The Refractive Errors and Axial Length in Amblyopia

PURPOSE: It is the purpose of this study to investigate the distribution of the refractive error between amblyopic and nonamblyopic eye in the strabismic or anisometropic amblyopia and also evaluate the relationship among refractive error, axial length and the depth of amblyopia. METHODS: We prospectively reviewed the corrected best visual acuity, amount of deviation, cycloplegic refractive error and axial length in a total of 65 patients who are 29 strabismic and 36 anisometropic amblyopic patients from February 1999 to June 2001. RESULTS: Hyperopia was detected in as many as 20 of 29 strabismic (69%) and 22 of 36 anisometropic amblyopia (61%). In strabismic amblyopia the depth of amblyopia is correlated with the degree of hyperopia (r=0.535, p=0.022), not with axial length. In anisometropic amblyopia, the depth of amblyopia is correlated with the degree of hyperopia (r=0.689, p=0.000) and the degree of myopia (r=-0.691, p=0.013), and in especially hyperopic anisometropia, it is correlated with axial length (r=0.513, p=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperopia was the major refractive error in strabismic and anisometropic amblyopia and the depth of amblyopia is correlated with degree of hyperopia. In hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia, the greater the depth of amblyopia, the shorter the axial length.

Corneal Astigmatic Change in Corneal Topography After Upper Eyelid Surgery

PURPOSE: The study was conducted to determine if there is a corneal astigmatic changes after upper eyelid surgery by using corneal topography and if these changes are the reason why some patients note a decrease in visual acuity. METHODS: Twenty four eyes of 12 patients with dermatochalasis who had undergone upper eyelid blepharoplasty, and 24 eyes of 12 patients who had undergone aesthetic double fold formation were included. We performed corneal topography during the postoperative 3 months and also evaluated the corneal refractive index change on thirteen points of the central cornea, which were located in the center of the corneal apex and apart from it by 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 mm along each axis corresponding to the 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees respectively. RESULTS: Corneal topography demonstrated increase in with-the-rule astigmatism by 38, 33, and 12% for dermatochalasis patients at 1week, 1month, and 3months after surgery, and by 25%, 17%, and 13% for double fold patients. However the increase in with-the-rule astigmatism seemed to be temporary, showing gradual regression. The refractive index change of thirteen points of central cornea was not significant except a few eyes with astigmatic changes greater than 1D until 1 month after surgery. There was alsoincreased astigmatism after surgery in vector-corrected analysis. CONCLUSIONS: There was a tendency of increase in with-the-rule astigmatism and those changes were temporary and regressed gradually. No patient showed significant refractive index change on the 13 points of central cornea but some showed changes greater than 1 D in the early postoperative period, causing visually significant astigmatic changes temporarily.