Psychosocial aspects of mothers of children with strabismus.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to investigate the psychological profile of mothers of children with strabismus, their attitudes to their children, and their family functioning. METHODS: This study was conducted at Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine, from 2000 to 2002 and involved a series of 30 children with strabismus and 31 healthy controls. All mothers were asked to complete Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Parental Attitude Research Instrument (PARI), and Family Assessment Device (FAD). RESULTS: Mothers of the children with strabismus had significantly higher depression scores ( P = 0.042) compared with mothers of the control group. They demonstrated significantly lower scores in democratic attitude, meaning that they failed to constitute a supportive and friendship relation with their children, ( P = 0.0001). These mothers had significantly higher scores in rejection of maternal role ( P = 0.017) as compared with mothers of the control group. They were nervous, distressed, and angry in the relationship with their children, with unhappiness and more dissatisfaction with respect to maternal role. Mothers of the children with strabismus had poor role functioning in the family, which is related to satisfying the food, clothing, and support needs ( P = 0.034). They also had poor affective responsiveness, which means the ability of family members to respond with appropriate emotion ( P = 0.003), and poor general functioning ( P = 0.040) as compared with mothers of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that, for mothers who have children with strabismus, strabismus had an adverse effect on their lives, and their family relationships.

Transscleral fixation of foldable intraocular lenses.

PURPOSE: To report the results of transscleral implantation of foldable intraocular lenses (IOLs). SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. METHODS: Twenty eyes of 20 patients had transscleral fixation of a foldable IOL combined with conventional 3-port pars plana vitrectomy or anterior vitrectomy. Twelve eyes had lens luxation, 8 traumatic and 4 idiopathic. Six eyes were aphakic, 3 after extracapsular cataract extraction and 3 as a result of complicated phacoemulsification. One patient with a mature cataract and pseudoexfoliation had a wide zonular dialysis during phacoemulsification. One patient had an opacified hydrophilic acrylic IOL. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 52.9 years (range 17 to 80 years). The mean preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/63 (range counting fingers to 20/25). The mean preoperative refraction was +10.8 diopters (D) (range +10 to +13 D) and the mean preoperative astigmatism, 1.8 D (range 1.0 to 5.5 D). Sixteen IOLs were hydrophobic acrylic, 14 of which were 3-piece AcrySof MA60BM (Alcon) and 2 of which were Sensar AR40 (Allergan). Four IOLs, all VisaAcryl(Staar), were hydrophilic acrylic. The mean power of the IOLs was +22.0 D (range 19.0 to 26.0 D). The mean follow-up was 12 months (range 1 to 18 months). The postoperative BCVA ranged between 20/100 and 20/20, and the mean postoperative astigmatism was 1.1 D (range 0.5 to 4.0 D) at the last follow-up visit. The difference was statistically significant (P<.05). Suture exposure and cystoid macular edema were the only complications, each occurring in 2 eyes. CONCLUSION: Transscleral fixation of foldable IOLs takes less time and results in fewer complications and better visual outcomes.