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Severe visual deficits in infancy in northern Israel: an epidemiological perspective
E Tirosh1, M R Schnitzer, S Atar
1Hannah Khoushy Child Development Center, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel.
Insights
Early detection of childhood blindness is crucial. A risk index may improve prevention and identification of visual impairment in infants and young children.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Genetics
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Childhood blindness affects approximately 1 in 1000 live births, with varying incidence across ethnicities.
- Early diagnosis, often before 20 months, is critical for intervention.
- Lack of visual tracking is a common early sign, frequently noted by family members.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the characteristics of legally blind children aged 0-4 years.
- To identify early warning signs and etiological factors.
- To explore the potential of a risk index for early detection and prevention.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 193 legally blind children (birth to 4 years).
- Data collection on diagnosis age, alerting signs, etiology, and associated conditions.
- Statistical analysis to determine incidence, risk factors, and potential predictive indices.
Main Results:
- Overall incidence of childhood blindness is 1/1000 live births.
- Genetic factors accounted for 38% of cases.
- Associated handicaps and hospitalizations were significantly increased in the cohort.
- Lack of visual tracking was the most frequent initial sign.
Conclusions:
- Early detection of childhood blindness is feasible through monitoring specific signs and risk factors.
- A comprehensive risk index could enhance early identification and preventative strategies.
- Understanding genetic and associated factors is vital for managing childhood visual impairment.
Abstract:
The characteristics of 193 legally blind children ranging in ages from birth to 4 years were analyzed. The overall incidence was 1/1000 live births; however, the ethnic specific incidence varies. All children were diagnosed before the age of 20 months and the most frequent alerting sign was lack of visual tracking. In 33.3%, the deficit was first suspected by a family member. A genetic etiology accounted for 38% of the cohort. The relative risk for an associated handicap was significant as well as the rate of hospitalizations for apparently unassociated diseases. It appears that both prevention and early detection could be achieved by a risk index.