Epileptic seizures induced by cycloplegic eye drops.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of seizures induced by cycloplegic ophthalmic drops. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey among members of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus yielded five patients who received cycloplegic eye drops between 1998 and 2010 and who consequently developed a seizure. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 5 years (range 3 months to 12 years). Cyclopentolate hydrochloride 1% was the only causative agent. The seizure happened on average 12 min after the instillation of dilating eye drops. Three were generalized convulsions, and two patients had a focal seizure. Past medical history was unremarkable in four cases. In total, 16 previous cases of seizures induced by cycloplegic drugs were identified in reports published between 1890 and 2004, implicating atropine in nine reports, tropicamide and phenylephrine eye drops in one and cyclopentolate in six. DISCUSSION: A small amount of cyclopentolate drops could induce convulsions in young children after only minutes to less than an hour, while a larger dosage of atropine over the span of several hours could cause this rare and unpredictable complication. Predisposing factors were rare and those developing the seizures were healthy subjects. Generalized seizures were much more frequent than focal convulsions. CONCLUSIONS: Seizures after instillation of cycloplegic drops are extremely rare.

Further considerations about the ophthalmic features of the Möbius sequence, with data of 28 cases.

PURPOSE: There is no uniformity in the literature about the core features required to make the diagnosis of Möbius sequence. Originally, the minimum requirements were the bilateral paralysis of the VI and the VII cranial nerves. The bilateral facial nerve paralysis or paresis, often asymmetric, is common to all patients but some facts show that the isolated VI nerve palsy in the Möbius sequence is not the rule. 1) When there is an esotropia in Möbius sequence, it is often too small to be caused by a bilateral isolated VI nerve palsy. There are many cases in which there is no esotropia in the primary position and even some cases, though rare, with exotropia. 2) In most cases of Möbius sequence, the esotropia can be eliminated with a mere recession of the medial rectus muscles. 3) In most patients with Möbius sequence there is, besides the lateral rectus palsy, a variable degree of adduction limitation, which defines a horizontal gaze palsy. The authors present some arguments to show that the isolated lateral rectus muscle palsy cannot be considered as a sine qua non factor for the diagnosis of Möbius sequence. METHODS: The binocular alignment in primary position and the incidence of abduction and adduction limitations among 28 of the authors' consecutive patients with Möbius sequence and in patients of 5 other randomly selected publications are presented for comments. RESULTS: The eyes' position in primary position among 135 of those 6 authors' patients (28 belonging to the authors of this study and 107 to the other 5) were recorded; 55 of them (40.74%) had orthotropia and 9 (6.66%) had exotropia. Among 80 patients of 4 authors (22 belonging to the authors of this study and 52 to the other 3), in whom the horizontal versions were analyzed, 79 (98.75%) had limitation of abduction and 53 (66.25%) had limitation of adduction. COMMENTS: The authors emphasize that the recent studies have shown that inside the VI nerve nucleus there are two types of cells: those which axons form the ipsolateral abducens nerve and those (interneurons) whose axons reach the medial longitudinal fasciculus and ascend for innervating the subnucleus of the contralateral III nerve subserving the contralateral medial rectus. Because of this arrangement, a lesion at the region of the VI nerve nucleus generally causes a paralysis of the ipsolateral lateral rectus and the contralateral medial rectus muscles, which characterizes the ipsolateral horizontal gaze palsy. CONCLUSION: The definition of the Möbius sequence is the paralysis of the facial nerve and the horizontal gaze palsy, instead of a VI nerve palsy, as seen in most published papers.

Intermittent exotropia: comparative surgical results of lateral recti-recession and monocular recess-resect.

PURPOSE: To compare the results between recession of the lateral recti and monocular recess-resect procedure for the correction of the basic type of intermittent exotropia. METHODS: 115 patients with intermittent exotropia were submitted to surgery. The patients were divided into 4 groups, according to the magnitude of preoperative deviation and the surgical procedure was subsequently performed. Well compensated orthophoria or exo-or esophoria were considered surgical success, with minimum of 1 year follow-up after the operation. RESULTS: Success was obtained in 69% of the patients submitted to recession of the lateral recti, and in 77% submitted to monocular recess-resect. In the groups with deviations between 12 PD and 25 PD, surgical success was observed in 74% of the patients submitted to recession of the lateral recti and in 78% of the patients submitted to monocular recess-resect. (p=0.564). In the group with deviations between 26 PD and 35 PD, surgical success was observed in 65% out of the patients submitted to recession of the lateral recti and in 75% of the patients submitted to monocular recess-resect. (p=0.266). CONCLUSION: Recession of lateral recti and monocular recess-resect were equally effective in correcting basic type intermittent exotropia according to its preoperative deviation in primary position.

