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Visual deficiency and scoliosis
J F Catanzariti1, E Salomez, J M Bruandet
1Service de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation, Centre Hospitalier Régional et Universitaire, Lille, France. athevenon@chru-lille.fr
Spine
|January 10, 2001
Summary
Visually impaired children show significantly higher rates of spinal deformity, including scoliosis. This suggests a potential link between vision impairment and the development of spinal conditions in children.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedics
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Vision plays a role in postural control, with associations noted between idiopathic scoliosis and visual function.
- While scoliosis is linked to ocular issues in various conditions, large-scale studies on blind populations are lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if children with visual impairments exhibit a higher prevalence of spinal deformities.
- Investigate the relationship between visual impairment and scoliosis in a pediatric cohort.
Main Methods:
- A comparative transversal study included 75 visually impaired children and 728 healthy controls.
- Trunk deformity was assessed using Moire topography and forward bending tests.
- Radiographs were taken for visually impaired children with deformities to evaluate structural scoliosis.
Main Results:
- Trunk deformities were significantly more prevalent in the visually impaired group (P < 0.0001), with five times higher rates.
- Of 26 visually impaired children with trunk deformity, 18 showed structural scoliosis on radiographs (average Cobb angle 14.1 degrees).
Conclusions:
- The findings support a postural etiology for scoliosis in visually impaired children.
- Vision impairment may be a contributing factor to spinal deformity development.