Fábio Ejzenbaum

Prevalence and causes of visual impairment in low-middle income school children in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

PURPOSE Assess prevalence and causes of vision impairment among low-middle income school children in São Paulo. METHODS Cluster sampling was used to obtain a random sample of children ages 11 to 14 years from public schools (grades 5-8) in three districts from June to November 2005. The examination included visual acuity testing, ocular motility, and examination of the external eye, anterior segment, and media. Cycloplegic refraction and fundus examination were performed in children with uncorrected visual acuity 20/40 or worse in either eye. A principal cause of visual impairment was determined for eyes with uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or worse. RESULTS A total of 2825 children were enumerated and 2441 (86.4%) were examined. The prevalence of uncorrected, presenting, and best-corrected visual acuity 20/40 or worse in the better eye was 4.82%, 2.67%, and 0.41%, respectively. Spectacles were used by 144 (5.9%) children. Refractive error was a cause in 76.8% of children with visual impairment in one or both eyes; amblyopia, 11.4%; retinal disorders, 5.9%; other causes, 2.7%; and unexplained causes, 7.7%. Myopic visual impairment (spherical equivalent -0.50 D in one or both eyes) was not associated with age or grade level, but female sex was marginally significant (P = 0.070). Hyperopic visual impairment (+2.00 D or more) was not associated with age, grade level, or sex. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of reduced vision in low-middle income urban São Paulo school children was low, most of it because of uncorrected refractive error. Cost-effective strategies are needed to address this easily treated cause of vision impairment.

Age norms for monocular grating acuity measured by sweep-VEP in the first three years of age

PURPOSE To determine age norms for grating visual acuity and interocular acuity differences measured by the sweep-visually evoked potentials (VEP) technique in the first three years of life. METHODS Monocular grating visual acuity was measured using the sweep-VEP in 67 healthy normal infants and children in the first 36 months of life. RESULTS Sweep-VEP grating acuity ranged from 0.80 logMAR (20/125 Snellen equivalent) in the first month of life to 0.06 logMAR (20/20 Snellen equivalent) at 36 months of age. Lower normal limits (95th percentile limit) ranged from 0.95 logMAR (20/180) to 0.12 logMAR (20/25) with a progression of approximately 3 octaves in the first 36 months of age. The largest acceptable interocular acuity difference for clinical purposes was 0.10 logMAR. CONCLUSIONS Age norms for grating acuity along with interocular acuity differences were determined using the sweep-VEP technique. These norms should be incorporated in clinical practice for precise diagnosis of visual status in infants and preverbal children.

Amblyopia after unilateral infantile cataract extraction after six weeks of age

PURPOSE To determine interocular grating acuity difference in children treated for unilateral infantile cataract. METHODS A group of 27 children previously treated for unilateral infantile cataract, had their monocular visual acuity measured by sweep visual evoked potentials. Interocular grating acuity difference was calculated as the absolute subtraction of monocular acuity scores. Lens status, opacity severity and eye alignment were considered for analysis. RESULTS Mean interocular grating acuity difference obtained from unilateral cataract patients was 0.58 +/- 0.20 logMAR. This result was significantly larger than 0.10 logMAR used as normative data. Children with severe opacities had a more pronounced amblyopia than the moderate ones. No significant correlation between amblyopia and strabismus or aphakia was found. CONCLUSIONS Interocular acuity difference in this group of unilateral congenital cataract was more pronounced than previous reports, mainly because of delay in diagnosis, surgery and optical correction.

Reoperação nas esotropias congênita e essencial adquirida não acomodativa

PURPOSE: To analyze the results in patients reoperated from congenital and essential esotropia. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 393 patients who underwent surgery from 2000-2004 was performed. Subjects were divided into two groups: Congenital esotropia (91patients) and essential esotropia (302 cases). RESULTS: Among congenital cases we had 9 reoperations (9.9%). There were undercorrections (3.3%), overcorrections (2.2%), anisotropia (V) (1.1%), hypotropia (1.1%) and dissociatd vertical divergences (2.2%). Among the essential cases, there were 31 (10.3%) reoperations due to undercorrections (n=6.6%), overcorrections (n=2%) and hypotropias (1.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes reoperations rates were 9.9% and 10.2% between congenital and essential esotropias with a higher rate of undercorrections. Amblyopia in both groups and deviations higher than 50∆ in essential esotropias seems to be the most important factors for poor results.

