Orthoptics

SIGNIFICANCE: This multicenter study assessed clinical and psychological aspects of infantile nystagmus syndrome (INS) focusing on its management and nonsurgical treatment. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess clinical features, management, relationship life, and psychological impact in a group of patients with nystagmus onset in pediatric age. METHODS: This observational study included patients diagnosed with INS referred to two Italian centers from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2020...

INTRODUCTION: Strabismus surgery may be undertaken for visual benefit, to improve or eliminate diplopia symptoms, or to restore or improve binocular single vision (BSV). In patients without visual symptoms or expected visual benefit, strabismus surgery may still be undertaken if the presence of strabismus causes the patient psychosocial symptoms. To evaluate strabismus surgery undertaken for psychosocial reasons, evidence of postoperative outcomes in this specific cohort is needed. METHODS: A systematic search of the literature was conducted (1946-2023) to identify evidence where postoperative outcomes were reported for adult patients (age 18 years and above) who had undergone strabismus surgery for psychosocial reasons...

PURPOSE: A narrative review of the literature reporting ocular abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia was undertaken to determine the types and prevalence of orthoptic conditions in this patient cohort. METHODS: A systematic search of multiple databases yielded 1,974 studies published between January 1992 and January 2022. All were screened for relevance based on their title and abstract. RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included in the final review...

PURPOSE: To evaluate and contrast the contrast sensitivity defects present in strabismic and anisometropic amblyopes. And to find out the association of contrast deterioration with the visual acuity of the amblyopic eye, the magnitude of strabismus, and the amount of anisometropia in both groups. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the orthoptics unit of a tertiary eye care facility between October 2021 and December 2021. There were 45 patients altogether...

PURPOSE: To report the change in the magnitude of near exodeviation in children with symptomatic convergence insufficiency successfully treated with office-based vergence/accommodative therapy in the Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial-Attention and Reading Trial. METHODS: A total of 131 children 9-14 years of age with symptomatic convergence insufficiency classified as successfully treated with office-based vergence/accommodative therapy at the 16-week outcome visit were included...

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BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The See4School programme in Scotland is a pre-school vision screening initiative delivered by orthoptists on a national scale. The primary objective of any vision screening programme is to identify amblyopia, given the common understanding that this condition is unlikely to be detected either at home or through conventional healthcare channels. The target condition is not bilateral visual impairment, as it is believed that most children will be identified within the first year of life either through observations at home or as part of the diagnosis of another related disorder...

BACKGROUND: Children with learning difficulties that require a vision assessment may not be able to perform standard clinical vision tests, for example, Forced Choice Preferential Looking (FCPL). There is a lack of standardisation on the procedure of vision assessment in this group of children. The aim of this literature review was to identify and evaluate methods of vision assessment when standard clinical vision tests are not possible in children with severe learning difficulties. METHOD: Three databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science) were searched from inception to Nov 2022 for methods of vision assessment in children with learning difficulties...

AIM: To determine whether horizontal fusional vergences are comparable when measured using a prism bar and synoptophore. METHODS: Thirty two participants (18-23 years) had their blur, break, and recovery points measured for convergence and divergence amplitudes using a prism bar (6 m) and synoptophore. All participants had VA of 0.1 LogMAR or better in either eye, were heterophoric or orthophoric and had binocular single vision. The prism bar target was a 0.2 LogMAR letter...

Post-stroke visual impairment (PSVI) affects more than 60% of the people who have a stroke but visual function is not routinely assessed in most stroke units. Recent high-quality research in this field has produced evidence-based assessment and management practices for PSVI. Orthoptists have integrated into the stroke care team in the United Kingdom (UK) to provide this valuable service. This paper outlines the development and implementation of the first known orthoptic PSVI service in North America. A pilot program was developed between the Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Departments in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada...

PURPOSE: To evaluate ocular motility (OM) disorders and strabismus in a sample of patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and a control sample. METHODS: In this cross-sectional retrospective analysis, we studied a sample of RP patients with a mean age of 48.74 years and an average visual acuity of 7/10 based on Snellen optotype and a sample of control patients with similar mean age (49 years [men], 47 years [women]) and sex and an average visual acuity of 9.9/10, with the aim of assessing correlations between alteration of OM and strabismus in RP patients based on age, high refractive defect, or severely impaired binocular vision...

