CHILDHOOD BLINDNESS IN ICELAND. A study of legally blind and partially seeing children in Iceland 1978

Abstract

The legally blind (corrected visual acuity [CVA] 6/60 or less) and partially seeing (CVA 6/18 to 6/60) children under 15 yr old in Iceland were studied. Children (43) were found: 23 were legally blind and 20 had partial vision. The prevalence rates, expressed as the number/100,000 children of similar age, were 36.4 for legal blindness and 31.6 for partial sight. In all 43 children the visual loss was attributable to heritable, congenital or developmental defects. The most common causes of visual loss were optic nerve atrophy and cataracts. Other causes are listed and discussed. No cases of acquired visual loss were found. Other non visual congenital birth defects were found in 24 of the children. CNS affection was found in 20 of the children and 15 of these were mentally retarded.