Search

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and management of patients with an anteriorly and nasally inserted superior oblique tendon., Design: Retrospective interventional case series., Methods: Institutional clinical records between 2020 and 2024 were retrospectively reviewed for 9 consecutive patients in whom the superior oblique (SO) tendon was inserted anterior to the equator and nasal to the superior rectus muscle. Information collected included age, sex, ocular and surgical history, preoperative and postoperative data (ophthalmologic examinations, strabismus measurements, ductions and versions), intraoperative findings, need for additional surgery, and follow-up time., Results: All nine patients were found to have an anomalous insertion of the SO tendon. Three were of congenital origin and six were acquired following ocular surgery. Among the acquired cases, all but one resulted from incarceration of the tendon from postsurgical scar tissue formation. The remaining acquired case was due to a prior deliberate anterior and nasal transposition of the superior oblique. This case series demonstrated varying degrees of vertical deviation, lateral incomitance, and limited depression. Repositioning the SO to its normal insertion site yielded equivocal improvement in ocular alignment., Conclusion: Anterior nasal superior oblique tendon syndrome is a rare clinical entity characterized by an antidepressor effect. Vertical deviations, hypertropia worse in downgaze, limited depression worse in adduction for congenital cases and in abduction for acquired cases, and lateral incomitance may be indicative of this anomaly. In acquired cases following surgery, additional findings may include limited depression worse in abduction, esotropia in abduction, V-pattern esotropia, and enophthalmos in downgaze. Surgical repositioning of the SO along its normal anatomical trajectory is recommended for treatment. However, outcomes may be variable and achieving a complete resolution of this syndrome can be challenging., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic in parallel with concerns about bias in grading resulted in many medical schools adopting pass/fail clinical grading and relying solely on narrative assessments. However, narratives often contain bias and lack specificity. The purpose of this project was to develop asynchronous faculty development to rapidly educate/re-educate > 2000 clinical faculty spread across geographic sites and clinical disciplines on components of a well-written narrative and methods to minimize bias in the assessment of students., Methods: We describe creation, implementation, and pilot data outcomes for an asynchronous faculty development curriculum created by a committee of volunteer learners and faculty. After reviewing the literature on the presence and impact of bias in clinical rotations and ways to mitigate bias in written narrative assessments, the committee developed a web-based curriculum using multimedia learning theory and principles of adult learning. Just-in-time supplemental materials accompanied the curriculum. The Dean added completion of the module by 90% of clinical faculty to the department chairperson's annual education metric. Module completion was tracked in a learning management system, including time spent in the module and the answer to a single text entry question about intended changes in behavior. Thematic analysis of the text entry question with grounded theory and inductive processing was used to define themes of how faculty anticipate future teaching and assessment as a result of this curricula., Outcomes: Between January 1, 2021, and December 1, 2021, 2166 individuals completed the online module; 1820 spent between 5 and 90 min on the module, with a median time of 17 min and an average time of 20.2 min. 15/16 clinical departments achieved completion by 90% or more faculty. Major themes included: changing the wording of future narratives, changing content in future narratives, and focusing on efforts to change how faculty teach and lead teams, including efforts to minimize bias., Conclusions: We developed a faculty development curriculum on mitigating bias in written narratives with high rates of faculty participation. Inclusion of this module as part of the chair's education performance metric likely impacted participation. Nevertheless, time spent in the module suggests that faculty engaged with the material. Other institutions could easily adapt this curriculum with provided materials., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Clinical education across the professions is challenged by a lack of recognition for faculty and pressure for patient throughput and revenue generation. These pressures may reduce direct observation of patient care provided by students, a requirement for both billing student-involved services and assessing competence. These same pressures may also limit opportunities for interprofessional education and collaboration., Methods: An interprofessional group of faculty collaborated in a sequential quality improvement project to identify the best patients and physical location for a student teaching clinic. Patient chief complaint, use of resources, length of stay, estimated severity of illness and student participation and evaluation of the clinic was tracked., Results: Clinic Optimization and Patient Care: Five hundred and thirty-two emergency department (ED) patients were seen in the first 19 months of the clinic. A clinic located near the ED allowed for patients with higher emergency severity index and greater utilization of imaging. Patients had similar or lower lengths of stay and higher satisfaction than patients who remained in the ED (p < 0.0001). In the second clinic location, from October 2016-June 2019, 644 patients were seen with a total of 667 concerns; the most common concern was musculoskeletal (50.1%). Student Interprofessional Experience: A total of 991 students participated in the clinic: 68.3% (n = 677) medical students, 10.1% (n = 100) physician assistant students, 9.7% (n = 96) undergraduate nursing students, 9.1% (n = 90) physical therapy students, and 2.8% (n = 28) nurse practitioner students. The majority (74.5%, n = 738) of student participants worked with students from other professions. More than 90% of students reported that faculty set a positive learning environment respectful of students. However, 20% of students reported that faculty could improve provision of constructive feedback. Direct Observation: Direct observation of core entrustable professional activities for medical students was possible. Senior medical students were more likely to be observed generating a differential diagnosis or management plan than first year medical students., Conclusions: Creation of a DOCENT clinic in the emergency department provided opportunities for interprofessional education and observation of student clinical skills, enriching student experience without compromising patient care., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Medical education program evaluation allows for curricular improvements to both Undergraduate (UME) and Graduate Medical Education (GME). UME programs are left with little more than match rates and self-report to evaluate success of graduates in The Match., Objective: This manuscript shares a novel method of program evaluation through a systematic assessment of Match outcomes., Design: Surveys were developed and distributed to Program Training Directors (PTDs) at our institution to classify residency programs into which our UME graduates matched using an ordinal response scale and open-ended responses. Outcomes-based measures for UME graduates were collected and analyzed. The relationship between PTD survey data and UME graduates' outcomes were explored. Open-ended response data were qualitatively analyzed using iterative cycles of coding and identifying themes., Results: The PTD survey response rate was 100%. 71% of our graduates matched to programs ranked as 'elite' (36%) or 'top' (35%) tier. The mean total number of 'Honors' grades achieved by UME graduates was 2.6. Data showed that graduates entering elite and top GME programs did not consistently earn Honors in their associated clerkships. A positive correlation was identified between USMLE Step 1 score, number of honors, and residency program rankings for a majority of the programs. Qualitative analysis identified research, faculty, and clinical exposure as necessary characteristics of 'elite' programs:. Factors considered by PTDs in the rating of programs included reputation, faculty, research, national presence and quality of graduates., Conclusions: This study describes a novel outcomes-based method of evaluating the success of UME programs. Results provided useful feedback about the quality of our UME program and its ability to produce graduates who match in highly-regarded GME programs. The findings from this study can benefit Clerkship Directors, Student Affairs and Curriculam Deans, and residency PTDs as they help students determine their competitiveness forspecialties and specific residency programs.

