Spectrum of ophthalmic diseases in children hospitalized in a tertiary ophthalmology hospital in China from 2010 to 2019

BACKGROUND: Describing the pattern of pediatric eye diseases is necessary for appropriate eye care in children. This study explored the spectrum and characteristics of pediatric ophthalmic diseases in a typical tertiary ophthalmology hospital in China. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary ophthalmology hospital between 2010 and 2019 in Guangzhou, China. This study included 44,552 inpatients who were younger than 18 years old. Demographic and diagnostic data were collected from the electronic medical record system. Multiphase regression analysis was used to estimate trends in the annual percentages of ten common ophthalmic diseases. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2019, 44,552 inpatients met the inclusion criteria. The majority were male (61.9%), aged 7 to 12 years (30.3%) and self-paying (56.6%). The top ten conditions were refractive error (41.2%), strabismus (36.1%), cataract (13.6%), trauma (11.8%), congenital ptosis (8.8%), tumor (8.1%), amblyopia (7.1%), glaucoma (7.0%), entropion and trichiasis of eyelid (7.0%), and retinal detachment (6.5%). The annual percentage changes (APCs) for refractive error, strabismus, and retinal detachment were 9.3% (95% CI, 8.1–10.5%), 4.7% (95% CI, 3.8–5.6%) and − 2.8% (95% CI, − 5.1% to − 0.4%) respectively. For trauma, the average APC (AAPC = -9.2%, (95% CI, − 12.1% to − 6.2%) decreased gradually from 2010 to 2015 (APC = -4.2% (95% CI, − 8.8-0.7%)) and decreased rapidly from 2015 to 2019 (APC = -15.1% (95% CI, − 21.0% to − 8.7%)). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric ophthalmic diseases are common in China. Preventive strategies and health education aimed at the prevention of refractive error, strabismus, and entropion and trichiasis of eyelid will be crucial in reducing the burden of pediatric ophthalmic diseases on health care systems and human development. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12886-022-02533-5.