Summary: The aim of this work was to describe the clinical aspects of eye malformations observed at the ophthalmology unit of the Yaoundé Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital.
Patients and methods: We carried out a retrospective study of all malformations of the eye and its adnexae observed among children aged 0-5 years who were seen at the ophthalmology unit from January 2003 to December 2009.
Results: Out of the 2254 children who were examined, 150 (6.65%) presented eye malformations. The mean age was 14.40 ± 4 months. Eye malformations were diagnosed in 71.66% of cases during the first year of life. The most frequent malformations were congenital lacrimal duct obstruction (66.66%), congenital cataract (10.9%), congenital glaucoma (10.9%), microphthalmos (5.03%), and congenital ptosis (3.77%).
Conclusion: Eye malformations among children can lead to visual impairment and are a cause for discomfort to children and parents. Therefore, systematic postnatal screening is recommended to enable early management.
Keywords: Cameroon; child; malformations; ophthalmology.