Prevalence and selected characteristics of childhood vision impairment

Abstract

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 10000 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.