A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial of Base-in Relieving Prism Spectacle Treatment of Intermittent Exotropia.

SIGNIFICANCE: This pilot randomized trial, the first to evaluate a specific base-in relieving prism treatment strategy for childhood intermittent exotropia, did not support proceeding to a full-scale clinical trial. Defining and measuring prism adaptation in children with intermittent exotropia are challenging and need further study. PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine whether to proceed to a full-scale trial of relieving base-in prism spectacles versus refractive correction alone for children with intermittent exotropia. METHODS: Children 3 years old to those younger than 13 years with distance intermittent exotropia control score of ≥2 points on the Intermittent Exotropia Office Control Scale (Strabismus 2006;14:147-150; 0 [phoria] to 5 [constant]), ≥1 episode of spontaneous exotropia, and 16 to 35∆ by prism-and-alternate-cover test, who did not fully prism adapt on a 30-minute in-office prism-adaptation test were randomized to base-in relieving prism (40% of the larger of distance and near exodeviations) or nonprism spectacles for 8 weeks. A priori criteria to conduct a full-scale trial were defined for the adjusted treatment group difference in mean distance control: "proceed" (≥0.75 points favoring prism), "uncertain" (>0 to <0.75 points favoring prism), or "do not proceed" (≥0 points favoring nonprism). RESULTS: Fifty-seven children (mean age, 6.6 ± 2.2 years; mean baseline distance control, 3.5 points) received prism (n = 28) or nonprism (n = 29) spectacles. At 8 weeks, mean control values were 3.6 and 3.3 points in prism (n = 25) and nonprism (n = 25) groups, respectively, with an adjusted difference of 0.3 points (95% confidence interval, -0.5 to 1.1 points) favoring nonprism (meeting our a priori "do not proceed" criterion). CONCLUSIONS: Base-in prism spectacles, equal to 40% of the larger of the exodeviations at distance or near, worn for 8 weeks by 3- to 12-year-old children with intermittent exotropia did not yield better distance control than refractive correction alone, with the confidence interval indicating that a favorable effect of 0.75 points or larger is unlikely. There was insufficient evidence to warrant a full-scale randomized trial.

UCI EyeMobile Exam Findings from School Children Following on-Site Screening.

Purpose: Uncorrected refractive errors (REs) and amblyopia can lead to visual impairment with deleterious effects on quality of life and academic performance. Early detection and treatment by community vision care programs, such as the UCI EyeMobile for Children, can aid in addressing preventable vision loss. Methods: A total of 5074 children between the ages of 3 and 10 years were screened at 153 locations, including preschools, head start programs, and elementary schools within Orange County (OC), California (CA). Subsequently, 1024 children presented for comprehensive eye examinations. A retrospective analysis of all examined children was conducted, determining the frequency and severity of REs and amblyopia and the spectacle prescription rate by age. Propensity score matching analysis evaluated the effect of median household income on RE and amblyopia frequency. Results: Among those who failed initial screening and were subsequently examined, significant rates of REs and amblyopia were detected: myopia (24.4%), hyperopia (35.4%), astigmatism (71.8%), anisometropia (8.9%), amblyopia (7.0%), and amblyopia risk (14.4%). A majority (65.0%) of those examined received prescription spectacles from UCI EyeMobile, with around a third requiring a new or updated prescription. The frequency of REs and amblyopia and the spectacle prescription rate were uniform across OC congressional districts. Myopia and amblyopia risk was positively and negatively associated with household income, respectively. Conclusion: The UCI EyeMobile for Children serves as a vital vision care program, providing free vision screening, comprehensive eye examinations, and spectacles. A significant number of children required examination, and a high frequency of REs and amblyopia were detected in examined children, with subsequent provision of prescription spectacles to most children.

Exploring Pediatric Vision Care: Insights from Five Years of Referral Cases in the UCI Eye Mobile and Implications of COVID-19.

PURPOSE: To analyze referral rates, patient demographics, referral indications, and the impact of socioeconomic factors on ocular health from the University of California Irvine (UCI) Eye Mobile for Children, particularly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on de-identified records of children examined on the UCI Eye Mobile. GraphPad Prism 10.0.0 and Python software were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: In the academic years from 2018 to 2022, 3,619 children received comprehensive eye examinations on the UCI Eye Mobile. Among them, 76 were referred to a pediatric ophthalmologist. The majority of these children were Hispanic (72.6%, 54 of 74), followed by Asian (10.9%, 8 of 74). A significant proportion (82.9%, 63 of 76) attended school districts with median incomes below that of Orange County. Statistically significant differences were found in age (P = .001; pre-COVID: 3.98 ± 1.08 years vs COVID: 5.75 ± 2.92 years) and gender (P = .023; pre-COVID female: 31 of 41 vs COVID female: 15 of 32) between the pre-COVID and COVID years. Additionally, there were significant differences in the proportion of children with hyperopia with astigmatism between the pre-COVID and COVID years (P = .044; pre-COVID: 23 of 40 vs COVID: 12 of 35). The most common indications for ophthalmologist referrals were for strabismus evaluation/treatment (28.9%, 22 of 76), followed by abnormal cup-to-disc ratio (21.1%, 16 of 76). CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the pivotal role of the UCI Eye Mobile for children in identifying ocular conditions needing referrals to subspecialty care. The majority of children needing these referrals attended schools in lower economic communities. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have influenced the demographic and clinical characteristics. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 20XX:X(X):XXX-XXX.].