Profile of Amblyopia at the Pediatric Ophthalmology Clinic of Menilik II Hospital, Addis Ababa

Abstract

Abstract Background- Amblyopia is one of the common causes of childhood and adult visual impairment. Its prevalence is usually underestimated, often because of lack of awareness. Objective: To assess the magnitude and clinical profile of amblyopia among children presenting at the pediatric ophthalmology clinic of Menillik II Hospital in Addis Ababa. Methods: The study was hospital-based and cross-sectional by design, and data were collected during the period of January to June 2007. Visual acuity, refractive status and fixation patterns were assessed and included in the examinations of clinical profiles of children with amblyopia presenting to a Pediatric Ophthalmology clinic in Menilik II Hospital. . Results: Out of a total of 2,020 children examined during the study period, 183 (9.1%) were amblyopic. Among these 91 (49.7%) were males and 92 (50.3%) were females. The mean age at presentation was 6.9+3.0 years. Strabismic amblyopia was the most common subtype seen in 39.3% (n=72) of children. Fifty (27.3%) children had combined amblyopia. One hundred thirteen (61.7%) of the amblyopic children had hypermetropic refractive error and 22 (12.0%) had myopia. Conclusion: Lack of community or preschool vision screening was the main cause to pick up amblyopic children for timely management of late presentations and significant visual impairment associated with the condition. [Ethiop.J.Health Dev. 2008; 22(2):201-205]