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Standard-of-care assessment for children with amblyopia includes measuring amblyopic eye best-corrected visual acuity (AE BCVA) with the fellow eye occluded. By definition, this abolishes the interocular suppression fundamental to amblyopia. Thus, measured AE BCVA may not accurately represent that eye's contribution to natural binocular viewing. We compared dichoptic and monocular AE BCVA and examined whether any differences were associated with eye-hand coordination or reading speed.Cross-sectional study.Dichoptic and monocular AE BCVA of children aged 6-12 years (42 with amblyopia, 24 with recovered normal AE BCVA, 30 control) were measured. Stereoacuity, suppression, eye-hand coordination, and reading speed were also assessed.Overall, 81% of amblyopic children had worse dichoptic than monocular AE BCVA (mean difference=0.15±0.11 logMAR; P.0001), and 71% of children with recovered normal AE BCVA had worse dichoptic than monocular AE BCVA (mean difference = 0.20±0.17 logMAR, P.0001). Controls had no significant difference. The difference between dichoptic and monocular AE BCVA was correlated with performance in standardized aiming/catching (r = -0.48, 95% CI -0.72, -0.14) and manual dexterity tasks (r = -0.37, 95% CI -0.62, -0.06), and with reading speed (r = -0.38, 95% CI -0.65, -0.03).Dichoptic AE BCVA deficits were worse than monocular AE BCVA deficits and were associated with reduced stereoacuity and suppression, consistent with the hypothesis that binocular dysfunction plays a role. Further, impaired eye-hand coordination and slow reading were associated with dichoptic, but not monocular, AE BCVA. Some children with amblyopia may benefit from extra time for school tasks requiring eye-hand coordination or reading.

Twenty adolescents (12–17 years old) with diplopic strabismus and 20 with nondiplopic strabismus (matched to diplopic subjects for direction and magnitude of ocular deviation) completed the Pediatric Eye Questionnaire (PedEyeQ). Children completed the Child PedEyeQ, and one parent for each child completed the Proxy PedEyeQ and Parent PedEyeQ. PedEyeQ Rasch domain scores were calculated and converted to a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best). Distributions of domain scores were compared between diplopic and nondiplopic cohorts using Wilcoxon tests. Diplopic adolescents had significantly lower Child PedEyeQ scores on Functional Vision (72 vs 90; P = 0.008), Bothered by Eyes/Vision (65 vs 90; P = 0.009), and Frustration/Worry (53 vs 75; P < 0.001) domains. There was no difference on the Child Social domain (85 vs 90; P = 0.22). Proxy and Parent PedEyeQ scores were similar between diplopic and nondiplopic cohorts (P > 0.06 for each comparison). These findings highlight the importance of addressing diplopia when managing childhood strabismus.

Patient-reported outcome measures such as the Pediatric Eye Questionnaire (PedEyeQ) are increasingly recognized as important in healthcare assessment. Defining normal PedEyeQ thresholds would allow classification of individual children as having reduced versus normal domain scores. We prospectively enrolled visually normal children (aged 0-17 years; n = 310) to calculate normal PedEyeQ domain thresholds. In addition, 48 children with bilateral visual impairment (VI; best-eye acuity worse than 20/70 or 20/70 or better with limited visual fields) were enrolled for validation. The Child PedEyeQ (four domains) was completed by 5- to 17-year-olds. Parents completed Proxy (five domains) and Parent PedEyeQ (four domains). Each domain was Rasch scored (converted to 0-100); normal thresholds were defined as the 5th percentile of scores in visually normal controls. For Child 5-11 PedEyeQ, 39%-78% of VI children had reduced domain scores, and 88%-100% for 12- to 17-year-olds. For Proxy PedEyeQ, proportions ranged from 55% to 100% and for Parent PedEyeQ ≥83% had reduced scores. High prevalence of reduced PedEyeQ domain scores in the VI cohort, validates the use of normal thresholds. Nevertheless, variability in child self-reporting creates challenges for identifying individual 5- to 11-year-olds with reduced scores.

There is a lack of normative data for children tested with the electronic Early Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy Study (E-ETDRS) protocol. In the current cross-sectional study, the mean best-corrected normal and 95% lower tolerance limit for E-ETDRS visual acuity by year in children 7-12 years of age was measured. Our objective was to provide a large normative data set for E-ETDRS visual acuity in children for use in clinical management and clinical trials.

