Clinical Features of Ocular Disabilities

PURPOSE: To describe the characteristics of the disabled patients visiting the eye clinic in our institute. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of 35 cases in our clinic from April 2004 to June 2008 using the McBride disability evaluation. We investigated the clinical features and the causes of disorders through visual acuity, visual field and ocular motility. RESULTS: Thirty-three (94.3%) of the 35 patients had disabilities due to trauma; twelve (34.3%) of them were caused by traffic accidents, and 21 (60%) of them were due to blows or lacerations. Other causes of disability were glaucoma and retinal break (5.8%). Nine patients (25.7%) had abnormal findings in the visual field examination, and nine other patients (25.7%) had limitations in ocular motility. Twenty-eight patients (80%) had decreased visual acuity, and nine (25.7%) had multiple symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the contribution of disability estimation of visual field and ocular motility in McBride disability evaluations, we considered the importance of repetitive examinations and evaluations. When patients complained of unexplained decreased visual acuity with no anatomical abnormalities, multifocal ERG and multifocal VEP should be considered in order to distinguish it from malingering or functional visual loss.

Two Cases of Occult Macular Dystrophy in a Family

PURPOSE: We report two familial cases of occult macular dystrophy (OMD) presenting with a progressive decrease in central vision. CASE SUMMARY: Both patients exhibited a normal ophthalmologic examination including slit lamp biomicroscope, fundus examination, fluorescein angiography, and full-field electroretinogram. However, there were central visual field defects on a Humphrey static visual field test (C 24-2) and abnormal multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) findings affecting the central portion of the test field. Foveal thinning was also observed by optical coherence tomography images in 1 case. These findings are consistent with the clinical characteristics of occult macular dystrophy, and close observation was recommended. CONCLUSIONS: OMD is a disease characterized by a reduction in central visual acuity without visible fundus abnormalities and full field ERG. It may be misdiagnosed as optic nerve disease, a central nervous system problem, non-organic visual disorder or malingering; therefore, mfERG is essential for the diagnosis of this rare type of macular dystrophy.