Darren L. Hoover

Pediatric ocular sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is an uncommon cause of childhood uveitis. However, the ophthalmologist familiar with the clinical features of childhood sarcoidosis can play a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder. Two subsets of pediatric sarcoidosis are identified. The 8-15 year age group has almost universal lung involvement, with the eye, skin, liver, and spleen involved in 30-40% of cases. Children 5 years of age and under are characterized by the triad of uveitis, arthropathy, and skin rash. The epidemiology, clinical features, diagnostic evaluation, and ocular management of pediatric sarcoidosis are reviewed. The clinical and laboratory findings that distinguish sarcoidosis from other causes of childhood uveitis are discussed.

A randomized trial comparing Bangerter filters and patching for the treatment of moderate amblyopia in children.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether visual acuity improvement with Bangerter filters is similar to improvement with patching as initial therapy for children with moderate amblyopia. DESIGN Randomized, clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS We enrolled 186 children, 3 to <10 years old, with moderate amblyopia (20/40-20/80). METHODS Children were randomly assigned to receive either daily patching or to use a Bangerter filter on the spectacle lens in front of the fellow eye. Study visits were scheduled at 6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Visual acuity in amblyopic eyes at 24 weeks. RESULTS At 24 weeks, amblyopic eye improvement averaged 1.9 lines in the Bangerter group and 2.3 lines in the patching group (difference in mean visual acuities between groups adjusted for baseline acuity = 0.38 line). The upper limit of a 1-sided 95% confidence interval was 0.76 line, which slightly exceeded a prespecified noninferiority limit of <0.75 line. Similar percentages of subjects in each group improved > or =3 lines (Bangerter group 38% vs patching group 35%; P = 0.61) or had > or =20/25 amblyopic eye acuity (36% vs 31%, respectively; P = 0.86). There was a lower treatment burden in the Bangerter group as measured with the Amblyopia Treatment Index. With Bangerter filters, neither a fixation switch to the amblyopic eye nor induced blurring in the fellow eye to worse than that of the amblyopic eye was required for visual acuity improvement. CONCLUSIONS Because the average difference in visual acuity improvement between Bangerter filters and patching was less than half a line, and there was lower burden of treatment on the child and family, Bangerter filter treatment is a reasonable option to consider for initial treatment of moderate amblyopia.

Treatment of severe amblyopia with weekend atropine: Results from 2 randomized clinical trials

PURPOSE To determine the effectiveness of weekend atropine for severe amblyopia from strabismus, anisometropia, or both combined among children 3 to 12 years of age. METHODS We enrolled children into 2 prospective, randomized multicenter clinical trials of amblyopia therapy. Herein we report the results for severe amblyopia, 20/125 to 20/400. In Trial 1, 60 children 3 to 6 years of age (mean, 4.4 years) were randomized to weekend atropine plus a plano lens or weekend atropine plus full spectacle correction for the sound eye. In Trial 2, 40 children 7 to 12 years of age (mean, 9.3 years) were randomized to weekend atropine or 2 hours of daily patching. The visual acuity outcome was assessed at 18 weeks in Trial 1 and 17 weeks in Trial 2. RESULTS In Trial 1, visual acuity improved by an average of 4.5 lines in the atropine plus correction group (95% CI, 3.2-5.8 lines) and 5.1 lines in the atropine plus plano lens group (95% CI, 3.7-6.4 lines). In Trial 2, visual acuity improved by an average of 1.5 lines in the atropine group (95% CI, 0.5-2.5 lines) and 1.8 lines in the patching group (95% CI, 1.1-2.6 lines). CONCLUSIONS Weekend atropine can improve visual acuity in children 3 to 12 years of age with severe amblyopia. Improvement may be greater in younger children.

Optical treatment of strabismic and combined strabismic-anisometropic amblyopia.

OBJECTIVE To determine visual acuity improvement in children with strabismic and combined strabismic-anisometropic (combined-mechanism) amblyopia treated with optical correction alone and to explore factors associated with improvement. DESIGN Prospective, multicenter, cohort study. PARTICIPANTS We included 146 children 3 to <7 years old with previously untreated strabismic amblyopia (n = 52) or combined-mechanism amblyopia (n = 94). METHODS Optical treatment was provided as spectacles (prescription based on a cycloplegic refraction) that were worn for the first time at the baseline visit. Visual acuity with spectacles was measured using the Amblyopia Treatment Study HOTV visual acuity protocol at baseline and every 9 weeks thereafter until no further improvement in visual acuity. Ocular alignment was assessed at each visit. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Visual acuity 18 weeks after baseline. RESULTS Overall, amblyopic eye visual acuity improved a mean of 2.6 lines (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3-3.0), with 75% of children improving ≥ 2 lines and 54% improving ≥ 3 lines. Resolution of amblyopia occurred in 32% (95% CI, 24%-41%) of the children. The treatment effect was greater for strabismic amblyopia than for combined-mechanism amblyopia (3.2 vs 2.3 lines; adjusted P = 0.003). Visual acuity improved regardless of whether eye alignment improved. CONCLUSIONS Optical treatment alone of strabismic and combined-mechanism amblyopia results in clinically meaningful improvement in amblyopic eye visual acuity for most 3- to <7-year-old children, resolving in at least one quarter without the need for additional treatment. Consideration should be given to prescribing refractive correction as the sole initial treatment for children with strabismic or combined-mechanism amblyopia before initiating other therapies. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S) The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any of the materials discussed in this article.

