OPHTHALMIC DISORDERS IN CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME

The goal of this study was to determine the frequency of ophthalmic disorders in a group of young children with Down syndrome who were unselected for ophthalmic abnormalities, and to determine whether examination by a pediatric ophthalmologist should become standard practice. Of 77 children referred to a Down syndrome clinic at a teaching hospital and evaluated by a pediatric ophthalmologist, 61 per cent had ophthalmic disorders needing treatment and monitoring. Furthermore, the percentage of children with ophthalmic disorders increased with age, from 38 per cent in the two‐ to 12‐month‐old group to 80 per cent in the five‐ to 12‐year‐old group. The authors conclude that children with Down syndrome should be evaluated by a pediatric ophthalmologist in the first six months of life and annually thereafter.

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