GENETIC FACTORS OF OPHTHALMIC MORBIDITY IN CHILDREN AGED 4-12 YEARS: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

Abstract

A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the structure of ophthalmic morbidity and the pattern of hereditary burden in children aged 4-12 years based on the review of 1,280 outpatient records of patients under dispensary follow-up by an ophthalmologist. The relevance of the work is determined by the significant prevalence of visual impairments in the pediatric population and the need for early identification of risk groups to prevent the progression of ophthalmic pathology. The frequency of various nosological forms and the presence of hereditary burden through maternal and paternal lines, as well as among grandparents and siblings, were assessed. The dominant nosologies were found to be myopia (38.4%) and refractive and accommodative disorders (31.7%). The frequency of myopia increased from younger to older age groups, rising from 22.1% to 51.2% (p<0.001), and was higher in girls (40.8%) compared to boys (36.2%; p=0.042). Hereditary burden was documented in 68.9% of patients, with a significant predominance of the maternal line (41.3%) over the paternal line (28.7%; p<0.001). Among patients with a positive family history, the proportion of myopia reached 51.2%, and retinal diseases – 16.4%, exceeding the corresponding rates in the overall sample (38.4% and 9.2%, respectively). The frequency of retinal diseases was higher in cases of maternal burden (18.4%) compared to paternal burden (13.8%; p=0.047), which may reflect the role of mitochondrial and X-linked inheritance mechanisms. The obtained data confirm the high significance of hereditary factors, particularly through the maternal line, in the formation of ophthalmic morbidity in children.