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Child development and refractive errors in preschool children

Josephine O Ibironke1, David S Friedman, Michael X Repka

  • 1Dana Center for Prevention Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Optometry and Vision Science : Official Publication of the American Academy of Optometry
|December 15, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Parental concerns about child development may indicate significant refractive errors like astigmatism and anisometropia in young children. Early eye exams are recommended for children with developmental concerns to rule out vision problems.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Ophthalmology
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Parental concerns about child development are common.
  • Early identification of developmental issues is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between parental concerns regarding overall development and significant refractive errors in preschool children.
  • To determine if developmental concerns predict specific types of vision impairments.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based, cross-sectional study involving 2381 children aged 6-71 months.
  • Comprehensive eye examinations with cycloplegic refraction were performed.
  • Parental concerns were assessed using the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status screening tool.

Main Results:

  • Parental concerns were reported in 21.4% of children.
  • Concerns were associated with astigmatism (OR=1.44) and anisometropia (OR=2.61).
  • The association was stronger in children over 36 months with hyperopia, astigmatism, or anisometropia; no association with myopia was found.

Conclusions:

  • Parental concerns about development are linked to specific refractive errors, particularly astigmatism and anisometropia, in young children.
  • Referral for comprehensive eye examinations is warranted for children with parental developmental concerns.
  • Early detection and management of refractive errors can prevent long-term vision consequences.
Abstract

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