Parental Awareness and Screening Uptake for Childhood Amblyopia: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Background: Amblyopia is one of the most common causes of reduced vision in children, and much of the damage it does is avoidable if it is found early. Because the child usually does not notice or complain of poor sight in one eye, detection depends heavily on whether parents know the condition exists and whether the child is ever screened.

Objective: To assess parental awareness of childhood amblyopia, measure the uptake of vision screening among their children, and identify factors associated with screening.

Methods: We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional survey among parents and primary caregivers of children aged 3–12 years attending the paediatric and ophthalmology outpatient clinics of a tertiary-care hospital. Participants were recruited consecutively and interviewed with a structured, pilot-tested questionnaire. Awareness was measured with 12 items on the meaning, causes, risk factors, consequences and treatment of amblyopia; a score of 60% or more was taken as adequate awareness. Screening uptake was defined as a reported history of formal vision assessment by a qualified healthcare provider. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with screening.

Results: Of 416 eligible parents approached, 384 completed the survey (response rate 92.3%). The mean age of respondents was 35.6 ± 7.4 years, and 246 (64.1%) were mothers. Adequate awareness of amblyopia was found in 160 participants (41.7%), while 139 children (36.2%) had ever undergone vision screening. Among parents of unscreened children, the main reasons given were the absence of noticeable visual symptoms (46.5%), no recommendation from a healthcare professional (31.8%) and concern about cost (66). were independently associated with screening uptake.

Conclusion: Fewer than half of the parents had adequate knowledge of amblyopia, and only about one child in three had ever had a vision check. Most unscreened children were missed simply because they seemed to see well and nobody advised testing. Routine screening advice from paediatricians and primary care workers, together with simple parent education, could close much of this gap.

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