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Jain M, Anjani P, Krishnamurthy G, Sachdeva V, Kekunnaya R. One-year Profile of Eye Diseases in Infants (PEDI) in secondary (rural) eye care centers in South India. Indian J Ophthalmol 2021; 69:906-909. [PMID: 33727457 PMCID: PMC8012936 DOI: 10.4103/ijo.ijo_1084_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to report the proportion and patterns of eye diseases observed among infants seen at two rural eye care centers in South India. Methods: A retrospective review of case records of infants seen between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017 at two rural secondary eye care centers attached to L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad. Data were collected regarding their demographic profile, the pattern of eye problems observed, management at the facility itself, and need for referrals. Results: During this period, a total of 3092 children were seen. Among them, 141 were infants (4.56%, 71 boys: 70 girls, median age: 8 months). Twenty-five percent of infants were less than 6 months of age. The most common eye problem was congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (n = 76, 53.90%), followed by conjunctivitis (n = 33, 23.40%), retinopathy of prematurity (n = 4, 2.84%) and strabismus (n = 3, 2.13%). One case each of congenital cataract and suspected retinoblastoma were identified. Majority of the cases (58.8%) belonged to the oculoplastic and orbital surgery sub-specialty. Sixteen percent of the infants (n = 23) had sight-threatening eye problems. Twenty percent (n = 28) were referred to tertiary care hospital for further management. Conclusion: Profile of eye disease in infants in secondary or rural eye care centers ranged from simple to complex, including sight-threatening diseases. While our study concluded that nearly 4/5th of these eye problems were simple and could be managed by a well-trained comprehensive ophthalmologist, 20% of these cases required a referral to a tertiary care center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayank Jain
- L V Prasad Eye Institute, KAR Campus, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Pratap Anjani
- L V Prasad Eye Institute, KAR Campus, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | | | - Virender Sachdeva
- L V Prasad Eye Institute, GMR Varalakshmi Campus, Visakhapatnam, India
| | - Ramesh Kekunnaya
- L V Prasad Eye Institute, KAR Campus, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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Seelam B, Liu H, Borah RR, Sheeladevi S, Keay L. A realist evaluation of the implementation of a large-scale school eye health programme in India: a qualitative study. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2021; 41:565-581. [PMID: 33860968 DOI: 10.1111/opo.12815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study investigates how and in what circumstances a school-based eye health programme, the Refractive Errors Among CHildren (REACH) programme, achieved its desired outcomes: accessibility, standards of refractive care, fidelity and availability of comprehensive services, for over 2 million school children in six districts across India. METHODS We conducted a realist evaluation to identify programme aspects and their causal relationships with outcomes. Deductive and inductive thematic analysis of qualitative data included three phases: 1. theory gleaning, 2. eliciting programme theory, 3. revisiting programme theory. The Initial Programme Theories (IPTs) were developed and revised through review of the literature, programme documents and field notes. We reviewed informal and formal discussions from the participatory advisory workshops and conducted semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders for the development and refinement of the IPTs. We based our analysis on the programme designers' perspective; used contexts, mechanisms and outcomes configuration for the analysis and presentation of the findings and reported the revised IPTs for the REACH programme. RESULTS We identified four major programme aspects of the REACH programme for evaluation: programme governing unit, human resource, innovation and technology and funding. Based on the intended outcomes of the programme, themes and contexts were sorted and IPTs were defined. We revised the IPTs based on the analysis of the interviews (n = 19). The contexts and mechanisms that were reported to have potential influence on the attainment of favourable programme outcomes were identified. The revisions to the IPTs included: co-designing a collaborative model and involving local government officials to reinforce trust, community partnerships; local well-trained staff to encourage participation; use of the web-based data capturing system with built-in quality control measures and continued technical support; pre-determined costs and targets for the outputs promoted transparency and adherence with costs. CONCLUSION This process provided a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and possibilities for a large-scale school eye health programme in diverse local contexts in India. This illustrated the importance of embracing principles of system thinking and considering contextual factors for School Eye Health programmes in low and middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharani Seelam
- The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,The George Institute for Global Health, New Delhi, India
