Eye Diseases In Children Research Articles

Developmental characteristics and control effects of myopia and eye diseases in children and adolescents: a school-based retrospective cohort study in Southwest China

ObjectivesTo characterise the prevalence of myopia and eye diseases among school adolescents and children in Southwest China, and to evaluate the effectiveness of myopia control tools.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingAcross 95 basic...

The miR-15b-5p/miR-379-3p-FOXO axis regulates cell cycle and apoptosis in scleral remodeling during experimental myopia

BackgroundMyopia is one of the most common eye diseases in children and adolescents worldwide, and scleral remodeling plays a role in myopia progression. However, the identity of the initiating factors and signaling pathways that induce myopia-associated scleral remodeling is still unclear. This study aimed to identify biomarkers of scleral remodeling to elucidate the pathogenesis of myopia.MethodsThe gene expression omnibus (GEO) and comparative toxicogenomics database (CTD) mining were used to identify the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network related to scleral remodeling in myopia. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), Western blot, immunofluorescence, H&E staining, Masson staining, and flow cytometry were used to detect the changes in the FOXO signaling pathway, fibrosis, apoptosis, cell cycle, and other related factors in scleral remodeling.ResultsmiR-15b-5p/miR-379-3p can regulate the FOXO signaling pathway. Confirmatory studies confirmed that the axial length of the eye was significantly increased, the scleral thickness was thinner, the levels of miR-15b-5p, miR-379-3p, PTEN, p-PTEN, FOXO3a, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor 1B (CDKN1B) were increased, and the levels of IGF1R were decreased in Len-induced myopia (LIM) group. CDK2, cyclin D1 (CCND1), and cell cycle block assessed by flow cytometry indicated G1/S cell cycle arrest in myopic sclera. The increase in BAX level and the decrease in BCL-2 level indicated enhanced apoptosis of the myopic sclera. In addition, we found that the levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), collagen type 1 (COL-1), and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were decreased, suggesting scleral remodeling occurred in myopia.ConclusionsmiR-15b-5p/miR-379-3p can regulate the scleral cell cycle and apoptosis through the IGF1R/PTEN/FOXO signaling pathway, thereby promoting scleral remodeling in myopia progression.Graphical

Effects of common eye diseases in children and their treatment measures on ocular surface homeostasis: A review.

Ocular surface homeostasis plays a vital role in maintaining of eye health. Dry eye disease is one of the prominent and typical manifestations of disruption of ocular surface homeostasis that leads to the worsening of ocular surface homeostasis that leads to the worsening of ocular surface disease when it interacts with other pathogenic factors. However, disruption in ocular surface homeostasis in children is often overlooked because of the current methods of assessing ocular surface homeostasis. This review summarizes the main factors affecting ocular surface homeostasis in children, with the aim of drawing the attention of clinicians to the disruption of ocular surface homeostasis in children when dealing with such diseases. Ocular surface homeostasis involves several interrelated components, each of which plays a nonnegligible role in ocular surface homeostasis. Unlike adults, children have a stronger lacrimal gland secretion capacity and milder symptoms when there is a slight disruption of the ocular surface homeostasis. In addition, children's expressive abilities were weaker. Therefore, dry eye in children is often ignored by doctors and parents, and clinicians should pay more attention to the protection of ocular surface homeostasis when treating children with these diseases. Therefore, there is a need for diagnostic criteria for dry eye disease specific to children.

Effective low-cost pediatric vision screening by naive nonophthalmic examiners using the 'Arclight' device.

