Ophthalmic disorders in children with Down syndrome.

The goal of this study was to determine the frequency of ophthalmic disorders in a group of young children with Down syndrome who were unselected for ophthalmic abnormalities, and to determine whether examination by a pediatric ophthalmologist should become standard practice. Of 77 children referred to a Down syndrome clinic at a teaching hospital and evaluated by a pediatric ophthalmologist, 61 per cent had ophthalmic disorders needing treatment and monitoring. Furthermore, the percentage of children with ophthalmic disorders increased with age, from 38 per cent in the two- to 12-month-old group to 80 per cent in the five- to 12-year-old group. The authors conclude that children with Down syndrome should be evaluated by a pediatric ophthalmologist in the first six months of life and annually thereafter.