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OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a computer-based method for recording standardized assessment of neglect identifies abnormalities in the 'process' as well as in the 'outcome' of such tasks. DESIGN: Prospective sequential assessment of patients admitted to a stroke rehabilitation unit. SUBJECTS: All consecutive patients with right-sided cerebrovascular accident confirmed on computerized tomography (CT) scan including 30 patients with neglect, 57 patients without neglect. An age-matched control group of 13 subjects. INTERVENTION: All patients were tested using the standard Rivermead Behavioural Inattention Test (BIT) and by computer recording of two standard tests for assessing neglect (line bisection and Albert's test). Age-matched controls were tested using computer recording of the two standard tests. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neglect was defined using the BIT with a cut-off score of 129. Computer recording measured the 'outcome' of tasks, i.e. the deviation from midline and omissions in cancellation, as well as the 'process' of tasks, i.e. time between cancellations, components of cancellation time including premovement, movement and drawing time, and the starting point for cancellation. RESULTS: The computer recording identified significant differences in 'outcome' and 'process' which distinguished neglect from non-neglect patients. There were significant differences between non-neglect patients and age-matched controls with regard to 'process' measures but not with regard to 'outcome' measures. CONCLUSIONS: Computer recording of standard tests for assessing neglect identifies novel impairments with regard to the process of carrying out tasks. These impairments may be used to investigate changes in neglect with time, the response of neglect to treatment and to explore further the neuropsychological changes associated with neglect in stroke patients.
This cross-sectional study was designed to determine the spectrum and prevalence of eye disorders among diabetes mellitus (DM) patients in Gaborone, Botswana. All DM patients who attended Gaborone City Council (GCC) health facilities underwent eye examination at the specialist eye clinic. All of the study participants were interviewed using questionnaires and underwent laboratory investigations. A total of 401 DM patients participated in the study. About 60 % never had an eye examination before. Refractive error (29.2%) was the most prevalent followed by cataract (20.2%), retinopathy (9.2%), pterygeum (6.7%), glaucoma (2.5%) and keratopathy (0.7%). The study showed that DM patients are affected by many eye disorders other than diabetic retinopathy and regular eye examination should be part of diabetic care.
Diabetes mellitus is a leading cause of vision loss in industrialized countries. Diabetic retinopathy has features which make it ideal for disease management by telemedicine. The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) has recently established consensus recommendations for ocular telemedicine for diabetic retinopathy, in cooperation with the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. The guiding principle is that it would be inappropriate to use telemedicine to provide anything less than the accepted standard of clinical care. The ATA practice recommendations delineate performance standards for the clinical, technical and administrative elements of ocular telemedicine for diabetic retinopathy. Four clinical categories of assessment were identified. Category 4 validation, for example, indicates that a system matches or exceeds the ability of current photographs to identify lesions of diabetic retinopathy. To create the practice recommendations, workshops were held to address each of the three components: (1) clinical, (2) technical, and (3) operational and business. Ocular telemedicine programmes will need to demonstrate sustainability and cost-effectiveness, and respect a patient's right to privacy. Nevertheless, ocular telemedicine seems poised to become an integral part of eye health care, as long as programmes meet or exceed present clinical standards of care, and patient and provider expectations are clearly defined.
This article discusses some of the more common eye problems that nurses may encounter during their day-to-day practice. It describes some of the observations and simple testing that may be used to help determine the need for specialist consultation. A principal aim is to remind nurses that by the use of careful observation and simple examination techniques, they can play an important role in the detection of ocular pathology and the unmet need for specialist services. Manifestations of a variety of disorders are highlighted, together with some of the key points for nurses to consider when examining the external eye and lid.
BACKGROUND: Eye examinations for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) are painful to the neonate. The use of topical anesthetic for eye examinations to evaluate ROP is routine in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), but does not completely suppress painful responses. Sweet solutions have been shown to reduce procedural pain in newborns. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the addition of sucrose 24% to topical anesthetic improves procedural pain control during the ROP eye examination. METHODS: Neonates born at < or = 30 weeks' gestation were included in this placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study. Patients were randomly assigned to receive treatment with either proparacaine HCl ophthalmic solution 0.5% plus 2 mL of sucrose 24% or proparacaine HCl ophthalmic solution 0.5% plus 2 mL of sterile water (placebo) prior to an eye examination. In a subsequent eye examination, each patient received the alternate treatment. Oral sucrose and sterile water were prepared in the pharmacy in identical syringes, and physicians, nurses, and pharmacists in the NICU were blinded to the treatment given. Pain was measured using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) scoring system, which measures both physical and physiologic measures of pain, and the scores were simultaneously assessed by 2 study nurses. PIPP scores were recorded 1 and 5 minutes before and after the eye examination and during initial placement of the eye speculum. The same ophthalmologist performed all eye examinations. Several different definitions of a pain response were investigated. RESULTS: Twenty-three infants were studied, with 12 receiving sucrose and 11 receiving placebo as the first treatment. For 3 of the 5 definitions of pain response, patients experienced significantly less pain at speculum insertion with sucrose than with placebo. After the ROP examination, pain responses were similar with either sucrose or placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Oral sucrose may reduce the immediate pain response in premature infants undergoing eye examination for ROP.