To explore whether a low-cost ophthalmoscope (Arclight) can be used by naive nonophthalmic examiners to effectively screen for pediatric eye disease. Fifty-four children (108 eyes) were examined by five medical students using an Arclight. Gold standard examination was performed by an ophthalmologist using a slit lamp and indirect ophthalmoscope. Examinations performed included ophthalmoscopy of the optic disc, estimation of the cup-to-disc ratio (CDR), corneal light reflex test (CRT), Bruckner's reflex test (BRT), and evaluation of refractive error. We determined the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the nonophthalmologist's Arclight exam compared to the gold standard findings of comprehensive evaluation by pediatric ophthalmologists. Using the Arclight, the optic nerve exam was successfully completed in 65% of patients. CDRs above and below 0.5 could be determined with 66.7% sensitivity and 84.4% specificity. Arclight CRT measurements were significant (P < .00001) predictors of strabismus, with 80% sensitivity, 95.1%, specificity, 80% PPV, and 95.1% NPV. BRT was not a significant predictor of amblyopia, with a 34.6% sensitivity, 85.7% specificity, 69.2% PPV, and 58.5% NPV. Refractive error was estimated with a success rate of 81% for emmetropia, 38% for myopia, and 21% for hyperopia. The Arclight ease-of-use was rated on average as 4.4 (SD = 0.9) on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the hardest and 5 being the easiest. Our study shows the Arclight as an affordable and effective alternative to the traditional ophthalmoscope for assessing eye disease in children. This device can improve eye health services in under-resourced regions.

Роль федерального учреждения МНТК «Микрохирургия глаза» в работе региональной детской офтальмологической службы.

One of the main tasks of the children’s ophthalmological service in any region is to ensure the availability of high-tech medical care, however, personnel and technological shortages can negatively affect this indicator. Using the resources of a federal specialized clinic at the regional level can help resolve this issue. The goal is to reflect the participation of the federal specialized clinic in the work of the regional children’s ophthalmological service. Material and methods. The data used to assess the state of provision of ophthalmological care to children was taken from the electronic database of medical records of patients who received ophthalmological care at the Kaluga branch of the S. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution in the period from 2017 to 2023. Results. In 2005, a pediatric surgical department was organized at the Kaluga branch of the S. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution. The work of the department’s ophthalmologists is primarily aimed at providing modern surgical treatment for children with various ophthalmological diseases. The leading scientific and practical direction is retinopathy of prematurity. To ensure optimal accessibility of specialized medical care, implementation of a system for early diagnosis and monitoring of the vision status of children, in the fall of 2020, a Children’s Ophthalmological Diagnostic Center (DOC) was opened within the structure of the Kaluga branch of the MNTK. The priority direction of the DOC is the introduction into clinical practice of innovative medical technologies aimed at early detection and formation of stages in the treatment of eye diseases in children and adolescents, and the determination of recommendations for preventive measures. From 2017 to 2023, the volume of ophthalmological care provided by the Kaluga branch of MNTK was within the range of 1,400–3,000 operations per year. Every year, ophthalmological care is provided directly to more than 1000 children at the Children’s Center. In total, over the entire period of operation of the center, conservative treatment was carried out in 3552 cases of amblyopia, myopia and other forms of ametropia, including severe forms. Using the new treatment method, 809 courses of treatment have been carried out at the Amblyokor complex since September 2020. During the work of the Center, 1908 orthokeratology lens sets were selected and issued. In addition to accepting patients living in the Kaluga region, we are actively accepting children from other regions. Conclusion. Thanks to the work of the branch of the MNTK «Eye Microsurgery» in the Kaluga region, the shortage of highly qualified medical personnel is compensated, the effective use of complex and unique diagnostic and treatment equipment is concentrated and implemented, the widespread introduction of progressive treatment methods into practice is ensured, the optimal route for patients is developed, taking into account the structure of medical organizations, participating in the implementation of the program of state guarantees of providing free assistance to the population. It should be noted that ophthalmological care for the children’s population through the Kaluga branch of the S. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution is largely provided at the interregional level, affecting the territories of neighboring regions.

