. There is need for an early detection of the possible causes and appropriate treatment to reduce the condition among schoolchildren. It is therefore important that the district Council Health Management Team establishes school eye screening programme for early detection and treatment. It is equally important to strengthen advocacy programme targeting schoolchildren, teachers and caregivers on the public health importance of low vision.
低视力是发病的主要原因，对许多人的生活质量产生深远影响，因为它会抑制/降低受影响个体及其家庭的行动能力和经济状况。该研究的目的是确定坦桑尼亚基巴哈区小学生中低视力的严重程度和成因。招募了小学生参与该研究。纳入标准是视力低于6/18的个体儿童。采用视力检查来筛查儿童，以确定那些视力低于6/18的儿童。使用斯内伦视力表测量低视力儿童的视力。总共对400名（6 - 17岁）学童进行了筛查。38名（9.5%）有低视力。12 - 17岁儿童中低视力的患病率在统计学上高于6 - 11岁儿童（13%）（N = 33；87%）（P < 0.05）。在38名低视力儿童中，女性患病率（68%）在统计学上高于男性（32%）。受影响儿童中低视力有多种成因。先天性异常占低视力成因的最大比例（65%）。在23名（60%）儿童（12 - 17岁）中，低视力是由视网膜病变引起的。55%屈光不正儿童年龄在6 - 11岁之间。在这些病例中，8名（54%）因未矫正的屈光不正导致低视力，其余（46%）是由其他类型的屈光不正引起的。两名儿童有角膜瘢痕；一名是中央角膜瘢痕，另一名是全角膜瘢痕。总之，基巴哈区学童中低视力患病率很高且随年龄增长而增加。主要原因是先天性异常。需要尽早发现可能的病因并进行适当治疗，以减少学童中的这种情况。因此，区议会卫生管理团队设立学校眼部筛查项目以进行早期发现和治疗非常重要。同样重要的是，加强针对学童、教师和照顾者的宣传项目，宣传低视力对公共卫生的重要性。
