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Prevalence and selected characteristics of childhood vision impairment
Author(s) -
Mervis Cynthia A,
Boyle Coleen A,
YearginAllsopp Marshalyn
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2002.tb00326.x
Subject(s) - visual impairment , epidemiology , metropolitan area , atlanta , near vision , low vision , medicine , psychology , visual acuity , gerontology , optometry , psychiatry , ophthalmology , pathology
The objective of this study was to examine the descriptive epidemiology of vision impairment among 6‐ to 10‐year‐old children in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Children with vision impairment ( n =310; 42% black, 56% white; 57% male, 43% female), defined as a best corrected visual acuity in the better eye of 20/70 or worse, were identified through the Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program. The overall prevalence was 10.7 per 10 000 children. Fifty‐nine percent had low vision; nearly two‐thirds had coexisting disabilities. Educational program varied by vision impairment severity and presence of coexisting disabilities. The common presence of coexisting disabilities emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary services. The inclusion of case ascertainment sources other than vision impairment classes is critical to ensure an accurate prevalence rate and unbiased description of children with vision impairment.