Uveitis and Dry Eye Disease in Children: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study

ABSTRACT Purpose This study aims to evaluate the ocular surface characteristics in children diagnosed with uveitis and explore the association between uveitis and dry eye disease (DED). Methods We included 84 children, 42 with uveitis and 42 healthy children. We performed the OSDI questionnaire and several ocular surface tests, including osmolarity, NITBUT, Schirmer test, and vital staining. We used Fisher’s exact test and Mann-Whitney to compare variables and a binomial logistic regression to determine the factors associated with DED. Results The difference in the prevalence of DED between uveitis (54.8%) and healthy (31%) groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Most patients with uveitis had mixed DED, and none of the healthy subjects had a severe form of the disease. There were no statistically significant differences in most of the tear film tests. However, all parameters tended to worsen in the uveitis group, and lipid layer thickness was thinner (p < 0.036). The uveitis group exhibited significantly more symptoms (p < 0.05). In the multivariate logistic regression, uveitis was associated with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.0 (95% CI: 1.07–8.42, p < 0.05) for DED. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a significantly higher prevalence of DED in children with uveitis compared to their healthy counterparts. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that the risk of DED in pediatric patients with uveitis is threefold higher than in healthy children. Therefore, it is crucial for clinicians to vigilantly monitor the development of DED in pediatric patients with uveitis and consider the implementation of preventive treatments.

Structure of pediatric ophthalmic pathology in Uzbekistan

This study analyzes the structure of eye diseases in children of different age groups based on the materials of the ophthalmology department of the Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute (TPMI) clinic for 2018-2021. A retrospective analysis of statistical coupons was conducted, which included the medical records of 5613 patients of the ophthalmology department of the TPMI clinic. In the age structure of ophthalmopathology in children who received inpatient treatment at the TPMI clinic in 2018-2021, children aged 5 to 14 years (49.5%) and 1 to 5 years (30.7%) were significantly predominant. The proportion of patients under 1 year old was 11.2% and from 14 to 18 years old - 7.5%. Congenital glaucoma (41%) and lens diseases (30.4%) are characteristic of infants (from 0 to 1 year old); in patients aged 1 to 5 years, lens pathology (37%), congenital glaucoma (25.2%), and injuries (24.7%) were more common; in children aged 5 to 14 years, the pathology of the oculomotor apparatus (32%) and injuries (27.7%) prevailed; in the age group from 14 to 18 years, lens diseases (28.4%) and injuries of the organ of vision (28.1%) were detected more often. The revealed age aspects of nosologies are due to the timing of clinical manifestations of the pathology, late seeking ophthalmic care of parents, presence of a concomitant pathology in the child, which prevents surgical treatment. The results of the study will help optimize planned and emergency ophthalmological care for children in the regions of the republic.

On the structure of eye diseases in children leading to blindness or low vision in various countries of the world

The review presents differences in the nosological structure of ophthalmic pathology leading to childhood blindness and low vision in different countries. Worldwide, 1.4 million children are blind, about three quarters of whom live in the poorest regions of Africa or Asia. In lowincome countries, the congenital cataract is one of the leading causes of visual impairment in children, while retinopathy of prematurity is more common in middle-income countries. Uncorrected refractive errors both in children and adults, remain a major cause of visual impairment in all countries. The development of new technologies and quality medical care impacts the structure of blindness and low vision causes, as well as their geographical specificities. The analysis showed that much effort is required from large-scale state programs of prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of children with socially significant eye diseases.

Eye diseases in children in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia): clinical and epidemiological characteristics

Eye diseases in children in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia): clinical and epidemiological characteristics

Evaluation of the incidence and risk factors of ocular disorder in primary school children: a cross-section analysis

Background: School health is an essential part of any public health program. Poor vision in childhood can affect school performance and affect children later in life. Pupils can be affected by various eye diseases such as refractive errors, strabismus, color blindness, eyelid problems and cataracts. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence and risk factors of eye diseases in children aged 6-12 years. Methods: This school-based cross-sectional study selected children aged 6-12 years from December 2018 to March 2019 from 09 primary schools in the Kanpur district. The institutional ethical clearance and appropriate permissions from the school authorities were obtained through the medical officer of Kalyanpur PHC and consent 51 from parents. Results: A total of 2,100 students from 09 different schools, 1,070 boys and 1,030 girls, were tested. The most common eye diseases are myopic astigmatism with 16.6% (348 people), myopic astigmatism with 78.2% (272 people), 192 were against the rule astigmatisms, 80 were with the rule astigmatism astigmatisms, followed by simple myopic with 15.2% (53 people) and hypermetropic astigmatism with 1.7% (6 people). The next most common disease is allergic disease with 1.6% (34). The 1.4% (30) of children have strabismus. Blindness 0.26% (5), colour blindness 0.2% (4); eyelid and adnexal disease 0.13% (3) and cataract 0.03% (1) Conclusions: Eye diseases in school-aged children can be easily detected by regular eye examinations; this research shows that vision deficiency is likely to be affected.

