Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31558460›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2019

Choosing appropriate tools and referral criteria for vision screening of children aged 4-5 years in Canada: a quantitative analysis.

Mayu Nishimura, Agnes Wong, Ashley Cohen, Kevin Thorpe, Daphne Maurer

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Assessment of the Spot vision screener performance in detecting amblyopia and strabismus in Nepal: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study.Journal of AAPOS : the official publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Comparing paediatric optometric vision care in Canada over a 14-year period.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2024
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Functional Imaging in Improving Children's Mental Health Based on Behavior.Computational and mathematical methods in medicine · 2022
    Article
  9. 2020 Evaluation of Portable Vision Screening Instruments.The Yale journal of biology and medicine · 2021
    Article
  10. Feasibility of a school-based vision screening program to detect undiagnosed visual problems in kindergarten children in Ontario.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2020
    Article
  11. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Mayu NishimuraDepartment of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada mayu.nishimura@sickkids.ca.ORCID 0000-0001-9581-8400
Agnes WongDepartment of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Ashley CohenApplied Health Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Kevin ThorpeDalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Daphne MaurerDepartment of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Funding

CIHR
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo assess the diagnostic accuracy of five vision screening tools used in a school setting using sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV).

designWe compared the results of the five best evidence-based screening tools available in 2014 to the results of a comprehensive eye exam with cycloplegic refraction by a licenced optometrist. Screening included Cambridge Crowded Acuity Cards, Plusoptix S12 and Spot photoscreeners, Preschool Randot Stereoacuity Test and the Pediatric Vision Scanner (PVS). Referral criteria followed AAPOS (2013) guidelines and published norms.

settingA large school in Toronto, Canada, with 25 split classrooms of junior kindergarten (JK: 4 year olds) and senior kindergarten (SK: 5 year olds) children.

participantsOver 2 years, 1132 eligible children were enrolled at the school. After obtaining parental consent, 832 children were screened. Subsequently, 709 children had complete screening and optometry exam data.

main outcome measuresThe presence/absence of a visual problem based on optometrist's assessment: amblyopia, amblyopia risk factors (reduced stereoacuity, strabismus and clinically significant refractive errors) and any other ocular problem (eg, nystagmus).

resultsOverall, 26.5% of the screened children had a visual problem, including 5.9% with amblyopia. Using all five tools, screening sensitivity=84% (95% CI 78 to 89), specificity=49% (95% CI 44 to 53), PPV=37% (95% CI 33 to 42), and NPV=90% (95% CI 86 to 93). The odds of having a correct screening result in SK (mean age=68.2 months) was 1.5 times those in JK (mean age=55.6 months; 95% CI 1.1 to 2.1), with sensitivity improved to 89% (95% CI 80 to 96) and specificity improved to 57% (95% CI 50 to 64) among SK children.

conclusionsA school-based screening programme correctly identified 84% of those kindergarten children who were found to have a visual problem by a cyclopleged optometry exam. Additional analyses revealed how accuracy varies with different combinations of screening tools and referral criteria.

Indexed as

Visual AcuityAmblyopiaCanadaChild, PreschoolDiagnostic ImagingEyeFemaleHumansMaleOptometryReferral and ConsultationRefractive ErrorsReproducibility of ResultsSensitivity and SpecificityStrabismusVision Screeninghealth policyophthalmologypaediatric ophthalmologyprotocols & guidelinesstrabismus

Identifiers

PMID31558460
PMCPMC6773298

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.