Purpose: To evaluate low- vs high-dose plaque brachytherapy for juxtapapillary choroidal melanoma., Design: Retrospective interventional case series., Methods: Setting: Single institution., Study Population: Forty-seven patients with juxtapapillary choroidal melanoma., Intervention: Iodine-125 plaque brachytherapy. Eyes were divided into apex low-dose (LD) and high-dose (HD) groups (≤ or > median apex dose 84.35 Gy). Main outcome measures were time to distant failure, local failure, death, enucleation, radiation retinopathy, optic neuropathy, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA)., Results: Freedom from distant failure rates were 96% and 95% in apex LD and HD groups at 5 years and 77% and 95% at 10 years, respectively (P = .84). Freedom from local failure rates were 90% in the apex LD group vs 89% in the HD group at 5 and 10 years (P = .96). Apex LD and HD groups did not differ for time to death or enucleation. Five- and 10-year freedom from radiation retinopathy and optic neuropathy rates were higher in the apex LD than HD group. Loss of ≥3 BCVA lines, final BCVA 20/40 or better, and final BCVA 20/200 or worse were more favorable in the 5 mm LD compared to HD group. Visual acuity outcomes did not differ between apex LD and HD groups., Conclusions: Low-dose iodine-125 plaque brachytherapy (67.5-81 Gy at tumor apex) provides safe and effective tumor control for juxtapapillary choroidal melanoma and may be associated with reduced radiation toxicity. Larger trials are needed to determine the optimal therapeutic dose for juxtapapillary choroidal melanoma., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To report differences in visual acuities among patients with Coats' disease who sought treatment at a tertiary care university-based practice., Design: Single-center retrospective cohort study., Participants: Patients with Coats' disease diagnosed clinically, angiographically, or both from 1995 through 2015., Methods: Patients were divided into 2 groups based on date of presentation: decade 1 (1995-2005) and decade 2 (2006-2015)., Main Outcome Measures: Visual acuity (VA)., Results: Thirty-nine eyes of 39 patients were included with 19 eyes presenting in decade 1 and 20 eyes presenting in decade 2. Three patients demonstrated bilateral disease, but only the worse eye was included for analysis. Forty-seven percent of eyes in decade 1 demonstrated advanced stages of disease (stage 3B or worse) compared with 20% of eyes in decade 2. There was a trend for the mean initial presenting VA (±standard deviation) for decade 1 eyes to be worse (2.05±1.29 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR]) than for decade 2 eyes (1.45±0.99 logMAR; P = 0.1). From initial to final follow-up visit, mean VA also worsened for decade 1 eyes (P = 0.03), but remained stable for decade 2 eyes (P = 1.0). At the end of follow-up, there was a trend for mean VA for decade 1 eyes (2.28±1.17 logMAR) to be worse than for decade 2 eyes (1.60±1.15 logMAR; P = 0.07). Eight eyes were observed initially in decade 1 compared with 1 eye in decade 2, and only 1 of the observed eyes (in decade 2) developed painful glaucoma requiring enucleation. Decade 2 eyes had a higher average number of procedures per eye (6.5±4.9) compared with decade 1 eyes (1.4±1.7; P < 0.001)., Conclusions: The earlier presentation of disease in decade 2 suggests improvements in disease detection over time. Furthermore, there was a trend for eyes to have better final VA in this decade. This is due to a combination of factors, including earlier presentation of disease, fewer eyes being observed without treatment, and eyes, when treated, receiving a higher number of procedures., (Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To report the prevalence of anisometropia at age 5 years after unilateral intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in infants., Design: Prospective randomized clinical trial., Methods: Fifty-seven infants in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS) with a unilateral cataract were randomized to IOL implantation with an initial targeted postoperative refractive error of either +8 diopters (D) (infants 28 to <48 days of age) or +6 D (infants 48-210 days of age). Anisometropia was calculated at age 5 years. Six patients were excluded from the analyses., Results: Median age at cataract surgery was 2.2 months (interquartile range [IQR], 1.2, 3.5 months). The mean age at the age 5 years follow-up visit was 5.0 ± 0.1 years (range, 4.9-5.4 years). The median refractive error at the age 5 years visit of the treated eyes was -2.25 D (IQR -5.13, +0.88 D) and of the fellow eyes +1.50 D (IQR +0.88, +2.25). Median anisometropia was -3.50 D (IQR -8.25, -0.88 D); range -19.63 to +2.75 D. Patients with glaucoma in the treated eye (n = 9) had greater anisometropia (glaucoma, median -8.25 D; IQR -11.38, -5.25 D vs no glaucoma median -2.75; IQR -6.38, -0.75 D; P = .005)., Conclusions: The majority of pseudophakic eyes had significant anisometropia at age 5 years. Anisometropia was greater in patients that developed glaucoma. Variability in eye growth and myopic shift continue to make refractive outcomes challenging for IOL implantation during infancy., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To report the myopic shift at 5 years of age after cataract surgery with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation for infants enrolled in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS)., Methods: Refractions were performed at 1 month and every 3 months postoperatively until age 4 years and then at ages 4.25, 4.5, and 5 years. The change in refraction over time was estimated by linear mixed model analysis., Results: Intraocular lens implantation was completed in 56 eyes; 43 were analyzed (median age, 2.4 months; range, 1.0-6.8 months). Exclusions included 11 patients with glaucoma, 1 patient with Stickler syndrome, and 1 patient with an IOL exchange at 8 months postoperatively. The mean rate of change in a myopic direction from 1 month after cataract surgery to age 1.5 years was 0.35 diopters (D)/month (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.40 D/month); after age 1.5 years, the mean rate of change in a myopic direction was 0.97 D/year (95% CI, 0.66-1.28 D/year). The mean refractive change was 8.97 D (95% CI, 7.25-10.68 D) at age 5 years for children 1 month of age at surgery and 7.22 D (95% CI, 5.54-8.91 D) for children 6 months of age at surgery. The mean refractive error at age 5 years was -2.53 D (95% CI, -4.05 to -1.02)., Conclusions: After IOL implantation during infancy, the rate of myopic shift occurs most rapidly during the first 1.5 years of life. Myopic shift varies substantially among patients. If the goal is emmetropia at age 5 years, then the immediate postoperative hypermetropic targets should be +10.5 D at 4 to 6 weeks and +8.50 D from 7 weeks to 6 months. However, even using these targets, it is likely that many children will require additional refractive correction given the high variability of refractive outcomes., (Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Fulminant idiopathic intracranial hypertension (FIIH) is a subtype of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) characterized by rapid, severe, progressive vision loss. Surgical intervention is often performed either as a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt procedure or an optic nerve sheath fenestration or, at times, both. These surgical procedures carry a significant risk of morbidity and failure. We present 2 patients in whom a temporary lumbar drain was successfully used in the management of medically undertreated pediatric FIIH, and circumvented the need for surgical intervention.

