Abstract
Purpose: :
The aim of this study is to explore the impact of amblyopia and strabismus on childhood development and quality of life in young Chinese children and their parents.
Methods: :
3009 children aged 6-72months were enrolled in the Strabismus, Amblyopia and Refractive error in Singapore preschoolers (STARS) study. Children were screened for strabismus using cover test. Vision was tested with LogMAR or Sheridan-Gardiner charts in children ≥30months (n=1741), and amblyopia was defined using a combination of visual acuity and refractive error, strabismus or past/present ocular occlusion. Parents of children aged ≥25months (n=1938) were interviewed to determine their children developmental problems (i.e. general development, speech, comprehension, fine/gross motor skills, behavior, social functioning and learning/preschool skills).General health-related quality of life (GHRQoL) was measured using the parental-proxy Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL4).
Results: :
1926 (99.4%) of the 1938 children >25months could be assessed by the cover-test, 22 (1.1%) of whom had strabismus (18 exotropia, 3 esotropia and 1 dissociated-vertical deviation). 1458 (83.7%) of the 1741 children >30months cooperated with visual assessments; 19 (1.3%) of whom had amblyopia. There was no difference in any child development parameter except for comprehension which parents felt was poorer in strabismic children (OR 5.61 95%CI 1.37-28.7, p=0.02) after adjusting for gender, age and past admission to neonatal intensive care unit. Mean PedsQL4 physical health, psychological and total scores were 98.0 (SD 4.8), 95.6 (SD 6.8) and 96.5 (SD 5.4), respectively. There was no significant difference in PedsQL4 scores between those with and without amblyopia or strabismus.
Conclusions: :
There were no differences in quality of life measures in young children with and without amblyopia or strabismus. However, parents of children with strabismus were more likely to report problems in comprehension.
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: outcomes/complications • strabismus • amblyopia