Ophthalmic epidemiology最新文献

{"title":"Bidirectional Association Between Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Cardiovascular Disease: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan with 15-Year Follow-up.","authors":"Po-Yu Jay Chen, Lei Wan, Hei-Tung Yip, Peng-Tai Tien, I-Ming Wang, Fuu-Jen Tsai, Yu-Te Huang, Hui-Ju Lin","doi":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2675291","DOIUrl":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2675291","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To investigate the bidirectional association between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), including acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ischemic stroke (IS), in a large Taiwanese cohort.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective cohort study using electronic health records from China Medical University Hospital (CMUH), Taiwan. From 2003 to 2014, we identified 9,333 AMD patients with 37,332 matched controls, and 26,897 CVD patients with 107,588 matched controls. All patients were followed through December 31, 2019. Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate the risk of CVD in AMD patients and the risk of AMD in CVD patients. The effects of common cardiovascular medications were also analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>AMD patients had an increased risk of AMI (adjusted HR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.25-1.69) and IS (adjusted HR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.52-2.09) compared to controls. CVD patients had a higher risk of AMD (adjusted HR = 2.57, 95% CI = 1.30-5.09). Aspirin use among CVD patients was associated with a lower risk of AMD (HR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.50-0.94). Several comorbidities, including diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease, further increased risks in both directions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This population-based study demonstrates a significant bidirectional association between AMD and CVD in Taiwan. Integrated screening and management should be considered for patients with either condition.</p>","PeriodicalId":19607,"journal":{"name":"Ophthalmic epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"540-548"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147964313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations Between Age-Related Eye Diseases and Mental Health Conditions.","authors":"Ha-Neul Yu, Gui-Shuang Ying","doi":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2675294","DOIUrl":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2675294","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Age-related eye conditions, including cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and dry eye disease (DED), are prevalent and have been linked to mental health disorders, though findings are mixed. This study systematically examines associations between these ocular diseases and mental health conditions using a large real-world dataset.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Global TriNetX database. Five cohorts (aged ≥ 40 years) with diagnoses of cataract, glaucoma, AMD, DR, and DED were propensity score matched 1:1 with controls without these eye diseases based on demographic and clinical covariates. Outcome measures were the incidence of mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders, identified using ICD-10 codes. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) from the Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess associations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Study included patients with cataract (<i>N</i> = 121,060), glaucoma (<i>N</i> = 122,663), AMD (<i>N</i> = 39,915), DR (<i>n</i> = 43,495), DED (<i>n</i> = 148,221), and their median follow-up ranging 1263-2191 days. Cataracts, glaucoma, DR, and DED were each associated with mildly increased risks of mood (HR range: 1.05-1.10), anxiety (HR range: 1.04-1.12), and psychotic disorders (HR range: 1.18-1.36). When accompanied by visual impairment, risks were higher: mood (HR range: 1.22-1.57), anxiety (HR range: 1.16-1.32), and psychotic disorders (HR range: 1.54-2.15).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Age-related ocular diseases, particularly when presented with vision impairment, are independently associated with elevated risks of mental health disorders. These findings underscore the need for integrated ophthalmic-psychiatric care and early intervention before vision loss to address the complex needs of affected patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":19607,"journal":{"name":"Ophthalmic epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"549-558"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147974472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Prevalence, Demographic Profile and Awareness of Myopia Among High School Students in Southeastern Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Abdullah Al Momen, Mohammed Mohsin, Mohammad Injamul Hoq, Sadia Tasnuva Jahan, Nusrat Jafar Nisha, Joya Nath, Ishrat Newaz Chowdhury, Shahnaz Akther","doi":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2733419","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2026.2733419","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To determine the prevalence, pattern, and sociodemographic factors associated with myopia among high school students in Chattogram district, Bangladesh.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September to November 2025 among students aged 11-17 years (Classes VI-IX) selected through multistage stratified sampling from four public and private schools in urban and rural areas of Chattogram. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and ophthalmic assessment. Visual acuity was measured using a Snellen chart at 6 meters, and noncycloplegic objective refraction was performed using a streak retinoscope. Data were analyzed using Stata (version 17, StataCorp LLC, College Station, TX, USA).