Causes and Pattern of Eye Diseases in Children Attending the Paediatric Eye Unit of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika, Zaria

Aim: The purpose was to determine the causes and pattern of eye diseases in children 0-15 years of age who attended the paediatric unit of the Ophthalmology department Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Shika, Zaria with a view of obtaining data for planning of children eye care. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. All children that met the inclusion criteria were recruited. Subjects had visual acuity assessments as appropriate for age. Anterior segment examination was done using a loupe or slit lamp biomicroscope as appropriate while posterior segment was examined by direct ophthalmoscopy. Manual refraction was done using streak retinoscope (cycloplegic refraction when required). Results: A total of 12,516 patients attended the Ophthalmology out-patient clinic of the hospital during the 30- month study period (May 2014- October 2016), 1,760 old and new patients (14.1%) were patients 0-15 years of age (study population). A total of 448 children were recruited for the study. The male to female ratio M:F was 1.3:1. Allergic conjunctivitis 181 (40.4%), refractive error 42 (9.4%) and infective conjunctivitis 39 (8.7%) were the most common ocular disorders seen. The prevalence of visual impairment was 34.4%. Trauma was the most common cause of uniocular visual impairment. The proportion of blind eyes was 3.1% (n=12). Conclusions: Majority of the ocular disorders seen among the children were treatable causes of visual impairment. Public health education is necessary to create awareness on the causes of blindness. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the ocular disorders with respect to age and gender of the children.

Causes and Pattern of Eye Diseases in Children Attending the Pediatric Eye Unit of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika, Zaria

Aim: The purpose was to determine the causes and pattern of eye diseases in children 0-15 years of age who attended the paediatric unit of the Ophthalmology department Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Shika, Zaria with a view of obtaining data for planning of children eye care. Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. All children that met the inclusion criteria were recruited. Subjects had visual acuity assessments as appropriate for age. Anterior segment examination was done using a loupe or slit lamp biomicroscope as appropriate while posterior segment was examined by direct ophthalmoscopy. Manual refraction was done using streak retinoscope (cycloplegic refraction when required). Result: A total of 12,516 patients attended the Ophthalmology out-patient clinic of the hospital during the 30- month study period (May 2014- Oct. 2016), 1,760 old and new patients (14.1%) were patients 0- 15 years of age (study population). A total of 448 children were recruited for the study. The male to female ratio M: F was 1.3:1. Allergic conjunctivitis 181 (40.4%), refractive error 42 (9.4%) and infective conjunctivitis 39 (8.7%) were the most common ocular disorders seen. The prevalence of visual impairment was 34.4%. Trauma was the most common cause of uniocular visual impairment. The proportion of blind eyes was 3.1% (n=12). Conclusion: Majority of the ocular disorders seen among the children were treatable causes of visual impairment. Public health education is necessary to create awareness on the causes of blindness. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the ocular disorders with respect to age and gender of the children.

Special Issue “Pediatric Eye Disease: Screening, Causes and Treatment”

Clinical manifestations and courses of eye diseases in children are profoundly variable, from minor irritations, pain, infections, inflammations, ocular misalignment, refractive errors and visual impairment, to permanent blindness [...].

