Does amblyopia affect educational, health, and social outcomes? Findings from 1958 British birth cohort.
OBJECTIVE
To determine any association of amblyopia with diverse educational, health, and social outcomes in order to inform current debate about population screening for this condition.


METHODS
Comparison of 8432 people with normal vision in each eye with 429 (4.8%) people with amblyopia (childhood unilateral reduced acuity when tested with correction and unaccounted for by eye disease) from the 1958 British birth cohort, with respect to subsequent health and social functioning.


RESULTS
No functionally or clinically significant differences existed between people with and without amblyopia in educational outcomes, behavioural difficulties or social maladjustment, participation in social activities, unintended injuries (school, workplace, or road traffic accidents as driver), general or mental health and mortality, paid employment, or occupation based social class trajectories.


CONCLUSIONS
It may be difficult to distinguish, at population level, between the lives of people with amblyopia and those without, in terms of several important outcomes. A pressing need exists for further concerted research on what it means to have amblyopia and, specifically, how this varies with severity and how it changes with treatment, so that screening programmes can best serve those who have the most to gain from early identification.
Rahi
J S
JS
Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH. j.rahi@ich.ucl.ac.uk
Cumberland
P M
PM
Peckham
C S
CS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000550:Amblyopia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008603:Mental Health; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology