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Refractive Errors in Normal Children and Children with Down Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be addressed to: María Estela Arroyo-Yllanes, M.D., Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Clinic, Hospital General de Mexico, Mexico City, DF, Mexico.

Background and Purpose: The prevalence of refractive errors in the general population is between 12 to 18%. The objective of the present study was to determine the refractive errors in healthy children and compare these results in patients with Down syndrome and with cerebral palsy.

Material and Method: The refractive errors in patients between 6 to 12 years without ophthalmologic conditions were studied. The patients were divided into three groups: normal children, children with Down syndrome, and children with cerebral palsy. The results were compared.

Results: 258 patient were included: 200 normal children, 29 with Down syndrome, and 29 with cerebral palsy. Ametropia was found in 79.5% in the group of normal children, 93.2% in children with Down syndrome, and in 100% in children with cerebral palsy. Patients requiring optical correction included 30% in normal children, 48.2% in patients with Down syndrome, and 41.1% in the cerebral palsy group. Hyperopia was the most frequent refractive error in all three groups. Most of the refractive errors were mild to moderate.

Conclusions: Refractive errors are more frequent in patients with Down syndrome and cerebral palsy compared with normal children.

Key words: refractive error, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy