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Refractive errors in young children with Down syndrome
J M Woodhouse1, V H Pakeman, M Cregg
1Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Wales-Cardiff, United Kingdom.
Insights
Refractive errors are common in children with Down syndrome (DS). Early childhood reveals a higher prevalence and wider distribution of refractive errors, including astigmatism, in young DS patients compared to controls.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Genetics
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Significant refractive errors are frequently observed in older children and adults with Down syndrome.
- Early detection and intervention are crucial for visual development in children with Down syndrome.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and distribution of refractive errors in infants and young children with Down syndrome.
- To identify the age at which refractive errors become more prevalent in children with Down syndrome compared to controls.
Main Methods:
- Noncycloplegic retinoscopy was performed on 92 participants with Down syndrome, aged 4 months to 12 years.
- Refractive states were analyzed and compared to age-matched control groups.
Main Results:
- Infants with Down syndrome showed refractive error distributions similar to controls.
- A wider distribution and higher prevalence of refractive errors, including astigmatism, were observed in older children with Down syndrome compared to controls.
- These defects were not attributable to strabismus or other ocular pathologies.
Conclusions:
- Refractive errors, particularly astigmatism, increase in prevalence during early childhood in individuals with Down syndrome.
- Ophthalmological monitoring from infancy is essential for early detection and management of visual impairments in children with Down syndrome.
Abstract:
Significant refractive errors are common among older children and adults with Down syndrome. We examined infants and children with Down syndrome to determine the prevalence of these errors at younger ages. Noncycloplegic retinoscopy was used to determine the refractive state of 92 infants and children with Down syndrome, aged 4 months to 12 years. The results for infants show a similar distribution of refractive errors in patients with Down syndrome and an age-matched control group. However, rather than a narrower distribution for the older age groups, as is the case with the controls, the distribution is wider, and the prevalence of refractive errors (including astigmatism) is higher among young children with Down syndrome than among controls. This high prevalence of refractive defects cannot be explained by the presence of strabismus or other pathologies.