Purpose of Review: The basic procedure of pediatric cataract surgery has not dramatically changed over the past few years. Recent multicenter study results along with technological innovations, however, have increased our understanding and armamentarium of techniques and devices used to improve outcomes., Recent Findings: We review surgical techniques that have been recently applied to the management of pediatric cataracts and describe newer intraocular lenses that have become available for use in the pediatric population. The 5-year results of the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study, including visual outcomes and complications, as well as other studies comparing intraocular lens implants with contact lenses for infants have shaped our management of congenital cataract. We also discuss how ocular imaging with optical coherence tomography has enhanced our understanding of the microstructural effects on pediatric eyes after cataract surgery and touch on other future innovations., Summary: We review updates in the management of congenital cataract, which remains a major cause of preventable childhood blindness.

Purpose: To compare the rate of refractive growth (RRG) between aphakic eyes and pseudophakic eyes in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS)., Setting: Twelve clinical sites across the United States., Design: Randomized clinical trial., Methods: Patients randomized to unilateral cataract extraction with contact lens correction versus intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in the IATS had their rate of refractive growth (RRG3) calculated based on the change in refraction from the 1-month postoperative examination to age 5 years. The RRG3 is a logarithmic formula designed to calculate the RRG in children. Two-group t tests were used to compare the mean refractive growth between the contact lens group and IOL group and outcomes based on age at surgery and visual acuity., Results: Longitudinal refractive data were studied for 108 of 114 patients enrolled in the IATS (contact lens group, n = 54; IOL group, n = 54). The mean RRG3 was similar in the contact lens group (-18.0 diopter [D] ± 11.0 [SD]) and the IOL group (-19.0 ± 9.0 D) (P = .49). The RRG3 value was not correlated with age at cataract surgery, glaucoma status, or visual outcome in the IOL group. In the aphakia group, only visual outcome was correlated with refractive growth (P = .01)., Conclusions: Infants' eyes had a similar rate of refractive growth after unilateral cataract surgery whether or not an IOL was implanted. A worse visual outcome was associated with a higher RRG in aphakic, but not pseudophakic, eyes., Financial Disclosure: None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned., (Copyright © 2016 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To compare the in vitro characteristics of Tenon's capsule fibroblasts from children and adults that may be relevant to filtration surgery success., Methods: Fibroblast cell lines derived from 5 young (median patient age, 2.4 years) and 7 old (median patient age, 71 years) discarded Tenon's capsule surgical specimens were used at early passage (P2-P3). Fibroblasts were plated at "high" (10(4)cells/cm(2)) or "low" density (10(3)cells/cm(2)) and harvested at days 0-14, for growth curve and doubling time comparisons. Migration was measured using a wound model (confluent monolayers ± 5-fluorouracil [5-FU] over 1-96 hours). Collagen synthesis was measured as secreted hydroxyproline/24 hours from confluent monolayers., Results: At low density, "young" fibroblasts achieved higher cell numbers at confluence (day 14) compared with "old": 158 ± 35 versus 105 ± 12 × 10(3)cells/cm(2) (P = 0.0034). Mean doubling time for young versus old was similar at low density plating: 20.95 ± 1.55 versus 22.37 ± 2.09 hours (P = 0.26). It was shorter, however, for young versus old at high-density plating: 42.11 ± 6.01 versus 54.26 ± 4.24 hours (P = 0.0051). Wound closure rates were similar for young versus old cells (4 lines for each group) with and without 5-FU. Collagen synthesis was similar for young and old (4 lines for each group)., Conclusions: Although young fibroblasts reached higher density than old at confluence and had shorter doubling times at high-density plating, wound closure/migration and collagen synthesis rates were similar. Despite the preliminary nature of this study (few specimens, limited cell features explored), factors besides those intrinsic to the fibroblasts themselves likely mediate the more rapid healing/scarring after glaucoma filtration surgery in children., (Copyright © 2015 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate a clinical observation that prepubertal children with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) have low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein levels compared to healthy children and pubertal patients with IIH., Methods: The medical records of prepubertal and pubertal IIH patients and controls seen in the pediatric neuro-ophthalmology clinic at Duke between 2003 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. The control group consisted of children who had normal intracranial pressure on lumbar puncture performed to evaluate for headaches or anomalous-looking optic nerves. The records were analyzed with attention to demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, course, and lumbar puncture results., Results: A total of 23 prepubertal children with IIH (age range, 0.75-13 years), 16 pubertal patients with IIH (age range, 13-21 years), and 12 controls (age range 3-14 years) were included. CSF analysis revealed that prepubertal children with IIH had significantly lower CSF protein levels (17.3 ± 5.7 mg/dL) compared to pubertal subjects with IIH (23.4 ± 8.4 mg/dL; P = 0.019) or healthy controls (23.5 ± 6.4 mg/dL; P = 0.011). Furthermore, 9 of 23 prepubertal IIH patients (39%) had abnormally low CSF protein level (<15 mg/dL), compared to zero pubertal IIH patients (P = 0.005) and zero controls (P = 0.015). Acetazolamide increased CSF protein level in 100% of patients who underwent repeat lumbar puncture after starting the medication (average increase, 10.3 ± 6.6 mg/dL)., Conclusions: Low CSF protein level may have diagnostic utility as a biomarker for prepubertal IIH. Furthermore, this finding suggests that some cases of prepubertal IIH may be caused by CSF overproduction rather than decreased CSF resorption., (Copyright © 2015 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To compare rates and severity of complications between infants undergoing cataract surgery with and without intraocular lens (IOL) implantation., Design: Prospective randomized clinical trial., Methods: A total of 114 infants were enrolled in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study, a randomized, multi-center (12) clinical trial comparing the treatment of unilateral aphakia in patients under 7 months of age with a primary IOL implant or contact lens. The rate, character, and severity of intraoperative complications, adverse events, and additional intraocular surgeries during the first 5 postoperative years in the 2 groups were examined., Results: There were more patients with intraoperative complications (28% vs 11%, P = .031), adverse events (81% vs 56%, P = .008), and more additional intraocular surgeries (72% vs 16%, P < .0001) in the IOL group than in the contact lens group. However, the number of patients with adverse events in the contact lens group increased (15 to 24) in postoperative years 2-5 compared to the first postoperative year, while it decreased (44 to 14) in years 2-5 compared to the first postoperative year in the IOL group. If only one half of the patients in the contact lens (aphakic) group eventually undergo secondary IOL implantation, the number of additional intraocular surgeries in the 2 groups will be approximately equal., Conclusion: The increased rate of complications, adverse events, and additional intraocular surgeries associated with IOL implantation in infants <7 months of age militates toward leaving babies aphakic if it is considered likely that the family will be successful with contact lens correction., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Importance: The efficacy and safety of primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation during early infancy is unknown., Objective: To compare the visual outcomes of patients optically corrected with contact lenses vs IOLs following unilateral cataract surgery during early infancy., Design, Setting, and Participants: The Infant Aphakia Treatment Study is a randomized clinical trial with 5 years of follow-up that involved 114 infants with unilateral congenital cataracts at 12 sites. A traveling examiner assessed visual acuity at age 4.5 years., Interventions: Cataract surgery with or without primary IOL implantation. Contact lenses were used to correct aphakia in patients who did not receive IOLs. Treatment was determined through random assignment., Main Outcomes and Measures: HOTV optotype visual acuity at 4.5 years of age., Results: The median logMAR visual acuity was not significantly different between the treated eyes in the 2 treatment groups (both, 0.90 [20/159]; P = .54). About 50% of treated eyes in both groups had visual acuity less than or equal to 20/200. Significantly more patients in the IOL group had at least 1 adverse event after cataract surgery (contact lens, 56%; IOL, 81%; P = .02). The most common adverse events in the IOL group were lens reproliferation into the visual axis, pupillary membranes, and corectopia. Glaucoma/glaucoma suspect occurred in 35% of treated eyes in the contact lens group vs 28% of eyes in the IOL group (P = .55). Since the initial cataract surgery, significantly more patients in the IOL group have had at least 1 additional intraocular surgery (contact lens, 21%; IOL, 72%; P < .001)., Conclusions and Relevance: There was no significant difference between the median visual acuity of operated eyes in children who underwent primary IOL implantation and those left aphakic. However, there were significantly more adverse events and additional intraoperative procedures in the IOL group. When operating on an infant younger than 7 months of age with a unilateral cataract, we recommend leaving the eye aphakic and focusing the eye with a contact lens. Primary IOL implantation should be reserved for those infants where, in the opinion of the surgeon, the cost and handling of a contact lens would be so burdensome as to result in significant periods of uncorrected aphakia., Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00212134

