Pediatric Vision Screening Guidelines, Clinical Protocols, and Myopia Management Practices in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): A Systematic Review

This systematic review examined pediatric vision screening, referral pathways, eye examination recommendations, myopia management, and service barriers across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Databases, websites, organizations, and citation sources were checked on 1–6 April 2026. Eligible English and Arabic language research, guidance, and service reports were published or issued between 1 January 2010 and 31 March 2026 and concerned children through age 18. One reviewer screened reports and extracted data. Two appraisers independently assessed the included evidence using appropriate tools, with a third resolving remaining disagreements. Related reports were linked. Narrative synthesis used selected American Optometric Association (AOA) and World Council of Optometry (WCO) guidance as external comparators. Seventy four reports represented 64 evidence units, of which 42 were from Saudi Arabia. No reports from Kuwait met the eligibility criteria. Counting differences and overlap prevented a combined participant total. Screening schedules, tests, referral thresholds, and policy status varied. No included GCC document described an examination schedule covering all ages in the selected AOA guidance. The Saudi myopia protocol addressed the WCO framework, but implementation and comparative long term treatment evidence were limited. Barriers concerned access, spectacle use, staffing, equipment, and continuity of care. No group met meta-analysis criteria. Uneven coverage, methodological limitations, and single reviewer screening and extraction limit interpretation. Clearer pathways and evaluation of completed referrals, treatment, and outcomes are priorities; limited eligible evidence does not establish absence of services. The review received no specific grant or external financial support. A retrospective record is available on the Open Science Framework (72ZNJ).