Arch Dis Child. Published Online First: 3 August 2007. doi:10.1136/adc.2007.117416
Original articles |
Recent trends in visual impairment and blindness in the UK
1 INSERM U149, France
2 University of Oxford, United Kingdom
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jenny.kurinczuk{at}npeu.ox.ac.uk.
Accepted 22 July 2007
Abstract
Objective:To study recent trends in the cumulative incidence of visual impairment in childhood over a 15 years period and to assess progress against WHO goals for prevention.
Design, setting and participants:Data from a population-based register of visual impairment in south England were used to estimate cumulative incidence and trends in visual impairment (VI) and severe visual impairment/blindness (SVI/BL) for children born 1984-1998. Causes were classified by anatomical site(s), timing of insult(s) and whether potentially preventable or treatable.
Results:Of 691 eligible children 358 (53%) had VI and 323 (47%) SVI/BL. The cumulative incidence of VI to age 12yrs was 7.1 (95%CI 6.4-7.8) per 10,000 live births and for SVI/BL was 6.2 (95%CI 5.6-6.9); the incidence of both decreased significantly over time. There was an inverse relationship with gestational age and birth weight, although the risk of visual impairment associated with prematurity and low birth weight decreased substantially over time. 55% with VI and 77% with SVI/BL had other impairments; the proportion of associated impairments among children with VI decreased over time. 19% (130) of the children have died with over half dying before age five.
Conclusions:There is evidence of a temporal decline in incidence of VI and SVI/BL in births 1984 to 1998 especially in very preterm and low birth weight infants. Early childhood mortality was high. The causes of visual impairment in UK children are numerous, complex and for many are part of a wider picture of childhood disability.
Keywords: blindness, childhood, incidence, trends, visual impairment
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
Relevant Article
-
A brief digest of the December issue
Arch. Dis. Child. 2007 92: e12.[Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]
- Full Text (Rapid PDF)
-
All Versions of this Article:
adc.2007.117416v1
92/12/1099 most recent - Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in ADC Online
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
PubMed
Topic Collections
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
