ASTIGMATISM IN BANGLADESHI AND WHITE SCHOOL ENTRANTS IN EAST LONDON -A PROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE-STUDY

A prospective comparative study was undertaken to determine the preval ence of significant astigmatism in school entrants living in the same area of East London, Thirty-one Bangladeshi and thirty-one white schoo l entrants were refracted in two local state schools, In the Banglades hi group, 7 right and 5 left eyes had more than 1 dioptre of astigmati sm. Most of this astigmatism was with the rule. In the white group, 1 left eye had more than 1 dioptre of astigmatism, This study has shown a statistically significant incidence of astigmatism in an ethnic grou p in East London, This difference between two racial groups living in the same area of East London has not previously been documented, In ou r study, Bangladeshi school entrants may be at greater risk of amblyop ia if their refractive error is not identified and corrected.