Inhibitory effect of miR-138-5p on choroidal fibrosis in lens-induced myopia guinea pigs via suppressing the HIF-1α signaling pathway

Myopia is one of the most common eye diseases in children and adolescents worldwide. Currently, there is no effective treatment in clinical practice. Ocular tissue fibrosis is involved in the development of myopia and this study aimed to investigate the effect of miR-138-5p on choroidal fibrosis in myopic guinea pigs via regulating the HIF-1α signaling pathway. First, guinea pigs were randomly divided into a normal control (NC) group, a lens-induced myopia (LIM) group, a LIM + miR-138-5p-carried Lentivirus treatment (LV) group, and a LIM + miR-138-5p-Vector treatment (VECTOR) group. All animals were induced experimental myopia with a −6.0 diopter lens except those in the NC group. Meanwhile, animals in the LV group were supplemented with 5 μl of miR-138-5p-carried Lentivirus, while those in the VECTOR group were only supplemented with the same volume of miR-138-5p-Vector. After myopia induction for 2 and 4 weeks, the refractive status and other ocular parameters of the guinea pigs were measured. Further, the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, collagen I, hydroxyproline (HYP), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and a-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in choroidal tissues was investigated. Results showed that the refraction and axial length of the experimental myopic guinea pigs increased, and choroid fibrosis aggravated after experimental myopic induction. miR-138-5p can efficiently decrease the refraction and ocular length, and ameliorate the choroidal fibrosis of the experimental myopic guinea pigs via downregulating the fibrosis-related TGF-β1, collagen I, HYP, IL-1β, TNF-α, and α-SMA expression through inhibiting the HIF-1α signaling pathway. Our results provide new insight into controlling myopic development using microRNAs in clinical practice.

Burden and clinical profile of genetic eye diseases in children in Nigeria: a descriptive cross-sectional study.

ophthalmic genetics is rapidly evolving globally but is still nascent in much of sub-Saharan Africa, with gaps in knowledge about the burden in the region. This study evaluated the burden and manifestations of genetic eye diseases in children in Ibadan, Nigeria. this was a hospital-based cross-sectional study in which new and follow-up paediatric eye clinic patients were recruited consecutively at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Children with genetic eye diseases had comprehensive ocular and systemic examinations, and their pedigrees were charted to determine the probable modes of inheritance. The main outcome variables were the proportion of study participants with genetic eye diseases, the probable modes of inheritance, and the clinical diagnoses. Summary statistics were performed using means and standard deviations for numerical variables and proportions for categorical variables. fifty-two (12%) of 444 children had genetic eye diseases, and their mean (SD) age was 88.8 ± 50.4 months. Thirteen different phenotypic diagnoses were made following the evaluation of the 52 children, including primary congenital glaucoma (13, 25%) and familial non-syndromic cataracts (8, 15%). The probable modes of inheritance were derived from the pedigree charts, and 30 (58%) conditions were presumed to be sporadic. this study demonstrated a significant burden and a wide range of paediatric genetic eye diseases in this tertiary referral centre in Nigeria. This information provides invaluable evidence for planning ophthalmic genetic services.

Characteristics of visual function in children with autism complicated with mental retardation

Objective: To explore the characteristics of visual function and eye diseases in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and mental retardation. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. Two hundred and ninety-two cases (584 eyes) of children with ASD combined with mental retardation from 7 special education schools in Chaoyang District of Beijing, including 235 males (80.48%) and 57 females (19.52%); The age ranged from 2 to 18 years old. Subjective far and near vision, near stereoacuity, objective vision, diopter, anterior segment and fundus were examined. In addition, 300 students with normal intelligence level, aged 2 to 18 years, were included as controls. LogMAR was used to record vision examination. Subjective, objective vision and diopter were examined. Mann Whitney U test or Kruskal Wallis H test was used for the data of children with different genders, different age. Results: Among 584 eyes of children with ASD and mental retardation, 272 eyes (47.22%) were ametropia, 260 eyes (45.14%) were astigmatism, 29 eyes (5.03%) were hyperopia, 10 eyes (1.74%) were myopia, and 47 eyes (8.16%) were amblyopia risk factors. Among 292 children, there were 20 cases of strabismus (6.85%), 3 cases of color weakness (1.03%), and 4 cases of external eye abnormalities (1.37%). Two hundred and eleven children completed near stereopsis examination, of which 54 (25.59%) were within 100″ and 157 (74.41%) were within 200″ to 900″. Two hundred and seventy-two eyes with ametropia, 157 eyes (57.72%) needed correction but did not. The median and quartile of subjective and objective logMAR visual acuity were 0.22(0.10, 0.35), 0.10(0.00, 0.22), respectively; There were no significant differences in far visual acuity, near visual acuity, objective visual acuity, diopter, and near stereoacuity between different genders of ASD children with mild or moderate mental retardation (all P>0.05); There was a statistically significant difference in ASD children with mild mental retardation at different age rangs (H=21.453, P<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in subjective tests such as far visual acuity and near visual acuity, for children with moderate mental retardation (Z=-3.508, -4.503; P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in objective visual acuity, diopter and near stereo acuity(all P>0.05). There are 300 healthy children as the control group, with LogMar's subjective far vision is 0.10(0.00, 0.22), and the objective vision is 0.00(0.00, 0.10), diopter 0.25 (-0.25, 0.50) D. Compared with healthy children, ASD children with mental retardation had a significant difference in subjective far vision and objective vision (Z=-8.527, -10.393; P<0.001). There was no significant difference in diopter (Z=-1.274, P=0.203). Conclusions: The subjective and objective visual acuity of children with ASD combined with mental retardation was lower than that of healthy children. The prevalence and uncorrected rate of refractive errors, strabismus, amblyopia and other eye diseases were significantly higher than those of healthy children. Their refractive errors were mainly astigmatism, and the rates of correction and treatment were low.

