Prolonged hypotony maculopathy following uneventful strabismus surgery.

Hypotony is a rare postoperative complication of strabismus surgery. Resolution has been reported to occur within 1 month of surgery. Here, we describe the case of a 14-year-old boy with prolonged hypotony maculopathy following uneventful bilateral medial rectus recession. The hypotony resolved without long-term sequela after 7 months of treatment with topical steroids and atropine. Ultrasound biomicroscopy revealed a ciliary body effusion, which we hypothesize was the cause of decreased aqueous humor production and hypotony.

Optic Nerve Edema in Pediatric Middle Cranial Fossa Arachnoid Cysts: Report of 51 Patients From a Single Institution.

BACKGROUND: Middle fossa arachnoid cysts (MFACs) are rare, congenital lesions that may rupture and cause symptoms of elevated intracranial pressure. We sought to describe the presence of and factors associated with optic nerve edema in MFACs, focusing on the utility of ophthalmologic evaluations for guiding cyst management. METHODS: We reviewed clinical and radiographic information for all patients with MFACs with ophthalmologic evaluations at our institution. Headache, cranial nerve palsy, emesis, altered mental status, fatigue, and seizures were considered MFAC-related symptoms. Univariate and multivariable analyses evaluated factors associated with optic edema. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients between 2003 and 2022 were included. Cysts were a median volume of 169.9 cm3 (interquartile range: 70.5, 647.7). Evidence of rupture with subdural hematoma/hygroma occurred in 19 (37.3%) patients. Eighteen (35.3%) patients underwent surgery for their cyst and/or rupture-associated intracranial bleed. Eleven (21.6%) patients had optic edema; all were symptomatic and experienced cyst rupture. Ten of these patients received surgery. Postoperatively, optic edema resolved in 80% of cases. Cyst volume and symptoms were not associated with optic edema; however, patients with ruptured cysts, particularly those with traumatic rupture, were more likely to have optic edema and receive surgery (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We found optic edema in 21.6% of evaluated MFACs, and this comprised of 57.9% of ruptured cases. Optic edema was not found in unruptured cysts. Cyst fenestration improved optic edema and patient symptoms. In conjunction with clinical history and neuroimaging, optic edema may help guide MFAC management, particularly in patients with cyst rupture.

A Comparison of Chemodnervation to Incisional Surgery for Acute, Acquired, Comitant Esotropia: An International Study.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of botulinum toxin injections to strabismus surgery in children with acute, acquired, comitant esotropia (ACE), and to investigate factors predicting success. DESIGN: International, multi-center nonrandomized comparative study METHODS: Setting: Cloud-based survey. STUDY POPULATION: Children aged 2 to 17 years who underwent a single surgical intervention for ACE. INTERVENTIONS: Botulinum toxin injection ("chemodenervation" group) or strabismus surgery ("surgery" group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary measure: success rate at 6 months in propensity-matched cohort, defined as total horizontal deviation of 10 prism diopters or less with evidence of binocular single vision. Secondary measure: Risk factors for poor outcomes in the full cohort. RESULTS: Surgeons from 19 centers contributed. There were 74 patients in the chemodenervation group and 97 patients in the surgery group. In the propensity-matched data (n = 98), success rate was not significantly different at 6 months (70.2% vs 79.6%; P = .2) and 12 months (62.9% vs 77.8%; P = .2), but was significantly lower in the chemodenervation group at 24 months (52% vs 86.4%; P = .015). Irrespective of treatment modality, treatment delay was associated with lower success rates at 6 months, with median time from onset to intervention 4.5 months (interquartile range (IQR): 2.1, 6.7) in the success group and 7.7 months (IQR: 5.6, 10.1) in the failure group (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In children with ACE, success rate after chemodenervation was similar to that of surgery for up to 12 months but lower at 24 months. Those with prompt intervention and no amblyopia had the most favorable outcomes, regardless of treatment modality.

Association of Neighborhood Opportunity With Severity of Retinoblastoma at Presentation.

PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between the Child Opportunity Index (COI) and severity of retinoblastoma at presentation. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: Children (age <18 years) treated for retinoblastoma at a tertiary care center between January 2000 and May 2023 were included. Residential census tract was used to determine the overall and domain-specific COI score for each child. Collected variables included age, sex, race/ethnicity, insurance type, and the International Classification of Retinoblastoma (ICRB) Group at initial examination. The primary outcome was Group D or E retinoblastoma at presentation. Mixed effects regression models were used to estimate the association of COI scores with disease severity at presentation. RESULTS: This study included 125 children (51.2% male). Median age at diagnosis was 13 months (IQR, 5-24 months). One hundred nine (87.2%) children presented with Group D or E retinoblastoma and 33 (26.4%) resided in low or very low opportunity neighborhoods. Children residing in neighborhoods with low overall COI scores (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.01-2.58; P = .044) and low education COI scores (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.13-2.79; P = .013) were at increased odds of presenting with ICRB Group D or E retinoblastoma after adjusting for individual-level socioeconomic factors. CONCLUSION: Children residing in low opportunity neighborhoods-particularly low education opportunity-more often presented with advanced stage retinoblastoma than children residing in neighborhoods with higher opportunity scores. Efforts to improve preventative vision care and access to eye specialty care for children residing in low-resource areas are needed to reduce existing disparities in retinoblastoma.

Environmental Impact of a Pediatric and Young Adult Virtual Medicine Program: A Lesson from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to the expansion of virtual medicine as a method to provide patient care. We aimed to determine the impact of pediatric and young adult virtual medicine use on fossil fuel consumption, greenhouse gas, and nongreenhouse traffic-related air pollutant emissions. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all virtual medicine patients at a single quaternary-care children's hospital with a geocoded address in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts prior to (March 16, 2019-March 15, 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 16, 2020-March 15, 2021). Primary outcomes included patient travel distance, gasoline consumption, carbon dioxide and fine particulate matter emissions as well as savings in main hospital energy use. RESULTS: There were 3,846 and 307,273 virtual visits performed with valid Massachusetts geocoded addresses prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. During 1 year of the pandemic, virtual medicine services resulted in a total reduction of 620,231 gallons of fossil fuel use and $1,620,002 avoided expenditure as well as 5,492.9 metric tons of carbon dioxide and 186.3 kg of fine particulate matter emitted. There were 3.1 million fewer kilowatt hours used by the hospital intrapandemic compared to the year prior. Accounting for equipment emissions, the combined intrapandemic emission reductions are equivalent to the electricity required by 1,234 homes for 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Widespread pediatric institutional use of virtual medicine provided environmental benefits. The true potential of virtual medicine for decreasing the environmental footprint of health care lies in scaling this mode of care to patient groups across the state and nation when medically feasible.

Categorization of a Universal Coding System to Distinguish Use of Durable Medical Equipment and Supplies in Pediatric Patients.

Importance: Although durable medical equipment and supplies (DMES) are commonly used to optimize the health and function in pediatric patients, little is known about the prevalence of use and spending on DMES. Objective: To categorize the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) for distinguishing DMES types, and to measure the prevalence and related spending of DMES in pediatric patients using Medicaid. Design, Setting, and Participants: This study is a cross-sectional analysis of the 2018 Merative Medicaid Database and included 4 569 473 pediatric patients aged 0 to 21 years enrolled in Medicaid in 12 US states from January 1 to December 31, 2018. Data were analyzed from February 2019 to April 2023. Exposure: DMES exposure was identified with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services HCPCS codes. Three pediatricians categorized HCPCS DMES codes submitted by vendors for reimbursement of dispensed DMES into DMES types and end-organ systems; 15 expert reviewers refined the categorization (2576 DMES codes, 164 DMES types, 14 organ systems). Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was DMES prevalence & Medicaid spending. The χ2 test was used to compare DMES prevalence and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to compare per-member-per-year (PMPY) spending by complex chronic conditions (CCC). Results: Of the 4 569 473 patients in the study cohort, 49.3% were female and 56.1% were aged 5 to 15 years. Patients used 133 of 164 (81.1%) DMES types. The DMES prevalence was 17.1% (95% CI, 17.0%-17.2%) ranging from 10.1% (95% CI, 10.0%-10.2%) in patients with no chronic condition to 60.9% (95% CI, 60.8%-61.0%) for patients with 2 or more CCCs. The PMPY DMES spending was $593, ranging from $349 for no chronic condition to $4253 for 2 or more CCCs. Lens (7.9%), vision frames (6.2%), and orthotics for orthopedic injury (0.8%) were the most common DME in patients with no chronic condition. Enteral tube / feeding supplies (19.8%), diapers (19.2%), lower extremity orthotics (12.3%), wheelchair (9.6%), oxygen (9.0%), and urinary catheter equipment (4.2%) were among the most common DMES in children with 2 or more CCCs. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study, HCPCS distinguished a variety of DME types and use across pediatric populations. Further investigation should assess the utility of the HCPCS DMES categorization with efforts to optimize the quality and safety of DMES use.

