International Vision Screening: Results from Alexandria, Egypt

Abstract

Amblyopia and refractive errors are the two most common causes of visual impairment in young children. Amblyopia usually affects only one eye thus making it difficult for the parents to detect as the child relies on their better sighted eye. The need for early intervention is crucial since the critical period of the visual development is at an early age. Thus, efforts are made to detect and treat those children who require intervention through vision screening programs for school/preschool children who would be missed otherwise. These programs help in detecting amblyopia and refractive errors, but studies on which age they should be performed and the evidence of effectiveness are few. This creates a problem when utilizing human and financial resources especially in limited-income countries. Different protocols have been used in various programs including visual acuity tests, binocular assessment such as using stereoacuity tests, ocular misalignment detection, and color vision assessment. This paper explores the rationale behind commencing a vision screening program in Alexandria Egypt and its results.