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Paediatric vision screening in Urban Lhasa from the Tibetan Plateau of Southwest China
Weiwei Chen1, Jing Fu2, Ali Sun1
1Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University; Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Laboratory, Beijing, China.
Insights
This vision screening in Tibetan schoolchildren found lower rates of decreased vision and visual impairment compared to other Chinese urban areas. However, poor vision prevalence increased with grade level.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Vision screening is crucial for early detection of visual deficits in children.
- Limited data exists on vision health among school-aged children in the Tibetan Plateau.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the findings of a mandatory vision screening program for primary school students in Lhasa, Tibetan Plateau.
- To determine the prevalence of decreased visual acuity and visual impairment in this population.
Main Methods:
- The Lhasa Childhood vision Screening (LCVS) assessed uncorrected distant visual acuity (UCVA) in 34,848 primary school students.
- Pin-hole corrected visual acuity (PCVA) was measured for those with UCVA < 20/25.
- Definitions for decreased VA and visual impairment (VI) followed American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of decreased VA was 35.6%, and visual impairment (VI) was 4.4%.
- Prevalence of VI was 1.0% for moderate to blindness.
- Decreased VA and VI prevalence increased significantly from grade 1 to grade 6.
Conclusions:
- Tibetan primary school students exhibited a lower prevalence of decreased VA and VI compared to other urban Chinese populations.
- A concerning trend of increasing vision problems was observed with higher grade levels.
Purpose:
Few studies of vision screening in school-aged children were reported in Tibetan Plateau. We herein summarize the results of a mandatory vision screening conducted in young children in the Tibetan Plateau of Southwest China.
Methods:
The Lhasa Childhood vision Screening (LCVS) performed uncorrected distant visual acuity (UCVA) test on primary school students in urban Lhasa from July to September 2019. Pin-hole corrected VA (PCVA) was obtained for individuals with the UCVA less than 20/25. Decreased VA was defined for UCVA based on the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines 2016 (UCVA < 20/32 for over 60 months). Visual impairment (VI), Mild VI, and moderate VI to blindness, defined as a PCVA less than 20/40, less than 20/40 to 20/63 and less than 20/63 in the better eye, respectively.
Results:
Overall, 34,848 children aged 9.03 ± 1.87 years fulfilled the screening with a response rate of 98.5%. 18,412 (52.8%) of the participants were males, and 30,531(87.6%) were Tibetan. The prevalence of decreased VA, VI, Mild VI, and moderate VI to blindness was 35.6%, 4.4%, 3.5%, and 1.0%, respectively. The prevalence of decreased VA in grade 1-6 students was 28.8%, 20.8%, 26.9%, 40.7%, 50.8%, 59.5%, respectively. The prevalence of VI in grade 1 to 6 students was 1.5%, 1.4%, 2.4%, 5.6%, 7.7% and 9.9%, respectively.
Conclusion:
This study documented a relatively low prevalence of decreased VA and VI in Tibetan primary school students than other urban populations in China. An increasing trend of poor vision with grades was found.
