Prevalence and Pattern of Refractive Errors and Presbyopia in an Islamic Boarding School Community in Cirebon, Indonesia

Abstract

Introduction: Uncorrected refractive errors and presbyopia pose major public health challenges, yet their burden in Islamic boarding schools remains understudied. Objective: This study evaluated the prevalence and patterns of distance refractive errors, presbyopia, and ocular conditions in Pesantren Buntet, Indonesia. Method: A cross-sectional community-based visual screening was conducted among 422 participants. Visual acuity was measured using Snellen charts, followed by subjective refraction and near vision testing. Result and Discussion: Uncorrected vision problems affected 63.03% of participants. Myopia emerged as the predominant error (48.34%), followed by astigmatism (23.70%) and hyperopia (4.27%), driven primarily by intensive indoor reading routines among pediatric and youth students (60.66%). Universal presbyopia (19.91%) was observed in all participants aged 40 years and older with a mean reading addition of +1.75 D, while organic ocular pathologies were suspected in 6.64%. Conclusions: Uncorrected visual conditions present a high overall burden within the boarding school ecosystem, highlighting the critical need for routine institutional eye screening and accessible optical interventions.