E. Ramadevi1, Venkata Bhavani Mallampalli2
BACKGROUND
Corneal disease is responsible for less than 2% of blindness in children in industrialised countries. In poor countries of the world, corneal scarring occurs due to vitamin A deficiency, measles and ophthalmia neonatorum. Thus, corneal disease is an important cause of blindness among children living in developing nations, which already carry a major burden of blindness.
The aim of the study is to study the-
1. Prevalence of corneal blindness in the paediatric age group.
2. Causes of corneal blindness in the paediatric age group.
3. Morbidity of corneal blindness in the paediatric age group.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
It was cross-sectional observational study.
Study Period- December 2014 to August 2016.
Study Done- Government General Hospital, Kakinada.
Sample Size- 50 patients.
Inclusion Criteria- Children of age group 6 to 12 years with corneal blindness who have attended the outpatient department during the study period.
Exclusion Criteria- Children with childhood blindness other than corneal pathology.
Study Tools- Predesigned, semi-structured questionnaire regarding age, sex and age of onset of visual loss, laterality, history of ocular injury, vitamin A immunisation, family history of consanguinity and place of residence and socioeconomic status was taken. Visual acuity was measured using an E optotype and Landolt broken C chart with best corrected vision. Visual loss was classified according to the WHO categories of visual impairment. Ophthalmic examination was done by slit lamp and B scan.
RESULTS
Ocular trauma and corneal ulcers are most common cause of corneal blindness. 84% of corneal blindness cases were preventable and curable.
CONCLUSION
Trauma was the commonest cause of corneal blindness followed by infectious keratitis. 84% of corneal blindness was preventable and curable. Most causes of corneal blindness were avoidable.