INTRODUCTION: Age norms and testability for 3–5 year old children have been reported for the PASS III stereotest using a pointing response. We aimed to expand the normative data to children as young as 6 months, assess testability, and evaluate validity use of the PASS III as a preferential-looking test for younger children and children with special needs. METHODS: 68 control children, 362 children with eye conditions, and 167 children with special needs were tested with the PASS III. Percent testable was calculated for children with and without special needs, normal tolerance limits were determined, and test validity was assessed. RESULTS: In controls, mean PASS III stereoacuity improved from 371 arcsec at 12 months to 174 arcsec at 24 months, and 87 arcsec at 36 months. Testability in the 12, 24, and 36 months age groups were 81%, 87%, and 97% respectively and 92% for special needs children. Comparison to previously published norms and testing in a known nil stereoacuity cohort supported PASS III test validity. Compared to gold standard stereoacuity tests, accuracy of the PASS was 89%. CONCLUSION: Overall, preferential-looking tests using the PASS III provide a sensitive and specific measure of stereoacuity with high testability for young children and children with special needs.

Significance We sought to identify baseline and clinical factors that were predictive of the response to amblyopia treatment. We report that binocular amblyopia treatment may be especially effective for moderate amblyopia in orthotropic children. Purpose We previously reported results from the primary cohort (n = 28) enrolled in a randomized clinical trial (NCT02365090), which found that binocular amblyopia treatment was more effective than patching. Enrollment of an additional 20 children was pre-planned to provide the opportunity to examine factors that may be predictive of response to amblyopia treatment. Methods Forty-eight children (4 to 10 years old) were enrolled, with 24 randomized to contrast-rebalanced binocular game treatment (1 hour a day, 5 days a week) and 24 to patching treatment (2 hours a day, 7 days a week). The primary outcome was change in amblyopic eye best-corrected visual acuity at the 2-week visit. Baseline factors examined were age at enrollment, visual acuity, stereoacuity, and suppression. Clinical factors were etiology, age at diagnosis, prior treatment, and ocular alignment. Results At 2 weeks, visual acuity improvement was significantly greater with the binocular game than patching. Children with moderate amblyopia and orthotropia had more visual acuity improvement with binocular game play than did those with severe amblyopia. In addition, children who spent more time playing the binocular game had more improvement. We were not able to confidently identify any baseline or clinical factors that were associated with response to patching treatment. Conclusions Binocular amblyopia treatment was more effective among orthotropic children with moderate amblyopia than among children with microtropia or severe amblyopia.

To determine whether deficits in manual dexterity in children with amblyopia improve after binocular amblyopia treatment and whether improvements are related to age at treatment, baseline sensory status, or amount of improvement in sensory status with treatment.Manual dexterity (Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2), visual acuity, fusion, suppression, and stereoacuity were measured at baseline and after 4-8 weeks of binocular amblyopia in 134 children with amblyopia, including 75 children in the "younger group" (aged 3 to7 years) and 59 in the "older group" (aged 7-10 years), and in 40 age-similar control children.Baseline manual dexterity standard scores of amblyopic children were significantly below those of controls in both the younger (8.81 ± 0.33 vs 11.80 ± 0.60 [P0.0001]) and older groups (7.19 ± 0.34 vs 9.75 ± 0.57 [P = 0.00013]). After 4-8 weeks of binocular amblyopia treatment, the younger group standard score improved to 9.85 ± 0.35 and the older group improved to 8.08 ± 0.39, but both groups remained significantly lower than controls (P = 0.03 and P = 0.01, resp.). Improvement in manual dexterity standard score was not associated with any baseline factors but was weakly correlated with the amount of visual acuity improvement (r

Contrast-rebalanced dichoptic movies have been shown to be an effective binocular treatment for amblyopia in the laboratory. Yet, at-home therapy is a more practical approach. In a randomized clinical trial, we compared dichoptic movies, streamed at-home on a handheld 3D-enabled game console, versus patching as amblyopia treatment. Sixty-five amblyopic children (3–7 years; 20/32–125) were randomly assigned to one of two parallel arms, binocular treatment (3 movies/week) or patching (14 h/week). The primary outcome, change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at the 2-week visit was completed by 28 and 30, respectively. After the primary outcome, both groups of children had the option to complete up to 6 weeks of binocular treatment. At the 2-week primary outcome visit, BCVA had improved in the movie (0.07 ± 0.02 logMAR; p p 95%: − 0.02 to 0.04; p = .48). Visual acuity improved in both groups with binocular treatment up to 6 weeks (0.15 and 0.18 logMAR improvement, respectively). This novel, at-home, binocular movie treatment improved amblyopic eye BCVA after 2 weeks (similar to patching), with additional improvement up to 6 weeks. Repeated binocular visual experience with contrast-rebalanced binocular movies provides an additional treatment option for amblyopia.Clincaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03825107 (31/01/2019).