Aberrant regeneration in an international registry of patients with 3rd-nerve palsy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To describe the patterns of pre-operative aberrant regeneration and motility outcomes reported in an international registry of patients with 3rd-nerve palsy treated with nasal transposition of the split lateral rectus muscle (NTSLR). METHODS: This cross-sectional study used data from an international, multicentre registry of patients with 3rd-nerve palsy treated with NTSLR. Patients with aberrant regeneration were identified, and patterns of innervation described. Demographics and postoperative success defined as horizontal alignment ≤15 PD were compared based on the presence, and type, of aberrant regeneration using Wilcoxon rank sum and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: Aberrant regeneration was reported in 16% (21/129) of patients. Age at diagnosis, sex, and aetiology of palsy were not significantly associated with aberrant regeneration. Abnormal movements were triggered by adduction in 52% (11/21), infraduction in 23% (5/21), and supraduction in 23% (5/21) of cases. Presentation patterns involved rectus muscle innervation in 29% (6/21) and levator muscle innervation in 71% (15/21) of cases. Although patients with aberrant regeneration had similar probability of success in comparison to those without following NTLSR (76% vs. 69%, p = 0.5), those with abnormal innervation of a rectus muscle had a lower success rate than those with abnormal innervation of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle (17% vs. 93%; p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Successful treatment of a 3rd nerve palsy with NTSLR was not influenced by aberrant regeneration involving the levator muscle. Alternative surgical interventions should be considered when aberrant regeneration alters rectus muscle function given its adverse impact on motor outcomes with NTSLR.

Open-Globe Injury Repairs in the American Academy of Ophthalmology IRIS® Registry 2014 - 2018: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Visual Outcomes.

PURPOSE: To estimate incidence and evaluate demographic risk factors and visual acuity (VA) outcomes of open-globe injuries requiring surgical repair in the IRIS® Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with open-globe injury repairs (OGRs) were identified by Current Procedural Terminology codes (65275, 65280, 65285, 65286, 65235, 65260, and 65265) from 2014 through 2018 in the IRIS Registry. METHODS: Logistic regression models adjusting for age, sex, race, ethnicity, United States region, concurrent and subsequent surgeries, and baseline VA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcomes included annual and 5-year incidence rates per 100 000 people and factors associated with OGR, VA better than 20/40, and VA of 20/200 or worse at final follow-up (3-12 months after OGR). RESULTS: Thirteen thousand seven hundred sixty-six OGRs were identified; 5-year cumulative incidence was 28.0 per 100 000 patients. Open-globe repair was associated with age 21 to 40 years compared with younger than 21 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-1.7]), male sex (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 2.7-2.9), Black versus White race (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.4), Hispanic versus non-Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.6-1.8), and South (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.3-1.5) and West (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.4) versus Midwest regions and associated inversely with Asian versus White race (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.6-0.7). Visual acuity outcomes, analyzed in a subset of 2966 patients with VA data available, showed vision impairment (VA < 20/40) at final follow-up was associated with VA of 20/200 or worse at presentation (20/200 better than 20/40; OR, 11.1; 95% CI, 8.0-15.7), older age (e.g., > 80 years vs. < 21 years; OR, 5.8; 95% CI, 3.2-10.7), and Black versus White race (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.3-2.6). Risk factors were similar for VA of 20/200 or worse after OGR. Among the 1063 patients undergoing OGR with VA of 20/200 or worse at presentation, VA did not improve to better than 20/200 at follow-up in 35% of patients (1063/2996). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings bring to light racial disparities in risk of OGR and poor visual outcomes that warrant further exploration. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Worldwide outcomes of nasal transposition of the split lateral rectus muscle for strabismus associated with 3rd-nerve palsy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To determine success rate and complications associated with nasal transposition of the split lateral rectus muscle (NTSLR) for treating strabismus from 3rd-nerve palsy. METHODS: An international, multicentre, registry of patients with unilateral 3rd-nerve palsy treated with NTSLR was created. Patients with concurrent surgery on the contralateral eye were excluded. Primary outcome was horizontal alignment within 15 prism dioptres (PD) of orthotropia. Incidence of technical difficulties and vision-threatening complications by 6 months post-procedure were reported. RESULTS: Ninety-eight patients met inclusion criteria. Median age was 33.5 years (IQR 10.75-46). Aetiologies included congenital (31%), neoplastic (16%) and traumatic (15%). Twenty-five per cent of patients had prior ipsilateral strabismus surgery. Median exotropia decreased from 70PD preoperatively (IQR 50-90) to 1PD postoperatively (IQR 0-15.5), with a success rate of 69%. Performing concurrent superior oblique muscle tenotomy (SOT) was independently associated with success (p=0.001). Technical challenges occurred in 30% of cases, independently associated with a history of ipsilateral strabismus surgery (p=0.01). Eleven per cent of patients had vision-threatening complications, independently associated with more posterior placement of the split lateral rectus (LR) muscle (p<0.001), and most commonly transient serous choroidal effusion. Surgical placement of the split LR muscle within 4.25 mm of the medial rectus (MR) muscle insertion reduced this risk. CONCLUSION: NTSLR significantly improved primary position alignment altered by 3rd-nerve palsy. Concurrent SOT and placement of the split LR muscle ≤4.25 mm posterior to the MR muscle insertion optimised outcomes. NTSLR proved technically challenging when prior ipsilateral strabismus surgery had been performed.

