[Manifestations of asthenopia in Black subjects].

OBJECTIVE

To report the relative frequency of the asthenopic complaints in an african black population.

METHODS

Data from 184 records of African black subjects with asthenopic complaints and a normal ocular examination between January 1996 and December 1998 were considered.

RESULTS

There were 87 males (47.3%) and 97 females (52.7%). The mean age was 24.6 +/- 9.2 years with a sex ratio of 1:1. Asthenopic symptoms were: headache (47.0%), ocular pain (37.0%), tearing (24.5%), blurred vision (23.4%), photophobia (20.1%), burning sensation (12.5%), foreign-body sensation (8.7%), red eyes (4.3%) and diplopia (4.3%). Asthenopic subjects with headache had more associated symptoms. Headache was 2-3 times more frequently associated with the presence of tearing, foreign-body sensation and burning complaints than others.

CONCLUSION

African black people seem to present the same asthenopic symptoms as in other races. Headache is the main symptom. Tearing, foreign-body and burning sensation are the most common complaints associated with asthenopic headache.