Astigmatism distribution characters of age and relationship with meridian amblyopia in children

【Objective】 To investigate the relationship of≥1.00DC astigmatism and meridian amblyopia in 4～8 years old children.【Method】 A total of 1 005out-patients(1 910eyes)were analyzed which regular astigmatism degree ≥1.00DC by retinoscopy under cycloplegia.【Results】 There were 1 636eyes(85.7%)of different astigmatism in 4～6 years old children,and 274eyes(14.3%)in 7～8years old children.Compound hyperopic astigmatism(53.2%)was the most astigmatism type,and then mixed astigmatism(29.4%).There was significant difference in astigmatism constituent ratio(χ2 =134.52,P0.05)in different ages.There were 1 796eyes(92.4%)with amblyopia cause by asitgmatism,mild amoblypia shared of big part(69.3%),and moderate amblypia was in the minority(23.1%).Only 3eyes were severe amblyopia.There was significant difference in astigmatism degree and best corrected visual acuity(χ2=362.732,P0.05).【Conclusions】 Mild and moderate amblyopia are easy to occur and become the main components in children while astigmatism degree≥1.00DC.There are different distributions of astigmatism type in children.The main type is compound hyperopic astigmatism and then is mixed astigmatism.With the increasing astigmatism degree,best corrected visual acuity has been falling.The most important period of astigmatism screening and optical correction is pre-school.