Purpose: To investigate, in the treatment of uveal melanomas, how tumor control, radiation toxicity, and visual outcomes are affected by the radiation dose at the tumor apex., Methods and Materials: A retrospective review was performed to evaluate patients treated for uveal melanoma with (125)I plaques between 1988 and 2010. Radiation dose is reported as dose to tumor apex and dose to 5 mm. Primary endpoints included time to local failure, distant failure, and death. Secondary endpoints included eye preservation, visual acuity, and radiation-related complications. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine associations between radiation dose and the endpoint variables., Results: One hundred ninety patients with sufficient data to evaluate the endpoints were included. The 5-year local control rate was 91%. The 5-year distant metastases rate was 10%. The 5-year overall survival rate was 84%. There were no differences in outcome (local control, distant metastases, overall survival) when dose was stratified by apex dose quartile (<69 Gy, 69-81 Gy, 81-89 Gy, >89 Gy). However, increasing apex dose and dose to 5-mm depth were correlated with greater visual acuity loss (P=.02, P=.0006), worse final visual acuity (P=.02, P<.0001), and radiation complications (P<.0001, P=.0009). In addition, enucleation rates were worse with increasing quartiles of dose to 5 mm (P=.0001)., Conclusions: Doses at least as low as 69 Gy prescribed to the tumor apex achieve rates of local control, distant metastasis-free survival, and overall survival that are similar to radiation doses of 85 Gy to the tumor apex, but with improved visual outcomes., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To report the unusual development of bilateral myelinated retinal nerve fibers (MRNF) adjacent to the optic nerve in a child after treatment of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) with unilateral optic nerve sheath fenestration (ONSF) and to discuss the etiology of acquired MRNF., Methods: The patient's clinical history, including visual acuity, refractive error, ocular alignment, fundus examination, and optic nerve photographs, was retrospectively reviewed. A literature review was performed for acquired MRNF in children using PubMed. The results of the demographic and clinical findings of our patient were compared with those of previously reported cases., Results: The child developed bilateral MRNF adjacent to the optic nerve 5 months after unilateral ONSF. In reviewing the literature, 8 of 10 cases of acquired MRNF in children had previous abnormalities of the optic nerve, 4 of 10 had associated bilateral optic nerve head drusen, 3 of 10 had associated optic nerve glioma, and 3 of 10 had a history of significant increased intracranial pressure requiring surgical intervention., Conclusions: Although the etiology of acquired MRNF is uncertain, this case plus a review of the literature suggest that it may be related to changes in the lamina cribosa combined with possible optic nerve injury caused by optic nerve head drusen, optic nerve glioma, or increased intracranial pressure and that it can occur months to years after intervention., (Copyright © 2012 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To report the clinical and histopathologic findings associated with congenital fibrovascular pupillary membranes., Design: Case series., Participants: Seven infants were included, 6 with a unilateral congenital pupillary membrane and 1 with classic persistent fetal vasculature (PFV)., Methods: Patients underwent a membranectomy, pupilloplasty, or lensectomy. Histopathologic examination was performed on the excised membranes., Main Outcome Measures: Visual acuity and pupil size., Results: Four of the 6 patients with a unilateral congenital pupillary membrane had 1 or more recurrences after a membranectomy and pupilloplasty. The most recent pupil size ranged from 2 to 5 mm in the affected eye. When last tested, the vision in the affected eye was excellent in 4 of the 6 patients. The 2 patients without recurrences of the pupillary membranes underwent multiple iris sphincterotomies at the time of the initial surgery. Histopathologic examination of 2 primary pupillary membranes showed fibrovascular tissue that did not stain for neuron-specific enolase. Smooth muscle actin was only present in vascular walls. In contrast, histopathology of a recurrent pupillary membrane revealed collagenized fibrovascular tissue that was immunoreactive for smooth muscle actin. Finally, histopathology of the retrolenticular membrane excised from an infant with classic PFV was similar to the latter aside from hypercellularity., Conclusions: Congenital fibrovascular pupillary membranes in infants are likely a variant of PFV that may recur if incompletely excised. The risk of these membranes recurring may be reduced by excising as much as the membrane as possible and enlarging the pupil with iris sphincterotomies. A lensectomy should be avoided if possible., (Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To compare rates and severity of complications between infants undergoing cataract surgery with and without intraocular lens (IOL) implantation., Design: Prospective, randomized clinical trial., Participants: The Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS) is a randomized, multicenter (n = 12) clinical trial comparing treatment of aphakia with a primary IOL or contact lens in 114 infants with unilateral congenital cataract., Intervention: Infants underwent cataract surgery with or without placement of an IOL., Main Outcome Measures: The rate, character, and severity of intraoperative complications (ICs), adverse events (AEs), and additional intraocular surgeries (AISs) during the first postoperative year in the 2 groups were analyzed., Results: There were more patients with ICs (28% vs. 11%; P = 0.031), AEs (77% vs. 25%; P<0.0001), and AISs (63% vs. 12%; P<0.0001) in the IOL group than the contact lens group. Iris prolapse was the most common IC. The most common AE was visual axis opacification, and the most common additional intraocular reoperation was a clearing of visual axis opacification., Conclusions: The rates of ICs, AEs, and AISs 1 year after surgery were numerically higher in the IOL group, but their functional impact does not clearly favor either treatment group., Financial Disclosure(s): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article., (Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To describe a video-documented assessment of cataract type in the eyes of patients with monocular infantile cataract who were enrolled in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study., Methods: The Infant Aphakia Treatment Study is a randomized clinical trial in which the investigators compared intraocular lens (IOL) versus contact lens correction in 114 infants, aged 28 days to <7 months. A total of 83 videos were available for morphological analysis of cataract. Three examiners reviewed all surgical recordings and agreed on the cataract characteristics by using a score sheet to record the lens layer or configuration of the opacity., Results: Nuclear cataract was present in 45 of 83 eyes (54%). Posterior capsule plaque was observed in 73 eyes (88%). All eyes with fetal nuclear cataract had associated posterior capsule plaque. Cortical cataract without nuclear involvement was seen in 21 eyes (25%). Posterior bowing of the posterior capsule was noted in 4 eyes (5%). Evidence of persistent fetal vasculature (PFV) was present in 18 eyes (22%). PFV was the only finding in 5 eyes but was also seen in combination with nuclear (7 eyes) and cortical cataracts (6 eyes). The entire lens was white in 3 eyes (4%), whereas the lens was partially resorbed in 7 (8%) eyes. Anterior capsule fibrosis was noted in 5 eyes with advanced cataract (1 with total cataract, 4 with partially resorbed lens)., Conclusions: Nuclear opacities were common, but many different cataract types presented in infancy. PFV occurred in isolation or in association with cataract. Posterior capsule plaque was frequently noted, especially when a nuclear cataract was present., (Copyright © 2011 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare the visual outcomes and adverse events of contact lens with primary intraocular lens (IOL) correction of monocular aphakia during infancy., Methods: In a randomized, multicenter (12 sites) clinical trial, 114 infants with a unilateral congenital cataract were assigned to undergo cataract surgery between 1 to 6 months of age either with or without primary IOL implantation. Contact lenses were used to correct aphakia in patients who did not receive IOLs. Grating visual acuity was tested at 1 year of age by a masked traveling examiner., Main Outcome Measure: Grating visual acuity at 1 year of age., Results: The median logMAR visual acuity was not significantly different between the treated eyes in the 2 groups (contact lens group, 0.80; IOL group, 0.97; P = .19). More patients in the IOL group underwent 1 or more additional intraocular operations than patients in the contact lens group (63% vs 12%; P < .001). Most of these additional operations were performed to clear lens reproliferation and pupillary membranes from the visual axis., Conclusions: There was no statistically significant difference in grating visual acuity at age 1 year between the IOL and contact lens groups; however, additional intraocular operations were performed more frequently in the IOL group., Application to Clinical Practice: Until longer-term follow-up data are available, caution should be exercised when performing IOL implantation in children aged 6 months or younger given the higher incidence of adverse events and the absence of an improved short-term visual outcome compared with contact lens use.

