Pattern of ocular Diseases among Children under Five Years of Age in Southeast, Nigeria

Background: Children under 5 years are prone to ocular disorders which could be congenital or acquired. Early recognition of these conditions and timely intervention enhances optimum results. There is paucity of data on the pattern of ocular disorders among these children in Nigeria and this makes it difficult for policy makers to plan health systems that will target this very important group of the population.

Aim: To determine the pattern of ocular diseases among children less than 5 years of age in Onitsha, Anambra state Nigeria.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of children under 5 years of age that presented to City of Refuge Specialist Eye Clinic Onitsha, Nigeria between January 1st, 2016 to December 31st, 2020. Their case files were retrieved and relevant information extracted. Sociodemographics, month of presentation to the eye clinic and diagnoses were analyzed.

Results: A total of 133 children were studied. The patients comprised 85 (63.9%) males and 48 (36.1%) females, with an approximate male to female ratio of 1.8:1. Eye diseases seen were both congenital 32(24.1%) and acquired 101 (75.9%). Of the congenital type, 20 (62.5%) were males, while 12 (37.5%) were females. Most common ocular morbidities recorded were allergic conjunctivitis 41(30.8%) and infective conjunctivitis 34(25.6%).

Conclusion: Most of the causes of ocular morbidity in this study were preventable or treatable. Therefore, early detection and management of eye diseases in children will reduce complications in later life.