Daniel M. Laby

Increased Numbers of Mast Cells in Pterygia

PURPOSE/METHODS We examined the mast cells in 12 pterygium specimens of patients who underwent primary excisions and the conjunctival specimens of ten normal age-matched control subjects. RESULTS/CONCLUSION The mean mast cell count per cubic millimeter was twice as high in the pterygium specimens as in the control specimens. Mast cell proliferation and activation may contribute to the pathogenesis of pterygium formation.

Pilot study of levodopa dose as treatment for residual amblyopia in children aged 8 years to younger than 18 years.

P rior studies have evaluated levodopa as an adjunct toocclusiontherapyinthetreatmentofamblyopia. Improvement in visual acuity after completion of a course of levodopa has been reported; however, regression has occurred in several studies after stopping the medication. Reportedadverseeffectsof levodopaweremild.They haveincludednausea,headache,fatigue,moodchanges,emesis,dizziness,drymouth,decreasedappetite,andnightmares. Inpreparationforconductingaphase3randomizedtrial, weconductedaprospective randomizedpilot study toprovide a preliminary assessment of the efficacy and safety of 2 doses of levodopa combined with daily ocular occlusion therapyofthefelloweyeinolderchildrenandteenagerswith residualamblyopiafromstrabismus,anisometropia,orboth.

The visual function of olympic-level athletes-an initial report.

Objective: To describe the visual functions of Olympic-level athletes and begin to describe any differences between sports. Methods: A commercially available testing system was used to evaluate 157 Olympic-level athletes. These sports vision evaluations were therefore performed under standardized conditions. Visual functions, tested at a distance, consisted of monocular visual acuity, contour and random dot stereoacuity, and contrast sensitivity. Results: Boxers and track-and-field athletes demonstrated mean logMAR visual acuities between −0.078 and −0.060. All others demonstrated results better than −0.121. There were statistically significant differences and suggestive trends in the visual acuity in the right and left eyes between the track-and-field and archery and track-and-field and softball, and between softball and boxing (range P=0.0005-0.0243). Mean distance contour stereoacuity of the archers was 62 arcsec, worse than the soccer, softball, and speed skaters. All athletes demonstrated similar contrast sensitivity results at low spatial frequencies, whereas at higher spatial frequencies, softball players performed better than did the speed skaters, track-and-field, and volleyball athletes. Conclusions and Application to Clinical Practice: There seems to be a unique set of visual skills that are common to athletes in certain sports. In addition, visual performance measures vary between sports at the Olympic level. The ability to identify the visual needs for an athlete who wishes to participate in a given sport, and to correct any deficits an athlete may have, could lead to more success, at the elite and amateur levels.

Optical aberrations in professional baseball players

PURPOSE: To determine the presence, type, and size of optical higher‐order aberrations (HOAs) in professional athletes with superior visual acuity and to compare them with those in an age‐matched population of nonathletes. SETTING: Vero Beach and Fort Myers, Florida, USA. METHODS: Players from 2 professional baseball teams were studied. Each players optical aberrations were measured with a naturally dilated 4.0 mm pupil using a Z‐Wave aberrometer and a LADARWave aberrometer. RESULTS: One hundred sixty‐two players (316 eyes) were evaluated. The HOAs were less than 0.026 μm in all cases. Spherical aberration C(4,0) was the largest aberration with both aberrometers. There were small but statistically significant differences between the aberrometers in mean values for trefoil C(3,3) and C(3,−3) and secondary astigmatism C(4,2). Although statistically significant, the differences were clinically insignificant, being similar at approximately 0.031 diopter (D) of spherical power. A statistically significant difference was found between the professional baseball players and the control population in trefoil C(3,−3). These differences were clinically insignificant, similar to 0.071 D of spherical power. CONCLUSIONS: Professional baseball players have small higher‐order optical aberrations when tested with naturally dilated pupils. No clinically significant differences were found between the 2 aberrometers. Statistically significant differences in trefoil were found between the players and the control population; however, the difference was clinically insignificant. It seems as though the visual system of professional baseball players is limited by lower‐order aberrations and that the smaller HOAs do not enhance visual function over that in a control population. Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

Thoughts on ocular dominance-is it actually a preference?

Background: Ocular dominance has been studied for many years, and there have been many attempts to correlate eye dominance with athletic performance. Although many reports have failed to show a correlation, some reports have shown a relationship between sports performance and eye dominance. Methods: This report reviews some of those studies and the tests of eye dominance used in the reports. Additionally, we review the physical basis of eye dominance and the role of the binocular visual system in its determination. Lastly, a review of common facts and fallacies relating to ocular dominance is provided. Results/Conclusion: It is suggested that the visual system is designed as a binocular system, and only tests that allow for maintenance of binocular vision during the determination of ocular preference should be used if an accurate evaluation is to be made.