Objective: To compare the use of contact lenses and intraocular lenses (IOLs) for the optical correction of unilateral aphakia during infancy., Methods: In a randomized, multicenter (12 sites) clinical trial, 114 infants with unilateral congenital cataracts were assigned to undergo cataract surgery with or without IOL implantation. Children randomized to IOL treatment had their residual refractive error corrected with spectacles. Children randomized to no IOL treatment had their aphakia treated with a contact lens., Main Outcome Measures: Grating acuity at 12 months of age and HOTV visual acuity at 4 1/2 years of age., Application to Clinical Practice: This study should determine whether either treatment for an infant with a visually significant unilateral congenital cataract results in a better visual outcome., Results: Enrollment began December 23, 2004, and was completed January 16, 2009. The median age at the time of cataract surgery was 1.8 months. Fifty patients were 4 to 6 weeks of age at the time of enrollment; 32, 7 weeks to 3 months of age; and the remaining 32, more than 3 to less than 7 months of age. Fifty-seven children were randomized to each treatment group. Eyes with cataracts had shorter axial lengths and steeper corneas on average than the fellow eyes., Conclusions: The optimal optical treatment of aphakia in infants is unknown. However, the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study was designed to provide empirical evidence of whether optical treatment with an IOL or a contact lens after unilateral cataract surgery during infancy is associated with a better visual outcome.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term efficacy, safety, and advisability of transscleral-sutured posterior chamber intraocular lenses (IOLs) in pediatric patients with no capsular support and to determine whether a 10-0 polypropylene suture should be used for this purpose., Methods: A long-term retrospective interventional case series review of 33 eyes of 26 patients who had a sutured IOL at Duke University Eye Center. Cases were evaluated for the intraoperative surgical risks and the number, type, and severity of the postoperative complications. A survey of pediatric ophthalmologists' experience with suture breakage was performed., Results: Intraoperative and immediate postoperative complications were minimal and not sight-threatening for the patient. Four patients developed subluxation of the IOL secondary to spontaneous 10-0 polypropylene suture breakage at 3.5, 5, 6, and 8 years after surgery. A survey of pediatric ophthalmologists revealed 13 similar cases (mean, 5 years after surgery)., Conclusions: Caution should be exercised in the use of 10-0 polypropylene suture to fixate an IOL to the sclera in children, and an alternative material or size (such as 9-0 polypropylene) should be considered.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of silicone rod frontalis suspension surgery for childhood ptosis., Methods: The authors retrospectively studied 89 consecutive children (110 eyelids) who had silicone rod frontalis suspension surgery for ptosis at Duke University Eye Center from 1983 to 2004. Marginal reflex distance1 (MRD1) elevation of 2 mm or more (vs preoperative MRD1) was considered satisfactory. MRD1 was measured as the vertical distance from the corneal light reflex in primary gaze to the upper eyelid margin. The postoperative eyelid symmetry (< or = 1 mm = satisfactory) was the difference between the MRD1 of the surgical and fellow eyelid., Results: Median age at surgery was 45 months (range: 3 to 223 months) and median follow-up was 17 months (range: 1 to 88 months). Ptosis types (number of eyelids) were unilateral congenital (53), bilateral congenital (30), third nerve palsy (16), Marcus Gunn jaw wink (7), trauma (2), and myasthenia gravis (2). Median MRD1 elevation was 2 mm or greater for all ptosis types, whereas satisfactory postoperative symmetry occurred in 60% of unilateral and 100% of bilateral congenital ptosis cases (last follow-up). Complications occurred in 10 eyelids (9%) and reoperation occurred in 10 eyelids (9%)., Conclusion: The use of silicone rod frontalis suspension surgery for ptosis repair in pediatric patients is modestly effective, with few complications and easy removal and adjustment.

