Prevalence of Refractive Error and Associated Risk Factors in School-Age Children in Nepal: A Cross-sectional Study

Authors

  • Keshav Raj Bhandari Lumbini Medical College Teaching Hospital, Palpa, Nepal https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5083-6493
  • Deepak Bahadur Pachhai Patan Multiple Campus, Lalitpur, Nepal
  • Chet Raj Pant Lumbini Medical College Teaching Hospital, Palpa, Nepal
  • Ashish Jamarkattel Lumbini Medical College Teaching Hospital, Palpa, Nepal

Keywords:

Prevalence, Refractive error, School Children

Abstract

Introduction: The most common visual disorder in school age children is refractive error globally. The present study aimed to know the prevalence of refractive errors and explore the factors associated with the refractive error in school-age children in Palpa district of western part of Nepal.

Methods: All the school children were selected between age groups 5 to 18 years from four schools of Palpa by multistage sampling method. After the preliminary examination on visual acuity, the children were referred to the Department of Ophthalmology, Lumbini Medical College, Palpa for confirmation of the refractive errors.

Results: In school-age children the prevalence of refractive error was 9% of which myopia was the most common (4.05%). Females (about 12%) were more likely to have refractive errors than males (about 7%). The refractive error of males was 0.106 (right eye) and 0.564 (left eye) times more likely than females. The refractive errors were statistically found more common in Dalit students (14.6%) than Brahmin/Chhetri (about 12%) and Janajati (7.6%). The prevalence of refractive errors among students using smart phone/ laptop (about 12%) was higher than those not using (8.36%).

Conclusion: Sex, ethnicity, and near work activity like using the smart device were the covariates of developing refractive error on the eye. Myopia was more among those students who were using smartphone/laptops. Near activities stress on eyes of the children and might be one of the causes of developing myopia.

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Author Biographies

Keshav Raj Bhandari, Lumbini Medical College Teaching Hospital, Palpa, Nepal

Lecturer, Department of Community Medicine

Deepak Bahadur Pachhai, Patan Multiple Campus, Lalitpur, Nepal

Associate Professor, Department of Statistics

Chet Raj Pant, Lumbini Medical College Teaching Hospital, Palpa, Nepal

Professor & Head, Department of Opthalmology

Ashish Jamarkattel, Lumbini Medical College Teaching Hospital, Palpa, Nepal

Resident, Department of Opthalmology

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Published

2021-06-24

How to Cite

Bhandari, K. R., Pachhai, D. B., Pant, C. R., & Jamarkattel, A. (2021). Prevalence of Refractive Error and Associated Risk Factors in School-Age Children in Nepal: A Cross-sectional Study. Journal of Lumbini Medical College, 9(1). Retrieved from https://nepjol.info/index.php/JLMC/article/view/41305

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 1 (2021)

Section

Original Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2021 Keshav Raj Bhandari, Deepak Bahadur Pachhai, Chet Raj Pant, Ashish Jamarkattel

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