[Severe visual impairment and blindness in children in the past 15 years in county Vas--in the context of Vision 2020].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the causes of severe visual impairment and blindness in children.


METHODS
A retrospective view of data of children under 16 years over a 15 years period, from 1990 to 2004 was performed.


RESULTS
49 visually impaired children were found. The aetiological factors were: congenital anomalies (coloboma iridis, aniridia, coloboma papillae, hypoplasia papillae, albinism, corneal opacities) 7, congenital cataract 4, retinal degenerations (macular degeneration, Stargardt, retinal degeneration, achromatopsia, retinal ablation) 8, retinopathy of prematurity 5, other eye disorders (uveitis chr., glaucoma, retinoblastoma, nystagmus + hypermetropia, myopia) 8, neurological/cerebral diseases (hydrocephalus, tumor, M. Recklinghausen, xanthogranuloma juvenile, meningoencephalitis, unknown) 13 cases. The visual impairment was diagnosed under one year in more than half of the children.


CONCLUSIONS
In the context of Vision 2020 the priorities for action to reduce childhood blindness in our county are: developing neonatal care can reduce ROP and cerebral visual pathway impairment. Prevention of intrauterine infections is an other possibility for the reduction of blindness in children.
Kósa
Eva
E
Vas Megye és Szombathely Megyei Jogú Város Markusovszky Kórháza, Szemészeti Osztály, Szombathely.
Grasselly
Magdolna
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*