• Humans
• Infant, Newborn
• Vision Disorders/diagnosis
• Vision Disorders/etiology
• Vision Disorders/therapy
• Neonatal Screening/methods

• abnormal ocular findings
• retinal hemorrhages
• retinal white lesions
• smartphone-based imaging system

• blind
• child
• infant
• management
• severe vision impairment

• Humans
• Blindness/diagnosis
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Vision, Low/rehabilitation
• Vision, Low/diagnosis

• Ethiopia
• Low birth weight
• Preterm children
• Refractive error
• Retinopathy of prematurity
• Risk factors of visual impairment
• Strabismus
• Sub-Saharan Africa
• Visual Impairment

• Humans
• Infant, Newborn
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Infant
• Amblyopia/diagnosis
• Amblyopia/epidemiology
• Prevalence
• Prospective Studies
• Ethiopia/epidemiology
• Refractive Errors/complications
• Refractive Errors/epidemiology
• Vision, Low
• Strabismus/epidemiology
• Retinopathy of Prematurity/epidemiology
• Retinopathy of Prematurity/diagnosis

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

• Male
• Infant
• Humans
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Smartphone
• Deep Learning
• Eye
• Health Personnel
• Vision Disorders/diagnosis

• G0701386 Medical Research Council
• G1002570 Medical Research Council
• BRC-1215-20014 Department of Health
• NIHR301696 Department of Health

• CVI inventory
• Glass pattern
• Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
• cerebral visual impairment (CVI)
• cortical visual impairment (CVI)
• face recognition
• ventral stream dysfunction
• visual perception

• Infant, Newborn
• Humans
• Retinopathy of Prematurity/epidemiology
• Pandemics
• COVID-19/epidemiology
• Hospitals
• India/epidemiology

• R01 EY019474 NEI NIH HHS

• Blindness/congenital
• Female
• Genetic Diseases, X-Linked
• Humans
• Infant, Newborn
• Nervous System Diseases
• Premature Birth
• Retinal Degeneration
• Retinal Detachment
• Retrospective Studies
• Spasms, Infantile
• Tomography, Optical Coherence/methods
• Visual Acuity

• children
• habilitation
• visual impairment
• visual stimulation

• COVID-19 pandemic
• amblyopia
• irreversible blindness
• ophthalmology
• pediatric-eye care
• visual impairment

• Leukocoria
• Newborn
• Pediatric examination
• Prevention
• Red eye reflex
• Visual screening

Ocular morphogenesis in vertebrates is a highly organized process, orchestrated largely by intrinsic genetic programs that exhibit stringent spatiotemporal control. Alternations in these genetic instructions can lead to hereditary or nonhereditary congenital disorders, a major cause of childhood visual impairment, and contribute to common late-onset blinding diseases. Currently, limited treatment options exist for clinical phenotypes involving eye development. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of early-onset ocular disorders and highlights genetic complexities in development and diseases, specifically focusing on coloboma, congenital glaucoma and Leber congenital amaurosis. We also discuss innovative paradigms for potential therapeutic modalities.

• Congenital disorders
• Eye organogenesis
• Ocular diseases
• Retinal development
• Therapy
• Vision impairment

• Child
• Eye/embryology
• Eye/metabolism
• Eye Diseases, Hereditary/genetics
• Eye Diseases, Hereditary/pathology
• Eye Diseases, Hereditary/therapy
• Genetic Therapy/methods
• Humans
• Molecular Targeted Therapy/methods
• Stem Cell Transplantation/methods

• ZIA EY000450 Intramural NIH HHS
• ZIA EY000546 Intramural NIH HHS

• ROP
• Retinopathy of prematurity
• anterior segment disease
• genetic disease/congenital abnormalities
• paediatric ophthalmology
• retina
• telemedicine

• Neurodevelopment
• Preterm
• Retinopathy
• Visual function

• cataracts
• congenital
• fetal
• pregnancy
• ultrasound

• Blind students
• cataract
• glaucoma
• low-vision aid
• refractive error
• retinopathy of prematurity

To determine the frequency of ocular diseases in infants visiting the ophthalmology department of a tertiary care hospital.

This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in the department of ophthalmology, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, from January 2015 to May 2016. The study included 377 infants ranging in age from 1 day to less than 1 year who were, selected by a nonprobability consecutive sampling technique. A detailed history was taken, and a complete ocular examination was performed. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the mean and standard deviation for age. Frequencies were calculated for ocular diseases along with the percentages. Outcome variables included various congenital and acquired diseases such as conjunctivitis, congenital cataract, glaucoma, nasolacrimal duct blockage, squint, trauma, and fundus abnormalities.

