title: [Les amétropies statiques du noir camerounais].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We undertook this study with the aim to determine static ametropias of black Cameroonians as well as their clinical manifestations. It is a prospective study carried out in the Department of Ophthalmology of Douala General Hospital from January 1996 to December 1998.
  
  
  METHODS
  During this period, all patients who fulfilled our criteria had a skiascopy done under cycloplegia. We thus examined 2,484 patients (4,968 eyes). 66.2% of them were female and 33.8% were male.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our series, hyperopia was found in 51% of the cases, hyperopic astigmatism in 27.5% of the cases, myopic astigmatism in 9.3% of cases, mixed astigmatism in 7.7% of cases and myopia in 4.5% of cases. Distribution of ametropias is influenced by age, not by sex or laterality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional signs just have an indicative value; only objective refraction under cycloplegia can determine exactly the ametropia.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Général de Douala, Douala, Cameroun.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ebana Mvogo
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bella-Hiag
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ellong
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Metogo Mbarga
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Litumbe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D044383:Black People; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D011446:Prospective Studies