PURPOSE: To evaluate the recently developed Pediatric Eye Questionnaire (PedEyeQ) in visually impaired and visually normal children, as an initial validation of the PedEyeQ. DESIGN: Questionnaire validation study METHODS: 48 children with visual impairment (retinal, cortical, and corneal conditions) and 59 visually normal controls were enrolled at two centers. Five- to 17-year-old children completed the Child PedEyeQ (5–11 and 12–17 year-old versions), and parents completed the Proxy PedEyeQ (0–4, 5–11, 12–17 year-old versions) and the Parent PedEyeQ. Rasch scores were calculated, by age group, for each distinct domain within each age-specific PedEyeQ (converted to 0–100 for interpretation). Domains for the Child PedEyeQ are functional vision, bothered by eyes/vision, social, frustration/worry. Proxy PedEyeQ domains are: functional vision, bothered by eyes/vision, social, frustration/worry, eye-care. Parent PedEyeQ domains are: impact on parent and family, worry about child’s eye condition, worry about child’s self-perception/interactions, worry about child’s functional vision. For each domain, median PedEyeQ scores were compared between visually impaired and visually normal cohorts. RESULTS: Child 5–11 and 12–17 PedEyeQ scores were significantly lower (worse) for visually impaired children than for controls for each domain (P

Amblyopia is a neurodevelopmental disorder of the visual system, as a result of discordant visual experience during infancy or early childhood. Because amblyopia is typically defined as monocularly reduced visual acuity accompanied by one or more known amblyogenic factors, it is often assumed that the fellow eye is normal and sufficient for tasks like reading and eye-hand coordination. Recent scientific evidence of ocular motor, visual, and visuomotor deficits that are present with fellow eye monocular viewing and with binocular viewing calls this assumption into question. This clinical update reviews the research that has revealed fellow ocular motor and visual deficits and the effect that these deficits have on an amblyopic child’s visuomotor and visuocognitive skills. We need to understand how to prevent and rehabilitate the effects of amblyopia not only on the nonpreferred eye but also on the fellow eye.

PURPOSE: To develop patient-derived Pediatric Eye Questionnaires (PedEyeQ) to separately assess eye-related quality of life (ER-QOL) and functional vision in children with eye conditions. DESIGN: Questionnaire development study. METHODS: 444 children (0 to 1.0) and Rasch analyses (differential item functioning, targeting, fit) to reduce items (separate analyses for 0–4, 5–11 and 12–17 year olds and for each factor). RESULTS: The Child 5–11 year-old PedEyeQ consisted of four unidimensional domains/questionnaires: functional vision, bothered by eyes/vision, social, frustration/worry (10 items each). The Child 12–17 year-old PedEyeQ consisted of the same four domains (total 39 items). The Proxy 0–4 year PedEyeQ consisted of three questionnaires/domains: functional vision, bothered by eyes/vision, social (total 29 items). The Proxy 5–11 year-old consisted of five questionnaires/domains: functional vision, bothered by eyes/vision, social, frustration/worry, eye-care (total 39 items) as did the Proxy 12–17 year-old PedEyeQ (total 42 items). The Parent PedEyeQ, consisted of four questionnaires/domains: impact on parent/family, worry re child’s eye condition, worry re child’s self-perception and interactions, worry re child’s visual function (total 35 items). Rasch look-up tables were created for scoring. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: By following a rigorous approach we have developed Pediatric Eye Questionnaires for separately assessing functional vision and ER-QOL domains in children of any age and with any eye condition.

Amblyopia is the most common cause of monocular visual impairment in children, with a prevalence of 2–3%. Not only is visual acuity reduced in one eye but binocular vision is affected, fellow eye deficits may be present, eye–hand coordination and reading can be affected, and self-perception may be diminished. New technologies for preschool vision screening hold promise for accessible, early, and accurate detection of amblyopia. Together with recent advances in our theoretical understanding of amblyopia and technological advances in amblyopia treatment, we anticipate improved visual outcomes for children affected by this very common eye condition. This article is based on previously conducted studies and does not contain any new studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Purpose To compare the patterns of longitudinal refractive error development during the first 3.5 years in children with severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) or laser photocoagulation. Methods This prospective cohort study enrolled extremely preterm infants (birth weight < 1000 g, gestational age 23-27 weeks) with type 1 ROP from multiple hospitals in Dallas between 1999 and 2017; IVB group (N = 22); laser group (N = 26). Cycloplegic retinoscopy was conducted from 0.04 years corrected age and every 0.5 to 1.0 years thereafter until 3.5 years old. Right eye spherical equivalent (SEQ) and astigmatism, anisometropia, and better-eye visual acuity were analyzed over time. Results In all children, both eyes were treated with the same modality. At the final visit, the prevalence of myopia (SEQ ≤ -1D) was 82.7% in the laser group and 47.7% in the IVB group (P < 0.05) with a mean SEQ of -8.0D ± 5.8D in the laser group versus -2.3D ± 4.2D in the IVB group (P < 0.001). Longitudinal SEQ were best fit with a bilinear model. Before one year, the rate of SEQ change was -5.0D/year in the laser group, but only -3.5D/year in the IVB group (T = -5.14, P < 0.001); after one year, there was a significant flattening of these slopes (T = 6.23, P < 0.001). Anisometropia in the IVB group was significantly less than in the laser group (P < 0.05). Final visual acuity in both groups was similar at 0.47 logMAR (∼ 20/60). Conclusions Children with severe ROP treated with IVB developed less myopic refractive error than those treated with laser largely because of a slower rate of refractive change during the first year of life. Translational Relevance These findings may inform decisions regarding ROP treatment timing and modality.

