Vision screening and eye examination of school children.

In Kuopio, Finland, vision screening for school children is done by school nurses once every 2 years. All children who have impaired vision, suspected strabismus or heterophoria, suspected eye disease or ocular discomfort, are sent for an eye examination to the ophthalmologist at the Community Health Centre, Kuopio. In 1977 the number of children referred for eye examination was 741 and 1134 in 1984. One hundred consecutive eye examinations were analysed both in 1977 and 1984. There were more girls than boys in both materials: 63 girls and 37 boys in 1977 and 60 girls and 40 boys in 1984. This difference between girls and boys was statistically highly significant in 1977 and significant in 1984. There was no significant difference in age distribution in 1977 and 1984. The largest age group was the 13-year-olds; in 1977 there were 13 and in 1984 22 children in this age group. In 1977, impaired vision (34 children) and in 1984 check-up on glasses (56 children) were the most common reasons for examination. The most usual finding in both years was myopic refraction; 52 cases in 1977 and 58 cases in 1984. It is noteworthy that in 1977 there were 16 children with normal eye examination but in 1984 there were only 6. This difference is almost significant. The cooperation between the ophthalmologist and the school nurses may account for this change.