A Study on Prevalence of Visual Impairment Among School going Children of Age 10 to 14 years

Visual impairment among school children is a raising concern because of increased screen exposure, poor dietand lack of early eye check-ups. It affects academic performance, physical activities and confidence in children. Objectives:  To find the prevalence of visual impairment among school-going children aged 10 to 14 years.  To identify the underlying causes.  To assess the association between mobile usage and visual impairment. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 children aged 10–14 years in a Government School in urban Chennai. Stratified random sampling was used. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire containing 14 questions and Snellen’s chart. Children already using glasses were excluded. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. Results: The prevalence of visual impairment was found to be 41.5% among the participants. The most commonly reported symptoms were headache (17.5%), eyestrain (12.5%), and watering of the eyes (11%). A statistically significant association was observed between visual impairment and the duration of mobile phone usage (p = 0.001), class duration (p = 0.048), and inadequate intake of green leafy vegetables (p = 0.001). However, no significant association was found between visual impairment and factors such as parental use of spectacles or attendance in online classes