Correção cirúrgica do estrabismo horizontal em portadores de alta miopia

Purpose: To analyze results of correction of horizontal strabismus surgical in high myopia patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review of 24 patients with esotropia and high myopia (greater than -6.00 spherical diopters) and 17 patients with exotropia and high myopia compared with their control groups. Deviation between 10D of esotropia and 10D of exotropia was considered a surgical success. Results: We noticed a high incidence of bad results among the esotropic patients with high myopia. Conclusion: There is a tendency of bad results among the esotropic patients with myopia greater than -6.00 when compared with patients with spherical refractive error between -0.75 and +3.50.

Técnica de "mini-nuc" de Blumenthal: resultados de 454 casos

Purpose: In this retrospective study the results of surgical management of cataract by the Mini-Nuc Blumenthal technique were analyzed. Methods: ECCE with Mini-Nuc Blumenthal technique was carried out always by the same surgeon (M.W.) on 454 eyes of 284 patients (148 women and 136 men) during a period of six years (from February 1994 to March 2000). Results: Low rates (4.8%) of transoperative complications were recorded; posterior capsule rupture occurred in 3.7% of the cases. Visual acuity equal to or higher than 20/40 was observed in 89.1% of the cases. Conclusion: The technique was efficient for cataract surgery with the advantage of dispensing with sophisticated instrumentation and involving low costs.

Diplopia as first symptom of multiple sclerosis

Purpose: To determine the frequency and clinical features of the extrinsic ocular motility changes in patients with multiple sclerosis living in the state of Sao Paulo (Brazil), consecutive cases series from 1996 to 2011. Methods: Eighty-three consecutive multiple sclerosis subjects were enrolled, aged from 17 to 59 years. All patients had a history taking and a comprehensive ocular exam. Results: Extrinsic ocular motility changes was detected in 17 (20,48%) out of 83 individuals. Diplopia as the first symptom of the disease occurred in 11 (13,25%) individuals. Conclusions: Frequency of diplopia as first symptom of multiple sclerosis is relevant. According to this statement, crucial importance should be given concerning spreading of knowledge and skills to internal medicine and general ophthalmology practicing physicians about early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, which would reduce a delay in diagnosis of the disease and would help patients in the prognosis of the disease which they endure.

Congenital fibrovascular pupillary membrane

These eyes are usually treated with a membranectomy and pupilloplasty with or without a lensectomy. After fulfilling the anterior chamber with the viscoelastic, the pupil was mechanically distended and subsequently the fibrovascular membrane was resected (sphincterectomy was not required). For patients who require only membranectomy, it is important to be careful as not to cause traumatic cataract, by accidently touching the anterior capsule of the crystalline. In the postoperative period, the left eye was treated with prednisolone acetate 1% and cyclopentolate chloridrate 1% eyedrops. Crystalline lenses remained clear on both eyes. Posterior to that, glasses were prescribed and occlusion antisupressive therapy in partial time, of contralateral eye.

Treatment outcomes in VI nerve palsy corrected by Carlson & Jampolsky technique

PURPOSE To study the results of Carlson & Jampolsky technique in 31 patients with VI nerve palsy. METHODS We had 23 unilateral and 8 bilateral cases. The mean unilateral preoperative esotropia was 56.8 PD +/- 24 PD (30 PD to 100 PD) and they had a mean postoperative follow-up of 14 +/- 17.9 months (3 to 72). The mean bilateral preoperative esotropia deviation angle in primary position was 74.5 PD +/- 20.7 PD (45 PD to 100 PD) and the mean postoperative follow-up was 14.7 +/- 15.7 months (4 to 47). RESULTS In the unilateral group, 18 patients had good results and reoperation was not necessary. Out of 5 patients who were reoperated (2 undercorrections and 3 overcorrections), 2 had to use prismatic glasses. Among the bilateral patients, 2 cases were reoperated (1 undercorrection and 1 overcorrection), and the undercorrected patient remained with esotropia (ET13 PD), and also had to use prismatic glasses. CONCLUSIONS Carlson & Jampolsky technique was useful to treat patients with VI nerve palsy. We had low reoperation rates and, among the 7 patients who needed a second intervention, only 3 did not achieve good results.