Investigation of factors that affect the refraction of infants

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14184
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 09030:Childhood and nursery/pre-school education-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Tatara Shunya 新潟医療福祉大学, 医療技術学部, 助教 (90804401)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 弱視 / 屈折度 / 屈折異常 / 小児 / 出生時体重 / フォトレフラクション法 / 三歳児健康診査 / 視覚健診

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to improve the screening accuracy of the refraction test performed in the medical checkup of 3-year-old children. I conducted an epidemiological study of refraction in 3-year-old children in order to examine the criteria for detailed examination by refraction test and examined the relationship between birth weight and refraction. I measured refraction of 1217 3-year-old children, and meaningful results were obtained, which may help establish a cutoff value for screening using refractive testing. I also considered the possibility of improving screening accuracy by adding birth weight to the refraction, and examined the relationship between the obtained refraction and birth weight, but no relationship was found.

Free Research Field

弱視予防

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

1つの市の3歳児の96.2%の屈折度が測定出来たことで，疫学的に価値のあるデータが得られた。三歳児健診内で実施される屈折検査の要精密検査判定の基準値は現在も検討が行われており，本研究の成果は今後のカットオフ値確立に寄与すると考えられる。また3歳時点の屈折度は出生時体重と関係がなく，出生直後は出生時体重と屈折度の関係があることが報告されているもののこの関係性は3歳時点では無くなることが明らかとなった。未熟児網膜症を罹患していない児に関しては低出生体重児で出生された場合であっても，そのことが将来の屈折異常の原因となる可能性は低いと考えられた。