ASSESSMENT OF THE INFORMATIVE VALUE OF PARENTAL QUESTIONNAIRES IN THE EARLY DETECTION OF REFRACTIVE DISORDERS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

Introduction. Refractive disorders are common among preschool children and are often underdiagnosed during routine screening. Engaging parents in the screening process can improve early identification of risk factors. Objective. To evaluate the informative value of parental questionnaires for the early detection of refractive disorder risks in preschool-aged children. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in preschool institutions across four districts of Tashkent (January–August 2025). A total of 214 anonymous questionnaires were analyzed, covering three risk domains: heredity, visual load/screen time, and outdoor activity. The final risk category was assigned according to the “highest-domain” principle. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics (n, %), 95% confidence intervals (Wilson method), Pearson’s χ² test, and correlation analysis (p < 0.05). For a subsample (n = 64), ophthalmologic verification was performed. Results. Final risk categories were distributed as follows: low — 46.7%, moderate — 37.9%, and high — 15.4%. Key domain factors included excessive visual load (38.2%), insufficient outdoor time (36.8%), and positive family history (28.2%). The high-risk category was more frequent among children aged 5–6 years compared to those aged 3–4 years (19.1% vs. 10.2%; p = 0.016). Family history showed a significant correlation with high-risk status (r = 0.39; p < 0.01). The questionnaire demonstrated sensitivity of 82.5%, specificity of 74.3%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 68.9%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 85.7%. Conclusions. Parental questionnaires demonstrate high informative potential for early risk identification of refractive disorders in preschool children and can serve as an accessible tool for mass screening with subsequent ophthalmologic referral prioritization.