Amblyopia Among Children with Refractive Errors Attending at Outpatient Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Background: Childhood blindness, though affecting a small proportion of the global blind population, accounts for a high number of blind years due to early onset. Refractive errors and amblyopia are among the most common causes of visual impairment in children. In Bangladesh, the rate of spectacle use remains low despite the high prevalence of correctable refractive errors. Objective: To determine the rate of amblyopia among children with refractive errors attending a tertiary care hospital. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, from January to December 2019. It involved 100 children aged 5–15 years with best-corrected visual acuity below 20/40 and no organic lesions. Data were collected through interviews and ophthalmic examinations including visual acuity testing, cycloplegic refraction, and ocular alignment assessments. Results: The mean age was 12.47±2.44 years; 55% were female and 45% male. Among them, 20% were aged ≤10 years, and 80% >10 years. Bilateral astigmatism was the most common refractive error (40%), followed by bilateral myopia (33%) and bilateral hypermetropia (4%). Unilateral refractive errors included myopia, hypermetropia, and astigmatism in both right and left eyes. Amblyopia was observed in approximately 40% of the children, with ametropic amblyopia being most prevalent. Anisometropic and hypermetropic children had a higher amblyopia rate, while none was found in simple myopia cases. Conclusion: A significant proportion of children with refractive errors had amblyopia. Wider population-based studies are recommended to better estimate true prevalence and support early detection.