Author(s): Dania Afevictor*
Introduction: The most common cause of visual impairment in the world today is refractive errors (that is uncorrected). The impact on people is so enormous in a community especially with reported issues of restricting some educational and occupational employment opportunities for people. Uncorrected refractive errors are responsible for a high percentage of visual impairment and blindness in the world today.
Aim: To establish the patterns/distribution of refractive errors and correction uptake among patients who visitor use the eye clinic of methodist general hospital, ItukMbang, uruan local government area.
Materials and methods: Health information records of regular patients attending the eye facility who are diagnosed with refractive errors from January 2018 to December 2019 were retrieved. Data analysis was done.
Results: Myopia was 271 (40.2%) and presbyopia only seen in 205 (30.4%), presbyopia existing with refractive errors was seen in 71 (10.2%), astigmatism only in 20 (3%) and hyperopia only in 15 (2%).
Conclusion: The data presented in this study will help in research and planning of intervention programmes in AkwaIbom state. Improved vision (a subset of total wellness and healthy living) is an achievable and cost effective objective which will serve as an accelerator for progress on sustainable development goals (SDGs 3 and 4).