Effectiveness of hyaluronic acid and arnica extract ophthalmic solution in reducing dry eye symptoms in pediatric population.

to assess the effectiveness of a new combination of topical solution with Hyaluronic Acid 0.2% and arnica extract 0.1% in reducing dry eye symptoms in a population of pediatric patients. 52 pediatric patients (aged 9 to 14 years) with signs and symptoms of dry eyes and allergic conjunctivitis were included in the study. Twenty-six patients were assigned to the Hyaluronic Acid 0.2%/ Arnica extract 0.1% group (Study Group) while 26 patients to the Hyaluronic Acid 0.2% group (Control Group). Clinical signs and symptoms were assessed at baseline and at week 4. The assessment plan included: slit-lamp examination, tear film break up time (TBUT), Schirmer's test and conjunctival hyperemia score. Ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score was used to evaluate subjective symptoms of dry eye disease. Both treatment groups showed improvements in the estimated clinical parameters after treatment. OSDI score was significantly lower in both treatment groups (Study group p = 0.02; Control group p = 0.04) at the end of the follow up period. Improvements in TBUT, Schirmer's test results and conjunctival hyperemia were statistically significant only in the Study group (p = 0.021; p = 0.03; p < 0.01 respectively). Preliminary findings suggest that combined topical Hyaluronic Acid 0.2% and arnica extract 0.1% can be effective in reducing symptoms and signs of dry eye disease in children.

Association of Mood Disorders, Substance Abuse, and Anxiety Disorders in Children and Teens With Serious Structural Eye Diseases

We sought to evaluate the association between 5 eye diseases (including glaucoma, cataract, congenital optic nerve disease, congenital retinal disease, and blindness/low vision) and mental illness in a pediatric population. Cross-sectional study. A de-identified commercial insurance claims database, OptumLabs Data Warehouse, between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2018, was used. Children and teens less than 19 years of age at the time of eye diagnosis were included. Demographics and mental illness claims were compared, looking at the association of mental illness and eye disease claims. A total of 11,832,850 children and teens were included in this study with mean age of 8.04 ± 5.94 years at the first claim. Of the patients with at least 1 of the 5 eye diseases (n=180,297), 30.5% had glaucoma (n=54,954), 9.5% had cataract (n=17,214), 21.4% had congenital optic nerve disease (n=38,555), 26.9% had congenital retinal disease (n=48,562), and 25.9% had blindness or low vision (n=46,778). There was a statistically significant association, after adjusting for confounding variables, between at least 1 of the 5 eye diseases and schizophrenia disorder (OR=1.54, 95% CI=1.48-1.61, P < .001), anxiety disorder (OR=1.45, 95% CI=1.43-1.48, P < .001), depressive disorder (OR=1.27, 95% CI=1.25-1.29, P < .001), and bipolar disorder (OR=1.27, 95% CI=1.21-1.31, P < .001), but a reversed association with substance use disorder (OR=0.88, 95% CI=0.86-0.90, P < .001). We found associations between eye disease in children and teens and mental illness. Understanding these relationships may improve mental illness screening and treatment in the pediatric population.

