title: Pediatric and adolescent population with visual impairment: study of 385 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze data on the pediatric population attending the Ophthalmologic Clinic's Low Vision Service at the São Paulo University Medical School.
  
  
  METHODS
  Low vision ophthalmologic assessment, from April 1998 to December 2003, of 385 children and adolescents with mean age of 7 years; 51.7% males and 48.3% females. The main data analyzed were age, diagnosis, anatomic site of the ocular injury, visual acuity, and prescription of optical aids.
  
  
  RESULTS
  45.4% were below 6 years, and 54.6% were between 6 and 16 years. 35.5% experienced moderate visual impairment, 26% had severe visual impairment, 8.6% had profound visual impairment, 10.6% were near blind, and 1.6% were blind. The main causes of visual impairment included congenital glaucoma (30.6%), macular retinochoroiditis due to congenital toxoplasmosis (16.7%), congenital cataract (12.8%), retinal and macular inherited disorders (11.7%), and optic atrophy (9.8%). Among school-age children, 52.9% received a prescription of optical aids. The most widely used optical aids for distance were 2.8 X 26 (34.4%); 4.2 X 12 (30.3%); and 6 X 17 (26.8%) telescopic systems. The most frequently prescribed optical aid for near vision was the 2x magnifying bar (33.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need for prevention of primary (congenital infections), secondary (congenital glaucoma and retinopathy of prematurity), and tertiary (congenital cataract) visual impairment. The prescription of optical aids for school-age children will help them perform better at school and contribute to their social inclusion.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Clinic, Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo University Medical School, Brazil. maohaddad@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Maria Aparecida Onuki
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.forename: Frederico José Correa
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Lobato
authors.forename: Marcos Wilson
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.forename: Newton
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kara-José
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001766:Blindness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007909:Lenses; D008297:Male; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity