Global burden of blindness and vision loss among children and adolescents: A systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2021.

Aim: This study investigates the global burden of vision impairment caused by refraction disorders, near vision loss, and other vision loss among children and adolescents from 1990 to 2021. The analysis is categorized globally by sex, age, and socio-demographic index (SDI), with a focus on predicting trends to 2035.

Methods: Data weas obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. We reported the prevalence and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of vision impairment due to refraction disorders, near vision loss, and other vision loss globally. Then, we described the prevalence and DALYs numbers and rates by sex, SDI and age. Next, we analyzed the relationship between rate and SDI. Finally, bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) analysis model was used to predict the trends from 2022 to 2035 globally by sex and age.

Results: The prevalence and DALYs rates for refraction disorders had a statistically significant trend of reduction in four age groups globally and were positively associated with SDI. The prevalence and DALYs rates for near vision loss were increasing in four age groups, and were negatively associated with SDI. The BAPC model indicates that the age-specific prevalence and DALYs rates of refraction disorders and other vision loss in both men and women will remain on a downward trend until 2035, while near vision loss continues to rise.

Conclusions: The findings underscore that there are extensive variations based on the type of vision impairment, age group, sex and SDI. Policies should be tailored to specific types in order to effectively alleviate the burden.