| | - Hueiming Liu
- The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | | | - Lisa Keay
- The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Esposito E, Knoll E, Guantay C, Gonzalez-Castellanos A, Miranda A, Barros Centeno MF, Gomez Flores M, Urrets-Zavalia JA. ROP Screening Tool Assessment and Validation in a Third-Level Hospital in Argentina: A Pilot Study. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2021; 58:55-61. [PMID: 33495799 DOI: 10.3928/01913913-20201102-01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate whether a mathematical tool that predicts severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) using clinical parameters at 6 weeks of life (ROPScore calculator smartphone application; PABEX Corporation) can be useful to predict severe ROP in a population of premature infants in Argentina. METHODS In this retrospective study, data from the clinical records of all premature infants examined between 2012 and 2018 in the ophthalmology department of a public third-level hospital in Córdoba, Argentina, were obtained. ROPScore screening was applied using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (Microsoft Corporation). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values of the algorithm were analyzed. RESULTS Between 2012 and 2018, a total of 2,894 pre-term infants were examined and 411 met the inclusion criteria, of whom 34% (n = 139) presented some form of ROP and 6% (n = 25) developed severe forms that required treatment. The sensitivity of the algorithm for any ROP and severe ROP was 100%. The PPV and NPV were 35.64% and 100%, respectively, for any ROP and 9.88% and 100% for severe ROP. CONCLUSIONS One-time only calculation of the ROPScore algorithm could identify severe cases after validation, reducing the number of screened infants by 38% in infants with a birth weight of 1,500 g or less or a gestational age of 32 weeks or younger. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2021;58(1):55-61.].
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Burnett AM, Yashadhana A, Lee L, Serova N, Brain D, Naidoo K. Interventions to improve school-based eye-care services in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review. Bull World Health Organ 2018; 96:682-694D. [PMID: 30455516 PMCID: PMC6238998 DOI: 10.2471/blt.18.212332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To review interventions improving eye-care services for schoolchildren in low- and middle-income countries. Methods We searched online databases (CINAHL, Embase®, ERIC, MEDLINE®, ProQuest, PubMed® and Web of ScienceTM) for articles published between January 2000 and May 2018. Eligible studies evaluated the delivery of school-based eye-care programmes, reporting results in terms of spectacle compliance rates, quality of screening or attitude changes. We considered studies to be ineligible if no follow-up data were reported. Two authors screened titles, abstracts and full-text articles, and we extracted data from eligible full-text articles using the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality rights-based conceptual framework. Findings Of 24 559 publications screened, 48 articles from 13 countries met the inclusion criteria. Factors involved in the successful provision of school-based eye-care interventions included communication between health services and schools, the willingness of schools to schedule sufficient time, and the support of principals, staff and parents. Several studies found that where the numbers of eye-care specialists are insufficient, training teachers in vision screening enables the provision of a good-quality and cost–effective service. As well as the cost of spectacles, barriers to seeking eye-care included poor literacy, misconceptions and lack of eye health knowledge among parents. Conclusion The provision of school-based eye-care programmes has great potential to reduce ocular morbidity and developmental delays caused by childhood vision impairment and blindness. Policy-based support, while also attempting to reduce misconceptions and stigma among children and their parents, is crucial for continued access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthea M Burnett
- Brien Holden Vision Institute, Level 4, North Wing, RMB, Gate 14, Barker St, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Aryati Yashadhana
- Brien Holden Vision Institute, Level 4, North Wing, RMB, Gate 14, Barker St, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Ling Lee
- Brien Holden Vision Institute, Level 4, North Wing, RMB, Gate 14, Barker St, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Nina Serova
- Brien Holden Vision Institute, Level 4, North Wing, RMB, Gate 14, Barker St, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Daveena Brain
- Brien Holden Vision Institute, Level 4, North Wing, RMB, Gate 14, Barker St, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Kovin Naidoo
- Brien Holden Vision Institute, Level 4, North Wing, RMB, Gate 14, Barker St, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
