Pattern and Prevalence of Color Vision Disorders amongst Secondary School Students in Rivers State, Nigeria

Aims: To determine the prevalence and pattern of color vision disorders (CVD) amongst secondary school students in Rivers State.

Study Design: A community based descriptive cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital from the 20th of January to the 30th of April 2014.

Methodology: A community based descriptive cross sectional study where study subjects were selected using multi-stage random sampling technique with inclusion criteria of consenting students with visual acuity >6/24. Ethical clearance for test was obtained from institution. Socio-demographic data obtained using an interviewer administered questionnaire. A comprehensive ocular examination was done and color vision assessed using the Ishihara 24 plate 2009 edition and the Farnsworth Munsell D 15 test for those who failed the Ishihara test. The prevalence of color vision disorder was determined by those that failed the Ishihara test.

Data obtained was analyzed using SPSS version 21. Mean and standard deviations were determined for age. The age groups gender, other demographic distribution of the subjects amongst other was presented using frequency tables and charts.

Statistical significance was put at p ≤ 0.05.

Results: 1000 students were studied which consisted of four hundred and ninety five males (n=495; 49.4%) and five hundred and six females (n=506; 50.6%), with a male female ratio of 1:1.02. Mean age of subjects was 14.3±1.8 years with an age range of 9-20 years. The prevalence of color vision disorders was 2.8% (p-value 0.000) and was higher in males (2.1%) than females (0.7%) (P-value 0.000). Deutan defects were the most predominant (1.8%) compared to protan defects (0.4%) and tritan defects (0.2%).

Conclusion: The study showed a prevalence of color vision disorders of 2.8% with male preponderance among secondary school students. Deutan color vision defects were most prevalent.