Social action to detect and solve low visual acuity in adolescents

ABSTRACT Objective To verify the prevalence and the main causes of low visual acuity among students, to correct refractive errors with eyewear, and to establish a relation between vision and school performance. Methods This is a cross-sectional, quantitative study of a social action carried out in a public elementary and high school in the city of Araçatuba (SP). Specialized evaluation was indicated to students who presented visual acuity ≤0.7 in one or both eyes, with or without prior optical correction, upon triage. Glasses were delivered to everyone who needed better vision. The analysis was performed based on screening record and student’s school grade, using Excel and BioEstat software. Results Out of 503 students screened, 75 (15%) presented low visual acuity. Sixty-six (88%) attended the scheduled visit and 50 (80.65%) received ready-made glasses. The mean age was 15±2 years, and there was a predominance of females (64.5%). Refractive errors were the main cause of visual impairment (90.3%) and myopia, associated or not to astigmatism, was the most prevalent condition (63%). Thirteen (21%) students had anisometropia. There was no statistically significant difference (p=0.5479) in annual average grade of students with low visual acuity and those with normal vision. Conclusion Social projects for visual triage are carried out without effort, have a low cost and high problem-solving capacity, since refractive errors are the most frequent diagnoses and easily corrected with glasses. The low visual acuity detected in students did not interfere in their school performance.