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Spectrum of ocular disease in children aged between 0 and 3 years at an Australian paediatric tertiary hospital |
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| Authors: | Edward Lo-Cao MD Stephanie Crofts BAppSc |
| Institution: | 1. Save Sight Institute, Discipline of Clinical Ophthalmology and Eye Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;2. Department of Orthoptics, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia;3. Save Sight Institute, Discipline of Clinical Ophthalmology and Eye Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Eye Genetics Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Discipline of Genetic Medicine, Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia |
| Abstract: | BackgroundChildhood ocular disease can be a significant health burden to the child, family and society. Previous studies have examined the spectrum of paediatric ocular disease presenting to tertiary hospitals; however, these studies have broader age ranges, smaller sample sizes, and are largely based in developing countries. This study aims to assess the spectrum of ocular disease in the first 3 years of life presenting to the eye department of an Australian tertiary paediatric hospital.MethodsThe records of 3337 children who had their initial presentation at the eye clinic between the age of 0 and 36 months were reviewed, spanning 6.5 years from 1st July 2012 to 31st December 2018.ResultsThe most common primary diagnoses overall were strabismic amblyopia (6.0%), retinopathy of prematurity (5.0%) and nasolacrimal duct obstruction (4.5%). Bilateral visual impairment was more common in younger children, while unilateral visual impairment was more common in older children. The proportion of all children presenting with visual impairment was 10.3%, with 5.7% of all children presenting with bilateral visual impairment and 4.6% presenting with unilateral visual impairment. In children with visual impairment, the most common sites of primary abnormality were lens (21.4%), retina (17.3%), and cerebral and visual pathways (12.1%). The most common primary diagnoses in children with visual impairment were cataract (21.4%), strabismic amblyopia (9.3%) and retinoblastoma (6.5%).ConclusionsThe spectrum of eye disease and vision impairment presenting in the first 3 years of life facilitates health care planning, greater community education about vision impairment and importance of early intervention, and guidance for appropriate resource allocation. Health systems can apply these findings to aid in early identification and intervention to reduce preventable blindness and institute appropriate rehabilitation services. |
| Keywords: | child epidemiology paediatric ophthalmology spectrum of ocular disease tertiary hospital |