DR. RAHUL CHOUBEY

Abstract

Purpose :To study the Conjunctival Impression Cytology (CIC) in children presenting with history of night blindness/ symptoms and signs of vitamin-A deficiency and CIC after vitamin-A administration.

Method: Case group of 20 cases with history of night blindness and/or showing sign and symptoms of xerophthalmia of age group 1-12 years.Control group of 20 healthy children of same age and sex without any history of night blindness, and / or showing sign and symptoms of vitamin-A deficiency and with no xerophthalmia .All cases were given vitamin A at intervals of 2 weeks and 4 weeks.

Results ::90% of children in the study group had abnormal CIC and (6%) of children in the control group had abnormal CIC.

Conclusion :: The technique of (CIC) can be used as a safe, non-invasive, cost effective method for screening of subclinical cases and also as a diagnostic tool to detect and assess the response to Vitamin-A therapy, by observing the conjunctival changes in Vitamin-A deficiency