Ocular Screening among Pupils in Public Primary Schools in Edo State of Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the visual status of pupils in public primary schools in Edo State of Nigeria aimed at obtaining visual acuity database for instituting intervention programmes. The population of the study was 871,523 pupils (475, 565 or 54.5% males and 395,958 or 45.5% females). The sample size of 360 pupils made up of 50% of each sex was selected from 1074 primary schools in Edo State using multistage procedure. The data were collected using structured interview guide and a visual analog scale-the Snellen chart. The data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages and bar graphic presentations. The results revealed that 322 (89.5%) pupils had normal vision and 38 (10.5%) had impaired vision binocularly while 311 (86.3%) had normal vision and 49 (13.7%) had monocular impaired vision. It was recommended, that testing of pupils’ visual acuities on their admission into primary schools (to provide visual baseline data as part of the child’s school health record), should be in vogue. Special sitting positioning of pupils based on their acuities (to enhance clearer vision in the classroom) should be in practice and pupils in the schools with visual abnormalities be referred and followed up for specialist care.