Vision for the Future Project: Screening impact on the prevention and treatment of visual impairments in public school children in São Paulo City, Brazil

OBJECTIVES: Uncorrected refractive errors are the leading cause of visual impairment in children. In this cross-sectional retrospective study, we analyzed a social visual screening program for school children in São Paulo, Brazil, evaluated its impact on the prevention and treatment of children's visual disabilities, and assessed its epidemiological outcomes to outline suggestions for its improvement. METHODS: First-grade children from public schools were submitted to prior visual screening by their teachers. Selected children were forwarded to the hospital's campaigns for a second screening by ophthalmologists and treatment if needed. Data were analyzed for age, sex, visual acuity, biomicroscopy, refractive errors, ocular movement disorders, amblyopia, number of donated spectacles, and number of children forwarded to specialized care. RESULTS: A total of 1080 children were included with mean age of 6.24±0.45 years. Children with normal ophthalmological exam, 591 (54.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 51.7%-57.7%) were dismissed and considered false-positives. Myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism components were found in 164 (15.2%; CI: 13.1%-17.4%), 190 (17.6%; CI: 15.3%-20.0%), and 330 (30.5%; CI: 27.8%-33.4%) children, respectively. Amblyopia was diagnosed in 54 (5%; CI: 3.5%-6.4%) children, and 117 (10.8%; CI: 9.8%-12.8%) presented ocular movement disorders. A total of 420 glasses were donated. CONCLUSION: Epidemiological findings for amblyopia and refractive errors are consistent with those of similar studies. The expressive number of diagnoses performed and number of glasses donated to underprivileged children depict the importance of such projects. New guidelines to improve their cost-effectiveness, such as professional training and community sensitization, are imperative

Prevalência de erros refrativos na sequência de Möbius

PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence of refractive errors in Möbius sequence. METHODS: This study was carried out during the Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Möbius Society in November 2008. Forty-four patients diagnosed with the Möbius sequence were submitted to a comprehensive assessment, on the following specialties: ophthalmology, neurology, genetics, psychiatry, psychology and dentistry. Forty-three patients were cooperative and able to undertake the ophthalmological examination. Twenty-two (51.2 %) were male and 21 (48.8%) were female. The average age was 8.3 years (from 2 to 17 years). The visual acuity was evaluated using a retro-illuminated logMAR chart in cooperative patients. All children were submitted to exams on ocular motility, cyclopegic refraction, and fundus examination. RESULTS: From the total of 85 eyes, using the spherical equivalent, the major of the eyes (57.6%) were emmetropics (>-0.50 D and -0,50 D e <+2,00 D). A prevalência de astigmatismo maior que 0,75D foi 40%. CONCLUSÃO: A prevalência de erros refrativos, pelo equivalente esférico, no grupo estudado foi de 42,4%.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Department of OphthalmologySão Paulo University Department of OphthalmologySanta Casa Medical School Department of OphthalmologyUniversity of Illinois Department of Ophthalmology & Visual SciencesAltino Ventura FoundationUNIFESP, Department of OphthalmologySciEL

