ARE REFRACTIVE ERRORS RELATED TO DEFORMITIES OF THE SPINAL COLUMN?

Deformities of the spinal column and refractive errors deserve a special attention and follow-up in the period of adolescence. The aim of the paper was to analyze the presence of refractive errors in children with deformities of the spinal column.Thirty children (22 F: 8 M) aged between 5 and 16 years were referred to ophthalmological examination with clinically diagnosed deformities of the spinal column, such as scoliosis, kyphosis, kyphoscoliosis and scoliotic posture. Children were evaluated according to refraction, visual function, ortoptic values and all of them exercised corrective gymnastics.Scoliotic posture and scoliosis were prevalent and three times more frequent in girls (n= 16, 12 F: 4 M), followed by kyphoscoliosis (n= 8, 4F:4M) and kyphosis (n=6, 2F:4M). The results of ophthalmological examinations: emmetropia was found in 60 %, myopia in 33.3 %, and hypermetropia in 6.6 % cases.Preventive measures against deformities of the spinal column and refractive errors (particularly myopia) are necessary for an adequate therapeutic treatment. The significance of systematic health examinations is to be emphasized as they are the best way of early detection and diagnosing a refractive error, any disease or body deformities. Also, a full cooperation of parents, children, teachers, and all the subjects involved in the treatment is required.