Baseline vision results from the Baltimore Reading and Eye Disease Study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE\nWe describe the Baltimore Reading and Eye Disease Study, report baseline ocular findings, and explore the feasibility of eye examinations in the school setting.\n\n\nDESIGN\nProspective, school-based cohort study.\n\n\nMETHODS\nSetting: 12 Baltimore public schools.\n\n\nPARTICIPANTS\nStudents in second and third grades.\n\n\nMETHOD\nBaseline eye examinations, including near and distance presenting visual acuity (VA), stereopsis, ocular alignment, dilated retinal examination, and cycloplegic refraction, were performed during the school year 2014-15.\n\n\nMAIN OUTCOMES\nPresenting VA, prevalence of refractive error, and other ocular findings.\n\n\nRESULTS\nAmong the 1054 eligible students, 321 participated. There were 271 (84.4%) African American and 186 (57.9%) female students; mean age was 7.9 ± 0.8 years. Cycloplegia was achieved in 308. The mean presenting distance and near VA was 0.1 ± 0.2 logMAR (range -0.1 to 1.5) and 0.1 ± 0.2 logMAR (range 0.0-1.6) in the better-seeing eye, respectively. The most common ocular findings were +1.00 diopter (D) or greater hyperopia (34.7%), -0.50 D or greater myopia (29.5%), 1.00 D or greater astigmatism (23.4%), and convergence insufficiency (7.2%). Thirty-seven (11.5%) children needed referral to an eye care provider; 10% of students required glasses full-time.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nWhereas the majority of second and third grade students in this study have good VA and minimal refractive error, 1 in 9 have an ocular finding necessitating further evaluation. It was feasible to conduct cycloplegic eye examinations in the school setting.