Refractive components of hyperopia in children with esotropic amblyopia

Objetivo: Estudar os componentes refrativos da hipermetropia em crianças com ambliopia por esotropia, comparando os olhos amblíopes com os olhos contralaterais. Métodos: Foram incluídos 37 pacientes de 5 a 8 anos de idade, com hipermetropia bilateral e ambliopia por esotropia. Foi realizada avaliação oftalmológica completa, incluindo refratometria sob cicloplegia, ceratometria e biometria ultrassonográfica modo A. Foram registrados profundidade da câmara anterior, espessura do cristalino, profundidade da câmara vítrea e comprimento axial total. O poder refrativo do cristalino foi calculado pelas equações de Bennett. Para comparar erro refrativo, poder da córnea, poder calculado do cristalino e componentes ecobiométricos entre os olhos amblíopes e os olhos contralaterais foi empregado o teste t de Student pareado. Para avaliar a relação entre os principais componentes refrativos individuais e o erro refrativo foram empregados o coeficiente de correlação de Pearson e a análise de regressão linear. Foram construídos também modelos multivariados, incluindo comprimento axial, poder da córnea e poder do cristalino. Resultados: Os olhos amblíopes apresentaram hipermetropia mais alta, menor poder da córnea, maior poder do cristalino, menor profundidade da câmara vítrea e menor comprimento axial. Não houve diferença entre os olhos quanto à profundidade da câmara anterior ou à espessura do cristalino. A variável que apresentou correlação mais forte com o erro refrativo foi a razão comprimento axial/raio de curvatura da córnea (r = -0.92, p < 0.001 nos olhos amblíopes e r = - 0.87, p < 0.001 nos olhos contralaterais). O comprimento axial representou 39,2% da explicação da variabilidade do erro refrativo nos olhos amblíopes e 35,5% nos olhos contralaterais. O modelo que combinou comprimento axial e poder da córnea explicou 85,7% e 79,6% da variabilidade do erro refrativo, respectivamente. Houve correlação significante entre comprimento axial e poder da córnea, indicando diminuição do poder da córnea com o aumento do comprimento axial e os coeficientes de correlação foram semelhantes entre os olhos amblíopes (r = -0.53, p <0.001) e os olhos contralaterais (r = -0.57, p < 0.001). Houve correlação significante entre comprimento axial e poder do cristalino, indicando diminuição do poder do cristalino com o aumento do comprimento axial e os coeficientes de correlação também foram semelhantes entre os olhos amblíopes (r = -0.72, p < 0.001) e os olhos contralaterais (r = -0.69, p < 0.001). Conclusão: As correlações entre os principais componentes refrativos e sua contribuição individual para o erro refrativo foram semelhantes nos olhos amblíopes e nos olhos contralaterais de crianças com esotropia, a despeito da hipermetropia mais alta nos olhos amblíopesPurpose: To study the refractive components of hyperopia in children with esotropic amblyopia, comparing amblyopic eyes with fellow eyes. Methods: Thirty-seven patients (5 to 8 years old) with bilateral hyperopia and esotropic amblyopia underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, including cycloplegic refraction, keratometry and A-scan ultrasonography. Anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, vitreous chamber depth and total axial length were recorded. The refractive power of the crystalline lens was calculated using Bennett`s equations. Paired Students t-tests were used to compare refractive error, corneal power, calculated lens power and ocular biometric measurements between amblyopic eyes and their fellow eyes. The relationship between the major oculometric parameters and refractive error was assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients and linear regression. Multivariable models including axial length, corneal power and lens power were also constructed. Results: Amblyopic eyes were found to have significantly more hyperopic refraction, lesser corneal power, greater lens power, shorter vitreous chamber depth and shorter axial length, despite similar anterior chamber depth and lens thickness. The strongest correlation with refractive error was observed for the axial length/corneal radius ratio (r = -0.92, p < 0.001 for amblyopic and r = -0.87, p < 0.001 for fellow eyes). Axial length accounted for 39.2% of the refractive error variance in amblyopic eyes and 35.5% in fellow eyes. The combination of axial length and corneal power accounted for 85.7% and 79.6% of the refractive error variance respectively. A significant correlation was found between axial length and corneal power, indicating decreasing corneal power with increasing axial length, and they were similar for amblyopic eyes (r = -0.53, p < 0.001) and fellow eyes (r = -0.57, p < 0.001). A significant correlation was found between axial length and lens power, indicating decreasing lens power with increasing axial length, and they were also similar for amblyopic eyes (r = -0.72, p < 0.001) and fellow eyes (r = -0.69, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The correlations among the major refractive components and their individual contribution to refractive error were similar in amblyopic and non-amblyopic eyes in esotropic children, despite more hyperopic refraction in amblyopic eye

Oculometric parameters of hyperopia in children with esotropic amblyopia

Purpose: To study the oculometric parameters of hyperopia in children with esotropic amblyopia, comparing amblyopic eyes with fellow eyes. Methods: Thirty-seven patients (5-8 years old) with bilateral hyperopia and esotropic amblyopia underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, including cycloplegic refraction, keratometry and A-scan ultrasonography. Anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, vitreous chamber depth and total axial length were recorded. The refractive power of the crystalline lens was calculated using Bennett`s equations. Paired Student`s t-tests were used to compare ocular biometric measurements between amblyopic eyes and their fellow eyes. The associations of biometric parameters with refractive errors were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients and linear regression. Multivariable models including axial length, corneal power and lens power were also constructed. Results: Amblyopic eyes were found to have significantly more hyperopic refraction, less corneal power, greater lens power, shorter vitreous chamber depth and shorter axial length, despite similar anterior chamber depth and lens thickness. The strongest correlation with refractive error was observed for the axial length/corneal radius ratio (r(36) = -0.92, p < 0.001 for amblyopic and r(36) = 0.87, p < 0.001 for fellow eyes). Axial length accounted for 39.2% (R(2)) of the refractive error variance in amblyopic eyes and 35.5% in fellow eyes. Adding corneal power to the model increased R(2) to 85.7% and 79.6%, respectively. A statistically significant correlation was found between axial length and corneal power, indicating decreasing corneal power with increasing axial length, and they were similar for amblyopic eyes (r(36) = 0.53,p < 0.001) and fellow eyes (r(36) = -0.57, p < 0.001). A statistically significant correlation was also found between axial length and lens power, indicating decreasing lens power with increasing axial length (r(36) = -0.72, p < 0.001 for amblyopic eyes and r(36) = -0.69, p < 0.001 for fellow eyes). Conclusions: We observed that the correlation among the major oculometric parameters and their individual contribution to hyperopia in esotropic children were similar in amblyopic and non-amblyopic eyes. This finding suggests that the counterbalancing effect of greater corneal and lens power associated with shorter axial length is similar in both eyes of patients with esotropic amblyopia

