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Incidence and distribution of ocular disorders in the first year of life
Sasha A Mansukhani1, Cole E Bothun1, Timothy T Xu1
1Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota.
Insights
Eye diseases affect 1 in 5 infants, with conjunctivitis and nasolacrimal duct obstruction being most common. Most infant eye conditions are managed by primary care providers, highlighting the need for resource planning.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Infant eye diseases require understanding of incidence and distribution.
- Olmsted County, Minnesota, provides a defined population for epidemiological study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the incidence and distribution of eye diseases in infants (≤1 year) in Olmsted County, Minnesota.
- To identify common ocular disorders and their management pathways in the first year of life.
Main Methods:
- Population-based, retrospective medical record review of infants (≤1 year) from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2014.
- Analysis of diagnoses, age at diagnosis, sex, and management by primary care versus eye care providers.
Main Results:
- An incidence of 20,242/100,000 births (1 in 4.9 live births) for ocular disorders was observed.
- Most common diagnoses: conjunctivitis (51.5%), nasolacrimal duct obstruction (33.6%), and pseudostrabismus (4.1%).
- Visual acuity deficits occurred in 0.5% of infants, primarily due to strabismus and cerebral visual impairment.
Conclusions:
- Ocular disorders are prevalent in infants, affecting approximately 1 in 5.
- The majority of infant eye conditions are diagnosed and managed by primary care providers.
- Data on incidence and distribution are crucial for effective clinical resource allocation in pediatric eye care.
Purpose:
To describe the incidence and distribution of eye diseases affecting children in the first year of life in Olmsted County, Minnesota.
Methods:
We conducted a population-based, retrospective medical record review of infants (≤1 year of age) residing in Olmsted County diagnosed with an ocular disorder from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2014.
Results:
A total of 4,223 infants were diagnosed with an ocular disorder, yielding an incidence of 20,242/100,000 births per year, or 1 in 4.9 live births (95% CI, 19,632-20,853). The median age at diagnosis was 3 months, and 2,179 (51.5%) were female. The most common diagnoses included conjunctivitis, in 2,175 (51.5%), nasolacrimal duct obstruction, in 1,432 (33.6%), and pseudostrabismus, in 173 (4.1%). Visual acuity was decreased in one or both eyes in 23 (0.5%) infants because of strabismus in 10 (43.5%) and cerebral visual impairment in 3 (13.0%). A majority of the infants (3,674 [86.9%]) were diagnosed and managed by a primary care provider, and 549 (13.0%) were evaluated and/or managed by an eye care provider.
Conclusions:
Although ocular disorders occurred in 1 in 5 infants in this cohort, most conditions were evaluated and managed by primary care providers. Understanding the incidence and distribution of ocular diseases among infants is useful for planning clinical resources.
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