The prevalence of amblyopia in Iran: A systematic review

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of amblyopia in the population of Iran. METHODS: This article is a systematic review. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Ovid, Web of Science, SID, Magiran, with appropriate terms. Information related to the sample size and the prevalence of amblyopia was extracted and summarized in tables. Analysis was performed using STATA software. RESULTS: From 551 articles that were originally extracted from the databases, 31 articles met the criteria for entering the review. These studies were conducted in different regions of Iran. The prevalence of amblyopia in different regions varied between 0.19 and 3.69%. Study results were heterogeneous (I(2) = 99.7%), and therefore, a meta-analysis was not done. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of amblyopia in Iran is very different. In addition to conducting national screenings, it is necessary to report the incidence of amblyopia and its related factors in different parts of the country.