Vision Problems to Increase in Pre- school Children, Says Report
A new research published in the JAMA Ophthalmology journal, found that visual impairment (VI) in preschool children will increase 26 percent by 2060.
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Vision problems are getting more common in children. Visual impairment (VI) in early childhood can significantly impair development of visual, motor, and cognitive function. Early detection and treatment is critical to correct vision problems. Uncorrected VI can impair child development, interfere with learning, and even lead to permanent vision loss. Pediatric ophthalmologists are trained in children’s eye disorders. They can diagnose, treat, and manage all children’s eye problems. Since documentation is very important in this regard, ophthalmologists and optometrists utilize ophthalmology transcription services for timely medical records. Vision screening is often part of a child's routine pediatric check-ups. According to the American Optometric Association, school-age children need an exam every two years if they have no visual problems. But if your child requires eyeglasses or contact lenses, schedule visits every 12 months. Latest Study on Vision Problems in Children The recent research report from the University Of Southern California (USC) Roski Eye Institute has found that visual impairment in preschool children will increase 26 percent, affecting almost 220,000 children over the next 45 years. The research published in JAMA Network offers a comprehensive look at the prevalence of VI in the U.S. preschool population. The team defines visual impairment (VI) as decreased visual acuity in the better-seeing eye in the presence of an identifiable ophthalmic cause. Key findings are that between 2015 and 2060 – •
Multiracial American children will have the greatest proportional increase (137 percent) in VI cases
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Almost 121, 000 (69%) of visual impairment cases arose from simple uncorrected refractive error, and 43, 000 (25%) from bilateral amblyopia
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Hispanic white children accounted for the highest number of VI cases 66, 000 (37.7% in 2015 and 43.6% in 2060)
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The racial/ethnic group with the second most VI is projected to shift from nonHispanic white children (26.3% in 2015 decreasing to 16.5% in 2060) to African American children (24.5% in 2015 and 22.0% in 2060)
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White American children will have the largest proportional decrease (21 percent)
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The states projected to have the most children with VI over the next few decades are California, Texas and Florida
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Most of the young children ages 3-6 with vision problems today –about 174,000 children – developed this condition from simple uncorrected refractive errors
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By 2060, the number of children aged 3 to 5 years with VI is projected to increase by 26%
This data suggests that the number of preschool children with visual disorders is projected to increase disproportionally, especially among minority populations. The lead author of the study says, "The [current] high proportion of visual impairment that can be easily prevented or treated is astonishing. It means that there is an urgent need to increase vision screening and the awareness of the importance of preschool vision exam.” Documenting Ophthalmology Reports Maintaining clear and accurate medical records is also necessary for proper treatment and follow-up. With a lesser number of pediatric ophthalmologists treating an ever-increasing number of patients, efficient documentation support provided by medical transcription companies is crucial. Ophthalmologists can choose to outsource transcription tasks to an experienced medical transcription company for documenting diverse patient reports and notes including surgical reports, office visits, follow ups, and letters or memos to other specialists or general practitioners.
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