The mean age of infants was 5.0 ± 3.7 months. There were 196 (52%) males and 181 (48%) females. The sample included 330 (87.5%) full term infants. Acquired ocular diseases occurred in 230 (61%) infants; and congenital diseases, in 147 (39%). The most common ocular disease was conjunctivitis, which occurred in 173 (46%) infants, followed by congenital blocked nasolacrimal duct, which occurred in 57 (15 %) infants. Conjunctivitis was more common among neonates than infants.

Acquired ocular diseases were more common than congenital ocular diseases. The most common ocular pathology was conjunctivitis, followed by congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction, in infants. Conjunctivitis was more common in neonates than infants.

• Conjunctivitis
• Diseases
• Infant
• Newborn infant

• DKK
• Eye development
• Hedgehog
• Lens
• Retina
• WNT
• β-CATENIN

• early child development tools
• health systems
• low and middle income countries
• maternal, newborn and child health
• metrics

• Age Factors
• Child Development
• Child Health Services/organization & administration
• Child Health Services/standards
• Child, Preschool
• Humans
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Models, Theoretical
• Outcome Assessment, Health Care/organization & administration
• Outcome Assessment, Health Care/standards

• 001 World Health Organization
• Bernard van Leer Foundation

• Apoptosis
• Ocular developmental toxicity
• Reactive oxygen species
• Trimethyltin chloride
• Zebrafish

• Animals
• Apoptosis/drug effects
• Embryonic Development/drug effects
• Eye/drug effects
• Eye/embryology
• Eye/growth & development
• Gene Expression Profiling
• Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism
• Trimethyltin Compounds/adverse effects
• Water Pollutants, Chemical/adverse effects
• Zebrafish/embryology

• multi-professional team
• neuro-oncology
• neurofibromatosis
• optic pathway glioma
• qualitative

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a neurovascular complication in preterm babies, leading to severe visual impairment, but the underlying mechanisms are yet unclear. The present study aimed at unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of ROP. A comprehensive screening of candidate genes in preterms with ROP (n = 189) and no-ROP (n = 167) was undertaken to identify variants conferring disease susceptibility. Allele and genotype frequencies, linkage disequilibrium and haplotypes were analyzed to identify the ROP-associated variants. Variants in CFH (p = 2.94 × 10⁻⁷), CFB (p = 1.71 × 10⁻⁵), FBLN5 (p = 9.2 × 10⁻⁴), CETP (p = 2.99 × 10⁻⁵), and CXCR4 (p = 1.32 × 10⁻⁸) genes exhibited significant associations with ROP. Further, a quantitative assessment of 27 candidate proteins and cytokines in the vitreous and tear samples of babies with severe ROP (n = 30) and congenital cataract (n = 30) was undertaken by multiplex bead arrays and further validated by western blotting and zymography. Significant elevation and activation of MMP9 (p = 0.038), CFH (p = 2.24 × 10⁻⁵), C3 (p = 0.05), C4 (p = 0.001), IL-1ra (p = 0.0019), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (p = 0.0027), and G-CSF (p = 0.0099) proteins were observed in the vitreous of ROP babies suggesting an increased inflammation under hypoxic condition. Along with inflammatory markers, activated macrophage/microglia were also detected in the vitreous of ROP babies that secreted complement component C3, VEGF, IL-1ra, and MMP-9 under hypoxic stress in a cell culture model. Increased expression of the inflammatory markers like the IL-1ra (p = 0.014), MMP2 (p = 0.0085), and MMP-9 (p = 0.03) in the tears of babies at different stages of ROP further demonstrated their potential role in disease progression. Based on these findings, we conclude that increased complement activation in the retina/vitreous in turn activated microglia leading to increased inflammation. A quantitative assessment of inflammatory markers in tears could help in early prediction of ROP progression and facilitate effective management of the disease, thereby preventing visual impairment.

• abnormal angiogenesis
• alternative complement pathway
• cytokines
• genetics
• inflammation
• microglia/macrophage
• premature birth
• retina

Visual impairment is a significant loss of vision. It has an impact on the prosperity of different countries. It has been difficult to plan preventive measures against visual impairment due to the scarcity of data about the extent of the problem.

The study was aimed at assessing the prevalence and identifying factors associated with visual impairment among school-age children in Ethiopia.

A cross-sectional study design was used in four randomly selected schools found in Addis Ababa from May 15 to June 14, 2016. A total of 804 school-age students were selected using the simple random sampling method. Bivariable logistic regression and multivariable logistic regression were conducted. A p-value <0.05 was taken as a significant association.

