Vision screening and socio-demographic disparities in Iranian school entrants
Reviewed by Hannah Thomsett

The authors present a large population-based cross-sectional study evaluating the vision status of children entering school in Iran and its association with socio-demographic characteristics. Parents reported whether their children had healthy vision, wore eyeglasses, or had suspected vision problems, alongside information on age, sex, parental age and education, parental employment, household economic status, area of residence and video game use. The study found a notable proportion of children with suspected vision problems or wearing eyeglasses at school entry, highlighting the importance of early detection for visual health prior to formal education. Socio-demographic and lifestyle factors showed significant associations with vision status. Suspected vision problems were more prevalent among girls, older children and those with older parents. Higher rates were also observed in children with more highly educated parents, employed mothers and fathers, urban residents, poorer family economic status and greater video game use. These findings suggest a complex interplay between socioeconomic, environmental and behavioural factors influencing visual health rather than a simple deprivation gradient. Strengths of this study include its large, population-based sample, which enhances generalisability within the region. However, as a cross-sectional survey, causal inference is limited, and longitudinal outcomes could not be assessed. All socio-demographic and lifestyle variables were parent-reported, introducing potential social desirability or reporting bias. In addition, nutritional factors were not collected, which may represent other modifiable influences on visual health. Despite these limitations, the study provides valuable population-level data to inform public health planning and supports the development of equitable, school-based vision screening programmes.

Prevalence of vision problems among school-entering children and association with socio-demographic characteristics: an Iranian population-based cross-sectional study.
Alijanzadeh M, Griffiths MD, Abbasi M, et al.
OPHTHALMIC EPIDEMIOLOGY
2025;32:616–23.