[Causes of blindness and low vision in children in Slovakia]

The authors analyze the causes of blindness in children, of Low Vision and hospital admission among pupils of the school for blind children in Levoca, a primary school for children with visual debility in Bratislava and in hospitalized children at the Ophthalmological Clinic, Faculty Hospital Bratislava. The main causes of severe visual disorders in children are in as many as 90% inborn or hereditary diseases. The latter account for 48% of the reasons for hospital admission. The authors draw attention to the increasing incidence of numerous prenatally conditioned diseases as the dominating cause of serious visual disorders in children. In this context they submit recommendations for the improvement of comprehensive care of children with defective eyesight.