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Amblyopia risk factors among pediatric patients in a hospital-based setting using photoscreening
Christiane Al-Haddad1, Zeinab El Moussawi1, Stephanie Hoyeck1
1Ophthalmology Department, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Insights
Automated vision screening identified amblyopia risk factors in 5.7% of young children. Hyperopia was the most common refractive error, and systemic disorders increased risk.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Eye Care
- Public Health
Background:
- Amblyopia, or
- lazy eye
- , is a leading cause of vision loss in children.
- Early detection and intervention are crucial for effective treatment.
- Automated vision screening offers a promising tool for identifying at-risk children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of amblyopia risk factors in children aged 2-6 years at a tertiary care center.
- To evaluate the utility of automated vision screening for identifying these risk factors.
- To identify common refractive errors and associated conditions.
Main Methods:
- A hospital-based study screened 1102 children aged 2-6 years using the PlusoptiX S12 automated screener.
- Referral criteria were based on American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus guidelines.
- Referred children underwent comprehensive eye examinations.
Main Results:
- 5.7% of screened children (63/1102) were referred for amblyopia risk factors.
- Hyperopia (51%) was the most prevalent refractive error, followed by astigmatism (41%) and myopia (8%).
- Children with systemic disorders showed a higher prevalence of refractive amblyopia risk factors.
Conclusions:
- Automated vision screening is effective in identifying amblyopia risk factors in preschool-aged children.
- Hyperopia is a significant risk factor for amblyopia in this age group.
- Systemic health plays a role in the development of refractive errors and amblyopia risk.
Purpose:
The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of amblyopia risk factors in children visiting the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) using automated vision screening.
Methods:
This was a hospital-based screening of 1102 children aged between 2 and 6 years. Vision screening was performed using PlusoptiX S12 over 2 years (2018-2020). The need for referral to a pediatric ophthalmologist was based on the amblyopia risk factors set forth by the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Referred patients underwent a comprehensive eye examination.
Results:
A total of 1102 children were screened, 63 were referred for amblyopia risk factors (5.7%); 37/63 (59%) underwent comprehensive eye examination and 73% were prescribed glasses. Of the non-referred group of children, 6.35% had astigmatism, 6.25% were hyperopic and 3.27% were myopic. The refractive errors observed among the examined patients were distributed as follows: 41% astigmatism, 51% hyperopia, and 8% myopia; amblyopia was not detected. Refractive amblyopia risk factors were associated with the presence of systemic disorders. Bland-Altman plots showed most of the differences to be within limits of agreement.
Conclusion:
Using an automated vision screener in a hospital-based cohort of children aged 2 to 6 years, the rate of refractive amblyopia risk factors was 5.7%. Hyperopia was the most commonly encountered refractive error and children with systemic disorders were at higher risk.
