Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in amblyopia

Purpose: To report retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) in eyes with amblyopia compared with contralateral healthy eyes. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we included patients with anisometropic amblyopia, strabismic amblyopia, and mixed amblyopia. All subjects underwent complete ophthalmic examination, including RNFLT measurement with time-domain OCT (Stratus OCT) and scanning laser polarimeter (GDX VCC). A paired “t” test was used to compare average and quadrant-wise RNFL thickness between the amblyopic and contralateral normal eyes. In addition, an analysis of variance test was used to compare various RNFL thickness parameters between the three groups. Results: A total of 33 eyes of 33 subjects with anisometropic amblyopia, 20 eyes of 20 subjects with strabismic amblyopia, and 38 eyes of 38 subjects with mixed amblyopia were included. In the anisometropic amblyopia group, the average RNFLT in the amblyopic eye was 98.2 ?m and 99.8 ?m in the fellow normal eye (P = 0.5), the total foveal thickness was 152.82 ?m (26.78) in the anisometropic eye and 150.42 ?m (23.84) in the fellow eye (P = 0.38). The difference between amblyopic and contralateral normal eye for RNFL and macular parameters was statistically insignificant in all three groups. The RNFL thickness in four quadrants was similar in the amblyopic and non-amblyopic eye between all three groups and statistically non-significant. Conclusion: Our study showed that RNFL thickness was similar in amblyopic and non-amblyopic eyes between all three amblyopia groups

Choroidal thickness profile in healthy Indian children.

Purpose: The purpose was to study choroidal thickness and its profile based on location in healthy Indian children using enhanced depth spectral‑domain‑optical coherence tomography (SD‑OCT). Methods: In this cross‑sectional observational study 255 eyes of 136 children with no retinal or choroidal disease were consecutively scanned using enhanced depth SD‑OCT. Eyes with any ocular disease or axial length (AXL) >25 mm or < 20 mm were excluded. A single observer measured choroidal thickness from the posterior edge of the retinal pigment epithelium to the choroid/sclera junction at 500‑microns intervals up to 2500 microns temporal and nasal to the fovea. Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the correlation between choroidal thickness at various locations and age, AXL, gender and spherical equivalent (SEq). Results: Mean age of the subjects was 11.9 ± 3.4 years (range: 5–18 years). There were 62 Females and 74 males. The mean AXL was 23.55 ± 0.74 mm. Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 312.1 ± 45.40 μm. Choroid was found to be thickest subfoveally, then temporally. Age, AXL and SEq showed a significant correlation with choroidal thickness, whereas gender did not affect choroidal thickness. Conclusion: Our study provides a valid normative database of choroidal thickness in healthy Indian children. This database could be useful for further studies evaluating choroidal changes in various chorioretinal disorders. Age and AXL are critical factors, which negatively correlated with choroidal thickness.

Etiology and clinical profile of childhood optic nerve atrophy at a tertiary eye care center in South India.

Background: Optic nerve atrophy is an important ophthalmological sign that may be associated with serious systemic conditions having a significant bearing on the overall morbidity of the child. Studies specific to etiology of childhood optic atrophy are scarce, this being the first such study from India to the best of our knowledge. Aim: The aim was to analyze the clinical features and etiology of diagnosed cases of optic nerve atrophy in children <16 years of age. Materials and Methods: Retrospective review of records of children diagnosed with optic nerve atrophy between the ages of 0 and 16 years from 2006 to 2011. Results: A total of 324 children (583 eyes) were identified. Among these 160 (49%) presented with defective vision, 71 (22%) with strabismus, 18 (6%) with only nystagmus. Rest had a combination of two or three of the above symptoms. Sixty‑five patients (20%) had a unilateral affection. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy seen in 133 patients (41%) was the most frequent cause of childhood optic atrophy, followed by idiopathic in 98 (30%), hydrocephalus in 24 (7%), compressive etiology in 18 (5%), infective in 19 (6%), congenital in 6 (2%), inflammatory in 5 (2%) patients, respectively. Conclusion: Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy appears to be the most common cause of optic atrophy in children in this series. The most common presenting complaint was defective vision.

Isolated abducens nerve palsy with hyperhomocysteinemia: Association and outcomes.

hypertension, dyslipidemia, carotid artery disease, etc., In this report, we describe four patients with isolated abducens nerve palsy who presented with an acute onset diplopia whose detailed history and examination were suggestive of an ischemic etiology. Detailed systemic and laboratory evaluation revealed hyperhomocysteinemia as the only potential risk factor. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of association of hyperhomocysteinemia and isolated abducens nerve palsy.