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Prevalence of asthenopia in children: a systematic review with meta-analysis
Manuel A P Vilela1, Lucia C Pellanda2, Anaclaudia G Fassa1
1Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
Insights
Asthenopia, or eye strain, affects nearly 20% of children. This common issue can impact learning, yet research on its prevalence and effects is limited, hindering public health planning.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Asthenopia (eye strain) is a frequent clinical concern in children.
- Potential consequences for learning necessitate understanding its prevalence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the prevalence of asthenopia in children aged 0-18 years.
- To synthesize existing data on childhood asthenopia through a rigorous review process.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based prevalence studies.
- Searches conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and LILACS (1960-May 2014).
- Adherence to Cochrane Collaboration guidelines and PRISMA Statement; quality assessed using Downs and Black score.
Main Results:
- Five studies met inclusion criteria, totaling 2465 children.
- Pooled prevalence of asthenopia was 19.7% (95% CI: 12.4-26.4%).
- Most affected children had normal visual acuity and refraction; risk factors were not clearly established.
Conclusions:
- Asthenopia is a significant problem in childhood with potential learning impacts.
- Scarcity of prevalence and clinical impact studies hinders public health measure planning.
Objective:
To estimate the prevalence of asthenopia in 0-18 year-old children through a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence studies.
Sources:
Inclusion criteria were population-based studies from 1960 to May of 2014 reporting the prevalence of asthenopia in children. The search was performed independently by two reviewers in the PubMed, EMBASE, and LILACS databases, with no language restriction. This systematic review was performed in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines and the PRISMA Statement. Downs and Black score was used for quality assessment.
Summary Of Findings:
Out of 1692 potentially relevant citations retrieved from electronic databases and searches of reference lists, 26 were identified as potentially eligible. Five of these studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 2465 subjects. Pooled prevalence of asthenopia was 19.7% (12.4-26.4%). The majority of children with asthenopia did not present visual acuity or refraction abnormalities. The largest study evaluated 1448 children aged 6 years and estimated a prevalence of 12.6%. Associated risk factors were not clearly established.
Conclusion:
Although asthenopia is a frequent and relevant clinical problem in childhood, with potential consequences for learning, the scarcity of studies about the prevalence and clinical impact of asthenopia hinders the effective planning of public health measures.
