ABSTRACT

Background: Refractive errors are a leading cause of visual impairment in children, often going undetected in early years, especially in developing regions. If left uncorrected, they can significantly affect academic performance, social development, and visual outcomes, including the risk of amblyopia. Understanding their prevalence and patterns is essential for early intervention.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and patterns of refractive errors among school-going children attending a tertiary care hospital in Quetta.

Methods: This hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December 2019 at Helpers Eye Hospital / Bolan Medical College, Quetta. A total of 768 children aged 5–15 years were examined. Visual acuity testing, cycloplegic or non-cycloplegic refraction (based on age and clinical indication), and full ophthalmic examinations were performed. Refractive errors were classified as myopia (SE ≤ –0.50 D), hypermetropia (SE ≥ +2.00 D), and astigmatism (cylinder ≤ –0.75 D). Data were analyzed for prevalence, age and gender distribution.

Results: Refractive errors were identified in 436 (56.8%) of children. Myopia was the most prevalent (28.4%), followed by astigmatism (17.2%) and hypermetropia (11.2%). Myopia increased with age, particularly after 10 years, while hypermetropia was more common in younger children. Slight gender differences were noted, with females showing a higher prevalence of myopia and males a higher prevalence of astigmatism.

Conclusion: A significant proportion of school-going children had uncorrected refractive errors, with age-related trends in distribution. The high prevalence emphasizes the need for school-based vision screening programs and timely corrective measures to prevent long-term visual impairment and support academic development.

Keywords: Refractive errors, Myopia, Hypermetropia, Astigmatism, School children, Vision screening.