Biomedical and Health Informatics
Articles Information
Biomedical and Health Informatics, Vol.2, No.2, Apr. 2017, Pub. Date: Jun. 14, 2017
Visual Impairments and Eye Morbidities among School-Age Children (5 to 18 Years Old) Qualitative Assessment in Dubai, UAE, 2016
Pages: 9-14 Views: 1690 Downloads: 618
Authors
[01] Manal Omran Taryam, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE.
[02] Kadhim Al Abadi, Public Health and Safety Department, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE.
[03] Hamid Hussein, Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE.
[04] Waleed Al Faisal, Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE.
[05] Mohamed Wasiful Alam, Public Health and Safety Department, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE.
[06] Nusaiba AlBehandy, Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE.
Abstract
Refractive errors are common in children and are the commonest cause of visual impairment around the world. As children progress in school, they face increasing demands on their visual abilities. The study aims to assess the extent of visual impairment and ocular morbidity and to identify influencing factors and key challenges for eye vision among school-aged children 5–18 years in Dubai. It is of particular importance to understand their needs and assess any gaps in eye care or services. Data sources are qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative source was from an in–depth interview with school health doctors, focusing on different eye health topics. Quantitative data were derived from the official school health annual reports. Vision problems are common among school-age kids. School health officials said that in one of population-based cross-sectional survey which was undertaken among 266343 students in Dubai, it was shown that there were 1008 cases of visual disorders in 2015-2016 academic years (3.8 per one thousand), whom they were diagnosed by ophthalmologists and enrolled in management program. Refractive errors are the most common cause of vision problems among school-age children in Dubai private schools. The main types of refractive errors are myopia (near sightedness), hyperopia (far sightedness), presbyopia (loss of near vision with age), and astigmatism. There are many environmental and genetics factors play a role in the development of vision disorders in children such as: family history, and premature birth. A number of neurodevelopment disorders (e.g., cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, hearing impairment and speech delay) also are associated with higher rates of vision problems. The most significant preventable risk factor for visual disorders in children is maternal smoking. Children of women who smoked cigarettes during pregnancy have higher rates of strabismus, hyperopic, and astigmatism. The study concluded that visual impairments among school age children is not uncommon, most of the time under estimated and has not been screened systematically. Visual assessments at school level is not efficient enough to tackle visual impairment cases at earlier stages. Services wise, visual impairments at school level are underserved as based on absent of comprehensive and structured visual health program. School Eye health program and services with full component (early detection, management, awareness, monitoring) are of priority to be addressed for students in Dubai schools.
Keywords
Visual Impairment, School Age, Dubai, Qualitative Assessment
References
[01] WHO. GLOBAL DATA ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS 2010. http://www.who.int/blindness/GLOBALDATAFINALforweb.pdf
[02] Dandona R, Dandona L, Srinivas M, Sahare P, Narsaiah S, Muñoz SR, Pokharel GP, Ellwein LB. Refractive error in children in a rural population in India. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2002 Mar;43(3):615-22.
[03] Woddell K. Spherical refraction for general eye workers. Commun Eye Health. 2000;13:6–8.
[04] Batra N, Kaushal D, Gill AS. Refractive errors in school children-Data from a school. Trop Ophthalmol.2007;7:43–7.
[05] American Optometric Association. School age vision. http://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/good-vision-throughout-life/childrens-vision/school-aged-vision-6-to-18-years-of-age?sso=y
[06] Ciner EB, Dobson V, Schmidt PP, Allen D, Cyert L, Magurie M, et al. A survey of vision screening policy of preschool children in the United States. Surv Ophthalmol. 1999;43:445–7.
[07] Health dialogue: A forum for the exchange of new and views on primary health care in India. Inveno.2006;44:1.
[08] World Health Organization. Elimination of avoidable visual disability due to refractive error Report of an informal planning meeting WHO/PBL/00.79. Geneva: WHO; 2000.; pp. 6–10.
[09] Resnikoff S, Pascolini D, Mariotti SP, Pokharel GP. Global magnitude of visual impairment caused by uncorrected refractive errors in 2004. Bull World Health Organ. 2008;86:63–70.
[10] Beyond Knowledge. What is an in-depth interview? https://www.b2binternational.com/research/methods/faq/what-is-a-depth-interview/
[11] Kathleen W. Piercy. ANALYSIS OF SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW DATA. http://konference.fdvinfo.net/rc33/2004/Data/PDF/stream_03-15.pdf
[12] American Academy of Ophthalmology. Eye Health for Babies, Children and Teenagers. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/babies-children-teenagers
[13] Mausumi Basu, Palash Das, Ranabir Pal, Sumit Kar, Vikas K Desai, and Abhay Kavishwa, Spectrum of visual impairment among urban female school students of Surat. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2011 Nov-Dec; 59(6): 475–479.doi: 10.4103/0301-4738.86317)
[14] Gogate P, Deshpande M, Sudrik S, Kishore H, Taras S, Gilbert C. Changing pattern of childhood blindness in Maharashtra, India. Br J Ophthalmol. 2007;91:8–12.
[15] Das A, Dutta H, Bhaduri G, De Sarkar A, Sarkar K, Bannerjee M. A study on refractive errors among school children in Kolkata. J Indian Med Assoc. 2007;105:169–72.
[16] Goh PP, Abqariyah Y, Pokharel GP, Ellwein LB. Refractive error and visual impairment in school-age children in Gombak District, Malaysia. Ophthalmology. 2005;112:678–85.
[17] Bhattacharya RN, Shrivastava P, Sadhukhan SK, Lahiri SK, Chakravorty M, Saha JB, et al. Memorial best paper award on rural health practice: A study on visual acuity and vitamin A deficiency among primary school students in Naxalbari Village, Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Indian J Pub Health. 2004;48:171–80.
[18] Chaturvedi S, Aggarwal OP. Pattern and distribution of ocular morbidity in primary school children of rural Delhi. Asia Pac J Public Health. 1999;11:30–3.
[19] Hassan Hashemi, Farhad Rezvan, Asghar Beiranvand, Omid-Ali Papi, Hosein Hoseini Yazdi. Prevalence of Refractive Errors among High School Students in Western Iran, J Ophthalmic Vis Res. 2014 Apr; 9(2): 232–239.
600 ATLANTIC AVE, BOSTON,
MA 02210, USA
+001-6179630233
AIS is an academia-oriented and non-commercial institute aiming at providing users with a way to quickly and easily get the academic and scientific information.
Copyright © 2014 - American Institute of Science except certain content provided by third parties.