Prospective evaluation demonstrates effective early detection of refractive errors in preschool children, suggesting the need for health service integration.
Background & Objectives Evidence on real-world performance of preschool vision screening remains limited in middle-income settings. This study evaluated a preschool-based vision screening program in Tashkent, focusing on coverage, diagnostic yield, referral completion, and selected contextual factors. Methods A prospective evaluation was conducted from January 2025 to January 2026 in 24 state preschools across all 12 districts of Tashkent. Children aged 5–7 years underwent monocular visual acuity testing and non-cycloplegic autorefraction. Screening outcomes were based on visual acuity in the worse eye; children with borderline (Vis 0.8–0.9) or reduced visual acuity (Vis < 0.8) were classified as screen-positive and referred for ophthalmologic examination. Refractive assessment followed standard international definitions. Confirmatory examination included objective refraction, with cycloplegic refraction used to confirm refractive error. Parental questionnaires and classroom illumination were analyzed descriptively. Results Among 1284 screened children (mean age 6.39 ± 0.58 years), 25.9% were screen positive and 90.4% completed referral. Confirmed refractive errors were identified in 13.7%, most commonly hyperopia (38.6%). Limited prior eye care was observed despite generally positive parental attitudes, and most classrooms had suboptimal illumination. Conclusions Preschool vision screening was feasible and yielded substantial case detection under routine urban conditions, supporting integration into preschool health services.
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Iskandarova et al. (2026) studied this question.
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