Prevalence of ocular manifestations in children with developmental delay.

Aim: This is a study conducted in children with developmental delay, to describe the prevalence of various ocular abnormalities in children with developmental delay. Materials and methods :Children under 12 years with developmental delay attending the child development clinic and referred to department of ophthalmology for eye examination were studied for the presence of ocular manifestations by undergoing a complete ophthalmic examination and the prevalence of different conditions was statistically analysed. Results :Children with developmental delay were studied over a period of 12 months and ocular manifestations were seen in 83.6% of cases. Amongst the various ocular manifestations, refractive error was found to be the most common finding (59.7%). The second common diagnosis was optic atrophy (9.7%) followed by strabismus (8.69%), cortical visual impairment ( 4.3%) and ptosis (1.08%). Conclusion :Visual handicap plays a significant role in overall disability of developmental delay children. Hence an early ophthalmologic screening and intervention in these children can help to substantially improve the developmental and academic achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]