<b>Ocular Diseases in the Paediatric Age Group – a Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Hospital in Lagos. Nigeria.</b>

Abstract

To determine the pattern of ocular disease presentations among the paediatric age group (0-15 years) as well as  their demographic and clinical characteristics. We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of  patients 15 years and less who presented in the Eye Clinic of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja between January 2010 and end of December 2010. Data on age at presentation, gender, affected eye/eyes,  duration of disease at presentation and clinical diagnosis were retrieved from patients' medical records. Information was analyzed using SPSS version 17. A p-value of less than 0.005 was accepted as indicative of statistical  significant. We evaluated the report of 294 children. 176(59.9%) were males and 118(40.1%) were females. The following ocular ailments were seen - Allergic(including Vernal) conjunctivitis 17.3%, Refractive Errors  17.0%,Trauma 13.6%, Congenital Cataract 5.4%, Developmental cataract 4.1%,Preseptal/Orbital cellulitis 3.1% and Cortical blindness in 3.4% Allergic conjunctivitis was more common in the 6-10 years age group and seen more in males. The prevalent childhood eye diseases recorded here can be managed in well established secondary eye -care centres in the state. Parents/ Guardians should be encouraged to obtain glasses for their children/wards. Also to encourage the hospital management to set up a standard paediatric ophthalmology unit and train a paediatric ophthalmologist for proper management of ophthalmic diseases in children.

Keywords: paediatric age-group, ocular diseases, blindness, Allergic conjunctivitis, cataract, refractive error.