title: Ocular disorders among schoolchildren in Khartoum State, Sudan.
abstract: From December 2005 to June 2007, a total screening of all 1418 government primary schools in Khartoum State, Sudan, was performed to estimate ocular problems among children aged 6-15 years. We screened 671,119 children (56.7% males) for significant refractive error and other eye ailments. Ocular problems were found in 20,321 (3.03%) children. The 3 localities with highest ocular pathology were Karary (26.2%), Ummbada (21.0%) and Jabal Awlia (15.7%). The overall prevalence of refractive error was 2.19%. Myopia was found in 10,064 (1.50%) children while 4661 (0.70%) were hyperopic. Other ocular problems included vernal keratoconjunctivitis, vitamin A deficiency, microbial conjunctivitis, strabismus and corneal opacity. Only 288 (0.04%) children were diagnosed with active trachoma: 86.5% of these were from Ummbada locality, on the periphery ofthe State, where transportation facilities are poor and poverty is widespread. Overall, 99% of the eye ailments identified are either treatable or preventable. To reduce these and to achieve the goals of Vision 2020, an effective and efficient school health programme is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Dammam University, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. rushooda@yahoo.com
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rushood
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azmat
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shariq
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khamis
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lakho
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Jadoon
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sial
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rushood
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kamil
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy; D005139:Eyeglasses / Q000600:supply & distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015995:Prevalence; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013285:Strabismus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015351:Vision Screening / Q000379:methods; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*