Factors related to amblyopia in congenital ptosis after frontalis sling surgery.

BACKGROUND: Amblyopia is a main concern in children undergoing frontalis sling surgery for repairing congenital ptosis. This study aimed to evaluate factors related to amblyopia in children undergoing frontalis sling surgery. METHODS: IRB-approved retrospective review of children under the age of 12 who received frontalis sling surgery. Preoperative demographic data, strabismus, margin reflex distance 1 (MRD1), lid fissure height, sling type, refraction errors, surgical outcome and amblyopia were evaluated. RESULTS: This study included 48 eyelid procedures performed in 38 patients. Median age was 4.0 years. Etiology was congenital ptosis in 42 eyes (87.5%) and blepharophimosis in 6 eyes (12.5%). Mersilene mesh was the sling material used in 36 eyes (75%), silicone in 6 eyes (12.5%), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in 6 eyes (12.5%). Mean duration of follow-up was 27.8 ± 25.0 months (range, 3 to 128 months). Amblyopia was observed in 17 eyes (35.4%) at the final follow-up. Factors significantly associated with final amblyopia included blepharophimosis (p = 0.017), preoperative MRD1 ≤ - 1.0 mm (p = 0.038), preoperative lid fissure ≤4.5 mm (p = 0.035), preoperative anisometropia (spherical equivalent) (p = 0.011), and postoperative astigmatism (p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Study results suggest that blepharophimosis, preoperative MRD1 ≤ - 1.0 mm, preoperative lid fissure ≤4.5 mm, preoperative anisometropia (spherical equivalent), and postoperative astigmatism are associated with amblyopia after frontalis sling surgery in patients with congenital ptosis.

Patterns and Etiologies of Uveitis at a Tertiary Referral Center in Taiwan.

PURPOSE: To analyze the patterns and etiologies of uveitis at a tertiary referral center in Taiwan. METHODS: This retrospective chart review of uveitis patients from January 2001 to December 2014 updates a previous study a decade ago (2003). RESULTS: We identified 450 patients, among whom anterior uveitis was most common, followed by panuveitis, posterior uveitis, and intermediate uveitis. A specific diagnosis was identified in 331 patients. In 73 infectious uveitis cases, herpetic anterior uveitis was the leading cause, followed by endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis and acute retinal necrosis. In 258 non-infectious uveitis cases, HLA-B27-associated uveitis was most commonly seen, followed by Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease and Posner-Schlossman syndrome. Compared with our previous study, we found more viral infection and sarcoidosis but fewer cases of Behçet disease, tuberculosis, and toxoplasmosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide useful information about the patterns and etiologies of uveitis in a selected population in Taiwan.