Intermittent exotropia evaluation using the propedeutics proposed by Kushner: a 25-year study

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the clinical and surgical impacts of phenomena that could occur in intermittent exotropia. Methods: The medical records of intermittent exotropia cases from 1991 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent a series of measures, including a protocol to assess monocular occlusion based on the propedeutics proposed by Kushner. Results: Outdoor sensitivity was observed in 31% of patients with an undercorrection rate of 44% vs. 18% of cases with no outdoor sensitivity. After 1 h of monocular occlusion, 41% of all patients achieved an increase in deviation with an undercorrection rate of 40%, whereas 25% did not. Conclusion: The results show the importance of complete propedeutics, since there is a higher rate of late undercorrection in cases with outdoor sensitivity and increased deviation after occlusion

Biometric relationships of ocular components in esotropic amblyopia

PURPOSE: To investigate the contribution of the individual ocular components, i.e. anterior chamber depth, lens thickness and vitreous chamber depth, to total axial length in patients with esotropic amblyopia. METHODS: The study population consisted of 74 children, aged between 5 and 8 years: thirty-seven patients with esotropic amblyopia and 37 healthy volunteers (control group). The participants underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological examination, including cycloplegic refraction and A-scan ultrasonography. Anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, vitreous chamber depth and total axial length were recorded. Paired Student's t-tests were used to compare biometric measurements between amblyopic eyes and their fellow eyes and between right and left eyes in the control group. To evaluate the contribution of the ocular components to the total axial length, we report the individual components as a percentage of total axial length. RESULTS: The comparison between amblyopic and fellow eyes regarding the individual contribution from ocular components to the total axial length revealed greater contribution from lens thickness (P=0.001) and smaller contribution from vitreous chamber depth (P=0.001) in amblyopic eyes, despite similar contribution from anterior chamber depth (P=0.434). The comparison between right and left eyes in the control group showed similar contributions from anterior chamber depth (P=0.620), lens thickness (P=0.721), and vitreous chamber depth (P=0.483). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows differences between amblyopic and non-amblyopic eyes when the total axial length is broken down into the individual contribution from the ocular components

Cirurgia de estrabismo ajustável no peroperatório com anestesia tópica em pacientes com orbitopatia de Graves Intraoperative adjustable strabismus surgery under drop anesthesia in patients with Graves' orbitopathy

OBJETIVO: Descrever as características clínicas pré-operatórias dos pacientes com estrabismo secundário à orbitopatia de Graves e os resultados da cirurgia com anestesia tópica e sutura ajustável. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo realizado no Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo. Foram pesquisados os prontuários de todos os pacientes atendidos no ambulatório de estrabismo no período de março de 1994 a maio de 2004. Destes, foram separados aqueles com estrabismo associado à orbitopatia de Graves submetidos à cirurgia ajustável com anestesia tópica. As características clínicas pré-operatórias e os resultados cirúrgicos foram levantados a partir desta análise. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 13 pacientes. O tipo de desvio mais freqüentemente encontrado foi esotropia com hipotropia. Em 9 pacientes modificou-se o retrocesso programado no pré-operatório. Três casos necessitaram de uma segunda cirurgia. Após 6 meses de seguimento, 8 dos 13 pacientes estavam ortotrópicos ou com foria pequena e com algum grau de estereopsia. CONCLUSÃO: Neste estudo observou-se que 62% (8/13) dos pacientes apresentavam hipotropia com esotropia, provavelmente por causa do comprometimento associado do reto inferior e reto medial. Nove dos 13 pacientes necessitaram de ajuste no peroperatório e apenas 3 foram reoperados, indicando a importância da técnica ajustável para melhor alinhamento ocular no pós-operatório, possibilitando obter resultados mais satisfatórios.<br>PURPOSE: To report the clinical features of strabismus associated with Graves' orbitopathy, and the results of surgery with adjustable suture under drop anesthesia. METHODS: The charts of 13 patients who had surgical treatment for strabismus related to Graves' orbitopathy at Hospital das Clínicas of University of São Paulo were retrospectively reviewed. Ocular motility, sensorial examination and the follow-up after strabismus correction were studied. RESULTS: Preoperatively, the most common type of deviation was esotropia with hypotropia. Adjustable recession was done in nine patients and a second surgery occurred in 3 patients. After follow-up of at least six months, 8 of 13 patients were orthotropic or had a small phoria with some degree of binocular vision. CONCLUSION: In this study, 62% (8/13) of patients showed hypotropia with esotropia, probably because fibrotic and restrictive muscles (medial and inferior rectus). In nine of 13 patients adjustable recession with a good postoperative alignment of the eyes was performed. Adjustment of strabismus surgery under drop anesthesia in patients with Graves' orbitopathy was successful in restoring binocular vision with minimum complications