##article.abstract##
Background: The prevalence and burden of amblyopia in developing countries is probably underestimated, and little is known about the pattern of amblyopia in West Africa.
Aim: To determine the relative frequency and types of amblyopia among children with refractive errors seen in the eye clinic of a tertiary hospital over a 2 year period.
Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted at the eye clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria between January 2012 and December 2013. Case notes of children with refractive errors seen during this period were retrieved and information including socio-demographic data, presenting visual acuity and visual acuity with correction were recorded. Amblyopia was defined as best corrected visual acuity worse than 6/9 or a difference of >2 Snellen chart lines between both eyes in the absence of any ocular pathology that could explain the visual impairment.
Results: A total of 250 eligible patients who had refractive errors were included in the study. Visual acuity was corrected to 6/9 or better in 224 (89.6%) children while 26(10.4%) of them had amblyopia. Among the 26 children with amblyopia, 21 (80.8%) children had amblyopia in both eyes and majority (65.4%) had iso-ametropic amblyopia. Of the 47 amblyopic eyes, 36 (76.6%) eyes had moderate amblyopia while 11 (23.4%) eyes had severe amblyopia.
Conclusion: There is a high relative frequency of amblyopia in this study and we recommend preschool eye examinations for all children to ensure early detection and management of amblyopia, thereby reducing the burden of amblyopia in our populace.
Keywords: Amblyopia, refractive error, vision, children, Nigeria
Résumé
Contexte: La prévalence et la charge d’amblyopie dans les pays en voie de développement est probablement sous-estimées, et on en sait peu sur le modèle de l’amblyopie en Afrique de l’Ouest.
But: Pour déterminer la fréquence relative et types d’amblyopie parmi les enfants avec des erreurs réfractives vus à la clinique de l’œil d’un hôpital de soins tertiaires sur une période de 2 ans.
Méthodes: Une étude transversale menée à la clinique de l’œil du Collège Hospitalier Universitaire, Ibadan, Nigeria entre Janvier 2012 et Décembre 2013. Les notes de cas d’enfants avec des erreurs réfractives vu pendant cette période ont été récupérés et informations, y compris les données sociodémographiques, présentant acuité visuelle et l’acuité visuelle avec correction ont été enregistrées. Amblyopie a été définie comme une acuité visuelle au mieux corrigée pire que 6/9 ou une différence de e”2 lignes du diagramme de Snellen entre les deux yeux en l’absence de toute pathologie oculaire qui pourrait expliquer la déficience visuelle.
Résultats: Un total de 250 patients admissibles qui ont eu des erreurs réfractives ont été inclus dans l’étude. L’acuité visuelle a été corrigée à 6/9 ou mieux dans 224 (89,6%) des enfants, tandis que 26 (10,4%) d’entre eux avaient une amblyopie. Parmi les 26 enfants atteints d’amblyopie, 21 (80,8%) des enfants présentaient une amblyopie dans les deux yeux et la majorité (65,4%) avaient amblyopie iso-amétrope. Parmi les 47 yeux amblyopes, 36 (76,6%) yeux présentaient une amblyopie modérée tandis que 11 (23,4%) yeux avaient amblyopie sévère.
Conclusion: Il ya une fréquence relative élevée d’amblyopie dans cette étude et nous recommandons des examens oculaires préscolaire à tous les enfants pour assurer tôt la détection et la gestion d’amblyopie, réduisant ainsi le fardeau d’amblyopie dans notre population.
Mots-clés: Amblyopie, erreur réfractive, vision, enfants, Nigeria
Correspondence: Dr.M.O. Ugalahi, Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. E-mail: oheobe26@yahoo.com
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