ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose was to study the patterns of ocular morbidity in schoolchildren in urban slums and rural areas of southern Rajasthan. Design: This was a cross-sectional observational study. Methods: A detailed history was taken. Torchlight examination, squint evaluation, and distant, near, and color vision were assessed and noted. Direct ophthalmoscopic examination was done. Students were categorized into three groups depending on uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) in the worse eye, such as Groups A: >6/9, Group B: 6/9 to >6/24, and Group C: <6/24. In the absence of other pathology, UCVA <6/9 was presumed to be amblyopia. Results: Nearly 1028 children were examined over 2 years. Significant differences in UCVA were observed between urban slums and rural school populations. Among those examined, 42.80% had refractive errors, with a higher prevalence in urban areas (33.13%) compared to rural areas (25.19%), yielding P = 0.136. Conclusion: Refractive error was found to be the most common cause of ocular morbidity. The high prevalence of refractive errors emphasizes the importance of early detection and intervention, as it can enhance children’s vision, academics, overall well-being, and foster socioeconomic development.
Mohanty et al. (Thu,) studied this question.