Eric R. Crouch

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.

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.

Management of traumatic hyphema : Therapeutic options

1. To review the characteristics, ocular findings, and complications of traumatic hyphema. 2. To examine the preferred therapeutic options in traumatic hyphema, especially as they relate to prevention of secondary hemorrhage, and final visual acuity. 3. To examine the indications for surgical intervention in traumatic hyphema.

Resolution of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction with nonsurgical management

OBJECTIVE To determine how often nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) resolves with 6 months of nonsurgical management in infants aged 6 to less than 10 months. METHODS As part of a randomized trial evaluating the cost-effectiveness of immediate office probing vs observation with deferred probing for unresolved cases, 107 infants aged 6 to less than 10 months who had NLDO and no history of nasolacrimal duct surgery were prescribed 6 months of nasolacrimal duct massage and topical antibiotics as needed. Resolution of the NLDO was assessed 6 months after study entry and was defined as the absence of all clinical signs of NLDO (epiphora, increased tear lake, or mucous discharge) and not having undergone NLDO surgery. Exploratory analyses assessed whether baseline characteristics, including age, sex, laterality, and prior treatment, were associated with the probability of NLDO resolving without surgery. RESULTS At the 6-month examination, which was completed for 117 of the 133 eyes (88%), the NLDO had resolved without surgery in 77 eyes (66% [95% CI, 56%-74%]). None of the baseline characteristics we evaluated were found to be associated with resolution. CONCLUSIONS In infants 6 to less than 10 months of age, more than half of eyes with NLDO will resolve within 6 months with nonsurgical management. Knowledge of the rate of NLDO resolution in infancy without surgery will help clinicians and parents effectively discuss treatment options.

Assessment of lower doses of intravitreous bevacizumab for retinopathy of prematurity a phase 1 dosing study

Importance Intravitreous bevacizumab (0.25 to 0.625 mg) is increasingly used to treat type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), but there remain concerns about systemic toxicity. A much lower dose may be effective while reducing systemic risk. Objective To find a dose of intravitreous bevacizumab that was lower than previously used for severe ROP, was effective in this study, and could be tested in future larger studies. Design, Setting, and Participants Between May 2015 and September 2016, 61 premature infants with type 1 ROP in 1 or both eyes were enrolled in a masked, multicenter, phase 1 dose de-escalation study. One eye of 10 to 14 infants received 0.25 mg of intravitreous bevacizumab. If successful, the dose was reduced for the next group of infants (to 0.125 mg, then 0.063 mg, and finally 0.031 mg). Diluted bevacizumab was delivered using 300 µL syringes with 5/16-inch, 30-gauge fixed needles. Interventions Bevacizumab injections at 0.25 mg, 0.125 mg, 0.063 mg, and 0.031 mg. Main Outcomes and Measures Success was defined as improvement in preinjection plus disease or zone I stage 3 ROP by 5 days after injection or sooner, and no recurrence of type 1 ROP or severe neovascularization requiring additional treatment within 4 weeks. Results Fifty-eight of 61 enrolled infants had 4-week outcomes completed; mean birth weight was 709 g and mean gestational age was 24.9 weeks. Success was achieved in 11 of 11 eyes at 0.25 mg, 14 of 14 eyes at 0.125 mg, 21 of 24 eyes at 0.063 mg, and 9 of 9 eyes at 0.031 mg. Conclusions and Relevance A dose of bevacizumab as low as 0.031 mg was effective in 9 of 9 eyes in this phase 1 study and warrants further investigation. Identifying a lower effective dose of bevacizumab may reduce the risk for neurodevelopmental disability or detrimental effects on other organs.

Effect of a Binocular iPad Game vs Part-time Patching in Children Aged 5 to 12 Years With Amblyopia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance A binocular approach to treating anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia has recently been advocated. Initial studies have yielded promising results, suggesting that a larger randomized clinical trial is warranted. Objective To compare visual acuity (VA) improvement in children with amblyopia treated with a binocular iPad game vs part-time patching. Design, Setting, and Participants A multicenter, noninferiority randomized clinical trial was conducted in community and institutional practices from September 16, 2014, to August 28, 2015. Participants included 385 children aged 5 years to younger than 13 years with amblyopia (20/40 to 20/200, mean 20/63) resulting from strabismus, anisometropia, or both. Participants were randomly assigned to either 16 weeks of a binocular iPad game prescribed for 1 hour a day (190 participants; binocular group) or patching of the fellow eye prescribed for 2 hours a day (195 participants; patching group). Study follow-up visits were scheduled at 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks. A modified intent-to-treat analysis was performed on participants who completed the 16-week trial. Interventions Binocular iPad game or patching of the fellow eye. Main Outcomes and Measures Change in amblyopic-eye VA from baseline to 16 weeks. Results Of the 385 participants, 187 were female (48.6%); mean (SD) age was 8.5 (1.9) years. At 16 weeks, mean amblyopic-eye VA improved 1.05 lines (2-sided 95% CI, 0.85-1.24 lines) in the binocular group and 1.35 lines (2-sided 95% CI, 1.17-1.54 lines) in the patching group, with an adjusted treatment group difference of 0.31 lines favoring patching (upper limit of the 1-sided 95% CI, 0.53 lines). This upper limit exceeded the prespecified noninferiority limit of 0.5 lines. Only 39 of the 176 participants (22.2%) randomized to the binocular game and with log file data available performed more than 75% of the prescribed treatment (median, 46%; interquartile range, 20%-72%). In younger participants (aged 5 to <7 years) without prior amblyopia treatment, amblyopic-eye VA improved by a mean (SD) of 2.5 (1.5) lines in the binocular group and 2.8 (0.8) lines in the patching group. Adverse effects (including diplopia) were uncommon and of similar frequency between groups. Conclusions and Relevance In children aged 5 to younger than 13 years, amblyopic-eye VA improved with binocular game play and with patching, particularly in younger children (age 5 to <7 years) without prior amblyopia treatment. Although the primary noninferiority analysis was indeterminate, a post hoc analysis suggested that VA improvement with this particular binocular iPad treatment was not as good as with 2 hours of prescribed daily patching. Trial Registration http://www.clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02200211.

Blood flow velocities are reduced in the optic nerve of children with elevated intracranial pressure.

The authors previously used spectral Doppler imaging to determine optic nerve blood flow velocities in normal children. In the current study, we measured central retinal artery and central retinal vein blood flow velocities by spectral Doppler imaging in 38 healthy children and 18 children with elevated intracranial pressure between ages 4 and 17. We found central retinal artery systolic blood flow velocity was significantly reduced in children with elevated increased intracranial pressure; ANOVA P = .01 (normal children 8.9 cm/s [SD 1.1] versus children with elevated intracranial pressure 7.5 cm/s [SD 1.3]). Central retinal vein maximal blood flow velocity was also significantly reduced in children with elevated intracranial pressure; ANOVA P < .02 (normal children 4.2 cm/s [SD 0.9] versus children with elevated intracranial pressure 3.6 cm/s [SD 0.7]). Spectral Doppler imaging is a noninvasive test well tolerated in children that identifies blood flow velocity changes in elevated intracranial pressure.