Self-reported physical activity in school age children with amblyopia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatrics
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Residual amblyopia is linked to motor skill deficits, including coordination, aiming, balance, and gait.
• The impact of these motor skill challenges on physical activity and overall health in children remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between amblyopia and physical activity levels in children.
• To assess motor skills, athletic competence, functional vision, and BMI in children with amblyopia compared to controls.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 132 children aged 8-13, divided into amblyopic, nonamblyopic, and control groups.
• Participants completed physical activity questionnaires, BMI measurements, motor skills assessments, and functional vision questionnaires.
• Parental ratings of children's physical activity levels were also collected.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in overall physical activity or BMI were found among the three groups.
• Children with amblyopia demonstrated deficits in motor skills, self-perception of athletic competence, and functional vision compared to controls.
• Both child and parent reports indicated light to moderate physical activity levels across all groups.

Conclusions:

• Children with amblyopia exhibit impairments in motor skills, athletic self-perception, and functional vision.
• Despite these challenges, their overall physical activity and BMI are comparable to non-amblyopic and control peers.
• This indicates that amblyopia's impact on physical activity and health may be less pronounced than previously thought.