title: Children referred for pleoptic treatment. A survey on aspects considering referral for examination, role of screening programmes, previous therapy and compliance.
abstract: The patient histories of 53 unselected children referred for pleoptic treatment were evaluated. The age of the patients ranged from 7 to 12 years, and the mean age was 8.8 years. Information concerning the history was obtained from a questionnaire answered by the parents. The data concerning the ocular conditions were available in the case records. In 83% of the children the diagnosis of functional amblyopia had already been made before school age. During the first 3 years of life altogether 38% were diagnosed outside of routine screening programmes. When the children caught by screening were added, the proportion of those diagnosed before the age of four was 45%. The practice of referring patients from the child health center to the ophthalmological examination was unsatisfactory in some children (19%). Poor compliance was noted still more often (at least in 58%). Occlusion therapy had been used by 92% of the children, and in 42% alternating complete occlusion had been prescribed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Somersalo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erkkilä
mesh_terms: D000550:Amblyopia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012572:School Health Services