• SAYED FAROOQ HOSAINI
• ABDUL SUBHAN SEDDIQI
• MOHAMMAD NASER NABIZADA
• KHAIRULLAH KARIMI

Introduction: One of the major health problems in the world, especially developing countries, is impaired vision in different age groups. According to the World Health Organization, about 253 million people worldwide suffer from visual impairment, including 217 million people with moderate to severe visual impairment. Uncorrected refractive error is the major cause of visual impairment (53%) and the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. About a quarter of the world's literate and educated population have a refractive error. Objective: To determine the prevalence of visual impairment among medical students of Herat University. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out for one month (from September 6, 2019 until October 5, 2019) among medical students of the Herat University. After conducting optometric examinations and determining visual acuity among students, an interview-based pre-defined questionnaire was completed for each student. Results: Of the 497 students participating in the study, 226 students (45.5%) had refractive errors, including 101 cases (20.5%) with myopia, 21 cases (4.2%) with hyperopia, and 100 cases (20.1%) with astigmatism. In addition, three students (0.6%) had both myopia and astigmatism. Conclusion: The prevalence of myopia and astigmatism is high among students of Faculty of Medicine, Herat University. Regular visual check-up is necessary to correct the refractive error and to prevent the progression of visual impairment.

Visual Impairment, refractive error, myopia, medical Students.

"Prevalence of Refractive Errors among Students of Faculty of Medicine, Herat University, Afghanistan", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 4, page no.231-236, April-2021, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2104032.pdf

"Prevalence of Refractive Errors among Students of Faculty of Medicine, Herat University, Afghanistan", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 4, page no. pp231-236, April-2021, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2104032.pdf