title: Prevalence of eye disorders in young children with eyestrain complaints.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether eyestrain symptoms predict eye conditions in 6-year-old children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reports of eyestrain symptoms were sought in parental questionnaires; 1740 children (79% response) underwent eye examinations (visual acuity, cover testing, cycloplegic autorefraction, and fundus examination).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eyestrain information was available for 1448 children; 220 (15.2%) reported eyestrain symptoms, including 60 (3.4%) who reported near work-associated headaches. Most children (82.3%) had a normal eye examination, while refractive errors, amblyopia, and strabismus were found in 15.0%, 3.6%, and 7.3%, respectively. Corresponding rates for children without eyestrain were 9.9%, 1.4%, and 1.8%, respectively. Moreover, 78.7% of children with refractive errors, 68% with amblyopia, and 58% with strabismus reported no eyestrain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most children complaining of eyestrain had a normal eye examination; whereas most children with refractive error, amblyopia, or strabismus were free of eyestrain, making this complaint a poor marker of eye conditions in young children.
authors.affiliation: University of Sydney, Department of Ophthalmology (Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Hospital), Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenny M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Robaei
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rochtchina
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D001248:Asthenopia / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014787:Vision Tests; D014792:Visual Acuity