Prevalence of visual abnormalities detected through paediatric vision screening in Queensland, Australia

Vision screening programs can provide epidemiological information regarding visual impairment in children. This study aims to report the characteristics of visual abnormalities diagnosed through the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program (PSNHRP) in Queensland, Australia.

A retrospective review of vision screening records from the PSNHRP between January 2017 and December 2020 was undertaken. Children aged between 4 and 7 who underwent vision screening were included for review. Children with a visual acuity of worse than 6/9-1 using the Parr 4 m letter-matching chart or those who failed the SPOT Vision Screener were referred to an optometrist or ophthalmologist for review.

164 890 children underwent vision screening. 12148 children failed visual screening (7.4%) and were referred for an eye assessment. 6011 (69.4%) of the 8659 children who attended ophthalmic review had a confirmed visual abnormality. Of 164 890 screened children, 1187 (0.72%) were confirmed to have anisometropia, 3843 (2.33%) had refractive error, 194 (0.12%) had strabismus, 755 (0.46%) had anisometropic amblyopia, 136 (0.08%) had strabismic amblyopia, and 1356 (0.82%) had an unspecific abnormality. There was no statistically significant difference in the age at screening between any visual abnormality (p = 0.94). Anisometropia, refractive error, and strabismus were significantly more common in females than males (p = 0.03, p < 0.01, and p = 0.03 respectively), whereas anisometropic amblyopia was more common in males (p < 0.01).

We report the prevalence of visual abnormalities detected through the PSNHRP vision screening program. Identification of medical or socioeconomic risk factors that are likely to be associated with visual abnormalities can help to optimise vision screening programs.