IMPORTANCE: Strabismus is a common ocular disorder of childhood. There is a clear genetic component to strabismus, but it is not known if esotropia and exotropia share genetic risk factors. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether genetic duplications associated with esotropia are also associated with exotropia. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from November 2005 to December 2023. Individuals with constant or intermittent exotropia of any magnitude or a history of surgery for exotropia were recruited from pediatric ophthalmic practices...

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the support that UK optometrists feel they require to facilitate their engagement with myopia control intervention. METHODS: A self-administered online survey was distributed via QualtricsXM to practising optometrists in the UK via email lists and newsletters of local optical committees, social media, and optometric networks. Questions focussed on learning styles, training needs and barriers to learning. RESULTS: Fifty-five respondents completed the survey...

INTRODUCTION: Electronic head-mounted low vision aids (LVAs) can help children and young people (CYP) to access schoolwork and leisure activities which they would otherwise struggle to be able to do with traditional optical or hand held LVAs. SightPlus uses a smartphone mounted in a virtual reality headset controlled using a Bluetooth joystick. It offers users 0.7-24.3× magnification alongside enhanced modes to maximise vision. METHODS: Eighteen participants aged 8-16 years with reduced vision were given SightPlus to use at home for four weeks...

INTRODUCTION: The importance of the use of contrast sensitivity (CS) tests in orthoptic practice is well established. However, despite the clinical relevance the implementation within clinical care is known to be variable. There are no known studies that investigate the use of CS tests in Orthoptic clinics in the UK, therefore the aim of this study is to gather information from Orthoptists in the UK on their opinion of CS and use of CS testing in clinical practice, now and in the future...

INTRODUCTION: It is well documented that socioeconomic disadvantage adversely affects general health and ocular health worldwide. Within orthoptics, while clinicians recognise a relationship between socioeconomic situation and treatment outcome, no previous literature review was found to address this issue. Neither was a UK-specific literature review found to address the same issue for ophthalmology as a whole. AIM: This literature review evaluates evidence for an association between socioeconomic situation and ophthalmic/orthoptic conditions and their treatment outcomes, specifically within the UK...

BACKGROUND & AIM: The optometrist is often one of the professionals patients consult when they have headaches. The limitations inherent in previous studies on the topic limit the utilization of their findings. Therefore, the aim of conducting the present study was to explore correlations between headache and refractive errors in a clinical setting using extended classification criteria. METHODS: The study design was cross-sectional, and sample comprised (headache group = 1062; non-headache group = 1095) participants aged 10-40 years who attended an optometry practice...

AIMS: To survey orthoptists' confidence in communicating with patients with communication impairments and to investigate resources orthoptists are currently using to aid assessment and management and to explore future resources that may be beneficial. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Practicing orthoptists (n = 63; median age range: 31-35 years old) completed an online survey with quantitative and qualitative questions which investigated approaches to adult and paediatric patients with communication impairments and any communication tools used...

PURPOSE: To evaluate the short-term (1 week after completion of treatment) effect of office-based vergence and anti-suppression therapy (OBVAT) on the Office Control Score when compared to observation alone in children with small-to-moderate angle intermittent exotropia (IXT). METHODS: In this single-masked (examiner masked), two-arm, single-centre randomised clinical trial, 40 participants, 6 to <18 years of age with untreated IXT, were randomly assigned to OBVAT or observation alone...

AIM: An audit of the effectiveness of amblyopia treatment in the Newcastle Eye Centre (NEC) to determine how current visual acuity (VA) outcomes compare to those found in the 2011-12 audit. METHODS: A retrospective database review. VA outcomes of patients who had undergone treatment for anisometropic, strabismic and mixed amblyopia; discharged between 31.08.2016 - 01.09.19, were compared with VA outcomes found in the previous audit. The previous audit reviewed patients commencing amblyopia treatment during 1...