Screening for Color Vision Defects among Male Saudi Secondary School Children in Jizan City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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- Category: Vol. 81, June 2013
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Screening for Color Vision Defects among Male Saudi Secondary School Children in Jizan City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,HESHAM M.A. DAHLAN and OSSAMA A. MOSTAFA
Abstract
Aim of Study: To assess the prevalence of color visual defects (CVD) among male Saudi secondary school children in Jizan City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Subjects and Methods: This study included 717 male Saudi secondary school students in Jizan City. Study tools included the Ishihara charts and a data collection questionnaire designed by the researcher. Parents' consanguinity was clas-sified into first degree, second degree or far relatives.
Results: Almost one third of parents were first degree relatives (30.4%) the rest of parents were either second degree relatives (2%) or far relatives (19.7%). More than one third of students did not know if they have normal vision or CVD (39.6%). Prevalence of CVD among male Saudi secondary school students amounted to 21.3%. More than one third of students whose parents were 1st degree cousins were CVD (35.8%), compared with about one fifth of students whose parents were second degree cousins or far relatives (21.4% and 21.3%, respectively). The prevalence of CVD was least among students whose parents were not relatives (12.2%). Differences were statistically significant (p<0.001). The highest percentages of students with CVD expressed their wish to study in medical or engineering colleges (28.7% and 32.1%, respectively). Differences were statistically significant (p<0.001). Prevalence of CVD among students with positive family history of CVD was highest (35.5%), compared with those who did not have family history of CVD (20.5%) or those who did not know if they have any family member(s) with CVD (20.8%).
Recommendations: Reasons for the high rate of consan-guinity in Jizan need to be investigated and the awareness of people should be raised regarding the potential consequences of consanguinity. School students with CVD should be guided as regard the proper choice for their future studies. Premarital examination should cover the common hereditary diseases, including CVD. Pre-university screening of male students for CVD should be applied to help students choose toward their career.