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Aghaji AE, Ezegwui IR, Shiweobi JO, Mamah CC, Okoloagu MN, Onwasigwe EN. Using Key Informant Method to Determine the Prevalence and Causes of Childhood Blindness in South-Eastern Nigeria. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2017; 24:401-405. [PMID: 28532291 DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2017.1320412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the prevalence and causes of childhood blindness in an underserved community in south-eastern Nigeria using the key informant method. METHODS This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Key informants (KI) appointed by their respective communities received 1-day training on identification of blind children in their communities. Two weeks later, the research team visited the agreed sites within the community and examined the identified children. The World Health Organization eye examination record for blind children was used for data collection. Data entry and analysis were done with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0. RESULTS Fifteen blind or severely visually impaired children (age range 3 months to 15 years) were identified in this community; nine of these were brought by the KIs. The prevalence of childhood blindness/severe visual impairment (BL/SVI) was 0.12 per 1000 children. By anatomical classification, operable cataract in 6 (40.0%) was the leading cause of BL/SVI in the series; followed by optic nerve lesions (atrophy/hypoplasia) in 3 (20.0%). The etiology of BL/SVI is unknown for the majority of the children (66.7%). It was presumed hereditary in four children (26.7%). Sixty percent of the blindness was judged avoidable. Only three children (20.0%) were enrolled in the Special Education Centre for the Blind. CONCLUSION The prevalence of childhood BL/SVI in our study population is low but over half of the blindness is avoidable. There may be a significant backlog of operable childhood cataract in south-eastern Nigeria. The KI method is a practical method for case finding of blind children in rural communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ada E Aghaji
- a Paediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Unit, Department of Ophthalmology , College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus , Enugu , Nigeria
| | - Ifeoma R Ezegwui
- a Paediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Unit, Department of Ophthalmology , College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus , Enugu , Nigeria
| | - Jude O Shiweobi
- b Department of Ophthalmology , Federal Teaching Hospital , Abakaliki , Nigeria
| | - Cyril C Mamah
- c Department of Ophthalmology , University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu , Enugu , Nigeria
| | - Mary N Okoloagu
- d Department of Ophthalmology , ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane Enugu , Enugu , Nigeria
| | - Ernest N Onwasigwe
- a Paediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Unit, Department of Ophthalmology , College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus , Enugu , Nigeria
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Adlina AR, Chong YJ, Shatriah I. Clinical profile and visual outcome of traumatic paediatric cataract in suburban Malaysia: a ten-year experience. Singapore Med J 2015; 55:253-6. [PMID: 24862748 DOI: 10.11622/smedj.2014067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Available data on traumatic cataract in Asian children is primarily confined to South Asian countries. We aimed to describe the demographics, nature of injury and visual outcomes of Malaysian children with traumatic cataract from a suburban area, and discuss the literature on Asian children with this condition. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study of 29 children below 17 years of age who were diagnosed with traumatic paediatric cataract and who attended Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia, between January 2000 and December 2010. Follow-up periods ranged from 12 to 120 months. Demographic data, clinical features, mechanism and extent of injury, and final visual outcome were recorded. RESULTS The study population was predominantly male. The right eye was injured in 62.07% of patients. A majority of patients had penetrating injuries, with the most common cause being injury by an organic foreign body (24.14%). Presenting visual acuity worse than 6/60 was observed in 68.97% of patients. Only 34.48% of patients had a final corrected visual acuity of 6/12 and better. 55.18% of patients were operated on within less than one month of their injuries. A majority of children sustained concurrent injuries to the anterior segment structures. Corneal opacity and amblyopia were the most common causes of poor final visual acuity. CONCLUSION Health education and awareness are essential tools that can prevent avoidable blindness due to traumatic cataract in the paediatric population. The importance of rehabilitation programmes for these patients should be emphasised.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ismail Shatriah
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia.
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Shrivastava SR, Shrivastava PS, Ramasamy J. Prevention of childhood blindness: strengthening primary health care. J Ophthalmic Vis Res 2014; 9:287-8. [PMID: 25279135 PMCID: PMC4181216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Rambiharilal Shrivastava
- Correspondence to: Saurabh Rambiharilal Shrivastava, MD. 3rd floor, Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College & Research Institute, Ammapettai village, Thiruporur-Guduvancherry Main Road, Sembakkam Post, Kancheepuram - 603108, Tamil Nadu, India; Tel: +91 988 422 7224;
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