Prevalence of convergence insufficiency among Spanish school children aged 6 to 14 years

• Carla Sánchez-Cuadrado ^[1] ; Sara Bueno-Fernández ^[1] ; JM Cárdenas-Rebollo ^[1] ; Catalina Palomo-Álvarez ^[2]
  1. [1] Universidad CEU San Pablo

     Universidad CEU San Pablo

     Madrid, España

     
  2. [2] Universidad Complutense de Madrid

     Universidad Complutense de Madrid

     Madrid, España

     
• Localización: Journal of Optometry: peer-reviewed Journal of the Spanish General Council of Optometry, ISSN-e 1888-4296, Vol. 15, Nº. 4, 2022, págs. 278-283
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optom.2021.11.004
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen

  • Clinical relevance Convergence insufficiency (CI) at an early age can lead to learning difficulties affecting school performance. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of CI in a non-clinical population of Spanish children using well defined clinical criteria and to determine whether sex is a risk factor.

    Methods Visual acuity and binocular vision tests were performed in 628 children aged 6–14 years (mean age 9.6 ± 1.3 years) at three schools in the Madrid Community, Spain. To assess CI prevalence we used CITT (Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial) criteria. The three signs considered were: i) exophoria at least 4∆ greater at near than at far; ii) near break point of convergence (NPC) ≥ 6 cm; and iii) reduced positive fusional vergence (PFV) at near (≤ 15∆ base-out break or failed Sheard's criterion).

    Results The CI prevalence detected was 5.30% (33 children). Proportions of children with one or two signs of CI were 23.76% (148 children) and 12.20% (76 children), respectively. No differences in these CI rates by sex were detected.

    Conclusion The clinically significant CI prevalence observed here suggests the need for more binocular vision screening programmes in school settings.