Purpose
To evaluate the prevalence of amblyopia and associated biometric factors in Danish children.
Methods
Determination of best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using ETDRS charts, non‐cycloplegic subjective refractioning guided by automated refractometry, axial length and corneal curvature, fundus photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in 1335 children from the population‐based Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000 (CCC2000) Eye Study. Birth data were obtained from the Danish Medical Birth Registry.
Results
The mean (±SD) age of children was 11.7 (±0.4) years, and 47% were boys. Amblyopia prevalence was 1.5 (95% CL 0.8–2.2) %. Unilateral amblyopic eyes [BCVA < 80 ETDRS letters (0.8 snellen) and ≥2 lines difference between the eyes] was 0.6 (95% CL 0.3–1.0) mm shorter, 1.34 (95% CL 0.30–2.37) D more hyperopic and had 0.79 (95% CL 0.14–1.44) D more astigmatism compared with fellow eyes. Compared with the right eyes of the non‐amblyopic children, unilateral amblyopic eyes were 1.0 (95% CL 0.5–1.6) mm shorter, 2.48 (95% CL 1.11–3.86) D more hyperopic, 1.09 (95% CL 0.43–1.75) D more astigmatic and had a 47 (95% CL 13–81) μm thicker subfoveal choroid.
Conclusion
Amblyopia was found in 1.5% of Danish children born 22 years after the inception of the nationwide preschool visual screening programme. Amblyopia was associated with anisometropia, astigmatism, a thicker subfoveal choroid and a history of childhood strabismus.