Eye care goals for children not being met, study finds

The federal Healthy People 2010 program included three vision objectives for children one industry report claims are not being met.

A Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report summarized results of an analysis undertaken by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that indicated the prevalence of visual impairment and the use of eye care services were significantly higher among children older than 6 years compared with younger children. This varied by race/ethnicity and family income, the report said.

In 2002, when the CDC analysis occurred, the prevalence of reported visual impairment and blindness among children younger than 18 years was 2.5%. For children younger than 6 years, 36.3% were reported to have had their vision tested, and 7.4% had visited an eye care provider in the preceding year. In sharp contrast, the vision objectives of Healthy People 2010 call for a reduction in visual impairment and blindness, an increase in the proportion of preschool children who receive screening and an increase in the use of protective eyewear in recreational activities.

Extrapolating data, the report concluded reducing the number of children with visual impairment and blindness to 20 per 1,000 by 2010 will not be achieved. The percentage of children younger than 6 years who had a vision test was also far below the national health objective target of 52%.

For more details on this study, see the August 15, 2005, issue of Ocular Surgery News U.S. Edition.