ABSTRACT

Over successive decades, myopia has become a global public health concern, due to its’ increasing prevalence and long-term associations with sight-threatening ocular complications. As the risk of sight-threatening ocular morbidities continues to increase exponentially in higher amounts of myopia, it has become pertinent for eye care practitioners to play a more active role in managing this epidemic in children. The aim of this research was to explore the knowledge and perception of current management options employed by optometrists in Nigeria in the control of myopia in children. A multi-objective research was conducted using an online questionnaire that was distributed to practitioners across the country for completion and the results gotten was analyzed using the SPSS version 22 alongside other statistical tests like Chi-square and Friedman test. Completed surveys was submitted by 424 optometrists (n = 424) from different regions of the country. Majority of the participants displayed awareness for a wide range of management options including orthokeratology, low-dose (0.01%-0.5%) atropine, SV spectacles and contact lenses. Optometrists used diverse techniques to diagnose myopia in their pediatric patients including cycloplegic and non-cycloplegic refraction and dilated retinal fundus exam. The most common management options employed for childhood myopia include: single vision distance correction, visual hygiene and advice to increase time spent outdoors despite most optometrists noting that orthokeratology and SV contact lenses was two potentially more effective forms of management. Respondents agreed that adult caregivers have a major role to play in the management of the myopia of their children.The findings from this research revealed that while optometrists in Nigeria seem to be aware of the current strategies/techniques used in the management of pediatric myopia, they lack readiness when it comes to the employment of methods other than single vision spectacles (full correction) in their management approach. As the need to purchase additional clinical equipment and absence of clinical guidance for the control of childhood myopia progression were revealed to be the major factors limiting optimal care of children with myopia, the continued support and guidance of health/optometric regulatory bodies may be the key to breaking these barriers, thus encouraging the application of best available research evidence for myopia control in clinical practices across the country.

Keywords: Myopia, Childhood myopia, refractive error, Nigerian optometrists