Simplified Method for Rapid Field Assessment of Visual Acuity by First Responders After Ocular Injury.

Objective: Initial visual acuity after ocular injury is an important measure, as it is an accurate predictor of final visual outcome and gives a rapid estimation of the overall severity of the injury, thereby aiding evacuation prioritization. We devised a simple method for rapidly assessing visual acuity in the field without having to rely on formal screening cards. Methods: Using common objects, icons, and text found in the injury zone - for example, common military name tapes, rank insignias, patches, emblems, and helmet camouflage bands, which will be known collectively as the Army Combat Optotypes (ACOs) - a Snellen-equivalent method of assessing visual acuity was devised and correlated to the ocular trauma score (OTS). Results: Ability to read the ACOs at 2, 3, and 5 ft correlates with acuities in the range from 20/20 to 20/400. Identification of ACOs with visual acuity of 20/50 and 20/200 approximates important inflection points of severity for the OTS. Conclusion: Accurately assessing visual acuity in the field after ocular injury provides essential information but does not require sophisticated screening equipment. Pertinent and accurate acuities can be rapidly estimated using commonly available text or graphical icons such as standard name tapes, patches, and rank insignias.

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus and strabismus: a unique cause of secondary Brown syndrome.

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus can be associated with a variety of ocular and visual sequelae, including isolated or even multiple cranial neuropathies, potentially affecting the oculomotor, trochlear, or abducens nerves. We report a case of a secondary Brown syndrome following resolution of a unilateral isolated trochlear nerve palsy associated with herpes zoster ophthalmicus in an immunocompetent 57-year-old man.

Pediatric PRK (PhotoRefractive Keratectomy) with Mitomycin C (MCC) for Persistent Anisometropic Amblyopia. A Case Report.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) with Mitomycin C (MMC) for the treatment of severe pediatric anisometropia and amblyopia resistant to more conservative treatment modalities. METHODS: A 3 year-old-child, who at 18 months old underwent unilateral diode laser treatment for threshold ROP, developed 11 diopters of anisometropic myopia and secondary dense amblyopia of the Right Eye. Only after all conservative treatment options failed was he treated with PRK and MMC. Principal outcome measures included cycloplegic refraction, the amount of refractive correction, degree of corneal haze and change in visual acuity. RESULTS: On presentation: BCVA: 20/CF OD; 20/30 OS. CRNS: -11.50 diopters sphere OD; -0.50 diopters sphere OS. Unilateral PRK followed by application of MMC (0.2 mg/ml) for 1 min was performed under general anesthesia. Three-month postoperative findings include: VA: 20/30 OD; 20/25 OS. CRNS: +0.25 diopters sphere OD. At one year, the BCVA remained equal at the 20/30 level despite mild myopic regression OD. CRNS OD at one year was -1.25 +050 x 116. No corneal haze was appreciated. CONCLUSION: In this child, treatment with PRK and MMC safely reduced the anisometropia thus facilitating his visual rehabilitation. While encouraging, further study is required to verify the longer term results of this single case. PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) with Mitomycin C (MMC) for the treatment of severe pediatric anisometropia and amblyopia resistant to more conservative treatment modalities. METHODS: A 3 year-old-child, who at 18 months old underwent unilateral diode laser treatment for threshold ROP, developed 11 diopters of anisometropic myopia and secondary dense amblyopia of the Right Eye. Only after all conservative treatment options failed was he treated with PRK and MMC. Principal outcome measures included cycloplegic refraction, the amount of refractive correction, degree of corneal haze and change in visual acuity. RESULTS: On presentation: BCVA: 20/CF OD; 20/30 OS. CRNS: -11.50 diopters sphere OD; -0.50 diopters sphere OS. Unilateral PRK followed by application of MMC (0.2 mg/ml) for 1 min was performed under general anesthesia. Three-month postoperative findings include: VA: 20/30 OD; 20/25 OS. CRNS: +0.25 diopters sphere OD. At one year, the BCVA remained equal at the 20/30 level despite mild myopic regression OD. CRNS OD at one year was -1.25 +050 x 116. No corneal haze was appreciated. CONCLUSION: In this child, treatment with PRK and MMC safely reduced the anisometropia thus facilitating his visual rehabilitation. While encouraging, further study is required to verify the longer term results of this single case.

Reversible blindness in bilateral optic neruritis associated with nasal flu vaccine.

