View report page

68
SPECIAL CLINICS.
Ophthalmic Clinic.
During the year 1951, the School Oculist held 193 sessions for the
refraction of children suffering from defective vision (99 at Valentines and
94 at Mayesbrook). Full details of the work are given in Table IV, Group II.
3,375 attendances (1,725 at Valentines Clinic, 1,650 at Mayesbrook Clinic)
were made by 1,455 schoolchildren (720 at Valentines Clinic, 735 at Mayesbrook
Clinic), as compared with 1,504 schoolchildren in 1950.
The 1,455 children were not all suffering from grave defects of vision.
The following table shows the vision in the worst eye, as tested by Snellen's
Type
6/6 6/9 6/12 6/18 6/24 6/36 6/60 less than 6/60
281 226 271 218 156 179 74 50
The children who saw 6/6 (practically normal vision) were suffering from
symptoms such as headaches, inflamed eyelids, etc., which rendered further
examination necessary.

A—Valentines. B—Mayesbrook.
865 complete pairs of spectacles were provided, some of these being
renewals after breakages. In addition, in 333 cases the lenses of spectacles
were replaced or repairs of frames were carried out.
T. J. Regal (Mrs.), M.D., D.O.M.S., the Ophthalmic Surgeon, makes the
following report:—
"The majority of children had defective sight due to refractive
errors and of these a fair proportion had also a squint. All these cases
are seen at regular intervals and are kept under observation all during
their school life.
In addition to these the following conditions came under observation
and received treatment at the clinics or were referred to hospitals:—
Congenital abnormalities of the eyes and adnexae.
Acute inflammatory, infective, allergic and traumatic affections
of the eyes.