Binocular Vision Anomalies and Normative Data (Band) In Tamilnadu – Study Design and Methods

Abstract

Purpose: To report the study design and methods of the “Binocular Vision Anomalies and Normative Data” (BAND) study in school children in Tamilnadu. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with an estimated sample size of 936 in rural and urban arms of Tamilnadu. A total of four schools with similar socio-economic factors have been selected in the rural and urban arm and children between 7 and 17 years of age are included based on simple random sampling. All children will undergo an initial screening protocol, followed by comprehensive binocular vision assessment. Children who are asymptomatic and who pass the comprehensive binocular vision assessment protocol will be included in the normative data study and children who fail the binocular vision assessment protocol will be included in the binocular vision prevalence study. Vision therapy will be provided to children with symptomatic BV anomalies and binocular vision assessment will be repeated after vision therapy. The primary objectives are to calculate prevalence estimates of binocular vision (BV) anomalies, and development of normative data. After the prevalence estimates are calculated, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses will be performed for the binocular vision tests to find the tests that have the maximum sensitivity and specificity. After the ROC analyses, re-assessment of prevalence with the minimum test battery will be carried out. Conclusion: This study is expected to provide the prevalence data for binocular vision anomalies in rural and urban Tamilnadu and normative data for binocular vision testing.