Screening and surveillance for ophthalmic disorders and visual deficits in children at a tertiary care hospital in Central India

Dear Editor, We wish to share findings from our prospective observational study, “Screening and Surveillance for Ophthalmic Disorders and Visual Deficits in Children at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Central India,” which emphasizes the critical role of early vision screening in reducing childhood visual morbidity. Our 2-year study (July 2023–August 2025) included 1,000 children aged ≤15 years presenting with ophthalmic complaints. Comprehensive ocular examination revealed that refractive errors (28.5%) were the leading cause of pediatric visual morbidity, followed by infections (22.2%), congenital anomalies (12.9%), ocular trauma (11.9%), strabismus (7.7%), and allergic conjunctivitis (7.4%). Bilateral involvement was seen in 31.2% of cases. Importantly, children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds showed significantly higher prevalence of infections, trauma, congenital eye diseases, and allergic conjunctivitis (P < 0.05). These findings underscore the interplay between socioeconomic inequities and pediatric eye health, reflecting barriers such as limited awareness, poor hygiene, and inadequate access to care. The predominance of refractive errors among school-aged children (9–15 years) highlights the urgent need for routine school-based screening to prevent amblyopia and improve academic outcomes. Our results are consistent with earlier regional reports on pediatric ocular morbidities from Western and Southern India,1,2 and resonate with WHO’s VISION 2020 and the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) goals, which advocate integrated, equitable eye care delivery.3 The observed burden of infections among younger children and trauma in boys reinforces the need for community education, parental awareness, and supervision during outdoor play. Incorporating pediatric-friendly examination protocols, as done in our study, facilitated better compliance and accurate diagnosis even in infants and toddlers. In light of these findings, we strongly recommend the following: Inclusion of structured vision screening within existing national child health programs such as the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK); Training of primary care providers and community health workers for early referral; and Adoption of AI-assisted screening tools and mobile outreach units to bridge urban–rural disparities. We believe that integrating eye health into general pediatric care and education systems can substantially reduce preventable childhood visual impairment in India. Regional evidence, such as ours, can guide policymakers to prioritize pediatric vision services and allocate resources more effectively. Consent to participate Informed written consent was obtained from the parents/legal guardians of all participants. Ethical approval The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences. Financial support and sponsorship: Nil. Conflicts of interest: There are no conflicts of interest.