Periodic Trends in Internet Searches for Ocular Symptoms in the US.

PURPOSE: To identify periodic trends in internet searches for ocular symptoms and to determine the seasonal peaks and troughs. METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined publicly available Google Trends data from the United States (01/01/2015 to 12/31/2019). A list of common ocular symptoms was compiled from the American Academy of Ophthalmology Eye Health website and Wills Eye Manual. Ocular symptoms were stratified into categories involving vision change, eye pain, or eye redness. The search volume over time for each term was modeled using periodic regression functions and the goodness-of-fit was reported. Fisher's exact tests were used to compare the characteristics of periodic vs. non-periodic query terms. RESULTS: Seasonal trends were demonstrated by 45% (48/106) of the ocular symptoms included in this investigation. Search terms with best fit to the periodic model included stye (r2 = 0.89), pink eye (r2 = 0.82), dry eye (r2 = 0.76), blurry vision (r2 = 0.72), and swollen eye (r2 = 0.71). Periodic search terms were more likely to involve eye redness (21% vs. 11%, p = .014) and less likely to involve vision change (11% vs. 36%; p < .001). Periodic queries involving eye redness most often peaked in the spring and those involving eye pain peaked in the summer. CONCLUSION: Ocular symptom queries directly reflect seasonal trends for allergic eye disease and ocular trauma. Search query analyses can serve as accurate epidemiological tools with research and real-world clinical applications.

Use of Telemedicine in Pediatric Ophthalmology in the Underserved Population.

Access to pediatric eye care is critical in diagnosing and treating eye disease promptly to prevent visual impairment. The demand for pediatric ophthalmology is high, even in developed countries, and significant socioeconomic disparities exist in access to care. The purpose of this article is to summarize the current literature on the use of telemedicine in pediatric ophthalmology in the underserved population and to identify areas of opportunity. A detailed literature review was performed in PubMed and Google Scholar on October 1, 2021. All articles in English that described the use of telemedicine in pediatric ophthalmology, with particular attention to the underserved pediatric population, were included. There is a paucity of literature on the visual outcomes from pediatric teleophthalmology alone, and even less in underserved populations specifically. Literature supports its use in subacute to chronic eye disease, return and postoperative visits, and screening for retinopathy in prematurity in particular. Collaboration between pediatric optometrists and pediatric ophthalmologists for both asynchronous and synchronous care delivery models has shown promise in several studies. It is essential to operate within the limits of pediatric teleophthalmology and utilize this valuable service for its strengths. Telemedicine may expand access to pediatric ophthalmologists in underserved populations and may reduce the burden of eye disease.

