Visual and binocular status of Down syndrome children in Malaysia
B Mohd-Ali1, Z Mohammed, Md Norlaila
1Department of Optometry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Insights
Malaysian children with Down syndrome show a high prevalence of vision problems, including refractive errors and strabismus. Regular eye exams are crucial for early detection and management to improve their quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Genetics
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Down syndrome is a common chromosomal anomaly.
- Limited research exists on the ocular health of Asian children with Down syndrome.
- This study addresses the visual and binocular status in Malaysian children with Down syndrome.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the visual acuity in Malaysian children with Down syndrome.
- To assess binocular functions in this population.
- To identify the prevalence of refractive errors and strabismus.
Main Methods:
- Examined 73 Malaysian children (aged 1-12 years) with Down syndrome.
- Performed cycloplegic refraction and assessed binocular visual acuity (Cardiff acuity card/LogMAR chart).
- Evaluated binocular functions using cover test and Lang's stereo acuity test.
Main Results:
- High incidence of refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia) and significant refractive error (70%).
- Prevalence of strabismus was noted in 21 subjects, with esotropia being most common.
- Other findings included ptosis, abnormal head posture, and nystagmus.
Conclusions:
- Malaysian children with Down syndrome exhibit a high rate of refractive errors and strabismus.
- Regular visual examinations are essential for timely intervention.
- Prescribing corrective lenses can significantly improve vision and quality of life.
Background:
Down syndrome is a common chromosomal anomaly. Few reported studies make reference to the ocular status in Asian children with Down syndrome. The purpose of this study was to determine the visual and binocular status of a sample of Down syndrome children in Malaysia.
Methods:
A total of 73 Malaysian children with Down syndrome (38 boys and 35 girls) in the Kuala Lumpur area aged one to 12 years were examined. Cycloplegic refraction was performed on each eye and binocular visual acuity was assessed using the Cardiff acuity card or the LogMAR chart. Binocular functions were assessed using the cover test and Lang's stereo acuity test.
Results:
The mean age of the subjects was 6.01 +/- 3.41 years. Refraction of the right eye showed that 10 per cent of the subjects were myopic, 20 per cent were hyperopic and 70 per cent had no significant refractive error. The mean spherical equivalent was +0.92 +/- 2.32 DS for the right eye and +0.99 +/- 2.21 DS for the left. The mean of binocular LogMAR VA was 0.36 +/- 0.22 (6/12). Cover test revealed that 21 subjects had strabismus (of those, 33 per cent had unilateral esotropia, 52 per cent had alternating esotropia, nine per cent had unilateral exotropia and five per cent had alternating exotropia). Only 22 subjects gave clear positive response to the stereotest. Other ocular findings included ptosis (one per cent), abnormal head posture (seven per cent) and nystagmus (six per cent).
Conclusion:
Malaysian children with Down syndrome have a high incidence of refractive error and strabismus. Regular visual examination is important so that corrective lenses can be prescribed to improve vision and to enhance the quality of life of these children in Malaysia.
