Prevention and management of childhood progressive myopia: National consensus guidelines

Myopia is a major public health problem worldwide, including India, with the global prevalence of myopia increasing rapidly over decades. The clinical and socioeconomic impact of myopia is also expected to rise with rising prevalence. Therefore, the focus has now been shifted to prevent the incidence and progression of myopia. However, there is lack of any standardized guidelines for myopia management. This document aims to generate a national-level expert consensus statement on the management of childhood myopia in the Indian scenario. The expert panel of pediatric ophthalmologists consisted of 63 members who met in a hybrid meeting. A list of topics deliberating discussion in the meeting was provided to the experts in advance and they were instructed to provide their opinions on the matter during the meet. The panel of experts then gave their views on each of the items presented, deliberated on different aspects of childhood myopia, and reached a consensus regarding the practice patterns in the Indian scenario. In case of opposing views or lack of a clear consensus, we undertook further discussion and evaluated literature to help arrive at a consensus. A written document is prepared based on recommendations explaining definition of myopia, refraction techniques, components and methods of workup, initiation of anti-myopia treatment, type and timing of interventions, follow-up schedule, and indications for revised or combination treatment. This article formulates evidence-based guidelines for progressing myopes and pre-myopes and also establishes uniformity in the management of childhood myopia in the country.

Efficacy of supplemental Occlu-pad therapy with partial occlusion in children with refractive anisometropic amblyopia

Purpose: To study the efficacy of supplemental occlu?pad therapy with partial occlusion in children with refractive anisometropic amblyopia. Methods: Thirty?one children who did not improve after partial occlusion of 6 h for 6 months were supplemented with the use of occlu?pad for 1 h per day and three such sessions in a week. Results: The mean age was 6.8+/?1.4 years (range 5�years). A significant improvement of 3.2+/?1.3 lines in visual acuity was noticed at the end of 3 months of starting this supplemental therapy in children. Out of 31 children, 26 children improved at least 2 lines or more at the end of 3 months. All children (n = 9) having anisohyperopic amblyopia improved at the end of 3 months. Conclusion: Occlu?pad is useful in supplementing occlusion therapy in cases of refractive amblyopia and is more effective in anisohyperopic amblyopia

Efficacy of low-concentration atropine (0.01%) eye drops for prevention of axial myopic progression in premyopes

Low?concentration atropine (LCA; 0.01%) is known to reduce the progression of myopia in axial myopes. The purpose of this study was to understand the role of LCA in premyopic children in preventing progression. Methods: A randomized case–control study of known premyopes was done between the use of LCA and no intervention. A total of 30 children were included in both groups. Results: The mean age in the LCA group was 7.7 ± 2.1 years (5–12 years), and in the control group, it was 7.2 ± 1.9 years (4–12 years). The mean baseline progression per year in the LCA group (before starting the eye drops) was ? 0.72 ± 0.3 D, and in the control group, it was ? 0.69 ± 0.4 D. At the end of the first year, the mean progression in the LCA group was ? 0.31 ± 0.3 D versus ? 0.76 ± 0.4 D, and the axial length increase was 0.12 ± 0.1 mm in the LCA group and 0.21 ± 0.2 mm in the control group. At the end of the second year, the mean progression compared with the baseline in the LCA group was ? 0.6 ± 0.3 D versus ? 1.75 ± 0.4 D, and the axial length showed an increase from baseline in the LCA group by 0.21 ± 0.2 mm, and in the control group, the increase was 0.48 ± 0.2 mm in 2 years. Conclusion: Low?concentration eye drops (0.01%) work in preventing the progression of axial myopia in premyopic children.

Evaluating the change in central corneal thickness in neonates (term and preterm) in Indian population and the factors affecting it.

Background and Aim: Central corneal thickness (CCT) of term and preterm infants in Indian population is not known. We did a prospective noninterventional study to measure the CCT in term and preterm infants. Materials and Methods: An ultrasonic pachymeter was used. The data regarding the date of birth, expected date of delivery, birth weight were recorded. The preterm and the term infants were followed up at 8 weeks, 20 weeks and at 1‑year. Results: A total of 85 (170 eyes) children were included in the study. The mean age was 264.6 ± 21.8 days postconception. The mean birth weight and CCT were 1834.4 ± 512.1 g and 595.8 ± 72.4 μ respectively. A comparison of CCT on the basis postgestational age showed a mean thickness of 620.7 ± 88.8 and 574.4 ± 78.3 μ in the <260 days and >260 days age groups respectively. The difference was statistically significant (Student’s test, P = 0.002). The CCT of preterm infants (<260 days) decreased from a mean value of 620.7 ± 88.8 μ to 534.1 ± 57.6 μ at the end of 1‑year. Conclusion: We present the data of CCT in term and preterm infants in Indian population. We believe that the premature babies have slightly thicker corneas than mature term babies.

