Epidemiological, Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects of Childhood Eye Diseases at the Prefectural Hospital of Macenta in Guinea

Introduction: Eye health in children is a real public health problem in developing countries. The aim of this work was to determine the frequency of ocular pathologies in children aged 0 to 16 at the prefectural hospital of Macenta in Guinea. Patients and Method: This was a descriptive prospective study. It covered a period of 6 months from October 1 to March 31, 2022 at the prefectural hospital of Macenta in Guinea. Children aged 0 to 16 received during the study period were included. Were excluded, those with an incomplete file and whose parents did not consent. Results: Out of 1816 consultations, 224 children aged 0 to 16 were collected 7.95%; mean age 7.35 years ± 4.6; sex ratio 1.38. The age group of 6 to 11 years was more represented. More than half of the patients were educated 50.4% and came from rural areas 52.7%. Pathologies of the orbit were dominated by orbital cellulitis 13% and those of the annexes by conjunctivitis 40.6%. Keratitis and cataracts were pathologies dominating the cornea and the lens, respectively 5.4% and 8.5%. Atrophy of the eyeball was the most frequent among those of the eyeball, at 3.6%. The most performed surgical procedure was phacophagy in 6.7%. The most common reason for consultation was eye pain, at 33.5%. Both eyes were affected at the same time in the majority 49.5%, and the most represented antecedent was malaria 22.3% of cases. Visual acuity without correction ≥ 3/10 was the most represented 37.5% in the right eye and 34.8% in the left eye. The therapeutic classes used were dominated by antibiotic-corticoid combinations 88.8%. Conclusion: Ocular pathologies in children from 0 to 16 years old constitute a real public health problem. They are dominated by pathologies of the conjunctiva and the lens. Popularization for early management of ophthalmological pathologies would be beneficial.