Journal of Optometry

INTRODUCTION: A periodical self-monitoring of spherical refraction using smartphones may potentially allow a quicker intervention by eye care professionals to reduce myopia progression. Unfortunately, at low levels of myopia, the far point (FP) can be located far away from the eye which can make interactions with the device difficult. To partially remedy this issue, a novel method is proposed and tested wherein the longitudinal chromatic aberration (LCA) of blue light is leveraged to optically bring the FP closer to the eye...

BACKGROUND: Silicone oil is used as endotamponade following vitreoretinal surgery to maintain the retina reattached when indicated. This study investigates the hypothesis that silicone oil causes insulation effects on the retina by affecting its response to light. METHODS: Electrophysiological responses to a flash stimulus were recorded using full-field electroretinography (ERG) and visual evoked potentials (VEP). Recordings were performed in 9 patients who underwent surgery for retinal detachment, before (1-2 days) and after (2-3 weeks) silicone oil removal (SOR) in both the study and the control eye...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

PURPOSE: As ocular dryness and glaucoma are more prevalent with increasing age, understanding how the tear film affects tonometry is important. The present study aims to understand the impact that changes in the tear film have on intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal hysteresis, and corneal resistance factor measurements. METHODS: Cross-sectional research was conducted and 37 patients were assessed. The tear film lipid layer and the non-invasive break-up time (NIBUT) were evaluated using the Tearscope Plus (Keeler, Windsor, UK)...

PURPOSE: This systematic review evaluates current literature on the impact vision impairment has on reading and literacy levels within education. METHODS: Six databases were searched with inclusion criteria of trials or studies involving children who are blind or vision impaired, and impact on academic or school performance - including reading and literacy. 1262 articles were identified, with 61 papers undergoing full screening. Quality appraisal was performed using Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) and seven articles deemed eligible for inclusion...

PURPOSE: Visual snow syndrome (VSS) is a complex neurological condition presenting with an array of sensory, motor, and perceptual dysfunctions and related visual and non-visual symptoms. Recent laboratory studies have found subtle, basic, saccadic-based abnormalities in this population. The objective of the present investigation was to determine if saccadic-related problems could be confirmed and extended using three common clinical reading-related eye movement tests having well-developed protocols and normative databases...

OBJECTIVE: This study analyses strategies and attitudes on myopia management reported by eye care practitioners (ECP) from Spain in 2022. METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to ECPs worldwide via the internet through professional associations. The questionnaire was distributed by email to all registered Spanish optician-optometrists. Questions examined awareness of increasing myopia prevalence; perceived efficacy; uptake of available approaches; and reasons preventing further uptake of specific approaches...

PURPOSE: To compare improvements in visual acuity (VA) and stereoacuity between active vision therapy (AVT) and conventional patching therapy in children with amblyopia. METHODS: This study included 65 children aged 5 to 16 years (mean age±SD, 11.00±3.29 years) with unilateral amblyopia. Among them, 31 children underwent active vision therapy (AVT group), and 34 children underwent conventional patching therapy (patching group). AVT group underwent three sequential phases of AVT: Monocular phase (pursuit, saccades, fixation, visuomotor, eye-hand coordination, and central peripheral activities), biocular phase (diplopia awareness, antisuppression, monocular fixation in a binocular field, accommodative activities, bilateral integration, and fine motor activities) and binocular phase (fusion and stereopsis)...

PURPOSE: This review aimed to estimate the prevalence of computer vision syndrome (CVS) in the general population and subgroups. METHODS: A search was conducted in the following the databases: PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and Web of Science until February 13, 2023. We included studies that assessed the prevalence of CVS in any population. The Joanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality. A meta-analysis of the prevalence of CVS was done using a random-effects model, assessing the sources of heterogeneity using subgroup and meta-regression analyses...

PURPOSE: To report the retrospectively-based, clinical diagnostic findings for the horizontal, distance, fusional facility (DFF) test in the non-TBI (traumatic brain inury), ABI (acquired brain injury) population. METHODS: The DFF test (4 pd base-out/2 pd base-in) was assessed and compared retrospectively in the first author's optometric practice in three clinical populations: (1) post-mTBI, visually-symptomatic (n = 52), (2) post-ABI, non-mTBI, visually-symptomatic (n = 34), and (3) visually-normal, visually asymptomatic (n = 44)...

