[A study of the visual acuity and amblyopia in infants aged 3 to 5 from El Hierro island].
OBJECTIVE
To discover the prevalence of visual alterations in a static child population, like that of El Hierro island, and to evaluate the efficacy of having infant teachers carrying out visual screening in infants.


METHODS
Infant teachers tested the visual acuity of children between 3 and 5 years of age, and referred those who did not reach a previously established visual level to the Ophthalmology Department of the island's Hospital. There, a complete ophthalmological study was undertaken. Subsequently, a group of children that the teachers considered normal was also checked.


RESULTS
Of the 240 children between 3 and 5 years of age who live on the island, 205 had the visual acuity tested by teachers. It was found that 21 did not achieve the desired visual level for their age. Of these, 9 were truly pathological (6 of them were amblyopes). The other 12 were normal, ophthalmologically speaking. Of the 184 children which the teachers considered normal, 81 were studied in the ophthalmology department. Two children were found to be pathological (2.5% of false negatives), both being slightly myopic. The degree of correlation between the visual acuity taken by the teachers and by the ophthalmologists was r=0.6 and the mean difference was 0.07.


CONCLUSIONS
We believe that infant teachers are a good choice for initial screening of visual abnormalities in infancy. Strategies are being discussed to diminish the high rate of false positives
Pareja Ríos A
Hospital Nuestra Señora de los Reyes, El Hierro, España.
Martínez Piñero A
Abreu Reyes JA
Serrano García M
D000550:Amblyopia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D014792:Visual Acuity