BACKGROUND/AIMS
Balance is constituted through the integration of vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual and motor neurophysiology systems. Any discrepancies in any one of these systems may negatively influence the overall balance and postural stability. This study aimed to evaluate balance in children with poor vision.
MATERIAL and METHODS
The subjects of the present study were children with poor vision. The mean age of the children in the study group (n=20) was 7.35±1.92 years, while that of the children in the control group with healthy vision was 8.2±1.10 years. All subjects were assessed with the Functional Reach Test, Romberg Test, Single Leg Stance Test (eyes open and closed), Pediatric Berg Balance Scale (PBBS), Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (mCTSIB), and The Timed Up & Go (TUG) Test.
RESULTS
The results showed that children with poor vision performed relatively poorer than healthy children in the Functional Reach Test, Romberg Test, Single Leg Stance Test (eyes open and closed), PBBS, mCSTIB, and TUG tests (p=0.00). We noted that children with poor vision had to strain more to preserve their postural stability in the Single Leg Stance Tests and the mCSTIB Test with closed eyes relative to that with opened eyes (p=0.00).
CONCLUSION
Our findings indicate that children with poor vision have weaker balance relative to their healthy peers. Thus, inadequate level of visual input negatively influences the body balance in children.
Keywords: Vision, low, balance, children