Effect of bilateral superior oblique split lengthening on torsion.

Introduction: Superior oblique split lengthening (SOSL) is done for weakening of superior oblique. It corrects the superior oblique overaction (SOOA) and A pattern. Its effect on the torsion of the eye is not known. We present our data on the effect of this particular procedure on torsion. Materials and Methods: We did a study of 16 patients (32 eyes) who underwent bilateral SOSL and compared the disc foveal angle (DFA) preoperatively and postoperatively. The split lengthening was done from 4 mm to 7 mm depending upon the overaction of superior oblique. Results: The mean age was 15.3 ± 8.4 years. Mean preoperative DFA in the right eye (RE) was −3.9° and in the left eye (LE) was −2.9°. Mean postoperative DFA in RE was 0.2° and in LE was 0.9°. The mean change in the DFA for RE was 4.1° ± 1.3° and for LE was 3.8° ± 1.2°. All the patients were aligned horizontally within 6 prism diopter and no pattern and no diplopia postoperatively. The A pattern was corrected in all the patient postsurgery. For each mm of surgery, an improvement of 0.8° was seen in the DFA. Conclusion: We report the effect of SOSL on torsion. The SOSL reduces intorsion postsurgery and is, therefore, a valuable procedure in SOOA where both pattern and in torsion needs to be corrected.

Loop myopexy with true muscle transplantation for very large angle heavy eye syndrome patient.

A 42-year-old man presenting with complaints of squint for last 20 years. His visual acuity was 20/400 in right eye (RE) and 20/30 in left eye (LE) with glasses. His refraction was RE -16.75/-2.5 D cycl 180 and LE was -14.5/-1.5 D cycl 180. His axial length was 31.23 mm In RE and 29.72 mm in LE. On examination we found he had RE large esotropia with hypotropia measuring 130 pd base out and 40 pd base up in RE. A computerized tomography scan revealed that the superior rectus (SR) was shifted nasally, and lateral rectus (LR) was shifted inferiorly. A RE medial rectus (MR) recession and LR resection with muscle transplantation on the MR was done. A loop myopexy was done to correct the path of the LR and SR. The patient had only 18 pd eso and 20 pd hypo on follow-up after 3 months. Loop myopexy in conjunction with muscle transplantation is a safe and effective procedure for large angle esotropia associated with heavy eye syndrome.

Flash visual evoked potentials in patients with periventricular leucomalacia in children less than 1 year of age.

Background and Aim: Children with periventricular leucomalacia (PVL) are known to have visual impairment of various forms starting from reduced vision, field defects, congnitive problems, and problems with hand eye coordination. There is very scant data/literature on the visual evoked potentials (VEPs) at an early age in children with PVL. We did a study to evaluate the flash visual evoked potentials (fVEPs) in children with PVL less than 1 year of age. Materials and Methods: A total of nine children diagnosed as having PVL on magnetic resonance imaging were included in the study. The mean age was 9.7± 3.5 months. All children underwent handheld fVEPs under sedation at two different flash frequencies 1.4 and 8 Hz. Results: The mean latency of N1 and P1 on stimulation with 1.4 Hz was 47.9± 15.2 and 77.7± 26.0 ms, respectively. However, on stimulation with 8 Hz the mean latency of N1 and P1 was 189.8± 25.6 and 238.4± 33.6 ms, respectively. The mean amplitude with 1.4 Hz and 8 stimulation frequency was 5.6± 4.5 and 5.59± 3 mV, respectively. Conclusion: We have found for the first time that there is a change in the latency and the delay occurs at 8 Hz frequency but not at 1.4 Hz. We also conclude that amplitudes by fVEPs may be normal even in presence of periventricular changes. The amplitudes of fVEPs are not reliable in children with PVL.

Synergistic convergence and split pons in horizontal gaze palsy and progressive scoliosis in two sisters.

Synergistic convergence is an ocular motor anomaly where on attempted abduction or on attempted horizontal gaze, both the eyes converge. It has been related to peripheral causes such as congenital fibrosis of extraocular muscles (CFEOM), congenital cranial dysinnervation syndrome, ocular misinnervation or rarely central causes like horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis, brain stem dysplasia. We hereby report the occurrence of synergistic convergence in two sisters. Both of them also had kyphoscoliosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain and spine in both the patients showed signs of brain stem dysplasia (split pons sign) differing in degree (younger sister had more marked changes).

Pyomyositis of extraocular muscle: Case series and review of the literature.

