Refractive errors and ocular findings in children and adolescents with mental disorders: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: An increasing prevalence of mental disorders (MDs) has been reported among children and adolescents. However, only few studies have conducted ocular examinations, including those on refractive status, in these groups of patients. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the refractive status and ocular findings in children and adolescents with MDs compared with matched controls with similar socioeconomic backgrounds. METHODS: A total of 178 participants with MDs and 200 controls were recruited between April 2021 and May 2022. All the children and adolescents underwent cycloplegic or noncycloplegic autorefraction and retinoscopy, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and dilated fundus examinations. Ocular alignment was assessed using Hirschberg, Krimsky, or prism cover tests. The prevalence of refractive errors and ocular findings was the main outcome. RESULTS: Twenty-seven percent of patients with MDs and 8% of controls had ocular findings, the most common of which were conjunctivitis, keratitis, and trichiasis. For refractive status, 70% (124/178) of patients with MDs had myopia ≤-1.00 DS, and 2% (4/178) had hyperopia ≥+2.00 DS. In the control group, 70% (140/200) of patients had myopia ≤-1.00 DS, and 1% (2/200) had hyperopia ≥+2.00 DS. No differences were observed between the MD and control groups. However, the patients in the MD group (14.25±2.69 years) were significantly more susceptible to strabismus (P<0.05) and amblyopia (P<0.01) than those in the control group (13.65±3.04 years). There was a substantial difference between the two groups in the time spent on screen-based devices (P<0.001). Furthermore, mental retardation (OR=3.286, P<0.01), emotional disorders (OR=2.003, P<0.01), and adjustment disorders (OR=2.629, P<0.01) were associated with an increased risk of amblyopia. Depression (OR =1.362, P<0.01) and emotional disorders (OR=2.205, P<0.01) were associated with a higher prevalence of strabismus. CONCLUSION: Ophthalmological examinations should be performed in children and adolescents with MDs because MDs are associated with a high prevalence of refractive errors and ocular diseases. Detection and intervention of ocular and refractive findings in children and adolescents with MDs are necessary and effective in alleviating the economic burden in healthcare and improving individuals' quality of life.

Biomolecule-based hydrogels as delivery systems for limbal stem cell transplantation: A review.

Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) is a complex disease of the cornea resulting from dysfunction and/or loss of limbal stem cells (LSCs) and their niche. Most patients with LSCD cannot be treated by conventional corneal transplants because the donor tissue lacks the LSCs necessary for corneal epithelial regeneration. Successful treatment of LSCD depends on effective stem cell transplantation to the ocular surface for replenishment of the LSC reservoir. Thus, stem cell therapies employing carrier substrates for LSCs have been widely explored. Hydrogel biomaterials have many favorable characteristics, including hydrophilicity, flexibility, cytocompatibility, and optical properties suitable for the transplantation of LSCs. Therefore, due to these properties, along with the necessary signals for stem cell proliferation and differentiation, hydrogels are ideal carrier substrates for LSCD treatment. This review summarizes the use of different medical-type hydrogels in LSC transplantation from 2001 to 2024. First, a brief background of LSCD is provided. Then, studies that employed various hydrogel scaffolds as LSC carriers are highlighted to provide a multimodal strategic reference for LSCD treatment. Finally, an analysis of prospective future developments and challenges in the field of hydrogels as LSC carriers for treating LSCD is presented.