We present the case of a 9-year-old patient with corneal decompensation that was treated with Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) and followed for 18 months. Although the procedure has been used successfully in adult populations, to our knowledge, this is the first report of DSAEK with long-term follow-up in a child. The outcome suggests that endothelial keratoplasty may be a good alternative to penetrating keratoplasty in children. Endothelial keratoplasty is a new form of corneal transplantation that promises faster visual recovery compared with penetrating keratoplasty. With endothelial keratoplasty, the corneal architecture is preserved; therefore, large spherical and astigmatic errors are not induced, and stable refraction is achieved earlier in the course of therapy.

Duke University and the National University of Singapore (NUS) have partnered to launch a new medical school that brings the American style of postbaccalaureate medical education to Asia. The new institution, called the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (GMS) and located in Singapore adjacent to the Singapore General Hospital, admitted its inaugural class of students representing citizens of seven nations in August 2007. The project represents an investment of more than $350 million from three ministries of the Singapore government, and a commitment on Duke's part to provide senior leadership and recruit faculty from Duke, from other international locales, and from within Singapore itself. Graduating students who complete the four-year Duke curriculum will receive an MD degree awarded jointly by Duke and NUS, thereby distinguishing this school from medical education in most Asian institutions that award an MBBS degree after a five-year period of study that follows directly from secondary school. The emphasis of the Duke-NUS GMS is to prepare physician-scientists for academic careers, with plans for 20% of each class to complete a combined MD/PhD degree. This article describes events leading up to this partnership and details of the relationship, including curriculum, organizational structure, milestones, and goals.

The surgical approach necessary to achieve the largest field of usable single binocular vision in patients with paralytic strabismus is one that has a greater effect in some directions of gaze than in others. Developing the appropriate "incomitant" strabismus surgery can be achieved by improving the ocular rotation of the involved eye(s), creating a matching rotation defect in the "normal" eye, and anticipating that surgery may create a new/different deviation (not present before the surgery) that can be used to surgeons' advantage. The severity of the limitation in ocular rotation will determine the amount and type of strengthening or weakening that will be necessary to the paralytic muscle and its yoke muscle.

Purpose: To evaluate optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurement of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular thickness in children with pseudotumor cerebri., Methods: Prospective observational series of children with pseudotumor cerebri compared against controls matched for age and gender. We included 11 pediatric subjects with clinical pseudotumor cerebri and 37 normal controls. Subjects underwent a complete eye examination including stereo disk photographs and OCT. Peripapillary RNFL and macular thickness were evaluated using the Stratus OCT 3000. The peripapillary RNFL was evaluated with two protocols: Fast RNFL Map protocol with values divided in eight sections, made up of four quadrants, each with an inner and outer ring, and Fast RNFL Thickness (3.4) protocol, using values presented for four quadrants. A Fast Macular Thickness Map was also obtained, and results reported similarly included eight sections, made up of four quadrants, each with an inner and outer ring., Results: The Fast RNFL Map protocol showed an increased RNFL thickness (pseudotumor cerebri vs controls) in the temporal and superior quadrants. The Fast RNFL Thickness (3.4) protocol showed a thicker average RNFL for pseudotumor cerebri eyes compared with controls (125.7 vs 106.5 microm, p < 0.0001). The Fast Macular Thickness Map showed an increased RNFL thickness in the nasal quadrant for the inner ring. The macular volumes for pseudotumor cerebri versus control eyes were 7.21 versus 6.97 mm(3), respectively (p = 0.005)., Conclusions: OCT shows increased RNFL and macular thickness in pseudotumor cerebri and may be a useful clinical tool in these children.

Duke University School of Medicine offers an unusual doctor of medicine educational program. The core basic sciences are taught in year one, core clinical clerkships are completed in the second year, the entire third year is devoted to scholarly investigation, and elective rotations are fulfilled in the fourth year. The creation of this unique structure presented many challenges and is the product of a desire of key faculty 40 years ago to change radically the way medical education was taught. Over the years, improvements have been made, but the underlying principles of these visionary leaders have been retained: inquire not just acquire, flexibility of choice, and in-depth exploration. In the spirit of innovation that was established 40 years ago, leaders and faculty at Duke developed a new curricular model in 2004, called Foundation for Excellence, which is anchored in integrated, interdisciplinary innovation. The authors describe the process of curricular reform and provide a detailed overview of this unique approach to medical education. In keeping with Duke's mission to graduate clinician-researchers and clinician-educators, reducing the basic science curriculum to one year created a year saved, which students are now required to devote to scholarly pursuits. The authors argue that adopting a similar one-year basic science curriculum would make instructional time available for other schools to achieve their own institutional goals.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term efficacy, safety, and advisability of using transscleral sutured posterior chamber intraocular lenses (IOLs) in pediatric patients with no capsular support and to determine whether 10-0 polypropylene suture should be used for this purpose., Methods: A long-term retrospective interventional case series review of 33 eyes of 26 patients who had a sutured IOL at Duke University Eye Center were evaluated for the intraoperative surgical risks, postoperative visual and refractive outcomes, and the number, type, and severity of the postoperative complications. In addition, a survey of pediatric ophthalmologists' experience with suture breakage was performed., Results: Postoperative visual acuity was significantly improved after surgery (P < .001). Predicted vs actual refraction was not significantly different (P = .10) and was within 1.50 diopters of predicted in 66% of patients. A refractive myopic shift occurred over time and was age-dependent. Intraoperative and immediate postoperative complications were minimal and not sight-threatening. Three patients developed subluxation of the IOL secondary to spontaneous 10-0 polypropylene suture breakage at 3.5, 8, and 9 years after surgery. A survey of pediatric ophthalmologists revealed 10 similar cases (mean, 5 years after surgery)., Conclusion: Transscleral fixation of an IOL in a child appears to be a safe and effective procedure provided that the suture material used is stable enough to resist significant degradation over time. Caution should be exercised in the use of 10-0 polypropylene suture to fixate an IOL to the sclera in children, and an alternative material or size should be considered.