Eye disorders spectrum: a tertiary hospital pediatric ophthalmology clinic based in Ethiopia

BackgroundEpidemiological studies to determine the pattern of eye disorders among children are important for proper health care planning and management. This study aimed to document the spectrum and frequency of eye diseases in children who attended the pediatric ophthalmology clinic of a tertiary teaching hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.MethodsA cross-sectional and convenient sample of 1237 male and female children (16 years and below) with ocular disorders presenting for the first time and those children with a settled diagnosis coming for a follow-up visit between June 1, 2018, and May 31, 2019, were included in the study. Data on presentation age, sex, and diagnosis were collected and analyzed. Eye disorders were classified into various categories. Children were grouped into four age groups. Ratios, percentages, and chi-square associations were calculated. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsOf the children, 60% were male. The mean age (standard deviation) of the children was 4.26 (± 4.1) years. Patients aged 0– < 6 years old were the largest group, constituting 70.5%. Ocular motility imbalances were the most common ocular disorders seen (32.8%), followed by childhood cataract (18.4%) and infection and inflammation of the eye and adnexa (8.3%). Ocular motility imbalances were observed more frequently and statistically significantly (p < 0.001) in children aged 1- < 6 years. Within the childhood cataract category, congenital cataracts were more prominent (7.1%). Within the infection and inflammation category, corneal/scleral infections were more common (3.7%).ConclusionsThe study highlights common eye disorders seen in children in a specialized hospital ophthalmic clinic. Ocular motility imbalance, childhood cataracts, infection and inflammation of the eye and adnexa were the most commonly occurring disorders. Early presentation was common, and males were more affected than females.

Parents' Awareness and Perception of Children's Eye Diseases in Madinah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundThe visual system becomes more susceptible to conditions causing abnormal binocular interaction or blurred visual input as it matures during the first six years of life. Therefore, detection and treatment of visual impairment at a young age can lower the burden of the condition in adulthood. According to estimates, there are 19 million children worldwide with visual impairment, and 1.4 million children suffer from blindness. One of the strategies to address blinding eye conditions and visual impairment is through health promotion. For children, the efficient way of intervention is through parents and their school environment. Therefore, the establishment of an effective health promotion model for addressing childhood blindness requires awareness building of parents and health care practices. Few studies were undertaken in Saudi Arabia to focus on the awareness of parents about childhood eye diseases and visual impairment. The aim of this study is to assess parents’ awareness and perception of children’s eye diseases in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, from January to December 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was randomly distributed to parents of children aged 15 and younger via WhatsApp. The survey consisted of four main sections: socio-demographic data, knowledge about eye care, knowledge about eye diseases, and eye care practice.ResultsThe knowledge about eye diseases in children was of excellent grade in 20 parents (3.6%), good in 101 (18.2%), and poor in 434 (78.2%). Knowledge was good in 287 parents (51.7%) for amblyopia, 65 (11.7%) for childhood cataract, and 69 (12.4%) for childhood glaucoma. The attitude regarding children wearing spectacles and undergoing ophthalmic surgery when needed was positive in 427 (76.9%) and 474 (85.4%) parents, respectively. Over half of the participants (58.6%) had visited an ophthalmology clinic for the examination of their children. Doctors, campaigns, and social media were the preferred modes of receiving knowledge. Participants aged 51 years or over (p = 0.022), with a higher income level (p = 0.004), of Saudi origin (p = 0.036), and those with a child with an eye disease (p = 0.001) had significantly higher knowledge scores about childhood eye diseases.ConclusionThe levels of knowledge, practice, and attitude among parents regarding pediatric eye diseases were unsatisfactory. Health promotion through utilizing parents’ preferred modes of media could improve the eye care of children in the study area.