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PubMed1979

Screening for refractive errors at age 1 year: a pilot study.

Cycloplegic refraction of 1-year-old children is technically possible and is acceptable to mothers as a method for screening children for visual defects. The range of refractions found in a sample of 186 1-year-old children is reported. Prediction of which children are significantly at risk for squint and/or amblyopia is possible on the basis of refractions at age 1 year according to the criteria selected for an 'abnormal' refraction. Bilateral hypermetropia and/or astigmatism or anisometropia at age 1 year was significantly (P less than 1 in 10 000) associated with a child eventually being found to have squint or amblyopia. Both the age of screening and criteria of abnormality will probably need modification. +2.50 or more D hypermetropia in any one meridian of either eye at age 1 year was even more significantly (P = 0.000 000 05%) associated with squint and/or amblyopia. The possibility that meridional hypermetropia could be the basic defect in squint and amblyopia is discussed.

Amblyopia↗

PubMed1977

Day case surgery for strabismus in children.

A consecutive series of 140 children was observed after strabismus surgery. All the postoperative problems are attributable to general anaesthesia, vomiting and drowsiness being the principal ones. Respiratory difficulties were unusual. There is no reason to keep a healthy child in hospital for longer than one night, and day case strabismus surgery appears to be safe if (1) an experienced doctor gives the anaesthetic, (2) there is adequate supervision for 3 to 4 hours after surgery, (3) the appropriate district nurse is forewarned that a child is returning home after general anaesthesia, and (4) facilities are available to retain a child in hospital if a problem arises before discharge. Signs of emotional trauma may be less in children treated as day cases than in those hospitalized for one or more nights.

Adolescent↗