Screening of pre-school children for ocular anomalies. I. Screening methods and their practicability at different ages.

Israel The screening of preschool children for ocular anomalies, particularly amblyopia has been advised by Sheridan many of the difficulties associated with screening programmes of this nature have not yet been solved. Most children under 4 years of age do not attend kindergarten or other institutions, where opportunities for group visual screening are more readily available. Furthermore, though a variety of screening tests have been suggested for small children (Sheridan, 1963; Press and Austin, I968), there is no agreement on which best fulfils the necessary requirements. This report represents data based on the screening of 5,329 preschool children. The method of screening is described and the practicability of the tests used is discussed in relation to the age of the subjects. The screening was performed in Beer-Sheba, a town of 70,000 inhabitants, most of whom are recent immigrants to Israel. Approximately half of the population is from North African countries (Morocco and Tunisia) and the rest are immigrants from different countries of the world. The screening period was August, I967, to November, I968. The children were screened in Mother and Child care clinics or kindergartens. The former are National Health Institutions providing regular antenatal care for pregnant women and medical services for children from birth to school age. The attendance at both these institutions is generally very high-approximately go per cent. in Mother and Child care clinics, and almost Ioo per cent. in the kindergartens. This study is based on a random sample of children in these institutions. Children Two major groups of children were considered (Table I, opposite): CLINICS 3,472 children aged from xi to 6 years, were invited for examination according to their date of birth, beginning with those born in I965. KINDERGARTENS 1,857 children were examined, most of whom were aged 4 to 6 years. The screened population was subdivided into five age groups, according to age at time of screening.