Prevalence of Refractive Errors in Primary School Children, Grade 1, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

Eye health issues are important both nationally and globally. Most school children are unaware that they have abnormal vision. If parents do not observe or measure their vision, the diagnosis and treatment may be delayed, which may result in vision problems. Uncorrected refractive errors in children, especially in school age, can affect their ability to learn. Uncorrected refractive errors can lead to amblyopia, which can lead to permanent vision impairment. There are still few studies on vision in school children in Thailand. However, data on the prevalence of refractive errors in students in Pak Chong District are limited and have never been systematically collected. This research aimed to study the prevalence of abnormal vision in first grade primary school children in Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The population is all first grade students in schools in Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. This was a descriptive study using data from the Thai Children with Good Eyesight Project 2024 between May 2024 - October 2024, Vision2020 program database and outpatient medical records of Pakchong Nana Hospital. Data were analyzed using statistics, percentage, mean, median.

The study results found that out of 2,264 students who were screened, 161 (7.11%) had abnormalities in the level of vision correction at VA < 20/30. There were 122 students (5.39%) who had their vision confirmed by an ophthalmologist. There were 99 students (4.37%) who had refractive errors. The prevalence of refractive errors in first grade students was 4.37 percent, with the most common refractive errors being astigmatism and myopia. Active vision screening increases access to health services for school children.