The diagnosis and etiologies of sixth cranial nerve palsies are reviewed along with nonsurgical and surgical treatment approaches. Surgical options depend on the function of the paretic muscle, the field of greatest symptoms, and the likelihood of inducing diplopia in additional fields by a given procedure.

The paper reports an evaluation of digital, split-site and traditional poster presentations at the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) conference in September 2004. The programme included 300 posters in 19 sessions, viewed, potentially, by 1265 conference participants, in parallel with other events. The instrument was a questionnaire of 16 open- and closed-format questions applied opportunistically and gaining 250 complete responses. Qualitative and quantitative analysis suggested that no one format was preferred. Each had different strengths and weaknesses relating to seeing and hearing the presenter and viewing the poster. Opportunities for discussion were highly valued.

Background: It generally is accepted that cataract surgery during the first 6 weeks of life is associated with the best visual outcomes for children with dense unilateral congenital cataracts. The latent period for children with dense bilateral congenital cataracts has not been clearly defined., Methods: The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 4 to 6 years of age was collected retrospectively on a series of 43 children with dense bilateral congenital cataracts from 4 institutions. All of the children underwent a lensectomy, posterior capsulotomy, and anterior vitrectomy at 36 weeks of age or younger., Results: Cataract surgery was performed at a mean age of 11.5 weeks for the better-seeing eye. BCVA was assessed when the children were a mean of 5.3 years of age. The visual acuities of 26 (60%) were 20/40 or better, 12 (28%) were 20/50 to 20/80, and 5 (12%) were 20/100 or worse. There was a trend for worse BCVA with increasing age at the time of surgery (r = 0.28, P = 0.07). We noted that a BCVA of 20/100 or worse occurred only among eyes undergoing surgery when infants were older than 10 weeks (10 weeks: 5/22 = 23%, P = 0.049). Children with preoperative nystagmus had worse visual outcomes; only 38% of children with preoperative nystagmus achieved a BCVA of 20/40 or better compared with 74% of children without preoperative nystagmus (P = 0.03)., Conclusion: Previous reports have proposed that cataract surgery during the first 5 to 8 weeks of life is associated with better visual outcomes in children with dense bilateral congenital cataracts. Our results would suggest that good visual outcomes can be achieved beyond this age, but the incidence of poor visual outcomes increases if cataract surgery is delayed beyond 10 weeks of age. The absence of preoperative nystagmus is a better predictor of a good visual outcome than the age at surgery.

Purpose: To review our experience with optic nerve sheath decompression for pediatric pseudotumor cerebri., Design: Retrospective chart review., Participants: Seventeen eyes in 12 children younger than 16 years of age. All patients were either unresponsive or intolerant to medication. INTERVENTION, METHODS, OR TESTING: An optic nerve sheath fenestration was performed., Main Outcome Measures: Optic nerve appearance, visual acuity, color vision, and visual fields., Results: The average age at surgery was 10.1 years of age. The average follow-up was 39.6 months. Headache was the most common presenting symptom. All patients showed improvement in optic nerve edema. Visual acuity improved or stayed the same in all surgical eyes (P = 0.0078). One patient required a neurosurgical lumbar peritoneal shunt, and 2 patients required acetazolamide on the last follow-up appointment. No patient had postoperative infection, loss of vision, or strabismus develop. Five of the patients in this study required sheath decompression on the other eye., Conclusions: Optic nerve sheath decompression in children is safe, and the results are similar to those obtained in adults. Close follow-up is required, because 5 of 12 patients in this study required a contralateral optic nerve sheath decompression.

Introduction: Paradoxical patterns of extraocular muscle, eyelid, or pupillary movements can occur following injury between divisions of the oculomotor nerve, trigeminal and abducens nerves, and trigeminal and oculomotor nerves. We report three cases of unusual ocular motility and eyelid movements that are a result of aberrant connections between the abducens and oculomotor nerves., Methods: Three patients with unusual eye movement abnormalities after trauma were studied. A complete ophthalmic examination plus neuroradiologic evaluation were performed., Results: Each patient manifested an aberrant connection between the 6th and 3rd cranial nerves resulting in third nerve function during sixth nerve stimulation. Two patients demonstrated complete third nerve palsies except for adduction on attempted abduction. The third showed improved bilateral ptosis on abduction., Conclusions: The neuroanatomical abnormalities involve intraorbital structures in one patient and central nervous system pathways in the others. Explanations such as retrograde regeneration, ephaptic transmission, or denervation supersensitivity do not appear to explain these unusual eye movements. The most likely mechanism involves some form of peripheral neuronal misdirection. These rare sixth to third nerve misdirection cases add support to the "neuronal misdirection hypothesis" of aberrant eye movements after trauma.

Aims: To compare optotype acuities and re-operation rates in children corrected with a contact lens (CL) compared with an intraocular lens (IOL) following unilateral cataract extraction during infancy in a non-randomised, retrospective case series., Methods: 25 infants with a unilateral congenital cataract underwent cataract surgery with (IOL group, n = 12) or without (CL group, n = 13) IOL implantation when <7 months of age. Optotype acuities were assessed in 19 of these children at a mean age of 4.3 years (range 3.3-5.5 years). The number of re-operations were assessed in 21 children., Results: The visual acuity results were similar in the two treatment groups (p = 0.99); however, two of the four (50%) children in the IOL group compared with two of the seven (28%) children in the CL group undergoing surgery during the first 6 weeks of life had 20/40 or better visual acuity. The children in the IOL group had more re-operations than the children in the CL group (mean 1.1 v 0.36). Most of the re-operations in the IOL group were membranectomies performed during the first year of life (median 8.0 months) whereas all of the re-operations in the CL group were the implantation of a secondary IOL later in childhood (mean 2.2 years)., Conclusion: Optotype acuities were similar for the children corrected with a CL compared with IOL, while the children in the IOL group underwent more re-operations .

