Refractive Error Study in Children: Results from La Florida, Chile
AUTHOR:
Maul, E., Barroso, S., Munoz, S.R., Sperduto, R.D. and Ellwein, L.B.
SPONSOR/INSTITUTION:
YEAR PUBLISHED:
2000
PUBLICATION:
American Journal of Ophthalmology
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of refractive errors and vision impairment in school-age children in a suburban area of Santiago, Chile.
A total of 6998 children from 3830 households were randomly selected, and 5,303 children (75.8%) were examined.
The prevalence of uncorrected, presenting, and best visual acuity 0.50 (20/40) or worse in at least one eye was 15.8%, 14.7%, and 7.4%, respectively.
3% participants had best visual acuity 0.50 or worse in both eyes.
Refractive error was the cause in 56.3% of the 1,285 eyes with reduced vision, amblyopia in 6.5%.
Hyperopia 2.00 diopters or greater decreased from 22.7% to 7.1% in males and from 26.3% to 8.9% in females.
Females had a significantly higher risk of hyperopia than males.
Refractive error, associated primarily with myopia, is a major cause of reduced vision in school-age children in La Florida.
This article was identified as a reference for a VII-commissioned systematic review on the Impact of URE on Children.