BACKGROUND: No nationally representative data are available regarding use of eye care services by children. OBJECTIVES: To determine the proportion of children who receive specialty eye care and to evaluate the association of such care with age and other factors associated with health care utilization. METHODS: We used the 2000 National Health Interview Survey to estimate the proportion of nonblind children who received eye care in the preceding 12 months. The association between eye care and the factors of interest among children aged 6-17 years was measured through adjusted bivariate comparisons and logistic regression modeling. RESULTS: Eye care was received in the preceding 12 months by an estimated 7.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.0-8.6) of the 22.8 million children aged 0-5 years and 24.8% (95% CI 23.5-26.2) of the 48.5 million children aged 6-17 years. Among children aged 6-17 years, girls had 29% greater odds than boys to have received eye care (P=.001). Among children <200% of the federal poverty level, those with public health insurance had greater odds of receiving eye care than did uninsured children or those with private health insurance (P<.001). Among children >200% of the federal poverty level, uninsured children had lower odds than did children with public or private health insurance (P<.004) to receive eye care. Well-child care was associated with increased eye care utilization among children aged 12-14 years (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Receipt of specialty eye care is common and increases with age. However, there are marked variations among school-aged children. Future studies should address the causes and effects of these findings.
The illusion of apparent motion can be induced when visual stimuli are successively presented at different locations. It has been shown in previous studies that motion-sensitive regions in extrastriate cortex are relevant for the processing of apparent motion, but it is unclear whether primary visual cortex (V1) is also involved in the representation of the illusory motion path. We investigated, in human subjects, apparent-motion-related activity in patches of V1 representing locations along the path of illusory stimulus motion using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Here we show that apparent motion caused a blood-oxygenation-level-dependent response along the V1 representations of the apparent-motion path, including regions that were not directly activated by the apparent-motion-inducing stimuli. This response was unaltered when participants had to perform an attention-demanding task that diverted their attention away from the stimulus. With a bistable motion quartet, we confirmed that the activity was related to the conscious perception of movement. Our data suggest that V1 is part of the network that represents the illusory path of apparent motion. The activation in V1 can be explained either by lateral interactions within V1 or by feedback mechanisms from higher visual areas, especially the motion-sensitive human MT/V5 complex.
We describe a computer-aided self-test vision screener for testing near and far visual acuity. The device generates images separately for each eye on a LCD. Acuity can be measured in the range between 0.1 and 1.6 for any distance between 0.34 m and 6 m. In addition, it also enables testing for colour deficiency, phoria, stereopsis and contrast sensitivity. The device is fully automatic and enables self-testing of the above mentioned functions. Initial practical application in an industrial environment has demonstrated the practicability of the device.
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Amblyopia is a preventable cause of visual loss in children that may be permanent unless it is detected and treated early. It may be caused by strabismus, refractive errors, or cataracts. Primary strabismus may lead to loss of vision from amblyopia and the loss of binocularity. Secondary strabismus may be a sign of primary visual loss in one or both eyes. The most serious disorder that may present as secondary strabismus is retinoblastoma. It is imperative to detect retinoblastoma early because of its morbidity and mortality. Amblyopia is detected by assessing the visual acuity of each eye. Strabismus is detected by using the corneal light reflex test and the cover test. Focusing problems are detected by assessing the visual acuity and the red reflex. Cataracts and retinoblastoma may be detected by examining the red reflex of the eye. Treatment of amblyopia consists of correcting the amblyogenic factor with appropriate glasses and surgery. The preferred eye is patched with an adhesive patch to stimulate visual development in the amblyopic eye. The pediatrician plays a crucial role in the early detection of amblyopia, strabismus, and cataracts. The key to successful visual outcome is early recognition by the pediatrician, referral to the pediatric ophthalmologist, and prompt treatment.
PURPOSE: To evaluate refractional astigmatism prevalence and its relationship with grating acuity in a cohort of non-verbal children. METHODS: 482 normal children, aged from 2 to 36 months, were submitted to ophthalmological examination. Fourteen subjects were excluded due to ocular disease and the sample remained with 468 subjects (936 eyes); 230 (49%) males e 238 (51%) females. Grating acuity was assessed binocularly and monocularly with Teller acuity cards. All children underwent eye examination including cycloplegic retinoscopy and fundus by indirect ophthalmoscopy. RESULTS: Astigmatism was found in 222 (47.43%) of the children, with the hyperopic and with the rule types most frequently found in all ages. Concerning magnitude, this condition was equal or greater than 1.00 cylindric diopter in 24.35% of the children; equal or greater than 2.00 cylindric diopter in 5.55%; lower than 1.00 in 26.92% and between 1.00 and 2.00 in 18.73%. Grating acuity was normal in 219 of the subjects, despite magnitude, type and orientation of astigmatism. CONCLUSION: Visual acuity assessed by the acuity card procedure was not influenced by astigmatism.
