Evaluation of visual acuity in municipal elementary school students

Abstract Objective: To describe and analyze the prevalence of visual impairment in municipal public school students in Caceres, Mato Grosso. Methods: A transversal study of 489 school children from the second and third years of elementar school in 13 municipal schools in Caceres, attended between December 2017 and January 2018. Visual acuity was evaluated using Snellen optometric chart and considered normal when higher than 0.7 or 20/30. Results: Of the four hundred and eighty-nine children were evaluated, eighty-five (17.4%) had low visual acuity at the screening, being referred for ophthalmological examination with specialist. Of the students referred, sixty three (74.1%) presented at the ambulatory and twenty eight (44.45%) had indication of visual correction, having won the glasses. The prevalence of refractive error was 8.99%, constituting the main cause of low visual acuity. The mean age was 8.29 anos (SD = 0.809), being an average of children with ophthalmological alterations was higher when compared to those without ophthalmological alterations (p = 0.027). Conclusion: The study showed that the prevalence of low visual acuity, as well as its causes, corroborates with that found in other screening programs in school children. It also demonstrated the importance of early diagnosis of visual changes to get better outcomes and emphasized the need for preventive measures for attention to eyes health of school children.

摘要
研究目的：描述并分析马托格罗索州卡塞雷斯市公立学校学生的视力损害患病率。
研究方法：本研究为横断面研究，纳入2017年12月至2018年1月期间，在卡塞雷斯市13所公立学校就读的489名小学二、三年级学龄儿童。采用斯内伦（Snellen）视力表开展视力评估，将视力优于0.7（即20/30）者判定为视力正常。
研究结果：本次共评估489名儿童，其中85名（17.4%）在初筛中检出视力低下，被转诊至专科医师处接受眼科检查。在被转诊的学生中，63名（74.1%）前往门诊就诊，28名（44.45%）存在视力矫正需求并已验配眼镜。屈光不正的患病率为8.99%，是导致视力低下的首要病因。研究对象的平均年龄为8.29岁（标准差SD=0.809），存在眼科异常的儿童平均年龄高于无眼科异常者（p=0.027）。
研究结论：本研究显示，视力低下的患病率及其致病原因与其他学龄儿童视力筛查项目的报道结果相符。本研究同时证实了早期诊断视力异常对改善预后的重要价值，并强调需采取预防性措施以关注学龄儿童的眼部健康。