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 Background & objectives:�Amblyopia as one of the most important social and visual problems is common in the world including Iran. It plays a major role in visual dimness. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence and causes of amblyopia in middle school students in Ardabil city, Iran in 2004.

 Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study 4548 middle school students were included. The subjects primarily were screened by optometrists and an ophthalmologist by using of Snelen chart. The doubtful cases were referred to eye clinic for further checking and re-examined by ophthalmologist. The data were collected by questionnaire and the results were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics using SPSS software.

  Results: The results cleared that 11.4% of subjects (520) had refractive errors, 2.63% (120) showed the amblyopia and 0.9% (43) experienced strabismus. The most common cause of amblyopia was anisometropia (59% of all cases) and for strabismus was isotropia (69.5% of all cases). These findings showed that there is a significant correlation between type and rate of refractive defects with amblyopia. The highest rate for refractive amblyopia was over 3 Diopter hyperopia (29.5% of refractive amblyopia). Hyperopia revealed to occur in males more than females and vice versa for astigmatism

  Conclusion : It seems that the prevalence of amplyopia in Ardabil is similar to other cities in Iran and other countries. But the refractive amblyopia in Ardabil shows more prevalent than other areas. Its reason may be due to less knowledge to use glass and low socio-economic conditions as well as low quality of treatment.

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  Background & Objectives: Visual impairment included mild visual loss to total blindness that depends on the definitions different results achieved in various studies in all over the world. These kinds of studies will be helpful for social and health problems because some of the causes of blindness are preventable and curable at early stages.

  Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study. In this study, 300 patients older than 40 years with CF visual acuity or less had been surveyed, and information related to the patients recorded in questionnaires. The patients diagnosed by expert physician and recorded data were analyzedby descriptive statistical methods.

  Results: 57% of patients were male and 43% were female, and 41% were urban and 59% rural. The most common cause of visual impairment regarding to the definitions in this study was cataract (57%) and primary glaucoma (16%), uveitis (61%), corneal disease (6%), ARMD (4.33%), diabetic retinopathy (4%) and refraction disorder (myopia) were respectively after cataract and central retinal artery obstruction with 0.66% had the less prevalence. At all, retinal disease with 15% of prevalence was in third place of the major causes of visual impairment. Cataract was the cause of 43.9% of visual impairment in men and 74.4% in women. Glaucoma (24.6%) was the second cause in men and third common cause of visual impairment in women with 4.7% and comparing with men has lower prevalence.

  Conclussion: In this study cataract and glaucoma were the main causes of visual impairment, same as global studies, respectively. In this study prevalence of glaucoma in men was more than the prevalence in women and appears to be related to the fact that women are more sensitive to their health status comparing with men and they go to ophthalmologists sooner than men. With knowing that glaucoma will be controllable with appropriate treatments at the early stage and irreversible visual loss will be prevented.

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Background & objectives: Gestational diabetes is one of the most common medical problems during pregnancy, which has many negative consequences for mother and fetus. Knowledge of women about gestational diabetes and educational planning based on needs assessment can be effective for early diagnosis and reduction of possible complications of gestational diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine the educational needs of diabetic pregnant mothers in Meshgin health centers in 2018.
Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted by- census on 689 pregnant women referring to Meshgin health centers in the spring and summer of 2018. Data were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire of Hashemi-Beni and colleagues (2015) including three parts: demographic information, knowledge and educational needs assessment for mothers with gestational diabetes. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software.
Results: The mean age of pregnant women participating in the study was 26.94±6.22 years, with an average gestational age of 24.36±9.18 weeks. 22 persons of 689 pregnant women were diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and the prevalence of gestational diabetes was 3.2%. The mean score of knowledge of diabetic pregnant mothers about gestational diabetes questions was 9.95±3.79 out of 13. In all items of gestational diabetes, at least one third of diabetic mothers reported need for education.
Conclusions: Diabetic pregnant mothers, despite of high knowledge about gestational diabetes, still need to be trained in this regard. Therefore, it is necessary to hold leveled training courses to complete the information of mothers for better care of themselves