PURPOSE: To establish the prevalence of refractive errors, strabismus, amblyopia and anisometropia, among children in a population, using two methods of screening (at school and at the National Polio Vaccination Day). METHODS: We examined 2,640 children, between 0 and 6 years of age. The children, residents of the city São Caetano do Sul, were divided into two groups (A and B). Group A: 476 children, with an age range of a few months to 6 years, had their eyes examined by 10 ophthalmologists and 11 ophthalmology technicians, during the National Polio Vaccination Day (June 20,1998). Group B: 2,164 children attending municipal schools (EMEIs and EMIs), between 4 and 6 years of age, who had their eyes examined by two ophthalmologists during the year of 1998. RESULTS: In group A, the prevalence of strabismus was 3.36% and that of anisometropia was 1.26%. The most common type of refractive error was hypermetropia £ 2D and 14.11% required optical prescription. In group B, the prevalence of strabismus was 1.43%. In the group who failed in the screening, the prevalence of amblyopia was 1.39% and that of anisometropia was 2.8%. The most common type of refractive error found was hypermetropic astigmatism and 56.48% required optical prescription. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of the ocular findings in children in São Caetano do Sul, although being a city with a privileged socioeconomic profile, is similar to that reported in the literature. Ophthalmic examination on National Polio Vaccination Day showed to be an efficient screening tool.
Mass screening; Amblyopia; Refractive errors; Strabismus; Socioeconomic factors; Consumer participation; Infant; Child, preschool; Child