Topical Vancomycin Formulation for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis Blepharoconjunctivitis

We successfully treated two patients with severe Staphylococcus epidermidis blepharoconjunctivitis by means of a topical vancomycin hydrochloride solution (50 mg/ml) prepared with sterile water. Aqueous vancomycin preparations, however, cause significant ocular irritation probably because of low pH and osmolality values. Solutions prepared with normal saline (5 mg/ml) and phosphate-buffered artificial tears (5 mg/ml and 50 mg/ml) were significantly less irritating and possessed equivalent in vitro antimicrobial activity. Topical vancomycin should be used only when commercially available antibiotics are inadequate.

Pharmacological plus optical penalization treatment for amblyopia: Results of a randomized trial

OBJECTIVE To compare weekend atropine sulfate use augmented by a plano lens for the sound eye with weekend atropine use alone for moderate amblyopia in children aged 3 years to younger than 7 years. METHODS In a multicenter clinical trial, 180 children with moderate amblyopia (visual acuities of 20/40-20/100) were randomized to weekend atropine use augmented by a plano lens or weekend atropine use alone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Masked assessment of amblyopic eye visual acuity using the Amblyopia Treatment Study HOTV testing protocol at 18 weeks. RESULTS At 18 weeks, amblyopic eye improvement averaged 2.8 lines in the group that received atropine plus a plano lens and 2.4 lines in the group that received atropine alone (mean difference between groups adjusted for baseline acuity, 0.3 line; 95% confidence interval, -0.2 to 0.8 line). Amblyopic eye visual acuity was 20/25 or better in 24 patients (29%) in the group that received atropine only and 35 patients (40%) in the group that received atropine plus a plano lens (P = .03). More patients in the group that received atropine plus a plano lens had reduced sound eye visual acuity at 18 weeks; however, there were no cases of persistent reverse amblyopia. CONCLUSIONS As an initial treatment for moderate amblyopia, the augmentation of weekend atropine use with a plano lens does not substantially improve amblyopic eye visual acuity when compared with weekend atropine use alone. Application to Clinical Practice Treatment of children with unilateral amblyopia. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.org Identifier: NCT00315302.

Balloon catheter dilation and nasolacrimal duct intubation for treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction after failed probing.

OBJECTIVE To compare the outcomes of balloon catheter dilation and nasolacrimal intubation as treatment for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction after failed probing in children younger than 4 years. METHODS We conducted a prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter study that enrolled 159 children aged 6 months to younger than 48 months who had a history of a single failed nasolacrimal duct probing and at least 1 of the following clinical signs of nasolacrimal duct obstruction: epiphora, mucous discharge, or increased tear lake. One hundred ninety-nine eyes underwent either balloon catheter nasolacrimal duct dilation or nasolacrimal duct intubation. Treatment success was defined as absence of epiphora, mucous discharge, or increased tear lake at the outcome visit 6 months after surgery. RESULTS Treatment success was reported in 65 of 84 eyes (77%; 95% confidence interval, 65%-85%) in the balloon catheter dilation group compared with 72 of 88 eyes (84% after adjustment for intereye correlation; 74%-91%) in the nasolacrimal intubation group (risk ratio for success for intubation vs balloon dilation, 1.08; 0.95-1.22). CONCLUSION Both balloon catheter dilation and nasolacrimal duct intubation alleviate the clinical signs of persistent nasolacrimal duct obstruction in a similar percentage of patients.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Epidermidis Blepharitis

Blepharoconjunctivitis caused by methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis occurred in two hospitalized patients, a 74-year-old man and a 19-year-old man. Both strains were resistant to multiple courses of topical antibiotic therapy. Successful treatment in both cases depended upon antibiotic sensitivity testing. These methicillin-resistant strains of S. epidermidis, like methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, demonstrated almost complete cross-resistance to cephalosporins despite apparent sensitivity on Kirby-Bauer disk sensitivity testing. Topical vancomycin was curative in one case. In the other case, treatment with topical gentamicin, intravenous cefoperazone, and oral rifampin led to resolution of the symptoms.

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.

Orbital and Childhood Sarcoidosis

Orbital infiltration, anterior uveitis, disc edema, choroiditis, erythema nodosum, and polyarticular arthritis due to sarcoidosis occurred in a five-year-old child who presented with unilateral proptosis. Diagnosis was enhanced by computerized tomography of the orbit, and confirmed by synovial biopsy findings. This patients course illustrates the importance of thorough and frequent ocular examinations in childhood uveitis associated with systemic disease and demonstrates an unusual finding of orbital sarcoidosis. Childhood sarcoid arthritis may be misdiagnosed as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Familiarity with the ocular and systemic findings may lead to the correct diagnosis.