Screening for pediatric ophthalmologic disorders

Abstract

The pediatric population has unique ophthalmologic needs. Challenges that are intrinsic to the detection of eye disease in the pediatric population include the vast number of children (nearly 5 million children born in the United States per year), the relatively low number of specially trained doctors (fewer than 2000 active pediatric ophthalmologists in the United States), and the inability of children to describe symptoms that indicate pathology. These difficulties highlight the importance of vision screening in the pediatric population. The ophthalmologic diseases that occur in the pediatric population change with the age of the child. Premature infants are at risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). All neonates are at risk for congenital cataract, glaucoma, and retinoblastoma. The preschool-aged child is at risk for amblyopia, which is typically associated with anisometropia, high bilateral refractive error, or strabismus, whereas the child in elementary school may possess uncorrected bilateral refractive error that decreases acuity. The diversity of disorders in these age groups requires different techniques for screening (Table 6.1). The purpose of this chapter is to review the screening methodologies appropriate to each age group's condition, while highlighting the newer screening technologies. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.