| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2021 | Volume
: 29
| Issue : 2 | Page : 94-100 |
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Prevalence of Refractive Errors and the Impact of Its Correction on Academic Performance of Primary School Children in Nigeria
SO Akinremi1, DS Ademola-Popoola2, FO Olatunji3, SO Ogunmuyiwa4
1 Senior Registrar, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
2 Professor of Paediatric Ophthalmology, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
3 Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
4 Office of Education Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education, Lagos State, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
S O Akinremi
Senior Registrar, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/njo.njo_13_20
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Background: Vision is critical to optimal educational development. About 12 million children are affected with undetected visual impairment from refractive error and are mostly in Asia and Africa, hence the need to determine the prevalence of refractive error and the impact of its correction on academic performance (AP) in a representative cohort of African children in Ilorin, Kwara State, and Nigeria. Few published studies have looked at the impact of refractive error on AP in Nigeria. This study will afford the children to have vision screening and correction of their refractive errors. It will also reinforce the importance and need for vision screening among primary school pupils and increasing teachers and parents awareness. Methodology: This was a quasi-experimental study carried out among 2124 primary school pupils aged 5–15 years. Eye examination and refraction were carried out during the first term of the school academic calendar. Children with visual acuity worse than logMar 0.2 (6/9.5), which improves with pinhole, had refraction and were dispensed free eyeglasses. The AP of pupils with refractive error was assessed at the end of the first term before the use of eyeglasses and at third term after wearing eyeglasses for 6 months using the mean academic score for all subjects. Result: The prevalence of refractive errors among primary school pupils aged 5–15 years was 2.8%. Myopia was the most common refractive error with a prevalence of 1.2%. The change in mean academic score of pupils with refractive errors was statistically significant as it improved to 61.1 ± 13.4 from 56.5 ± 13.9 following the use of eyeglasses. The improvement in AP was more significant in pupils with hypermetropia and astigmatism following the use of eyeglasses. Conclusion: The average AP of pupils with refractive errors was good, but nevertheless correcting for refractive errors had a positive impact, especially in pupils with hypermetropia and astigmatism.
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