BACKGROUNDThe rise in childhood eye diseases has become a matter of concern in Saudi Arabia, and hence a study has been conducted on the residents of Jazan. The aim of the research was to find out the root cause of such issues and provide a solution to prevent such circumstances for it may affect the vision of children. In this study, therefore, we aimed to determine the types of childhood eye diseases in Jazan and to discuss the best ways to prevent them or prevent their effect on the vision of our children. Our institutions are working toward the longevity and welfare of the residents, and healthcare is one of the important aspects in such a field.METHODSThis is a retrospective review of all patients less than 18 years of age who presented to the pediatric ophthalmology clinic of Prince Mohammed Bin Nasser Hospital, Jazan, between October 2014 and October 2015. The data, collected on 385 cases, included the age at first presentation, sex, clinical diagnosis, refractive error (RE) if present, and whether the child had amblyopia. If the child did not undergo complete ophthalmic examination with cycloplegic refraction, he/she was excluded. All data were collected and analyzed using the software SPSS. A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTSWe reviewed the files of 385 children, with a male/female ratio of 1.1:1.0. The group aged 0–6 years made up the largest group (P = 0.01), and the ratio is an expression to define the credibility of the study using a chi-squared test. Strabismus (36.9%), RE (26.5%), ocular trauma (7.5%), infection of cornea and conjunctiva (7.3%), and keratoconus (6.2%) were the most common conditions. There was no significant difference in presentation by age group and sex among children with REs and squint. Trauma was seen more commonly among males and in the group aged 12–18 years.CONCLUSIONIn this retrospective study, the focus was on the common childhood eye diseases that were considerably high. Hypermetropia was the predominant RE, which is in contrast to other studies where myopia was more common. However, it is important to promote public education on the significance of early detection of strabismus, REs, and amblyopia and have periodic screening in schools. The discussion of the various issues is aimed at increasing the awareness and building a support for the cause by creating the knowledge base to treat things on time and acknowledging the severity of the issues.

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Rare, atypical ophthalmological conditions in adults include bulbar conjunctival plexiform schwannomas, which are usually asymptomatic. Few case reports in the literature indicate the presence of orbital/conjunctival schwannomas in adult patients and, rarely, among children under the age of 12. We report a case of a 5-year-old girl who presented in an outpatient clinic with inferior temporal conjunctival nonpigmented cystic lesion of a 10 × 10 mm size. Upon examination, we could not identify a feeding vessel. The mass was mobile and not fixed to the sclera. The history indicated a 1-year duration but the mass in the left eye had progressively increased in size during the last 2 months prior to presentation. There was no traumatic injury or past history of ophthalmic surgery. Surgical excision of the cyst was sucessfully performed, and histopathological examination confirmed bulbar conjunctival plexiform schwannoma diagnosis. Upon regular follow-up evaluation, there was no evidence of recurrence or malignant transformation. Although it is extremely rare to encounter conjunctival schwannomas in children, it should be considered in ovoidal well-circumscribed orbital swellings, particularly those that appear with no history of trauma or surgery to the eye. Surgical excision is effective and safe therapeutic intervention.