Prevalence and Causes of Monocular Childhood Blindness in a Rural Population in Southern India

Bandrakalli, Parasappa; Ganekal, Sunil; Jhanji, Vishal; Liang, Yuan Bo; Dorairaj, Syril

doi:10.3928/01913913-20120515-03

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…[ 1 2 ] Trauma is one of the major causes of unilateral avoidable blindness in children. [ 3 4 5 ] It is estimated that worldwide 160,000–280,000 children under the age of 15 years sustain ocular injuries every year which require inpatient care. [ 3 ] However, only 5% of ocular injuries usually require admission.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Spectrum of ocular firework injuries in children: A 5-year retrospective study during a festive season in Southern India

John

Philip

Mittal

et al. 2015

Indian J Ophthalmol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose:Ocular trauma is a major cause of acquired monocular blindness in children. Firework injuries account for 20% of ocular trauma. The purpose of our study was to document the profile of ocular firework injuries in children during the festive season of Diwali and to determine the prevalence of unilateral blindness in them.Materials and Methods:A retrospective chart analysis of ocular firework injury in children during the festival of Diwali from 2009 to 2013, conducted in a tertiary care eye center in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Children below 18 years of age with ocular firework injuries who presented to the emergency department for 3 consecutive days - the day of Diwali, 1 day before, and 1 day after Diwali - were included in this study.Results:Eighty-four children presented with firework-related ocular injuries during the study period. Male to female ratio was 4:1 with mean age 9.48 ± 4 years. Forty-four percentage required hospitalization. The prevalence of unilateral blindness in children due to fireworks was found to be 8% (95% confidence interval - 2–13%).Conclusion:Vision 2020 gives high priority to avoidable blindness, especially in children. In our study, for every 12 children who presented with firecracker injury, one resulted in unilateral blindness. This is an avoidable cause of blindness. Awareness needs to be created, and changes in policy regarding sales and handling of firecrackers including mandatory use of protective eyewear should be considered.

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Spectrum of ocular firework injuries in children: A 5-year retrospective study during a festive season in Southern India

John

Philip

Mittal

et al. 2015

Indian J Ophthalmol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…[11] The consanguinity rate in our study was higher than 30% that was reported in a study in rural South India. [14] This seems to support genetic etiology of RP and role of consanguinity as a risk factor for RP.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Validity and cost-effectiveness of cone adaptation test as a screening tool to detect retinitis pigmentosa

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background:The cone adaptation test is to detect retinitis pigmentosa (RP) cases confirmed by electroretinogram (ERG). We present the validity and cost-effectiveness of cone adaptation test as a screening tool for detecting RP.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2013 and December 2013. All RP cases diagnosed by ophthalmologists of H. V. Desai Eye Hospital in the last 5 years were participated in this study. The cone adaptation test was done in photopic and scotopic illumination. Failed test means 10 s or more to complete the test under scotopic illumination. A technician who was masked for cone adaptation test finding carried out ERG. Demographics, symptoms, and history of treatment were inquired. Those with flat ERG wave in scotopic condition and corresponding clinical findings were defined as having RP. Sensitivity, specificity, and false-positive and false-negative parameters of validity were estimated. The unit cost of performing test and ERG was calculated.Results:All 32 RP patients (28 male, age median 23.5 ± 14.5 years) had a vision more than 6/60 and flat wave in ERG under mesopic/scotopic illumination. Thirty-one participants failed cone adaptation test. The sensitivity was 31/32 × 100 = 97%. The specificity was 100%. There was no false-positive case. Consanguinity rate among parents was 43%. The cost of testing one child using “cone adaptation test kit” was 2.5 US $. The unit cost of diagnosing RP using ERG was 10 US $.Conclusion:Cone adaptation is a valid and cost-effective screening tool test for RP. The consanguinity rate among parents of an RP patient was high.

show abstract

“…[17] There are suggestions that improved screening methods (especially for refractive errors (REs)), obtaining genetic counseling, and early therapeutic interventions can reduce the effect of childhood blindness. [41] Even though consanguineous marriages are a widespread culture in the middle east, little is known about the effect of this factor on the presence of REs in their offspring when compared to children of non-consanguineous parents. To the best of our knowledge, no study has investigated the effect of consanguinity on the incidence of REs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship Between Consanguineous Marriages and Incidence and Severity of Refractive Errors: A Cross-sectional Study

Alsaqr¹

2019

IJOVS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Congenital and genetic ocular disorders are linked to parental consanguinity. The aims was to investigate the effects of consanguineous marriages on the refractive errors of preschool-aged and adolescent patients. Two sample groups were recruited: the preschooler group (3-6 years; 335 participants) and the adolescent group (12-20 years; 998 participants). The required sample size was calculated using a sample size estimation software. Visual acuity was measured using the 15-line Lea symbols chart in the pre-school aged group and non-illuminated ETDRS VA chart in the adolescent group. Spherical equivalent refractive errors were noted with near-retinoscopy technique in young children and with the ARK-30 autorefractor in the adolescent group. In order to explore the impact of consanguineous marriages, the data were analyzed separately based on the age group using SPSS version 21 software. In the preschooler group, myopia was found in 4.2%, hyperopia in 8.1%, and astigmatism in 20%. Three children had high myopic scores (-10.00 D, -13.50 D and -17.50 D). In the adolescent group, 45.6% participants were myopic, 3.8% were hyperopic, and 22.3% were astigmatic. Despite the higher frequency of RE in those 15 years and older in the cousins group and the consanguineous parents of the three preschool-aged children with high myopia, there were no statistically significant (p>0.05) evidence that consanguineous marriages impact the refractive errors of their children. In conclusion, despite previous studies showing a link between ocular genetic or congenital disorders and consanguinity, no such link could be established with regard to refractive errors.

show abstract

Prevalence and Causes of Monocular Childhood Blindness in a Rural Population in Southern India

Abstract: The prevalence of childhood monocular blindness was high in the current study, but most causes were preventable or treatable. Improved screening methods (especially for refractive errors), genetic counseling, and therapeutic interventions can reduce the burden of childhood blindness.

Cited by 8 publications

References 17 publications

Spectrum of ocular firework injuries in children: A 5-year retrospective study during a festive season in Southern India

Spectrum of ocular firework injuries in children: A 5-year retrospective study during a festive season in Southern India

Validity and cost-effectiveness of cone adaptation test as a screening tool to detect retinitis pigmentosa

Relationship Between Consanguineous Marriages and Incidence and Severity of Refractive Errors: A Cross-sectional Study

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About