A total of 718 students participated in the study, obtaining a response rate of 89.3%. In all, 7.24% of school-age children were visually impaired, of whom 3.9% had low vision and 3.34% had severe visual impairment. Factors associated with visual impairment were being female (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06–3.50), being in the age group of 10–13 years (AOR, 2.94; 95% CI, 1.36–6.22), being in the age group of 14–18 years (AOR, 4.06; 95% CI, 2.17–11.95), being a private school student (AOR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.81–4.41), watching television for 2–4 hours/day (AOR, 3.56; 95% CI, 1.37–7.34), watching television at <1 m (AOR, 7.65; 95% CI, 2.59–34.61), watching television at 1–2 m (AOR, 6.89; 95% CI, 1.74–25.27), mobile exposure for 2–4 hours/day (AOR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.35–4.58), mobile exposure for >4 hours/day (AOR, 3.05; 95% CI, 1.41–9.18), medical visit while experiencing symptoms (AOR, 11.32; 95% CI, 1.80–82.25) and no medical visit experience (AOR, 3.84; 95% CI, 0.46–31.76).

The majority of the visually impaired school-age children had low vision. Sex, age, school type, television exposure duration, the distance of television exposure, mobile exposure and medical visit were factors associated with visual impairment. Increasing community awareness about early detection of visual impairment and providing affordable eye health service may decrease the prevalence of visual impairment.

• Adama
• amblyopia
• children
• visual impairment

• Telemedicine
• newborn eye screening
• ophthalmic imaging
• remote digital fundus imaging
• retinopathy of prematurity
• universal screening
• wide-field fundus photography

• Adolescent
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Community-Institutional Relations
• Developing Countries
• Female
• Guatemala
• Humans
• Infant
• Male
• Medical Missions/organization & administration
• Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures
• Patient Care Team/organization & administration
• Pediatrics
• Strabismus/surgery
• Vulnerable Populations

Neonatal conjunctivitis is associated with poor prenatal care worldwide.

Data on neonatal conjunctivitis is scarce in Malawi. This study describes risk factors associated with conjunctivitis in neonates born in a large tertiary care hospital in Blantyre, Malawi.

Medical records of a retrospective cohort of 231 neonates diagnosed with conjunctivitis from January 2006 to December 2009 at a large tertiary hospital in Malawi were reviewed. All subjects were clinically diagnosed with ophthalmia neonatorum. Data were collected on patient demographics and clinical features. The frequencies were calculated of various risk factors in neonates with ophthalmia neonatorum and their mothers as well as the treatments administered.

Mean age of the mother was 23.45 years (range, 15-40 years), and the mean number of previous deliveries was 2.3 (range, 1-7) children. Nearly, 80% of mothers delivered preterm infants via spontaneous vaginal delivery. The mean birth weight of neonates was 2869.6 grams (1100-5000 grams). Among mothers, premature rupture of membranes was the leading risk factor (24%) followed by sepsis during labor (9%), and history of sexually transmitted infections (STI) (7%). Neonates presented with low Apgar scores (19%), fever (8%), and/or meconium aspiration (5%). Providers treated patients empirically with a varied combination of benzyl penicillin, gentamicin, tetracycline eye ointment, and saline eye wash. Tetracycline with a saline eyewash was used frequently (34%) compared with combinations of benzyl penicillin and gentamicin.

Improving prenatal care to reduce sepsis, traumatic deliveries, and early diagnosis of STI with appropriate treatment may potentially reduce vertical transmission of neonatal conjunctivitis in this understudied population.

• Neonatal Conjunctivitis
• Ophthalmia Neonatorum
• Prenatal Care
• Risk Factors
• Vertical Transmission

To investigate cycloplegic refraction and ocular alignment in a population of preterm children at 1 and 6 years old.

We included 261 preterm infants with a birth weight ≤1,500 g and a gestational age ≤32 weeks; there were 217 preterm infants (group 1), 28 preterm infants with mild retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (group 2), and 16 preterm infants affected by severe ROP (group 3). Each patient underwent retinoscopy, ocular alignment assessment, and fundus examination at 1 and 6 years old.

The prevalence of refractive errors and ocular alignment abnormalities at 1 year old in groups 2 and 3 compared to group 1 were, respectively (P<0.05): myopia 18% and 40.6% versus 6.9%; hyperopia 28.6% and 22% versus 39.2%; astigmatism 53.4% and 37.4% versus 53.9%; and strabismus 12.5% and 38% versus 5.3%. At 6 years old, they were, respectively (P<0.05): myopia 10.8% and 28.4% versus 7.4%; hyperopia 48.3% and 40.5% versus 62%; astigmatism 40.9% and 31.1% versus 30.6%; and strabismus 25% and 56.25% versus 11.5%.

At 6 years old, we observed increased rates of both hyperopia and strabismus in all groups compared to 1-year-old children. In preterm children with mild and severe ROP, we recorded increased rates of myopia and strabismus versus preterm children without ROP, and the risk of developing these disorders increased significantly with ROP severity. Astigmatism at 1 year old is not predictive of further development during growth. Patients born prematurely should be informed of the possible risks of ocular alterations due to refractive and ocular component changes.

• refraction strabismus
• retinopathy of prematurity
• vision screening
• visual impairment