Only 14% of US children that get eye exams are 7 years or younger
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Key takeaways:
- Nearly half of pediatric patients receiving eye exams were teenagers, and more than one-third were aged 8 to 12 years.
- In addition, 43.5% of children had more than 0.5 D of myopia in at least one eye.
Children in the U.S. are not receiving timely management for refractive error or ocular conditions, according to research conducted by CooperVision and presented at the 2024 Global Specialty Lens Symposium.
“This abstract sheds light on how underserved children are in eye care, especially the youngest,” lead author Justin Kwan, OD, FAAO, senior manager of myopia management at CooperVision, told Healio. “It also quantifies the opportunity available to all eye care professionals in advancing myopia management as standard of care for their practice and community.”
In a retrospective review, Kwan and colleagues examined data from 70,380 children up to 17 years old who received eye examinations in 2022 at 100 practices across the U.S. Researchers quantified the prevalence of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and premyopia, as well as the proportion undergoing vision screenings and being prescribed contact lenses.
The researchers reported that only 14% of children that received eye exams were aged 7 years or younger, and 43.5% of all children exhibited more than 0.50 D of myopia in at least one eye. More than half (53.2%) of those aged 5 to 12 years had premyopia in at least one eye, and only 15% of all patients had been prescribed contact lenses. Furthermore, approximately one in eight pediatric contact lens prescriptions were intended to slow myopia progression, and about 90% of pediatric contact lens prescriptions were for single-vision lenses.
“Research efforts like these help ECPs deepen their clinical expertise and build confidence in evidence-based treatments,” Francis Erard, CooperVision’s vice president of research and development, said in a related company press release. “In partnership with ECPs worldwide, we are helping to shape the future of optometry and ophthalmology.”
Editor’s note: This article was updated on Sept. 10, 2024, to correct the statistic regarding eye exam rates among young children. Healio regrets the error.
Reference:
- New study on U.S. pediatric eye exams underscores need for early myopia intervention. https://coopervision.com/practitioner/ecp-viewpoints/myopia-management/new-study-us-pediatric-eye-exams-underscores-need. Published Feb. 21, 2024. Accessed Feb. 21, 2024.
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Kwan J, et al. Current trends in pediatric eye examinations and contact lens prescribing in the US. Presented at: Global Specialty Lens Symposium; Jan. 17-20, 2024; Las Vegas.
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