Thinking of the Children

Over the last couple of days, my inbox has been full of article proposals and submissions with a common theme: pediatric ophthalmology. Genetic testing in pediatric eye diseases, the myopia epidemic among children in developed countries, a novel way of dealing with vernal keratoconjunctivitis, gene therapies for Leber congenital amaurosis… These are just a few of the topics that you can look out for in The Ophthalmologist.

As with many other aspects of life, the risk of childhood blindness and vision impairment is directly related to a person’s place of birth. Socioeconomics and the availability of adequate care are the main drivers; around three quarters of the world’s blind children live in the most deprived regions.

And, as Kevin Waltz points out in this issue’s cover feature, in locations with sporadic access to care, vision-impaired children are much more vulnerable than adults. Impaired vision hinders children’s social and emotional development, as well as their education, which not only affect the future prospects of those children, but also have a significant impact on family members, who must give extra care and support. And so, even though blind children represent a relatively small percentage of the world’s blind population (around 5 percent), the cost of childhood blindness is estimated to constitute nearly one third of the global economic blindness cost (1).

Ophthalmologists contnue to do great work for children in resource-poor nations and remote regions, freely offering their time, expertise – and the gift of sight. But are they being sufficiently supported by the wider community? Consider that corneal scarring caused by vitamin A deficiency and complications from measles and other infections are leading causes of childhood sight loss in developing countries. Interventions that focus on the causes of sight loss – immunization programs, supplementation of vitamin A, promotion of breastfeeding, comprehensive screenings – are also much needed.

In short, any efforts aimed at improving quality of life and care in the world’s most underserved regions can have a huge impact on children’s visual outcomes – and the happiness and productivity of millions of people.

Aleksandra Jones

Editor