Cross-sectional study finds higher rates of migraine and musculoskeletal pain in adolescents with reduced binocular vision, suggesting eye exams could aid headache management.
Key Points
To examine headache characteristics in adolescents and identify potential associations with untreated binocular and near-vision problems.
Conducted a cross-sectional study within a school vision testing programme including 230 Norwegian adolescents (aged 15.5 ± 0.5 years).
Classified headaches according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, measured pain via the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale, and evaluated upper body pain, screen time, and physical activity alongside visual function tests.
Adolescents with untreated vision problems had higher rates of migraine (20% vs. 8%, p = 0.009) and arm pain/discomfort (68% vs. 49%, p = 0.007) compared to those with normal vision.
Adolescents diagnosed with migraine significantly more often presented with reduced binocular vision (37% vs. 16%, p = 0.008), reduced accommodation amplitude (15% vs. 2%, p = 0.009), and reduced near point of convergence (19% vs. 2%, p < 0.001) relative to those without migraine.
Reduced near point of convergence was also more prevalent in adolescents reporting arm pain or discomfort compared to those without upper-body pain (12% vs. 3%, p = 0.02).