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Prevalence and causes of decreased visual acuity in Singaporean Chinese preschoolers
1Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore. dirani@unimelb.edu.au
Insights
The prevalence of decreased visual acuity (VA) in Singaporean Chinese preschoolers is low. Uncorrected refractive errors are the primary cause of reduced VA in children aged 30-72 months.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Public Health
Background:
- Visual acuity (VA) is crucial for early childhood development.
- Understanding the prevalence and causes of decreased VA in young children is essential for timely intervention.
- Singaporean Chinese preschoolers represent a specific demographic for epidemiological studies in child vision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of decreased visual acuity (VA) in Singaporean Chinese children aged 6 to 72 months.
- To identify the primary causes of decreased VA in this population.
- To inform public health strategies for early detection and management of vision impairment in children.
Main Methods:
- A population-based survey was conducted on Singaporean Chinese children aged 6 to 72 months.
- Participants underwent comprehensive eye examinations, including orthoptic evaluation and cycloplegic refraction.
- Decreased VA was defined based on age-specific logMAR visual acuity thresholds.
Main Results:
- The study included 1684 children aged 30-72 months with complete VA data.
- Prevalence of decreased presenting VA was 2.1% in 30-47 month olds and 2.05% in 48-72 month olds.
- Refractive errors, primarily astigmatism and myopia, were the leading cause of decreased VA, followed by amblyopia and unexplained cases.
Conclusions:
- The prevalence of decreased visual acuity (VA) is low among Singaporean Chinese preschoolers.
- Uncorrected refractive error is the predominant cause of decreased VA in children aged 30-72 months.
- Early screening and correction of refractive errors are vital for maintaining optimal vision in young children.
Aims:
To describe the prevalence and causes of decreased visual acuity (VA) in Singaporean Chinese children.
Methods:
A population-based survey of Singaporean Chinese children aged 6 to 72 months was conducted. Participants underwent an orthoptic evaluation, cycloplegic refraction and biometric measurements. A sub-group of children aged 30 to 72 months with presenting logMAR VA were included in this analysis. Retesting was performed on the same day or another day by predefined criteria with best refractive correction. Decreased VA was defined as worse than 20/50 (0.4 logMAR) for ages 30 to 47 months and worse than 20/40 (0.3 logMAR) for ages 48 to 72 months.
Results:
The study examined 3009 children (participation rate 72.3%) of which 2017 children aged 30 to 72 months were eligible for VA testing and completed in 1684 (83.5%). In children aged 30-47 months, the prevalence of decreased presenting VA was 2.1%, and in children 48-72 months, it was 2.05%, with no significant difference between boys and girls in both age groups (p=0.15 and p=0.85). Causes for decreased presenting VA in those 30-47 months were refractive error (7/11, 63.6%), amblyopia (1/11, 9.1%) and "no explanation" (3/11, 27.3%), and 17/24 (70.8%), 5/24 (20.8%) and 2/24 (8.3%), respectively, for those aged 48-72 months. The types of refractive error were astigmatism (15/24, 62.5%), myopia (6/24, 25.0%), hyperopia (2/24, 8.3%) and hyperopia with astigmatism (1/24, 4.2%).
Conclusions:
The prevalence of decreased VA among Singaporean Chinese preschoolers is low, with uncorrected refractive error being the main cause in both children 30-47 and 48-72 months.
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