Abstract
Purpose :
To survey the management of binocular vision anomalies (BVAs) in eye care centers in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis of Ghana in terms of availability of service, type of BVA and treatment option.
Methods :
Eye care professionals in all eye care centers within the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis were surveyed using a standardized questionnaire. Information elicited included whether they managed any type of BVA, what treatment option they used, availability of appropriate equipment, reasons for not managing BVAs and what professional they refer their BV cases to. The results were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23.
Results :
More than two-thirds (68.8%; 11 of 16 centers) reported managing some form of BVAs. Accommodative dysfunctions were the most managed BVAs, reported by 72.7% of eye care centers. Strabismus was least managed, reported by 36.4%. Those who reported not managing BVAs attributed this to lack of appropriate tools and patient flow. No eye care center possessed all the equipment listed by the American Optometric Association (AOA) for BVA management. Over half (55%) of the study sample possess two-thirds of equipment on the AOA list while 27% had only one-third of the list. The commonest approach for managing BVAs reported was using added lenses; none reported using any eye drops. For BVA cases they could not manage, 36.4% of centers referred to either an ophthalmologist or optometrist while 18.2% each referred to only an orthoptist or optometrist.
Conclusions :
Even though some eye care centers within the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis offer some level of binocular vision service, lack of appropriate equipment, low patient numbers and insufficient human resource impinge on the preparedness of eye care centers in the metropolis to manage BVAs.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.