Cytomegalovirus retinitis and immune recovery uveitis in a pediatric patient with leukemia.

Immune recovery uveitis (IRU) is an ocular form of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, which is rare in the pediatric population. We report a case of IRU in an 11-year-old girl with a history of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in the setting of acute leukemia, who developed uveitis, vitritis, retinitis, and vasculitis during immune reconstitution. She was found to have negative CMV antigenemia, and the disease occurred during concurrent systemic antiviral therapy. Anterior chamber tap confirmed the absence of the CMV in the eye, and recurrent blood samples continued to reveal absent CMV viral particles systemically while her lymphocyte count was steadily increasing. The patient responded to oral steroids, leading to resolution of active retinitis. Tapering the steroids caused a mild reactivation of the ocular immune response.

Extraocular muscle ductions following nasal transposition of the split lateral rectus muscle.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify changes in ductions following nasal transposition of the split lateral rectus muscle (NTSLR) for treating third nerve palsy. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: A single eye from each patient with third nerve palsy treated with NTSLR with ocular motility measurements. METHODS: Observation of changes in pre- and postoperative ductions. Outcome measures including patient demographic and surgical factors associated with the ability to adduct beyond the midline after NTSLR were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 116 patients met the inclusion criteria for this study. The NTSLR significantly decreased abduction (median of 0 limitation [interquartile range (IQR), 0-0] prior to surgery to -4 [IQR, -4 to -3] after NTSLR; p < 0.001), with a corresponding improvement in adduction (median, -5 [IQR, -5 to -4] prior to surgery to -4 [IQR, -4 to -3] after NTSLR; p < 0.001). There was no change in median supraduction or infraduction after NTSLR (p > 0.05). The ability to adduct beyond the midline after NTSLR was demonstrated in 42% of patients. Although not statistically significant, a trend toward a postoperative ability to adduct beyond the midline was seen in patients who had concurrent superior oblique muscle tenotomy (odds ratio [OR] = 5.08; 95% CI, 0.91-40.9) or who were designated with partial rather than complete third nerve palsy (OR = 2.29; 95% CI, 0.82-6.70). CONCLUSIONS: NTSLR improves the horizontal midline positioning of eyes with third nerve palsy. Most eyes lose the ability to abduct, but some regain a modest ability to adduct while vertical ductions remain unchanged.

Global Current Practice Patterns for the Management of Hyphema.

Purpose: Hyphema is a sequela of ocular trauma and can be associated with significant morbidity. Management of this condition is variable and can depend on individual institutional guidelines. We aimed to summarize current practices in hyphema management across ophthalmological institutions worldwide. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted across North America, Asia, South America, Africa, Europe, and Australia from August 2020 to January 2021. The survey assessed the existing practices in the management of hyphema at each institution. Results: For layered hyphema, topical steroids were routinely administered by 34 (of 36 respondents, 94.4%) institutions, of which prednisolone was the preferred choice (n = 32, 88.9%). Topical cycloplegics were used at 34 (94.4%) institutions. No institution reported routine use of antifibrinolytics. Head elevation was the most deployed procedure to promote hyphema reabsorption (n = 31, 86.3%), followed by partial bed rest (n = 21, 58.3%). The majority of institutions (n = 25, 69.4%) did not routinely pursue admission for hyphema patients, although 75.0% of institutions (n = 27) scheduled follow-up visits within 48 hours of presentation. Additionally, few institutions performed routine sickle cell trait testing for patients presenting with hyphema (n = 6, 16.7%). The decision to perform anterior chamber washout varied and was often based on intraocular pressure and the speed of hyphema resolution. Conclusion: Unanimity of international institutions on hyphema management is lacking. As it stands, many current interventions have unconvincing evidence supporting their use. Evidence-based guidelines would be beneficial in guiding decision-making on hyphema management. Additionally, areas of consensus can be used as foundations for future standard of care investigations.

A decline in the strabismus surgical experience of ophthalmology residents in the United States from 2010 to 2019.

