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Vision Screening in Belgian Children: Too Much or Not Enough?
Coralie Hemptinne1,2, Nancy La Grange3, Demet Yüksel1,2
1Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Place de l'Université 1 , Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium.
Ophthalmic Epidemiology
|May 23, 2020
Summary
Belgian vision screening reached high coverage for school children but varied for pre-schoolers. Results show differences in referral rates and true positives across communities, impacting cost-effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Vision screening is crucial for early detection of visual impairments in children.
- Understanding regional variations in screening effectiveness is essential for public health policy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail vision screening procedures across Belgium's linguistic communities.
- To present and analyze Belgian children's vision screening outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 636,260 Belgian children (2009-2016).
- Examined screening frequency for pre-school and school-aged children.
- Compared Belgian results with international benchmarks.
Main Results:
- High population coverage achieved for school children (near 100%), variable for pre-schoolers (57-83%).
- Referral proportions ranged from 9-15% (pre-school) and 6-18% (school children).
- True positive referral rates varied by community, influencing cost-effectiveness analysis.
Conclusions:
- Belgian school-age vision screening coverage is high internationally.
- Pre-school coverage and true positive rates show inter-community and international disparities.
- Cost-effectiveness varies, with potential advantages in the French community for confirmed cases.
