Purpose: To determine the incidence of ophthalmologic disorders in children with autism and related disorders.
Design: Retrospective chart review. Four hundred and seven children diagnosed with autism or a related disorder between 1998 and 2006. one hundred and fifty-four of these children completed a comprehensive ophthalmology exam by a pediatric ophthalmologist.
Results: Ophthalmologic pathology was found in 40% of patients with autism or a related disorder with 29% having significant refractive errors, 21% demonstrating strabismus, and 10% having amblyopia.
Conclusions: Children with autism or a related disorder will frequently have an ophthalmologic abnormality. Since cooperation with vision screening is understandably limited in these children, a comprehensive eye examination by a pediatric ophthalmologist is recommended for all such children.