EFFICIENT AND COST EFFECTIVE VISION SCREENING FOR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN BULGARIA
Journal Title: WORLD JOURNAL PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE - Year 2017, Vol 6, Issue 2
Abstract
Background: Vision screening detects visual disorders causing reduced visual acuity, like amblyopia. Amblyopia has a public health importance and prevalence of 2 – 4%. Purpose: evaluating the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the vision screening performed by us in Bulgaria. Methods: Visual acuity testing, stereopsis, orthoptics, ocular motility, non-cycloplegic refraction, direct ophthalmoscopy, external ocular inspection and as needed cycloplegic refraction and indirect ophthalmoscopy were performed. Patients: 4525 children (2236 females, 2289 males), divided into groups by province of residence: Vidin 1905 children; Montana 1120 children; Vratsa 623 children; Kyustendil 591 children; Plovdiv 286 children. Results: A total of 4066 children (89.8%) had never been examined by an ophthalmologist. Amblyopia had 168 children (3.7%). Refractive errors were found in 751 children (16.6%). Strabismus was observed in 50 children (1.1%). Mean cost of examination/child: EUR 6.14/incl. eyeglasses. Treating amblyopic child costs EUR 265.88/6 months. Total cost of the Screening: EUR 27783.5. Treating only the amblyopic children costs: EUR 44667.84. Conclusions: The lack of vision screening in Bulgaria is the main cause for the late diagnosis of treatable eye diseases. Screening programs are effective in detecting refractive errors and preventing amblyopia. The “Do good” project provides full ophthalmological examination at minimum cost. The effective and cost-beneficial design could be used in establishing a national child vision screening in Bulgaria.
Authors and Affiliations
Dr. A. Oscar
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP617589
- DOI -
- Views 175
- Downloads 0
BIOASSAY-GUIDED FRACTIONATION, MECHANISM OF ACTION AND TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ANTI-NOCICEPTIVE PRINCIPLES OBTAINED FROM ERYTHROPHLEUM IVORENSE
The present study describes the bioactivity guided identification of anti-nociceptive compounds found in stem bark extract of Erythrophleum ivorense. The stem bark of the plant was air-dried, grounded and macerated using...
STATISTICAL STUDY OF STABILITY CONSTANTS FOR SOME AZO IMINE PHENOLIC DYES THEORETICALLY BY USING PARAMETERIZED METHOD (PM3)
In this study, the study included the calculation of nine Azo imine phenolic dyes, which included nine Schiff bases. The parameters of the stability of the compounds under study were calculated at absolute temperatures (...
SOLID LIPID NANOPARTICLES: THE EFFICIENCY CARRIER FOR TOPICAL DELIVERY OF HYDROPHILIC DRUGS
Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) are very attractive colloidal carrier systems for skin applications due to their various desirable effects on skin besides the characteristics of a colloidal carrier system.[1] Studies on...
FREE RADICALS SCAVENGING PROFILES AND ANTIFUNGAL CAPACITY OF ETHYL ACETATE FRACTION (EAF) OF STEM BARK FROM BOSWELLI DALZIELII HUTCH (BURSERACEAE)
Background: The present study was designed to evaluate the in vitroantioxidant and the antifungal activity of EAF of stem bark from Boswelli dalzielii Hutch (Burseraceae) against Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, C...
POLYMORPHISM IN PHARMACEUTICALS
Polymorphism is the phenomenon in which a drug substance can exist in either two or more than two crystalline forms with different physicochemical properties. Obiquity and importance of Polymorphism occurring in pharmace...