The purpose of this study is to introduce a method to evaluate visual functions in infants in the first three months of life. An adaptation of the Guide for the Assessment of Visual Ability in Infants (Gagliardo, 1997) was used. The instrument was a ring with string. It was implemented a pilot study with 33 infants, selected according to the following criteria: neonates well enough to go home within two days of birth; 1 to 3 months of chronological age; monthly evaluation with no absence; subjects living in Campinas/SP metropolitan area. In the first month we observed: visual fixation (93,9%); eye contact (90,9%); horizontal tracking (72,7%); inspects surroundings (97,0%). In the third month, we observed: inspects own hands (42,4%) and increased movements of arms (36,4%). This method allowed the evaluation of visual functions in infants, according to the chronological age. Alterations in this function will facilitate immediate referral to medical services for diagnoses.
OBJECTIVE: Low visual acuity (VA) is an important public health problem due to its high prevalence and because it needs early diagnosis in order to prevent damage in childhood development and apprenticeship. To describe and analyze low visual acuity (VA) prevalence among school children. METHODS: Once performed the VA test to 1st and 4th grades primary school children data were analyzed by separating students according to sex, school grade, wearing of glasses, residence area and level of access to the supplementary medical assistance (SMA). RESULTS: The total of 9,640 students was evaluated during the year of 2000 and they presented a prevalence of low VA of 13.1% (CI 12.5-13.8%). There was a statistical significant lower prevalence in males (11.5%) compared to females (14.9%) - (PR=0.77). There was a statistical significant higher prevalence in 1st grade students (14.1%) compared to 4th grade (11.5%) - (PR=1.22). There was also a statistical significant lower prevalence for those who were not wearing glasses (12.1%) compared to those who were using glasses (42.0%) - (PR=0.29). Concerning to residence areas, Cajuru neighborhood had the lower prevalence of low VA (1.8%) and Vila Sabia neighborhood had the higher prevalence (32.4%), and a positive correlation, according to residence area, between the proportion of people with access to the Supplementary Medical Assistance and the proportion of children wearing glasses was found (r=0.64, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The low VA high prevalence shows lack in early diagnosis and continuity of assistance pointing out to the urgent need of implementation in visual health public.
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The National Institute for Longevity Sciences--Longitudinal Study of Aging (the NILS-LSA) started in 1997, and involves many kinds of examination. The objective of this paper is to outline the eye examinations in the NILS-LSA. The eye examinations consist of checks on refractometry, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, contrast sensitivity, kinetic visual acuity, visual fields, fundus photography, and lens estimation. The subjects were 1,077 men and women aged 40-79 years who participated in the first year examination of the NILS-LSA. All subjective measurements (distant visual acuity, kinetic visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and mean sensitivity of visual field) declined significantly from the 50s. Age-related structural changes in the lens or hypertensive and arteriosclerotic changes in retinal vessels began at least in the 40s. It is suspected that aging affects the subjective visual functions from the 50s. However, changes in the structure of eye may begin before the 40s. The data from the eye examinations of the NILS-LSA are useful to assess the aging effects on vision and to investigate the relationship between visual function and physical or psychosocial health problems among the elderly.
The purpose of this study was to review the patterns of referral and presentation of patients with retinoblastoma in Saudi Arabia from 1983-1994. Retinoblastoma represents a particularly high volume at the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital and the Hospital's Retinoblastoma Registry provided relevant data. Records of 257 registered patients were analyzed. Of these, 112 were bilateral whereas 145 were unilateral, resulting in a total of 369 eyes. Referral diagnosis accuracy was high, 75% of referring physicians ranking retinoblastoma at the top of their differential diagnosis. Delay in referral was found to average 9.4 weeks. However, 49.4% of eyes were staged at Reese-Ellsworth Stage V at presentation. Significantly, the number of patients presenting with extraocular disease fell from 22.8% (1983-1988) to 12.3% (1989-1994), highlighting increasing awareness of retinoblastoma and availability of services in Saudi Arabia.
Amblyopia is one of the most common and significant eye ailments in children. It is classified into organic and functional; functional is further divided into classifications of deprivation, strabismic, and refractive. Early diagnosis and treatment are of paramount importance. Diagnostic techniques are age-related. Treatment consists of eliminating associated defects, properly focusing the image on the retina (glasses or contact lens), and patching the good eye to force the child to use the amblyopic eye. Treatment may only be effective within the first 2 or 3 months of life for some conditions and later in childhood for other conditions. Amblyopia can recur up to age 9. The pediatrician has the heavy responsibility of recognizing amblyopia at an early enough age to allow for effective treatment. Nationwide there are many pediatric ophthalmologists available to institute this early, effective treatment. With this teamwork, we can help eliminate the most common cause of visual impairment in the pediatric patient.