Visual impairment and use of eye-care services and protective eyewear among children--United States, 2002.

Visual impairment is an important cause of developmental disability among children. Ocular conditions, if undetected or untreated, can have substantial long-term implications for the quality of life of the child and the family and can place a burden on public health resources. For these reasons, the national health objectives for 2010 now include three vision objectives for children: 1) reducing visual impairment and blindness, 2) increasing the proportion of preschool children who receive vision screening, and 3) increasing the use of protective eyewear in recreational activities and hazardous situations around the home (objective nos. 28-2, 28-4, and 28-9a). When these objectives were published in November 2000, baseline data were available for only one objective, that of reducing visual impairment and blindness among children. To address all three childhood vision objectives, CDC analyzed data from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that the prevalence of visual impairment and the use of eye-care services were significantly higher among children aged >6 years, compared with younger children, and varied by race/ethnicity and family income. As a result of that analysis, national baselines are now available for all three objectives. Collaborative efforts of all relevant agencies, health professionals, educators, and the public are needed to achieve the national childhood vision objectives for 2010.