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Cross-sectionalOphthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2026

Causes of Reduced Vision in Australian Children.

Mythili Ilango, Kathryn Ailsa Rose, Felicia Christabelle Adinanto, Amanda Nicole French

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OphthalmologyCross-sectional

Myopia became the dominant cause of reduced vision in older children

Causes of Reduced Vision in Australian Children.

Mythili Ilango … Amanda Nicole French

Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2026

Purpose

To determine the prevalence and causes of reduced vision in childhood.

Methods

Cross-sectional analysis included five cohorts aged; 3-5 years old (n = 986) from the Sydney Paediatric Eye Disease Study (Sydney Paediatric Eye Disease Study), 6 years (n = 1739) and 12 years (n = 2345) from the Sydney Myopia Study (Sydney Myopia Study) and the 5 year follow-up of Sydney Myopia Study at 12 years (n = 1111) and 17 years (n = 1649) in the Sydney Adolescent and Vascular Eye disease Study (SAVES).

n = 986

Results

over 80%

in older kids, nearsightedness explained most vision problems, far more than other causes

n = 986

More results

The overall prevalence of reduced vision based on unaided visual acuity increased with age from 4.5% in Sydney Paediatric Eye Disease Study 3-5 year olds to 17.7% in SAVES 17 year olds (p < 0.001).

The proportion of reduced vision caused by refractive error, amblyopia, strabismus and pathology also varied between cohorts.

More results

In the younger cohorts, amblyopia accounted for 21% of Sydney Paediatric Eye Disease Study 3-5 year olds and 28% of Sydney Myopia Study 6 year olds with reduced vision.

There was a substantial decline in the proportion of reduced vision attributed to amblyopia in the older cohorts, while refractive error increased.

“

Conclusion

Targeted preschool screening for amblyopia is supported as it occupied a higher proportion of the younger ages. Community education to promote wearing glasses in adolescence for those with myopia is warranted.

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Causes of Reduced Vision in Australian Children.

Myopia became the dominant cause of reduced vision in older children

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