Knowledge of and attitude to eye disorders among pediatricians in North Jordan.

PURPOSE: To assess the general knowledge of and attitude to various common eye conditions in children among pediatricians in north Jordan. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. An exploratory questionnaire was developed by the research team to collect the necessary qualitative information. RESULTS: In total, 48 pediatricians participated in the study. Around two-thirds performed eye examinations in children; however, only 10.4% (n = 5) carried out eye exams routinely as part of every child's health visit. The most common test done was assessment of red reflex, which was performed by only 60.4% (n = 29) of responders. Almost all participants (95.8%, n = 46) recognized the risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The majority of pediatricians (n = 46, 95.8%) would immediately refer a child with suspected glaucoma to an ophthalmologist. In regard to leukocoria, the majority recognized cataract (n = 38, 79.2%) and retinoblastoma (n = 40, 83.3%) as major causes of this condition. Almost all pediatricians (n = 46, 95.8%) would immediately refer a child with leukocoria to an ophthalmologist. On the subject of refractive errors, only 62.5% (n = 30) of physicians confirmed that refractive errors could occur in children of any age and that they may need glasses. Nonetheless, 70.8% (n = 34) stated that refractive errors could be a cause of squint in children. Amblyopia and underlying central causes of squint were a major concern for most responders with 68.8% (n = 33) and 75% (n = 36), respectively. CONCLUSION: Although the knowledge of and attitude to eye disease among pediatricians were at a satisfactory level, the degree of collaboration with ophthalmologists is limited. More workshops need to be held for pediatricians.

Ocular findings in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A Case-Control study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the differences of ocular abnormalities between children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and non-attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children using siblings of cases in Jordan. METHODS: A case-control study of 55 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and 55 children without the disorder as a control group using siblings of cases. Examination included visual acuity, motility, anterior and posterior segments, convergence, optical coherence tomography and corneal topography. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients from the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder group had visual acuity better than 0.8 in both eyes; 36.4% had normal cyclorefraction, while 54.5% had mild hyperopia. Most of them did not need glasses. Tomography showed normal values with no statistically significant differences between the two groups. The near point of convergence showed significantly abnormal values in 41.9% of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Pentacam measurements showed normal values with no statistically significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder show significant low near point convergence compared with the study control group.

A rare case of Evans syndrome associated with sudden loss of vision: A case report.

PURPOSE: To report a case of Evans syndrome with a vascular occlusive event leading to severe loss of vision. CASE REPORT: A 12-year-old boy with Evans syndrome presented with painless acute loss of vision in the left eye during a period of remission from the disease. Examination showed visual acuity of hand motion in the left eye, left relative afferent pupillary defect, pale optic nerve head, and attenuated vessels. Optical coherence tomography showed thin macula in both eyes, and fundus fluorescein angiography revealed delayed filling time of the arterial phase in the left eye, with attenuation and sclerosis of the arterioles. An electrophysiological study showed an electronegative electroretinogram. Based on these findings, we reached a concurrent diagnosis of atypical retinitis pigmentosa in both eyes along with a major superimposed vascular occlusive event in the left eye leading to severe visual loss. CONCLUSION: This is a case describing a rare ocular complication of Evans syndrome, leading to severe loss of vision due to vascular occlusion of unknown mechanism.

Hospital-Based Ocular Trauma: Factors, Treatment, And Impact Outcome.

BACKGROUND: Specific morbidities as blindness is a serious complication that commonly results from patients with ocular traumas and can significantly impair the patient's social and occupational abilities. This study is conducted due to the current lack of data on ocular injuries in developing countries and places near war regions and aims to investigate and evaluate the impact of ocular trauma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: After Institutional Review Board approval was obtained, we retrospectively identified 112 patients who were admitted due to eye trauma from January 2015 until October 2018. Information about demographics, diagnostic modalities, prognostic impact, and treatment interventions were retrieved, analyzed. RESULTS: One-hundred and twelve patients were included in the study. The majority of patients were males. The mean age for patients was 22.2. Road traffic accident (RTA) constituted the most common cause of trauma (60.7%). Gunshots and blast injuries were observed in 12.5% of patients. Workplace injuries were infrequent (8.1%). The gunshot was significantly associated with injury to two or more eyeball structures while the RTA was significantly related to one eyeball structure injury. RTA was associated with intact globe while gunshot was significantly associated with ruptured globes. The mean duration of admission was 8.1 days. Associated truncal injury is the most important independent factor affecting the duration of admission. CONCLUSION: Majority of trauma cases occurred in young males involved in RTAs. The location of Jordan near the Syrian war increases the appearance of gunshot ocular trauma in specific and ocular trauma in general. Educating the public is essential if we wish to prevent eye injuries.

Horizontal gaze palsy and progressive scoliosis with two novel ROBO3 gene mutations in two Jordanian families.

BACKGROUND: Horizontal gaze palsy and progressive scoliosis (HGPPS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder due to mutations in ROBO3 gene. Patients have characteristic clinical and imaging findings. We report six patients from two families with this disorder with two novel mutations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One patient from a non-consanguineous family and five patients from extended consanguineous families were clinically and radiologically examined. Blood samples from the patients and their parents were obtained and all the coding exons and flanking intronic sequences of the ROBO3 gene were amplified and subjected to bidirectional DNA sequencing. RESULTS: All six patients had the characteristic clinical and radiological findings of HGPPS. Genetic testing showed two novel mutations including frame-shift and nonsense. CONCLUSION: Two novel mutations in the ROBO3 gene were identified in two Jordanian families with six affected individuals. To our knowledge, this is the first molecular study of HGPPS in Jordan.

Exposure keratopathy in sedated and ventilated patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of exposure keratopathy in sedated/mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care unit and its risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study including all patients admitted to an adult intensive care unit department between March and October 2010 who were sedated and mechanically ventilated. Patients were examined by an ophthalmologist 1 to 5 days after commencing ventilation and subsequently every day. Examination included assessment of lid position, conjunctival edema (chemosis), and corneal changes. RESULTS: Of the 74 patients included in the study, 57% had exposure keratopathy. Fifty-four percent of patients developed chemosis, and 31% of patients developed lagophthalmos. Frequency of exposure keratopathy differed significantly according to degree of chemosis and lagophthalmos (P < .0001); lagophthalmos was also significantly related to chemosis (P < .0001). For lagophthalmos score of 3, the odds ratio of association with higher exposure keratopathy score was 136 (95% confidence interval [CI], 14.97-1242.6); for lagophthalmos score of 2, it was 14.4 (95% CI, 2.67-77.2). For any edema, the odds ratio of association with exposure keratopathy was 5.50 (95% CI, 2.02-15.00). CONCLUSION: The frequency of exposure keratopathy in sedated/mechanically ventilated patients is high with lagophthalmos and chemosis as the main risk factors.