British Childhood Visual Impairment and Blindness Study 2 (BCVIS 2)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
British Childhood Visual Impairment and Blindness Study 2 (BCVIS 2)
IRAS ID
161997
Contact name
Jugnoo Rahi
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UCL Institute of Child Health
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
We propose to undertake the first national epidemiological study to determine the incidence, mode/context of detection, determinants/risk factors, management and short term health and social outcomes of all-cause visual impairment and blindness in childhood (ie across the full spectrum of visual disability as per the WHO international classification). This information is unavailable through either prior studies or existing ‘routine’ (health or administrative) data sources eg sight impairment registers. The proposed study will use data only (ie no patient contact) collected from managing ophthalmologists and paediatricians using national active surveillance, including the British Ophthalmological and Paediatric Surveillance Units. The study is supported by the British Childhood Visual Impairment Group (established in 2000 for our prior study ‘BCVIS’ of blindness alone).
Expected outcomes:
- Findings about frequency and current/ emerging determinants will inform prevention and treatment and targeting of screening.
- The ‘map’ of clinical and public health services involved in detection and management will inform commissioning and delivery of NHS services
- Findings about frequency and outcomes will permit the first robust health economic modelling of childhood visual disability
- Compilation of an evidence base about social determinants of childhood visual disability will inform national policies addressing inequalities and serve to strengthen advocacy for health, social and educational services, embedding visual disability in the broader Child Health agenda.
- Creation of a unique representative inception cohort of affected children will permit longitudinal study of clinical, social and educational outcomes of current and emerging interventions.REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/1809
Date of REC Opinion
11 Nov 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion