Frequency of Ocular Morbidities among Children and Adolescents in Conventional and Religious School (Madaris) of Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Refractive errors remain a major cause of vision impairment in children globally. These optical imperfections in the eye prevent light from focusing on a single point on the retina, leading to reduced vision. Objectives: To determine the frequency of refractive error and most common eye complaints among children aged 3 to 15 years of schools and madaris in Karachi. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out during 2019. Two schools and two madaris were selected based on convenience and 1500 children were included in the study. Interviews and physical examinations were used to investigate ocular disorders. The visual acuity was determined using Snellen's visual acuity measurement chart. For data analysis, SPSS version 24 was used. The frequency of various eye problems was determined. Chi square test was used to investigate association between refractive error and of children institution. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of 1500 children included, 665 from school and 835 from madaris. Refractive errors were found in 15.8% of school children and 30.4% of madaris children. Night blindness was reported in 3.6% of schools and 9.3% of madaris children. The squint was found in 0.2% school children and 1.4 % of madaris children. Colour blindness was found in 5.9% school children and 0.4 % in madaris children. Conclusion: When compared to school, madaris children had a higher prevalence of refractive errors. Children attending madrassas who spent more time studying, watching television or using computers, and had parents or sibling who wore glasses, experienced higher rates of ocular morbidities. Screening of school-age children is critical because early detection and correction of refractive errors will delay/slow the progression.