Abstract
The records of 809 students attending Homai College in New Zealand were reviewed. The three major causes of vision loss were congenital cataract (11.0 percent), optic atrophy (9.1 per cent) and albinism (8.8 per cent). The percentage of Homai students with vision loss due to cataract, optic atrophy and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) was lower than that reported in 1978. Males (59.3 per cent) were more commonly affected than females. The three most commonly used visual appliances were spectacles (39 per cent), distance telescopes (25 per cent) and stand magnifiers (9 per cent). The data are compared with other reports from young visually impaired populations. A future role for optometry in the detection of vision loss in New Zealand children is suggested. Further investigation into the aetiology and racial distribution of vision loss in New Zealand children is needed.
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