Vision Impairment in Australian Children (Paediatric Prize – Inaugural)

Valerie Tosswill (DipAppSc., DOBA)

The Child and Family Services (CAF) Section of the Royal Blind Society (RBS) provides services for children and adolescents with a vision impairment throughout NSW and the ACT. Between January 1990 and December 1998, 1768 new referrals were received for clients aged between 9 days and 19.2 years.
This study was designed to determine the major causes of vision impairment, and subsequent referral to CAF, during this 9 year period. Results show that with 120 primary and 35 secondary conditions being identified. The primary diagnoses have also been grouped according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) classifications for children with blindness and low vision.
Other areas addressed in this study, with relationship to the primary ocular diagnosis, include gender, age at referral, length of required RBS intervention, last recorded level of vision, and the most common secondary ocular associations. Additionally, the orthoptist’s role with children who have a vision impairment is discussed.