Peer-Reviewed Studies from Cameroon on Pediatric Vision Screening (2018-2025)
Direct Answer
No peer-reviewed studies from Cameroon published between 2018 and 2025 evaluating pediatric or school-based vision-screening programs were identified in the provided evidence base.
Context and Evidence Gap
The evidence provided consists entirely of:
International clinical practice guidelines from the American Academy of Ophthalmology 1, American Academy of Pediatrics 1, and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force 2 addressing general pediatric vision screening methodology and recommendations
Studies from other geographic regions, including:
None of these studies were conducted in Cameroon or report data specific to Cameroonian pediatric populations.
What the Evidence Shows About Vision Screening Generally
While not from Cameroon, the available evidence demonstrates:
Instrument-based screening (photoscreening and autorefraction) is effective for children younger than 3-4 years who cannot perform optotype-based testing 1, 2
School-based programs can achieve high coverage rates (10,726 children screened across 45 schools in Philadelphia) with 12% detecting refractive error 3
Positive predictive values vary by age: 30% for 3-year-olds, 77.8% for 4-year-olds, and 87.5% for 5-year-olds using visual acuity screening 4
Time efficiency favors instrument-based screening (30 seconds) versus traditional optotype screening (120 seconds) in third-graders 5
Follow-up completion remains challenging, with only 38.7% of referred children completing ophthalmologic examinations in underserved U.S. communities 4
Research Need
The absence of Cameroon-specific data represents a significant evidence gap for implementing context-appropriate vision screening programs in Central African pediatric populations, where prevalence of amblyogenic risk factors, resource availability, cultural factors, and healthcare infrastructure differ substantially from high-income countries.