Pyomyositis is a primary acute bacterial infection usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Any skeletal muscle can be involved, but the thigh and trunk muscles are commonly affected. Only three cases of extraocular muscle (EOM) pyomyositis have been reported. We herein present four cases of isolated EOM pyomyositis. Three of our cases presented with acute onset of proptosis, pain, swelling and redness. One patient presented with mass in the inferior orbit for 4 months. One patient had central retinal artery occlusion on presentation. None of them had marked systemic symptoms. Computed tomography scan of all patients showed a typical hypodense rim enhancing lesion of the muscle involved. Three patients were started on intravenous antibiotics immediately on diagnosis and the pus was drained externally. Two patients underwent exploratory orbitotomy. In conclusion, it should be considered in any patient presenting with acute onset of orbital inflammation. Management consists of incision and drainage coupled with antibiotic therapy.

Measuring normal ocular torsion and its variation by fundus photography in children between 5-15 years of age.

Cycloposition has been measured by various methods; however, fundus photography is the most reliable method to evaluate the torsion objectively. We did a prospective study to find out the disc foveal angle (DFA) and its variation in children without squint. We included 210 eyes of 105 children between the ages of 5-15 years. DFA was calculated using standard technique after taking a fundus photograph. The cycloplegic refraction was done and compared. The mean age was 10.6 ± 2.5 years. Mean DFA in right eye (RE) was 6.49 ± 3.25° (0-13°) and in left eye (LE) was 5.80 ± 3.29° (0-12°). The difference between the RE and LE was statistically not significant (P=0.131) (mean 1.15 ±1.39°). Mean DFA in emmetropic children was 6.1° ± 3.4° (n=112 eyes). DFA varies widely in children. The difference observed in DFA measurement for eyes with various refractive errors were compared with DFA measurements for emmetropic eyes.

Anterior plagiocephaly with contralateral superior oblique overaction.

Anterior plagiocephaly is a craniofacial anomaly related to premature unilateral synostosis. We present three cases of anterior plagiocephaly with contralateral superior oblique dysfunction. A detailed ophthalmic examination, including orthoptic assessment for the extraocular muscle misalignment, with appropriate radio-imaging was done in all the three cases. All of them showed a right-sided plagiocephaly, with overaction of the left superior oblique muscle, alternating exotropia and a dissociated vertical deviation. Two underwent surgical correction of squint. Both were well aligned after squint surgery. Plagiocephaly has been reported to simulate superior oblique muscle paresis. We report a rare occurrence of contralateral superior oblique muscle overaction in three children with anterior plagiocephaly.

Single lens to lens duplication: the missing link.

Congenital anomalies of the lens include a wide range from lens coloboma to primary aphakia and doubling of lens. There have been few case reports of double lens; the etiology suggested is metaplastic changes in the surface ectoderm that leads to formation of two lens vesicles and hence resulting in double lens. We report a case with bilobed lens, which raises the possibility of explaining the etiology of double lens.

Atypical association of Duane retraction syndrome and Bardet Biedl syndrome.

Duane's retraction syndrome (DRS) includes changes in palpebral fissure width along with restriction of ocular motility. Bardet Biedl syndrome (BBS) includes presence of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) with obesity, mental retardation, polydactyly and renal abnormalities. We report a case of rare association of DRS with BBS in a seven-year-old child. The ocular motility examination revealed left DRS with esotropia. Fundus examination revealed findings characteristic of an atypical retinitis pigmentosa. The electro-retinogram waveforms were extinguished both for rods and cones. He was diagnosed as a case of BBS on the basis of the ophthalmological findings plus association with the systemic features of obesity, polydactyly, hypogonadism, mental retardation and renal abnormalities. This case gives further evidence of the fact that BBS may be associated with abnormalities of eye movements.

Weill-Marchesani syndrome associated with retinitis pigmentosa.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is associated with a wide variety of ocular and systemic disorders. The Weill-Marchesani syndrome is a multi-system disorder with microspherophakia as one of the common manifestations. A 14-year-old girl presented with short stature, short and stubby fingers, hypodontia and low-set ears. Slit-lamp examination revealed microspherophakia, with shallow anterior chambers with irido and phacodonesis. Ultrasonographic biomicroscopy confirmed the clinical findings and revealed hypoplastic ciliary body. Electroretinogram confirmed the diagnosis of RP. Though RP has been associated with ectopia lentis in earlier reports, this is, to the best of our knowledge, the first case report describing the association of RP and Weill-Marchesani syndrome.

Retinitis pigmentosa associated with blepharophimosis, blue dot cataract and primary inferior oblique overaction: a new syndrome complex?

A 15-year-old girl with retinitis pigmentosa, blepharophimosis, blue dot cataract and primary overaction of inferior oblique muscle in both the eyes is being reported. Computerized search using Medline did not reveal any such previously reported association.