Study: Approximately 25% of children in kindergartens in Bucharest suffer from undiagnosed vision problems

Approximately 25% of children in kindergartens in Bucharest suffer from vision problems, according to data from Infosan, the only private ophthalmopediatry hospital in Romania. These results were identified following the free screening campaign launched last year by Infosan in kindergartens in Bucharest, for the early identification of vision problems and the limitation of cases of blindness.

The study took into account the data of about 1400 children aged between 3-6 years, from Bucharest.

“The accelerated growth in recent years of ophthalmological problems, especially among children, has led us to launch this essential program in the prevention of vision problems. With 22 years of experience in the market, Infosan aims to identify ophthalmological problems from an early age, in a critical period of vision development, and to contribute to the education of children, parents, and teachers in identifying the main signs of vision disorders,” stated Dr. Andreea Ciubotaru, Medical Director of Infosan Ophthalmopediatric Hospital and Vice-President of the Romanian Strabology and Ophthalmology Society.

The launch of the free ophthalmological screening program for children by Infosan Ophthalmopediatric Hospital comes in the context of worrying global statistics on blindness, which show alarming figures, especially in developing countries. According to them, the global prevalence of blindness is about 0.5%, but it exceeds 1% in developing countries. In addition, 80% of cases of blindness can be prevented by regular visits to the eye doctor and following his recommendations.

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In Romania, nine out of ten parents say that their children’s eyesight has been affected during the pandemic, according to a study carried out by World Vision Romania in 2022. According to the data analyzed, 42% of parents are worried that vision problems have worsened a lot, and 61% of parents in vulnerable communities have never taken their children for an eye check-up, although the recommendation is for this to be done annually.

For the current year, Infosan aims to reach 10,000 children in the first 6 months in Bucharest but plans to take the free screening program to the southern part of the country as well, already looking for collaborators and partners.

“The results of our initiative last year showed us that prompt action is needed to ensure optimal eye health for future generations. The proportion of children facing vision problems is worrying, so we aim to reach as many children as possible to identify and prevent ophthalmological problems in time”, added Dr. Andreea Ciubotaru.

Ophthalmological screening is totally non-invasive. Children’s sight testing is done in classrooms by a nurse and a representative of the Infosan hospital. The results of the screening, respectively the identified values, are later sent to the parents together with subsequent recommendations.

Vision problems have increased in recent years and due to the use of smartphones and tablets from a young age. At the same time, the lack of time spent outdoors, in natural light, affects the normal development of vision.