title: The incidence and visual acuity outcomes of children identified with ametropic amblyopia by vision screening.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence of ametropic amblyopia within a vision screening program's population and report the visual acuity outcomes of children identified with the condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of children who underwent vision screening as their first assessment at 4-5 years of age between September 1, 2005 and August 31, 2006, were retrospectively reviewed. Children referred with ≤0.30 logMAR in each eye with at least 1 year of follow-up had their hospital notes reviewed and data on final visual acuity, refractive error, and follow-up period collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 33 children identified as having ametropic amblyopia with a follow-up of at least 1 year. The incidence of ametropic amblyopia was 2%-3.2%, depending on the definition used. The mean visual acuity achieved after treatment was 0.12 logMAR, which is significantly less than the age-appropriate mean of 0.00 logMAR (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ametropic amblyopia responds to treatment, but most children demonstrate persistent reduced visual acuity at age 7 years. The incidence of ametropic amblyopia within a routine vision screening population shows that significant numbers fail to self-present.
authors.affiliation: Orthoptic Department, Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull, United Kingdom. Electronic address: mohammed.maqsud@hey.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Mohammed Aftab
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Maqsud
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Ophthalmology and Orthoptics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom; Orthoptic Department, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Gemma E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Arblaster
mesh_terms: D000550:Amblyopia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005139:Eyeglasses; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000628:therapy; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000628:therapy; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D042262:Retinoscopy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D015351:Vision Screening; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*