BACKGROUND: Various case reports have shown possible associations between optic neuritis and different vaccines. Some of the vaccines include influenza, hepatitis B and anthrax PURPOSE: To present evidence for a causal relationship between optic neuritis and Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV), administered as nasal flu vaccine. METHODS: Case Report. In a 13-year-old male with bilateral optic neuritis, detailed clinical history, neuro-ophthalmologic examination, magnetic resonance imaging, stereo-disc photos, visual field testing, ocular coherence tomography, blood tests and cerebral spinal fluid analysis were performed. RESULTS: Exam findings on presentation: BCVA: 20/CF OD; 20/LP OS. Positive relative afferent pupil defect OD. Unremarkable anterior segment and posterior segment exam. No papillitis or papilledema. Global visual field defect OU based on Humphrey 30-2. MRI: diffuse enlargement of Optic Chiasm with inflammation of distal optic nerves bilateral. Blood cultures and CSF were negative. Patient received 3 divided doses of methyl prednisone with mild improvement of vision upon hospital discharge and marked improvement of vision at 2 month follow up. CONCLUSION: In this child, no infectious, vascular, granulomatous, viral or immune-related cause of optic neuritis was identified. This case provides compelling evidence that supports the nasal flu vaccination as a cause of optic neuritis.

Virtual reality simulation in acquiring and differentiating basic ophthalmic microsurgical skills.

OBJECTIVE: A virtual reality (VR) surgical simulator (EyeSi ophthalmosurgical simulator: VRMagic, Mannheim, Germany) was evaluated as a part-task training platform for differentiating and developing basic ophthalmic microsurgical skills. METHODS: Surgical novice performance (residents, interns, and nonmicrosurgical ophthalmic staff) was compared with surgical expert performance (practicing ophthalmic microsurgeons) on a basic navigational microdexterity module provided with the EyeSi simulator. RESULTS: Expert surgeons showed a greater initial facility with all microsurgical tasks. With repeated practice, novice surgeons showed sequential improvement in all performance scores, approaching but not equaling expert performance. CONCLUSION: VR simulator performance can be used as a gated, quantifiable performance goal to expert-level benchmarks. The EyeSi is a valid part-task training platform that may help develop novice surgeon dexterity to expert surgeon levels.

A review of pediatric uveitis: part II. Autoimmune diseases and treatment modalities.

Uveitis is a manifestation of complex processes that can represent an infectious process or a dysfunction of the immune system that may have grave effects on the eye. Although infectious causes, once properly identified, may be successfully treated by addressing the inciting organism with recognized interventions, the immune-modulated chronic forms of uveitis often provide more complex challenges in management. Recent strides in understanding the inflammatory pathway and better bioengineering capabilities have resulted in some new modalities of treatment.

A review of pediatric uveitis: Part I. Infectious causes and the masquerade syndromes.

Uveitis is a manifestation of complex processes that can represent an infectious or a purely immune system modulated condition and may have grave effects on the eye. Much of the morbidity in these conditions is the result of the immune response to these stimuli. These infectious diseases may be successfully treated by addressing the inciting organism with recognized interventions. Treatment of the immune response to the organism often must be pursued simultaneously to minimize long-term complications caused by structural changes within the eye. Assisting the individual's immune response to eliminate the organism while minimizing the immune response's damaging effects remains a unique challenge drawing on both the science and the art of medicine. Several non-infectious conditions that are not autoimmune diseases may commonly masquerade as uveitis, leading to delays in appropriate treatment.

Use of self-expanding, hydrophilic osmotic expanders (hydrogel) in the reconstruction of congenital clinical anophthalmos.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Rehabilitation of the congenitally anophthalmic orbit is frustrating to both the parents and physician. Traditional methods involve using progressively enlarging static acrylic conformers to expand the conjunctival socket, followed by placement of conventional static spherical orbital implants, dermis-fat grafts, or inflatable balloon expanders for orbital enlargement. Limitations of these methods typically result in less-than-optimal cosmetic outcomes, with retardation of bony orbital and overlying soft tissue growth adversely affecting midfacial growth and symmetry. Recent advances in tissue expansion technology may offer additional, novel alternatives to conventional therapies. RECENT FINDINGS: Hydrogel tissue expanders were recently adapted for use in congenital anophthalmia. The expanders are placed in their dry, contracted states, and expand gradually to their full size via osmosis of surrounding tissue fluid, with up to a 10-fold increase in volume. Offering the benefit of predictable and controllable self-expansion, hydrogel expanders may offer yet another alternative or adjunctive therapy to the early rehabilitation of the contracted socket. Separate appliances are used for conjunctival and orbital reconstruction. Initial results appear promising. Tempering the enthusiasm for their use, however-particularly in terms of implanted orbital expanders-is the recent spate of long-term complications reported from previous uses of hydrogels as scleral buckling material. SUMMARY: Self-expanding hydrogel tissue expanders appear to offer an intriguing reconstructive alternative to the frustrating condition of congenital anophthalmia. Long-term safety of the material as an orbital implant has not yet been demonstrated, but early results are promising.

