Vision photoscreening of infants and young children in a primary care pediatric office: can it identify asymptomatic treatable amblyopic risk factors?

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and accuracy of vision photoscreening a large cohort of asymptomatic children age 6 months to 6 years.

METHODS

Photoscreening was performed at the 6 and 18 months and annually at the 2- to 5-year scheduled pediatric health assessment visits.

RESULTS

A total of 1976 children underwent photoscreening for amblyopic risk factors during an 18-month period; 167 of them (8.5%) screened positive. Of the 94 study children who were evaluated by a pediatric ophthalmologist, 25 required intervention at their initial visit (26.6%). Ten children were diagnosed with amblyopia, representing 0.5% of all children screened.

CONCLUSION

Vision photoscreening of 1976 young children identified 10 with previously undiagnosed amblyopia and an additional 15 with treatable pre-amblyopic risk factors. It is unlikely that any of these children with serious refractive errors would have been detected without the use of in-office vision photoscreening.