The Burden of Pediatric Visual Impairment and Ocular Diagnoses in Barbados

Kirsten Da Silva, Michelle Dowell, Eleonore J. Savatovsky, Dawn Grosvenor, David Callender, Michael H. Campbell, Ian Hambleton, Elizabeth A. Vanner, Alana L. Grajewski and Ta Chen Chang ()
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Kirsten Da Silva: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Michelle Dowell: Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown BB11000, Barbados
Eleonore J. Savatovsky: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Dawn Grosvenor: Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown BB11000, Barbados
David Callender: Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown BB11000, Barbados
Michael H. Campbell: Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown BB11000, Barbados
Ian Hambleton: Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown BB11000, Barbados
Elizabeth A. Vanner: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Alana L. Grajewski: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Ta Chen Chang: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 16, 1-11

Abstract: Visual impairment (VI) negatively affects a child’s quality of life. The prevalence of VI in the Caribbean is nearly three times higher than in the United States, but the causes remain uncertain. This study leverages Barbados’ unique eye care system to survey the eye diseases and VI prevalence in Barbadian children. Medical records of all patients aged <19 years who received ophthalmic care in Barbados’ two public eye care centers between January and December 2019 were reviewed, capturing the entirety of public pediatric eye care within the study period. Age at the first visit to the clinic and at the final visit in 2019, sex, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), past medical history, and clinical diagnoses were extracted and analyzed. VI was defined as a BCVA of 6/12 or worse in the better-seeing eye. There were 3278 patient records with a mean age at the first visit of 7.8 ± 3.9 years. There were 80 (2.4%) children with VI, 62.5% of which were attributed to amblyopia. A total of 94% of VI was preventable or treatable. The most common diagnoses were refractive error (87.5%), strabismus (27.5%), and allergic eye disease (20.0%). Amblyopia is the major cause of pediatric VI in Barbados and is largely avoidable.

Keywords: amblyopia; pediatrics; visual impairment; vision; blindness; refractive error; strabismus; public health; Caribbean (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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