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.

[Paralytic strabismus: review of 24 years at "Santa Casa de São Paulo"]. / Estrabismo paralítico: revisão de 24 anos da Santa Casa de São Paulo.

PURPOSE: To describe the incidence, etiologies and follow-up of patients with paralytic strabismus. METHODS: Retrospective study of 519 strabismic patients with isolated III, IV or VI cranial nerve palsy of 11,000 charts of the Ocular Motility Section of the Department of Ophthalmology of "Faculdade de Ciências Médicas Santa Casa de São Paulo", Brazil, between January 1980 and October 2004. This study analyzed: the injured cranial nerve, affected eye, sex distribution, etiology and follow-up. RESULTS: It was found that 17.1% of the cases were congenital and 82.9% acquired. The VI cranial nerve was the most frequently affected (49.7%). The incidence was higher in males (58.1%). Traumatism was the most common cause of III (43.0%), IV (52.4%) and VI (48.8%) nerve palsy. Surgery was performed in the three groups: third nerve (42.9%), fourth nerve (73.2%) and sixth nerve (43.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The sixth cranial nerve was the most frequently affected and the most common cause was traumatism, the same as observed in the literature.

[Surgical correction of progressive high myopic esotropia by Yamada's technique: report of two cases]. / Correção cirúrgica da esotropia progressiva do alto míope pela técnica de Yamada: relato de dois casos.

"Progressive esotropia fixus" is a disease present in high myopic patients with a large angle esotropia associated with hypotropia with poor surgical results. This paper has the purpose to describe Yamada's surgical technique (hemitranspositions of the superior rectus and lateral rectus) applied to 2 patients with good surgical results.

[Surgical correction of esotropia in eccentric fixation patients]. / Correção cirúrgica da esotropia em portadores de fixação excêntrica.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the result of the surgical correction of esotropic patients with eccentric fixation and to compare it with operated on esotropic patients who did not have this sensorial disorder. METHODS: A retrospective study of the result of the surgical correction of essential esotropia in 19 patients with eccentric fixation of the "Santa Casa de São Paulo". As group controls, 17 esotropic patients with strabismic amblyopia and central fixation and 16 esotropic patients without amblyopia who had been operated on. The statistical test was application of variance for proportions (ANOVA). RESULTS: In the 3 studied groups undercorrection prevailed, 12 (63.2%) cases in group I, 13 (76.5%) cases in group II and 13 (81.3%) patients in group III. The surgical success occurred in 7 (36.8%) patients of the group with eccentric fixation, of whom 4 cases were overcorrected and 3 of orthotropia. In group II, of the 7 cases of surgical success, 3 (17.6%) had orthotropia and 1 (5.9%) case presented with overcorrection. In group III, we had 5 (31.3%) cases of surgical success, 1 (6.3%) of them with orthotropia. Among the 36 amblyopic patients, 5 (13.9%) presented overcorrection. The standard error of the average of the surgical correction was 4.6 in the group of patients with eccentric setting. ANOVA test for the average of the surgical correction was p=0.349. Considering the good result (a deviation smaller than 10delta), the statistical analysis revealed a p=0.847. CONCLUSION: The eccentric setting did not represent a determinant factor in the surgical result (good versus bad) of the horizontal surgical alignment.

