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Congenital epiblepharon in Chinese school-age children: a cross-sectional study
Shishu Huang1, Yuanyuan Han1, Xiaoyu Zeng1
1Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Insights
Congenital lower epiblepharon, a condition affecting children, was found to decrease with age. This condition was also linked to higher rates of overweight/obesity and astigmatism in affected children.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Congenital lower epiblepharon is a condition affecting children's eyelids.
- Understanding its prevalence and associated health factors is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of congenital lower epiblepharon in Chinese children.
- To investigate associations between epiblepharon, body mass index (BMI), and refractive errors.
- To compare refractive errors in children with and without epiblepharon.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study screened 28,225 children aged 6-12 in Tianjin, China.
- Examinations included slit-lamp assessment, visual acuity, refraction, and BMI measurement.
- Statistical analysis evaluated the association of epiblepharon with age, sex, BMI, and refractive error.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of epiblepharon was 2.50% in 6-year-olds, decreasing to 1.19% in 12-year-olds.
- Children with epiblepharon showed higher rates of overweight (16.7%) and obesity (47.2%).
- Astigmatism was more prevalent and severe in children with epiblepharon, with a potential association between the severity of both conditions.
Conclusions:
- Epiblepharon prevalence declines with age in school-aged children.
- A significant proportion of children with epiblepharon are overweight or obese.
- Congenital lower epiblepharon is associated with astigmatism in children.
Purpose:
To investigate the prevalence and body mass index (BMI) associations of congenital lower epiblepharon in children in China and the difference in the refractive errors between children with and without epiblepharon.
Methods:
Children 6-12 years of age in Beichen District of Tianjin were screened for congenital epiblepharon from September to October 2017. All children underwent slit-lamp examination, strabismus screening, visual acuity examination and refraction. Weight and height were also recorded. The prevalence of lower epiblepharon in school-age children was evaluated, and its association with age, sex, BMI, and refractive error was analyzed.
Results:
A total of 28,225 children were examined; 564 had epiblepharon. The prevalence of epiblepharon was found to be, for 6-year-olds, 2.50%; for 7-year-olds, 2.13%; for 8-year-olds, 2.10%; for 9-year-olds, 1.97%; for 10-year-olds, 1.85%; for 11-year-olds, 1.67%; and for 12-year-olds, 1.19% (P < 0.05). The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children with epiblepharon was found to be 16.7% and 47.2%, respectively. The prevalence and degree of astigmatism was higher than in nonepiblepharon children. We found a possible association between severity of astigmatism and severity of epiblepharon.
Conclusions:
In our study, the prevalence of epiblepharon decreased with advancing age, and the majority of children with epiblepharon were found to be overweight or obese. Epiblepharon was associated with astigmatism.