Background: Participants enrolled in the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial have been observed for more than a decade to assess the relationship between optic neuritis and the development of clinically definite multiple sclerosis., Objective: To assess neurologic disability 10 to 12 years after an initial episode of optic neuritis., Design: Longitudinal follow-up of a clinical trial., Setting: Fourteen Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial clinical centers performed standardized neurologic examinations, including an assessment of neurologic disability., Participants: One hundred twenty-seven patients who had developed clinically definite multiple sclerosis., Main Outcome Measures: Functional Systems Scale and Expanded Disability Status Scale., Results: The disability of most patients was mild, with 65% of patients having an Expanded Disability Status Scale score lower than 3.0. The degree of disability appeared to be unrelated to whether the baseline magnetic resonance imaging scan was lesion-free or showed lesions (P =.51). Among patients with baseline lesions, the degree of disability was unrelated to the number of lesions that were present on the scan (P =.14). Two patients died owing to severe multiple sclerosis, one of whom had no lesions revealed on the baseline scan., Conclusion: Most patients who develop clinically definite multiple sclerosis following an initial episode of optic neuritis will have a relatively benign course for at least 10 years.

Introduction: Upgaze paralysis due to supranuclear defects can cause significant visual symptoms. There are only a few reports on the treatment of this problem in the literature. Patients with Parinaud's syndrome may also have retraction nystagmus and convergence on attempted upgaze that further complicates the treatment., Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 48 patients with Parinaud's syndrome. Eleven patients were not able to elevate to the primary position and underwent surgery for the upgaze defect. Surgical treatments included transpositions in 2 patients, inferior rectus recessions in 8, which was combined with a superior rectus resection in one., Results: Preoperative duction measurements demonstrated an average limitation on upgaze to -19 degrees (-10 to -30) below midline with zero representing midline. Postoperative measurements showed marked improvement to +19 degrees above midline (15 to 30). Inferior rectus recessions were as effective as transpositions in restoring function. In addition, there was a marked reduction in the retraction nystagmus and upgaze convergence as well., Conclusions: Visually significant upgaze limitation can be relieved with bilateral inferior rectus recessions in Parinaud's syndrome. Retraction nystagmus and convergence movements are also markedly improved.

Purpose: To assess visual function more than 10 years after an episode of optic neuritis in patients enrolled in the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial., Design: Longitudinal follow-up of a randomized clinical trial., Methods: Vision testing included measures of visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and visual field. Quality of life was assessed with the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire., Results: Examinations were completed on 319 patients. In most patients, visual function test results in the eyes that experienced optic neuritis at study entry ("affected eyes") were normal or only slightly abnormal after 9.9 to 13.7 years. Visual acuity in the affected eyes was >or=20/20 in 74%, 20/25 to 20/40 in 18%, <20/40 to 20/200 in 5%, and <20/200 in 3%. On average, visual function was worse in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) than in those without MS. Recurrent optic neuritis in either eye occurred in 35% of patients. Such attacks were more frequent in patients with MS (P <.001). The National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire scores were lower when visual acuity was abnormal and when MS was present., Conclusions: Most patients retained good to excellent vision more than 10 years after an attack of optic neuritis. Recurrences were more frequent in patients with MS.

Background: To determine whether a randomized clinical trial, the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study, comparing intraocular lens (IOL) implantation with contact lens (CL) correction for infants with a unilateral congenital cataract (UCC), is feasible by (1) ascertaining whether American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) members have equipoise regarding these two treatments and (2) evaluating the willingness of parents to agree to randomization., Methods: All AAPOS members were surveyed in August 1997 and again in June 2001 regarding their use of CLs and IOL implants to correct infants vision after unilateral cataract surgery. In addition, a pilot study was begun in March 2002 to evaluate the safety of IOL implantation during infancy and the willingness of parents to randomize their children with a UCC to either IOL implantation or CL correction., Results: In 1997, 89% of the 260 respondents reported that in the previous year they had treated at least one infant with a UCC, but only 4% had implanted an IOL in an infant <7 months old. Silsoft (Bausch & Lomb, Rochester, NY) CL correction was the preferred treatment choice for 84% of the respondents. In 2001, 21% of the 279 respondents had implanted an IOL in an infant. On a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 strongly favoring an IOL implant and 10 strongly favoring a CL, the median score was 7.5. Sixty-one percent of the respondents indicated that they would be willing to randomize children with a UCC to one of these two treatments. The main concerns about IOL implantation were poor predictability of power changes, postoperative complications, inflammation, and technical difficulty of surgery. The main concerns about CL correction were poor compliance, high lens loss rate, high cost, and keratitis. In our pilot study, 30 infants <7 months of age were evaluated at nine clinical centers for a visually significant UCC. Of 24 infants eligible for randomization, the parents of 17 (71%) agreed to randomization., Conclusions: Although most AAPOS members still favor CL correction after cataract surgery for a UCC, five times as many had implanted an IOL in an infant in 2001 compared with the number in 1997. Parents were almost equally divided in their preference for IOL implant versus CL correction. Given the relative equipoise of AAPOS members regarding these treatments and the willingness of more than two thirds of parents to agree to randomization, it seems likely that a randomized clinical trial comparing these two treatments could indeed be conducted.

Objective: To identify factors associated with a high and low risk of developing multiple sclerosis after an initial episode of optic neuritis., Methods: Three hundred eighty-eight patients who experienced acute optic neuritis between July 1, 1988, and June 30, 1991, were followed up prospectively for the development of multiple sclerosis. Consenting patients were reassessed after 10 to 13 years., Results: The 10-year risk of multiple sclerosis was 38% (95% confidence interval, 33%-43%). Patients (160) who had 1 or more typical lesions on the baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain had a 56% risk; those with no lesions (191) had a 22% risk (P<.001, log rank test). Among the patients who had no lesions on MRI, male gender and optic disc swelling were associated with a lower risk of multiple sclerosis, as was the presence of the following atypical features for optic neuritis: no light perception vision; absence of pain; and ophthalmoscopic findings of severe optic disc edema, peripapillary hemorrhages, or retinal exudates., Conclusions: The 10-year risk of multiple sclerosis following an initial episode of acute optic neuritis is significantly higher if there is a single brain MRI lesion; higher numbers of lesions do not appreciably increase that risk. However, even when brain lesions are seen on MRI, more than 40% of the patients will not develop clinical multiple sclerosis after 10 years. In the absence of MRI lesions, certain demographic and clinical features seem to predict a very low likelihood of developing multiple sclerosis. This natural history information is a critical input for estimating a patient's 10-year multiple sclerosis risk and for weighing the benefit of initiating prophylactic treatment at the time of optic neuritis or other initial demyelinating events in the central nervous system.