PURPOSE: To describe the performance of the Actiwatch Spectrum Plus (Philips, Respironics) for determining real world indoor and outdoor environments and physical activity in children. METHODS: Children wore the device while performing 10 different activities, ranging from sedentary to vigorous physical-activity, and under different indoor and outdoor conditions. Repeated measures ANOVA was implemented via mixed effects modeling to determine illuminance (lux) and physical activity (counts per 15 s, CP15) across conditions...

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of benzalkonium chloride (BAK)-preserved latanoprost and bimatoprost, polyquad (PQ)-preserved travoprost, and preservative-free (PF) latanoprost and tafluprost, all prostaglandin analogues (PGAs), on human conjunctival goblet cell (GC) survival. Furthermore, to investigate the effect of BAK-preserved and PF latanoprost on the cytokine secretion from GC. METHODS: Primary human conjunctival GCs were cultivated from donor tissue. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and tetrazolium dye colorimetric (MTT) assays were used for the assessment of GC survival...

PURPOSE: To assess reading performance and report normative values for normal sighted Portuguese schoolchildren using the Portuguese version of the MNREAD reading acuity chart. METHODS: Children in the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th grade in Portugal were recruited for this study. One hundred and sixty-seven children from 7 to 16 years of age participated. The Portuguese version of the printed MNREAD reading acuity chart was used to measure reading performance in these children...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

PURPOSE: This work seeks to identify the most impactful journals, papers, authors, institutions, and countries that cite optometry journal articles. METHODS: The Scopus database was searched for papers citing at least one article published in any of the 18 optometry journals included in that database (i.e. 'optometry articles'). The 10 most highly cited papers that cite optometry journal articles were determined from 82,830 papers found. A h-index for "optometry journal citations" (the hOJC -index) was derived for each entity in the categories of journals, papers, authors, institutions and countries to serve as a measure of impact...

PURPOSE: To analyse the scientific evidence about the efficacy of Syntonic phototherapy for producing changes in visual function. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic review was performed to obtain studies on the effects of Syntonic phototherapy on vision. A search in health science databases (Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO) for studies published between 1980 and 2022 was conducted in accordance with the principles of Cochrane approach. The search identified 197 articles...

PURPOSE: Considering the burden of refractive error, clinical-based research methods are often used as epidemiological tools. This study aimed to generate evidence on the prevalence and distribution of refractive error in Portugal. METHODS: A cross-sectional retrospective study was designed to review optometric records from Portuguese practices during July 2021. RESULTS: 348 optometric records were analysed. Subjects had a mean age of 44.2 ± 19...

PURPOSE: To compare the performance in the Developmental Eye Movement test (DEM) and the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills (TVPS) between three groups: individuals with strabismus and amblyopia, patients with binocular and accommodative dysfunctions, and subjects with normal binocular and accommodative function. METHODS: A multicentric, retrospective study including 110 children aged 6-14 years old was conducted to investigate the potential impact of strabismus, amblyopia, and different binocular conditions in DEM results (adjusted time in vertical and horizontal parts) and TVPS (percentiles in the seven sub-skills)...

PURPOSE: To assess the agreement between the Eye Refract, an instrument to perform subjective automated refraction, and the traditional subjective refraction, as the gold standard, in young hyperopes under noncycloplegic and cycloplegic conditions. METHODS: A cross-section and randomized study was carried out, involving 42 participants (18.2 ± 7.7 years, range 6 to 31 years). Only one eye was chosen for the analysis, randomly. An optometrist conducted the refraction with the Eye Refract, while another different optometrist conducted the traditional subjective refraction...

PURPOSE: Personal mobile devices such as smartphones are proving their usefulness in ever more applications in tele-eyecare. An inconvenience and potential source of error in these past approaches stemmed from the requirement for the subjects to situate their devices at a distance. The present study aims to clinically validate best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measures carried out by a novel smartphone application "vision.app" (VisionApp Solutions S.L.) using comparative statistics against clinical measurements...