Visual Health Status and Visual Impairment among Students in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Nigeria

The purpose of this study was to determine the visual health status, causes of visual impairment and the prevalence of eye disease among students in Uyo metropolis. Five specific objectives and five research questions were formulated to guard the study. A Quesi-experimental research design was used in the study involving two public and one private secondary schools located in Uyo metropolis. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data as well as clinical examination of the eyes of the students who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and data so generated were analyzed using frequency counts and non parametric statistics. The sample for the study was made up of 419 students, 152 were males and 261 were females. The findings of the study indicated that, testing using chi-square analysis revealed a poor visual health status of majority of the students is caused by refractive error and the prevalence of visual impairment is high among the students, therefore there is need to take appropriate steps to mitigate its effect on the academic performance of these students and their in future. It is recommended that teachers should be trained and equipped for vision screening of their students, pre-school regular eye screening of students including a proper referral chain for students so identified with eye problem should form part of the school health programmers.