Unilateral anterior transposition of the inferior oblique muscle for correction of hypertropia in primary position.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the correction of hypertropia in primary position with unilateral inferior oblique (IO) anterior transposition (IOAT). METHODS: Ten patients with idiopathic (nonparalytic, restrictive, or dissociated vertical deviation) hypertropia with marked IO overaction, who underwent unilateral IOAT, were prospectively evaluated to observe the correction of the hypertropia in primary position. No previous ocular muscle surgery had been performed. Four patients had esotropia and two had exotropia. In addition to the proposed surgery, horizontal procedures were performed to correct horizontal deviation, but no vertical transposition of horizontal muscles was done. Four patients had hypertropia and IO overaction, without horizontal strabismus, and IOAT was the only procedure performed. The IO muscle was reinserted 1 mm laterally to the lateral extremity of the inferior rectus muscle insertion using only one suture. The statistical analysis was performed by Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS: The mean absolute correction in primary position was 18.1 prism diopters (PD) (range, 4 to 33), directly proportional to the size of the hypertropia before surgery. Nine of the 10 patients had a residual vertical deviation of

Vertical transposition of medial rectus muscles for correction of A-pattern anisotropia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A-pattern esotropias without superior oblique muscle overaction form a small but distinct group among A and V pattern anisotropias. The purpose of this study was to determine the results of ungraded 5 mm bilateral medial rectus muscle transpositions as a treatment of A anisotropia in esotropic patients, and to study these results with relation to the magnitude of preoperative A anisotropia and to the magnitude of preoperative esotropia in primary position. METHODS: Patient data on all 37 esotropic patients who had 5 mm elevation of the medial rectus muscle insertion for correction of A anisotropia at our institution during the previous 25 years were studied. We considered the surgical result to be "satisfactory" when a total correction, and A pattern less than 10 Prism Diopters (PD) or a V pattern less than 15 PD were obtained. The patients were divided into different groups, according to the magnitude of the preoperative A pattern and according to the magnitude of the preoperative esotropia in primary position. For statistical analysis, the Chi Square and the Fisher Tests were employed. RESULTS: "Satisfactory" results were found in 70.3% of the cases. The mean correction of A anisotropia was 11.4 PD (76.1%), which corresponded to 2.3 PD per millimeter of transposition. "Unsatisfactory" results were more prevalent in patients with esotropia in primary position larger than 40 PD (p=0.0418). CONCLUSIONS: A five millimeter vertical transposition (elevation) of both medial rectus muscles is an effective treatment for correction of A anisotropia in most esotropic patients, but is associated with unsatisfactory results when the preoperative esotropia in primary position is larger than 40 PD.

The influence of body position on Bielschowsky's test.

PURPOSE: To investigate the veracity of Jampolsky's statement that Bielschowsky's head tilt test is inverted if performed with the patient in the upside-down position and to interpret its neuromuscular mechanism. METHODS: We present a series of 10 patients selected from a referred sample who were diagnosed with superior oblique paresis. Hypertropia was measured in the primary position, with the head erect and tilted toward both shoulders with the patient in the erect, supine, and upside-down positions. The last position was achieved by hanging the patient upside-down. RESULTS: As expected, our results showed the veracity of Jampolsky's statement. The forced head tilt difference was inverted or significantly decreased when the test was performed in the upside-down position. Moreover, in all patients, Bielschowsky's phenomenon was neutralized in the supine body position, in which hypertropia with the head erect tended to vanish. In 3 patients, it disappeared completely. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that, in patients with superior oblique paresis, differences in the extent of hypertropia in Bielschowsky's test tended to vanish when the test was performed with the patient in the supine position and invert when it was performed with the patient in the upside-down position.

Measurement of ocular torsion variation following superior oblique tenectomy.

PURPOSES: To objectively evaluate the torsional effect of the superior oblique muscle-weakening surgery using the tenectomy technique proposed by Souza-Dias. METHODS: The present prospective study included 10 patients (20 eyes) with horizontal strabismus, bilateral superior oblique overaction and A-pattern of 15 to 30 prism diopters who underwent superior oblique tenectomy. Objective assessment of ocular torsion was performed by retinography immediately before and one month after surgery. The amount of ocular torsion was determined by measuring the angle formed by a horizontal line drawn across the geometric center of the optic disc and a second line connecting this point to the fovea. RESULTS: The median preoperative angle was 5.56° in the right eyes and -3.43° in the left eyes. The median postoperative angle was 1.84° in the right eyes and -3.12° in the left eyes. The angle variation was statistically significant in both eyes (p=0.012 and p=0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that superior oblique tenectomy has an extorter effect, decreasing the intorsion detected on overaction of this muscle.

