Bountziouka V, et al. – The goal of this paper was to determine the distribution of childhood visual function in the United Kingdom and correlations with an early–life social position between 1961 and 1986. Evidence was yielded of temporal decline in childhood visual function. Regardless of the limited power of the analysis owing to the small sample size of those with impaired vision, an emergence of a contribution of sociodemographic status was found, to the cohort effect that could be the antecedent of the current picture of childhood blindness. An early–life social position possibly contributed to the current social patterning in visual function in older adults in the United Kingdom. The potential value of targeting children in national ophthalmic public policies, tackling inequalities was underscored.