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 732 students participated (mean age 13.58 ± 1.44 years) in the study. The overall prevalence of myopia was 24.18% (95% CI: 21.21%-27.42%). Myopia was significantly more prevalent among urban students (41.98%) compared to rural students (12.30%) (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and among private school students (28.50%) compared to public school students (19.36%) (<i>p</i> = 0.004). In multivariable analysis, urban residence (adjusted OR = 6.25; 95% CI: 4.13-9.45) and private school attendance (adjusted OR = 2.53; 95% CI: 1.57-4.10) are independently associated with myopia. Awareness regarding myopia, its symptoms, and preventive strategies was notably low among students. Less than 10% of participants were aware of the role of outdoor activities and practiced eye care measures such as the 20-20-20 rule.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Myopia affects nearly one in four high school students in Chattogram, with significantly higher prevalence in urban and private school settings. Limited awareness regarding preventive strategies highlights the need for structured school-based vision screening and health education programs to address the growing burden of myopia among adolescents.</p>","PeriodicalId":19607,"journal":{"name":"Ophthalmic epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149040308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association Between High Myopia and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Adolescents.","authors":"Ting-Han Guo, Xing-Xuan Dong, Dan-Lin Li, Andrzej Grzybowski, Carla Lanca, Yu Qin, Ya-Jie Zheng, Gang Liang, Chen-Wei Pan","doi":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2734829","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2026.2734829","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To investigate the association between high myopia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adolescents and to explore potential metabolic mechanisms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 550 freshmen from Dali University were included. Data on refractive status, questionnaires, and serum metabolomics were collected. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the independent association between high myopia and NAFLD. Mediation analysis was performed to explore potential mediating metabolites, and enrichment analysis was utilized to explore key metabolic pathways.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The prevalence of NAFLD in the study population was 11.3%. High myopia was associated with higher odds of NAFLD (<i>OR</i> = 2.81, 95% <i>CI</i>: 1.34-5.86). Mediation analysis suggested 15 metabolites as potential mediators, with L-phenylalanine (mediating effect: 23.0%) and L-leucine (mediating effect: 16.7%) showing the largest effects. Enrichment analysis revealed that these key metabolites were primarily enriched in pathways such as aromatic and branched-chain amino acid metabolism, lysine degradation, and pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>High myopia was associated with increased odds of NAFLD in adolescents, and this relationship may be partially mediated by abnormalities in amino acid and energy metabolism, suggesting potential metabolic links between ocular and hepatic conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19607,"journal":{"name":"Ophthalmic epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149025571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of Optic Neuritis and Corticosteroid Use in Adults in the United States, 2016-2024.","authors":"Jieni Li, Yinan Wang, Wendy W Harrison, Joe L Wheat, Rajender R Aparasu","doi":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2734831","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2026.2734831","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Optic neuritis (ON) is an inflammatory disorder of the optic nerve that can result in acute visual loss. Although ON is commonly diagnosed among women and middle-aged adults, epidemiologic data in the United States (US) are limited. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of ON, sociodemographic characteristics, and corticosteroid use among adult ON patients in the US.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study analyzed 2016-2024 Merative MarketScan Commercial healthcare claims data. Annual prevalence was calculated, and descriptive analyses were conducted to summarize prevalence among adults (18-64) and to characterize ON patients. ON treatment with intravenous corticosteroids within seven days of the ON visit was also evaluated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The annual prevalence of ON among commercial insurance enrollees remained stable from 39.46 per 100,000 enrollees in 2016 to 41.32 per 100,000 in 2024. Higher prevalence was consistently observed among females, individuals aged 41-64 years, and residents of the Northeast and North Central regions. The proportion of ON patients with multiple sclerosis remained similar across years (36.32%-42.11%). The rate of corticosteroid treatment following ON-related visits was low (range 2.93%-4.62%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this population-based study, the prevalence of ON remained stable over time among commercially insured US adults, with consistent differences observed by sex, age, and geographic region. These findings provide important epidemiologic evidence and highlight the need for further research to better understand clinical management and care pathways following ON diagnosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":19607,"journal":{"name":"Ophthalmic epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149031077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predictors and Patient-Reported Reasons for Missed Appointments in an Urban Ophthalmology Center.","authors":"Aditi Doiphode, Manav Midha, Carolyn Lai, Luvia Anderson, Elizabeth Capa, Irene Pearlman, Gareth M C Lema","doi":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2736074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2026.2736074","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To examine adult ophthalmology appointments at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (NYEE) to identify structural and logistical factors associated with no-shows.