Gaze-evoked amaurosis: a report of five cases.

OBJECTIVE: To highlight the various causes of gaze-evoked amaurosis. DESIGN: Retrospective noncomparative interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS: Five patients treated at our facility over the past 6 years. METHODS: Clinical presentation, radiologic studies, surgical management, and postsurgical results are presented. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Visual acuity, clinical findings of gaze-evoked amaurosis. RESULTS: Only two patients had classic intraorbital etiologies, one with an intraconal cavernous hemangioma and one with an intraconal foreign body. Three patients had extraorbital processes, two with orbital fractures and one with a sinus tumor. Only two of our patients initially were aware of the gaze-evoked amaurosis at presentation. Appropriate surgery was curative in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Gaze-evoked amaurosis is a rare condition, classically implicating intraconal orbital pathology. In one of the largest case series published to date, we found extraorbital etiologies are also capable of producing gaze-evoked vision loss. Gaze-evoked amaurosis should be suspected and tested for in any orbital condition.

Duane radial ray syndrome (Okihiro syndrome) maps to 20q13 and results from mutations in SALL4, a new member of the SAL family.

Duane syndrome is a congenital eye movement disorder characterized most typically by absence of abduction, restricted adduction, and retraction of the globe on attempted adduction. Duane syndrome can be coinherited with radial ray anomalies as an autosomal dominant trait, referred to as "Okihiro syndrome" or "Duane radial ray syndrome" (DRRS). We ascertained three pedigrees with DRRS and mapped their disease gene to a 21.6-cM region of chromosome 20 flanked by markers D20S888 and D20S102. A new member of the SAL family of proposed C(2)H(2) zinc finger transcription factors, SALL4, falls within the region. Mutation analysis of SALL4 in the three pedigrees revealed one nonsense and two frameshift heterozygous mutations. SALL4 represents the first identified Duane syndrome gene and the second malformation syndrome resulting from mutations in SAL genes and likely plays a critical role in abducens motoneuron development.

Dominant familial congenital entropion with tarsal hypoplasia and atrichosis.

BACKGROUND: Congenital entropion and atrichosis of the lower eyelids associated with tarsal hypoplasia is a rare condition, with isolated reports in the literature and without previous pathologic examination. METHODS: Case report. A father and son with mild entropion, lower eyelash atrichosis, and tarsal hypoplasia are described. A family pedigree demonstrates autosomal dominant inheritance. RESULTS: Histopathology from an entropion repair shows rudimentary tarsus and Meibomian glands consistent with hypoplasia of the tarsus. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated congenital entropion may occur in association with atrichosis of the lower eyelashes and hypoplasia of the tarsus as an isolated anomaly. The condition may be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait and appears to be well tolerated.

Analysis of anterior and posterior corneal curvature changes using Orbscan technology in radial keratotomy eyes exposed to hypoxia.

PURPOSE: To study the changes in anterior and posterior corneal curvatures in radial keratotomy (RK) and normal eyes exposed to hypoxia using Orbscan (Bausch & Lomb) technology. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington, USA. METHODS: At sea level, 11 RK subjects and 10 control subjects were exposed to ocular surface hypoxia in 1 eye by filtering humidified, compressed 100% nitrogen (0% oxygen) through an airtight goggle system for 2 hours. The contralateral eye was exposed to humidified, compressed air (21% oxygen) simultaneously through the airtight goggle system. Orbscan analysis was performed in each subject before and immediately after gas exposure. This analysis included measurement of the anterior axial and posterior axial corneal curvatures as well as corneal pachymetry. RESULTS: In the RK eyes exposed to 100% nitrogen gas, there was a statistically significant flattening in the anterior axial corneal curvature (P = .0012) and in the posterior axial corneal curvature (P = .0067). Radial keratotomy and control eyes exposed to air and control eyes exposed to 100% nitrogen gas demonstrated no statistically significant change in the anterior axial or posterior axial corneal curvature. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal hypoxia induced a statistically significant flattening in the anterior axial and posterior axial corneal curvatures in eyes that had had RK. There was no significant change in these curvatures in RK eyes exposed to air and in control eyes exposed to air or 100% nitrogen gas.