General information only. This Parent Resource summarizes WHO vision information and does not assess an individual child.
What common cause does WHO highlight?
WHO identifies uncorrected refractive error as a leading cause of vision impairment among both children and adults across countries.
Are the causes the same in every setting?
No. WHO notes that causes vary by setting. For example, congenital cataract is an important cause of childhood vision impairment in low-income countries, while retinopathy of prematurity is more prominent in some middle-income settings.
Why can early severe vision impairment affect development?
WHO reports that young children with early-onset irreversible severe vision impairment can experience delays involving motor, language, emotional, social and cognitive development.
Can school-age children also be affected?
WHO notes that vision impairment in school-age children can be associated with lower educational achievement.
This page is not a vision test. It cannot determine whether an individual child has refractive error or another eye condition.
References
- World Health Organization. Blindness and vision impairment, 10 February 2026.