PRESCHOOL VISION SCREENING - A PROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE-EVALUATION

We have reviewed the results of a pilot study of preschool screening b y orthoptists for vision defects which was introduced in Newcastle in 1987. We have compared the visual outcomes, at age 7 years, of childre n who were screened at age 3 years by either orthoptists, health visit ors or general practitioners in three matched, geographically defined cohorts. Manifest, large angle strabismus presented at the same age, a nd in roughly equal numbers in each cohort. Orthoptic screening detect ed many more cases of amblyopia associated with microtropia and anisom etropia, but the overall amblyopia prevalence at age 7 years was simil ar in each cohort. This study does not provide evidence to support the nationwide introduction of primary orthoptic preschool vision screeni ng, and highlights the need for a prospective treatment trial of ambly opia associated with microtropia and anisometropia.