Treatment of Anisometropic Amblyopia with a Dichoptic Digital Platform in Argentinian Children and Adults.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the results of dichoptic training in Argentinian children and adults with anisometropic amblyopia. METHODS: Prospective non-comparative study enrolling 41 subjects with anisometropic amblyopia (age, 6-60 years old). Two groups were differentiated according to age, children (6-16 years, 24 subjects) and adults (>17 years, 17 subjects). All patients were treated with the Bynocs® platform (Kanohi Eye Pvt. Ltd, India) following a protocol of 30 sessions of training of 30 min daily 5 times a week for 6 weeks. Changes in corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and binocular function (BF) score with treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: In the whole sample, CDVA in the amblyopic eye improved significantly, with a mean change of 0.30 logMAR (p < .001). Likewise, a significant improvement was also found in BF score (p < .001), with a mean change of 1.14 log units. The change achieved in CDVA was significantly correlated with the baseline CDVA in the amblyopic eye (r=-0.568, p < .001). Furthermore, no significant differences were found between age groups in the change achieved in CDVA (p = .431) and BF with therapy (p = .760). CONCLUSIONS: Dichoptic training with the digital platform evaluated provides an effective improvement of visual acuity and binocular function in children and adults with anisometropic amblyopia.

Nationwide genetic analysis of more than 600 families with inherited eye diseases in Argentina.

This study corresponds to the first large-scale genetic analysis of inherited eye diseases (IED) in Argentina and describes the comprehensive genetic profile of a large cohort of patients. Medical records of 22 ophthalmology and genetics services throughout 13 Argentinian provinces were analyzed retrospectively. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of an ophthalmic genetic disease and a history of genetic testing were included. Medical, ophthalmological and family history was collected. A total of 773 patients from 637 families were included, with 98% having inherited retinal disease. The most common phenotype was retinitis pigmentosa (RP, 62%). Causative variants were detected in 379 (59%) patients. USH2A, RPGR, and ABCA4 were the most common disease-associated genes. USH2A was the most frequent gene associated with RP, RDH12 early-onset severe retinal dystrophy, ABCA4 Stargardt disease, PROM1 cone-rod dystrophy, and BEST1 macular dystrophy. The most frequent variants were RPGR c.1345 C > T, p.(Arg449*) and USH2A c.15089 C > A, p.(Ser5030*). The study revealed 156/448 (35%) previously unreported pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants and 8 possible founder mutations. We present the genetic landscape of IED in Argentina and the largest cohort in South America. This data will serve as a reference for future genetic studies, aid diagnosis, inform counseling, and assist in addressing the largely unmet need for clinical trials to be conducted in the region.

Rapid progression of myopia at onset during home confinement.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the myopic shift at myopia onset was faster than usual during home confinement associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Data on refractive error in consecutive children who presented for their first myopic spectacle prescription from September 2020 to May 2021 (new-onset myopia during the pandemic) were collected. Inclusion criteria were age 5-18 years and cycloplegic spherical equivalent in both eyes in the emmetropic range in the pre-pandemic years as recorded 1 year and 2 years before the actual visit. Annualized mean myopic shifts over the two previous periods were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 39 subjects (59% girls) were enrolled. Mean age at the visit after confinement was 10.79 ± 2.83 years. The mean refractive error for the right eyes in 2018 was +0.29 ± 0.56 D. The year after (2019), these children had a mean spherical equivalent of -0.12 ± 0.70 D. At the enrollment visit after myopia onset in the pandemic period, they had myopia of -1.33 ± 0.73 D. The mean annualized myopic shift for the right eyes was -0.37 ± 0.43 D before the pandemic and -1.12 ± 0.70 D during the pandemic period that included home confinement (P < 0·001 [Wilcoxon text]). CONCLUSIONS: Previous pre-pandemic prospective studies have reported myopic shift at onset of approximately -0.80 D. The period of strict pandemic home confinement saw higher rates of myopic shift.