Evaluation of Ophthalmic Disorders in Children with Congenital Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Cochlear Implant

Ophthalmic disorders are more prevalent in children with hearing loss. This study aimed to investigate the types and frequencies of ophthalmic disorders in children with congenital sensorineural hearing loss and cochlear implant.
This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 51 children aged 3-18 years in Isfahan City, Iran, in 2017. Patients were selected via simple random sampling method. Visual acuity and strabismus were examined and direct ophthalmoscopy, dry and cycloplegic refraction tests, and slit lamp examination with a hand-held lens were done. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi square tests.
Findings: Mean age (SD) of children was 8.0 (3.4) years. 26 (51%) were boys and 25 (49%) were girls. 24 patients (47.1%) had at least one ophthalmic disorder. There were 8 patients (15.7%) with decreased visual acuity, 13 (25.5%) with refractive errors, 4 (7.8%) with amblyopia, 4 (7.8%) with strabismus, and 9 (17.6%) with retinal abnormality. Diagnosis of 3 patients was consistent with Usher syndrome and one with Goldenhar syndrome. Decreased visual acuity was more frequent in boys than in girls (P = 0.02).
According to remarkable frequencies of ophthalmic disorders among our study sample, early screening of visual disorders is suggested to be done in children with definite diagnosis of hearing loss.