Williams syndrome: ophthalmological examination and review of systemic manifestations.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the frequency and severity of ophthalmic manifestations and associated diseases, as well as the epidemiological data in patients with Williams syndrome. METHODS: The authors prospectively studied 30 patients clinically diagnosed as having Williams syndrome as confirmed by the fluorescence in situ hybridization test. Patient history included gender, age, race, education level, previous illnesses, and surgeries. The ophthalmologic examination included best-corrected visual acuity, dynamic and static refraction, extraocular motility test, stereopsis test (Titmus and Lang), and direct and indirect funduscopy. RESULTS: Thirty patients were included in this study. The mean age was 14.5 ± 1.38 years (range: 7 to 26 years). Fifty percent of the patients were male and 50% were female. Among the children examined, 77% had a refractive error. Hyperopia and astigmatism were noted in 67% and 20% of the patients, respectively, and myopia in 7%. Only one case of amblyopia was noted. On external examination, 23% of children had epicanthus; via biomicroscopy, 3 children with stellate patterns of the irides were observed. Eleven patients (36.6%) had measurable strabismus, 9 (82%) had esotropia, and 2 (18%) had exotropia. Binocular vision was abnormal in 43% of patients. Diffuse arteriovenous tortuosity on funduscopy was observed in 27% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Williams syndrome is rare and is associated with multiple phenotypes and diseases that are susceptible to treatment. Multidisciplinary clinical management is critical and, in some cases, surgical intervention is required.

Teratogen exposure and congenital ocular abnormalities in Brazilian patients with Möbius sequence.

Purpose: To assess the sociodemographic profiles, teratogen exposures, and ocular congenital abnormalities in Brazilian patients with Möbius sequence. Method: Forty-four patients were recruited from the Brazilian Möbius Sequence Society. This cross-section comprised 41 patients (age, mean ± standard deviation, 9.0 ± 5.5 years) who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The parent or caregiver answered a questionnaire regarding sociodemographic data and pregnancy history. Patients underwent ophthalmological assessments. They were subdivided into groups according to misoprostol exposure during pregnancy, and the two groups were compared. Results: Mothers/caregivers reported unplanned pregnancies in 36 (88%) cases. Of these, 19 (53%) used misoprostol during their first trimesters. A stable marital status tended to be more frequent in the unexposed group (P=0.051). Incomplete elementary school education was reported by two (11%) mothers in the exposed group and by three (14%) mothers in the unexposed group (P=0.538). The mothers' gestational exposures to cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, and cigarettes were similar in both groups (P=0.297, P=0.297, P=0.428, and P=0.444, respectively). One (5%) case of Rubella infection during pregnancy was found in the unexposed group. The main malformations in the exposed and unexposed groups were the following: strabismus (72% and 77%, respectively), lack of emotional tearing (47% and 36%, respectively), and lagophthalmos (32% and 41%, respectively). Conclusion: Stable marital statuses tended to be more frequent among mothers that did not take misoprostol during pregnancy. Exposures to other teratogens and the main ocular abnormalities were similar in both groups.

Prevalence of refractive errors in Möbius sequence.

PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence of refractive errors in Möbius sequence. METHODS: This study was carried out during the Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Möbius Society in November 2008. Forty-four patients diagnosed with the Möbius sequence were submitted to a comprehensive assessment, on the following specialties: ophthalmology, neurology, genetics, psychiatry, psychology and dentistry. Forty-three patients were cooperative and able to undertake the ophthalmological examination. Twenty-two (51.2 %) were male and 21 (48.8%) were female. The average age was 8.3 years (from 2 to 17 years). The visual acuity was evaluated using a retro-illuminated logMAR chart in cooperative patients. All children were submitted to exams on ocular motility, cyclopegic refraction, and fundus examination. RESULTS: From the total of 85 eyes, using the spherical equivalent, the major of the eyes (57.6%) were emmetropics (>-0.50 D and <+2.00 D). The prevalence of astigmatism greater than or equal to 0.75 D was 40%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of refractive errors, by the spherical equivalent, was 42.4% in this studied group.