Aim: To determine the prevalence, and pattern of refractive errors and to identify barriers to uptake of prescribed corrective lenses among secondary school students in Calabar, Nigeria. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study with students from 4 secondary schools examined over a three month period (23rd November, 2009 to 26th March, 2010). There was a Christmas holiday between 15th December, 2009 and 17th January, 2010 in these schools. A total of 1,241 secondary school students were eligible in the four secondary schools. 1,175 students were actually present for refractive errors using the standard Snellen chart at 6 meter. The 66 (5.3%) excluded from screening were absent throughout the time the study was conducted in each school. Reasons for absenteeism included withdrawal from schools (7), transfers to other schools (28), inability to pay school fees (13), protracted illness (1) and relocation of parents (17) of the 1,175 students screened, 535 were males and 640 were females. Students were drawn from 4 secondary schools, comprising 2 private and 2 public schools from each of the 2 Local Government Areas that make up Calabar metropolis. Students whose visual acuities were <6/9 in at least one eye met the inclusion criterion for refraction. While those with visual acuities 6/9 or better in either eye were considered emmetropic. Myopia was defined as 0.50 diopters (D) or more and hypermetropia as 0.50D or more. Spherical equivalents were calculated for astigmatic errors by adding half of cylinders to spheres. Anterior and posterior segment examinations were done using pen torch and Welch Allyn direct ophthalmoscope.