Recent trends in visual impairment and blindness in the UK

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatrics
• Public Health

Background:

• Childhood visual impairment (VI) poses a significant public health challenge.
• Understanding trends and causes is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
• Assessing progress against World Health Organization (WHO) goals is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in the cumulative incidence of childhood visual impairment (VI) and severe visual impairment/blindness (SVI/BL) over a 15-year period.
• To evaluate progress towards WHO prevention targets for childhood VI.
• To identify causes and associated factors of VI in children.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a population-based register of visual impairment in southern England.
• Estimated cumulative incidence and trends for VI and SVI/BL in children born between 1984 and 1998.
• Classified causes by anatomical site, timing of insult, and preventability/treatability.

Main Results:

• Cumulative incidence of VI to age 12 was 7.1/10,000 live births; SVI/BL was 6.2/10,000.
• Incidence of both VI and SVI/BL significantly decreased over the study period.
• Risk associated with prematurity and low birth weight diminished, though remained significant. High early childhood mortality (19%) was observed.

Conclusions:

• A temporal decline in childhood VI and SVI/BL incidence was observed, especially in preterm and low birth weight infants.
• Causes of visual impairment are diverse, complex, and often linked to broader childhood disabilities.
• High early childhood mortality necessitates continued focus on prevention and care.