Subspecialty exposure during residency can influence the future pursuit of fellowship training. In this study, we compared the trends in strabismus surgical experience reported by graduating ophthalmology residents in the United States with other categories of ophthalmic surgery. Over the 10-year period (2010-2019), there was a decline in the total number of strabismus procedures performed during residency by ophthalmology residents graduating in a given year (1.4 fewer cases per year; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6 [P < 0.001]). Although several surgical categories experienced a decrease in cases performed in the assistant role, strabismus surgery was the only category with a decrease in cases performed in the surgeon role (0.4 fewer cases per year; 95% CI, 0.3-0.5 [P < 0.001]).

Prevalence and Characteristics of Cytomegalovirus Ocular Disease in Children: A Multi-Center Study.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence of CMV ocular disease in children and to identify associated risk factors for ocular involvement. Design: Retrospective multicenter, cross-sectional study. Methods: Setting: Hospitalized patients screened for CMV viremia by PCR between 2005 and 2018 at four pediatric referral centers. Participants: Seven-hundred and ninety-three children showed CMV viremia (>135 copies/mL by polymerase chain reaction; PCR). Main Outcomes and Measures: (1) Occurrence of ophthalmologic examination. (2) Presence of CMV ocular disease, defined as retinitis, vasculitis, hemorrhage, optic nerve atrophy, or anterior uveitis in the setting of CMV viremia without other identifiable causes. Results: A total of 296/793 (37%) underwent ophthalmologic examination following CMV viremia. A total of23/296 patients (8%) had ocular symptoms prompting evaluation while the rest had eye exams for baseline screening unrelated to CMV viremia. Of these, 13 cases (4% of those with an eye exam) with ocular disease were identified (three congenital CMV, five severe combined immunodeficiency disorder (SCID) status post-stem cell transplantation, three hematologic malignancy status post-stem cell transplantation for two of them, one Evans syndrome status post-stem cell transplantation, and one medulloblastoma status post-bone marrow transplantation). No patients with solid organ transplantation developed CMV ocular disease in our cohort. Conclusion: CMV ocular disease was a rare occurrence in this cohort without an identifiable pattern across sub-groups. Excluding the three congenital CMV cases, nine out of ten patients with CMV ocular disease were status post-stem cell transplantation. We provide integrated screening guidelines based on the best available evidence for this rare condition.

Vision and Concussion: Symptoms, Signs, Evaluation, and Treatment.

Visual symptoms are common after concussion in children and adolescents, making it essential for clinicians to understand how to screen, identify, and initiate clinical management of visual symptoms in pediatric patients after this common childhood injury. Although most children and adolescents with visual symptoms after concussion will recover on their own by 4 weeks, for a subset who do not have spontaneous recovery, referral to a specialist with experience in comprehensive concussion management (eg, sports medicine, neurology, neuropsychology, physiatry, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology) for additional assessment and treatment may be necessary. A vision-specific history and a thorough visual system examination are warranted, including an assessment of visual acuity, ocular alignment in all positions of gaze, smooth pursuit (visual tracking of a moving object), saccades (visual fixation shifting between stationary targets), vestibulo-ocular reflex (maintaining image focus during movement), near point of convergence (focusing with both eyes at near and accommodation (focusing with one eye at near because any of these functions may be disturbed after concussion. These deficits may contribute to difficulty with returning to both play and the learning setting at school, making the identification of these problems early after injury important for the clinician to provide relevant learning accommodations, such as larger font, preprinted notes, and temporary use of audio books. Early identification and appropriate management of visual symptoms, such as convergence insufficiency or accommodative insufficiency, may mitigate the negative effects of concussion on children and adolescents and their quality of life.

Evaluation of the Visual System by the Primary Care Provider Following Concussion.

Concussion is a common injury in childhood and has the potential for substantial impact on quality of life. Visual issues have been increasingly recognized as a common problem after concussion. Many children initially seek care for concussion with their pediatrician, making it even more important for pediatricians to recognize, evaluate, and refer children with visual issues after concussion. This clinical report is intended to support the recommendations in the companion policy statement on vision and concussion and provides definitions of some of the physiologic aspects of the visual system as they relate to concussion. A description of clinically feasible testing methodologies is provided in more detail to aid the clinician in assessing the visual system in a focused fashion after concussion. This guidance helps direct clinical management, including support for return to school, sports, and other activities, as well as potential referral for subspecialty care for the subset of those with persistent symptoms.