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional mixed-methods study of electronic health record data for adult appointments between January 1 and December 31, 2025 (<i>n</i> = 62,678). Demographic, socioeconomic, geographic, and appointment characteristics were extracted from the electronic health record. Generalized estimating equations were used to identify predictors of no-show while accounting for repeated appointments by the same patient. A subset of glaucoma patients who missed appointments participated in routine quality improvement follow-up calls documenting reasons for missed visits. The primary outcome was appointment attendance; the secondary outcome was patient-reported reasons for missed appointments.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall no-show rate was 16.9%. Medicaid/Public insurance, Self-Pay/Charity status, higher neighborhood social vulnerability, afternoon appointments, and several ophthalmic subspecialties were independently associated with greater odds of no-show. Younger age was also associated with increased no-show risk, whereas travel distance was not associated with a clinically meaningful increase in missed appointments. Among 67 patients reached through follow-up calls, the most commonly reported reasons for missed visits were forgetting the appointment, health or family emergencies, and scheduling conflicts.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Missed ophthalmology appointments are driven by both structural socioeconomic disadvantage and immediate logistical barriers. Combining large-scale electronic health record analyses with patient-reported perspectives supports the development of targeted, equity-focused interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19607,"journal":{"name":"Ophthalmic epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149008846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of Income with Enucleation Likelihood and Survival in Uveal Melanoma.","authors":"Mathew Krick, Tara A McCannel","doi":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2734503","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2026.2734503","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Prior research has demonstrated that lower socio-economic status is associated with inferior cancer survival. Little is known about the associations between income and treatment choice or survival in uveal melanoma (UM). We investigate the effects of county-level income on enucleation likelihood and survival in uveal melanoma.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 9,897 UM cases diagnosed between 1990-2021 were selected utilizing International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (ICD-O-3) codes for melanoma (ICD-O-3 8720-8790) and primary site codes C69.3 (choroid) and C69.4 (ciliary body/iris). Cases were categorized by county-level median household income (at least/below $80,000). Overall and UM-specific mortality hazard ratios (HRs) and enucleation odds ratios (ORs) were assessed. Fine-Gray competing risks regression was performed to account for death from other causes. This study used de-identified, publicly available data and is exempt from Institutional Review Board approval.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 9,897 patients were analyzed. The median survival time was 11.9 years (95% CI: 11.3-12.4 years). Multivariable regression shows lower-income patients were 66% more likely to undergo enucleation as primary ocular treatment (aOR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.49-1.84). County-level income was not associated with worse overall survival. Modest inverse associations with UM-specific mortality were observed in competing risks analyses, likely reflecting higher competing mortality from non-cancer causes among lower-income patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Compared with patients from higher-income counties, those from lower-income counties were more likely to undergo primary enucleation and experienced a minimal reduction in UM-specific mortality. Overall survival did not differ. These findings reflect area-level socioeconomic differences.</p>","PeriodicalId":19607,"journal":{"name":"Ophthalmic epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148990677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex Disparity in Enrolment to Clinical Trials for Onchocerciasis and Trachoma.","authors":"Fahad R Butt, Salem Abu Al-Burak, Thanansayan Dhivagaran, Rushmila Tarannum, Jada Gibson, Fatima Abid, Brendan Tao, Siddharth Nath, Edsel Ing, Van Charles Lansingh, Guillermo Rocha","doi":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2733420","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2026.2733420","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To determine whether female enrolment in randomized interventional clinical trials for onchocerciasis and trachoma reflects the real-world sex distribution of disease burden, and to evaluate sex-based differences across trial characteristics.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a cross-sectional analysis of completed randomized interventional clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov evaluating onchocerciasis or trachoma and initiated between 1974 and 2020. Eligible trials used double masking or greater and reported results through ClinicalTrials.gov or peer-reviewed publication. Female representation was assessed using population-to-prevalence ratios (PPRs), calculated as the proportion of female trial participants divided by the proportion of females in the real-world disease population using Global Burden of Disease estimates. A PPR of 0.8-1.2 indicated adequate representation. Secondary analyses examined representation by disease type, intervention category, study phase, masking, and sponsor location.