The prevalence of refractive anomalies among children and adolescents of Azerbaijan depending on the place of residence

Abstract

Purpose. A comparative assessment of the prevalence of refractive anomalies among children and adolescents depending on the place of their residence. Materials and methods. The research took place Ganja-Gazakh economic region that consists of different types of settlements. The total populations is 1,240.8 thousand, of which 235.8 thousand are children younger than 15 years and 86.9 thousand are teenagers aged 15–19 years. The children and adolescents included into the study were examined by ophthalmologists within a mobile group formed by Zarifa Aliyeva National Ophthalmological Center. Results. Refractive anomalies were identified at 18,3 ± 2,2; 12,0 ± 1,9 and 11,0 ± 1,8 % of children aged 5 to 9 occur much more frequently in the large city (18.3 %) than in small cities (12.0 %) and rural settlements (11.0 %). These settlement types also show a significant difference in the prevalence rate of refractive anomalies of older children (aged 10–14), resp. (31.0; 18.1, and 13.7 %) and adolescents aged 15–19 (34.7; 15.7, and 13.0 %). Conclusions. The prevalence of refractive anomalies among children and adolescents depends on the subjects’ place of residence: it is higher in large cities and lower in villages. This difference is more pronounced at older ages (children of 10–14 and adolescents aged 15–19). In big cities and towns, the prevailing type of refractive anomaly is myopia. Hyperopia shows similar prevalence rates in all settlement types.