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 103 trials including 327,468 participants were analysed (42 onchocerciasis, 61 trachoma). Overall female enrolment was slightly lower than expected (PPR 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.80-0.96). Trachoma trials demonstrated equitable representation (PPR 1.06; 95% CI 0.98-1.13), whereas onchocerciasis trials showed substantial underrepresentation (PPR 0.62; 95% CI 0.49-0.76), with 29% enrolling no female participants. Drug-based interventions (PPR 0.79) and phase II trials (PPR 0.44) most frequently under-enrolled women, while surgical trials overrepresented women (PPR 1.40).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Women were substantially underrepresented in onchocerciasis trials despite balanced enrolment in trachoma trials, highlighting the need for improved sex-disaggregated reporting and equitable recruitment in clinical trials for neglected tropical eye diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":19607,"journal":{"name":"Ophthalmic epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148990829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diagnostic Yield of Pediatric Ophthalmology Consultations in Children Aged 6-24 Months According to Referral Context.","authors":"Yonina Ron, Anat Goldstein","doi":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2734837","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2026.2734837","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To evaluate the diagnostic yield of specialist pediatric ophthalmologic examinations in children aged 6-24 months according to referral context, and to assess implications for screening pathway design and specialist resource allocation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective study included 1,991 children aged 6-24 months who underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations between 2012 and 2022 at a tertiary center. Every examination, including visual behavior assessment, cycloplegic refraction, and strabismus evaluation, was performed by a pediatric ophthalmologist. Children were categorized as routinely examined without prior concern or referred because of clinical or parental suspicion. Primary outcomes were the prevalence of clinically significant ocular findings requiring treatment or close follow-up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the 914 children examined routinely, 83.1% had normal findings and only 1.8% required treatment. No strabismus was detected in this group. In contrast, of the 1,077 children referred due to concern, 66% had abnormal findings, including 6.1% with strabismus. Most treatable conditions were identified among concern-based referrals.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this cohort, concern-based referrals to a pediatric ophthalmologist identified the large majority of treatable ocular conditions in children aged 6-24 months, while routine specialist examinations of asymptomatic children yielded few actionable findings. These data support a tiered screening model in which primary care providers perform initial vision screening, with specialist referral reserved for children with identified concerns, abnormal screening results, or recognized risk factors. These findings suggest that, within a tiered screening framework, specialist pediatric ophthalmology consultations may be most effectively utilized when guided by abnormal screening findings or clinical concern.</p>","PeriodicalId":19607,"journal":{"name":"Ophthalmic epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148977541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Caregiver Awareness of Strabismus and Reported Access to Pediatric Eye Care in Underserved Communities.","authors":"Molly Pluenneke, Audrey Ho, Anjali Aggarwal","doi":"10.1080/09286586.2026.2734493","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2026.2734493","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Strabismus affects approximately 2-4% of children and, if untreated during early childhood, can lead to amblyopia, impaired binocular vision, and psychosocial challenges. Early detection and treatment are essential during the critical period of visual development. This study assessed caregiver awareness of strabismus, access to pediatric eye care, and perceived barriers to obtaining ophthalmic services among underserved preschool populations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional survey of caregivers of children aged 1-5 years enrolled in preschools serving socioeconomically disadvantaged communities in Houston, Texas. A REDCap survey assessed caregiver-reported utilization of vision care, perceived access to pediatric eye care, awareness of strabismus, and barriers to care. Responses were analyzed descriptively with 95% confidence intervals, Pearson chi-square testing, and binomial logistic regression for selected comparisons.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Across 120 respondents, most children were insured through Medicaid (75.6%). While nearly all caregivers considered eye health important (99.2%), only 42.6% of caregivers reported that their child had ever received an eye examination. Only 37.8% of participants reported prior awareness of strabismus, and awareness was lower among Spanish-language than English-language respondents (19.2% vs 43.0%, <i>p</i> = 0.048). Additionally, 42.0% of caregivers were unsure whether crossed eyes could resolve without treatment.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Despite high perceived importance of vision health, caregiver awareness of strabismus and caregiver-reported prior eye examination were low. These findings suggest that awareness and care-navigation gaps contribute to underuse of pediatric eye care in underserved communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":19607,"journal":{"name":"Ophthalmic epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148970448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}