Importance Although the development of self-perception and self-esteem has been investigated in children with strabismic and anisometropic amblyopia, we know little about how self-perception is affected in deprivation amblyopia. Deprivation amblyopia from a dense, unilateral cataract is the least common and typically most severe form of amblyopia. After cataract extraction, optical correction, and patching treatment for amblyopia, visual acuity almost always remains abnormal, and except in rare cases, stereoacuity is nearly always nil. Objective To determine whether deprivation amblyopia is associated with altered self-perception in preschool children and to determine whether any differences in self-perception are associated with vision or motor skill deficits. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional study conducted from 2016 to 2019 at a pediatric vision research laboratory. Children aged 3 to 6 years were enrolled, including 15 children with deprivation amblyopia and 20 control children. Main Outcomes and Measures Self-perception was assessed using the Pictorial Scale of Competence and Acceptance for Young Children, which includes 4 specific domains: cognitive competence, peer acceptance, physical competence, and maternal acceptance. Fine motor skills were evaluated with the Manual Dexterity and Aiming & Catching Scales of the Movement ABC-2 test. Visual acuity and stereoacuity also were assessed. Results Of the 35 children included, 13 of 35 were girls (37%) and 28 of 35 were non-Hispanic White (80%). Children with deprivation amblyopia had significantly lower peer acceptance and physical competence scores compared with control children (mean [SD], 2.80 [0.44] vs 3.25 [0.33]; mean difference, 0.45; 95% CI for difference, 0.19-0.71;P = .002 and 2.94 [0.45] vs 3.41 [0.37]; mean difference, 0.47; 95% CI for difference, 0.19-0.75;P = .002, respectively). Among children with amblyopia, moderate associations were found between self-perception domain scores and motor skills, including peer acceptance and manual dexterity (r = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.26-0.89;P = .005), peer acceptance and aiming (r = 0.54; 95% CI, 0.03-0.82;P = .03), and physical competence and aiming (r = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.06-0.83;P = .03). Conclusions and Relevance Lower self-perception of peer acceptance and physical competence were associated with early visual deprivation in children in their everyday life.

Background Binocular neural architecture may be preserved in children with deprivation amblyopia due to unilateral cataract. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a contrast-rebalanced binocular treatment, recently used with success to treat the interocular suppression and amblyopia in strabismic and anisometropic children, can contribute to rehabilitation of visual acuity in children with deprivation amblyopia secondary to monocular cataract. Methods In a pilot randomized trial, 15 children (4-13 years of age) were enrolled and randomized to continue with their current treatment only (n = 7) or to continue with their current treatment and add contrast-rebalanced binocular iPad game play 5 hours/week for 4 weeks (n = 8). The primary outcome was change in visual acuity at 4 weeks. Results Although 10 of 15 participants were patching, there was little change in visual acuity during the 3 months prior to enrollment. At the 4-week primary outcome visit, the mean improvement in visual acuity for the binocular game group was significantly greater than that for the current-treatment group (0.08 ± 0.10 logMAR vs −0.03 ± 0.05 logMAR [t10.2 = 2.53, P = 0.03]). None of the children who had dense congenital cataract achieved improved visual acuity with binocular treatment. Conclusions In this study cohort, visual acuity improved over 8 weeks in children with unilateral deprivation amblyopia who played a binocular contrast-rebalanced binocular iPad game.

Purpose We evaluated motor skills in children diagnosed with strabismus and anisometropia, with or without amblyopia, and explored factors associated with impairments. Methods A total of 143 strabismic and anisometropic children 3 to 13 years of age (96 amblyopic, 47 nonamblyopic) and a group of age-similar 35 control children completed Manual Dexterity, Aiming and Catching, and Balance tasks from the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition. Raw scores were converted to standardized scores, and amblyopic and nonamblyopic children were compared to controls. Clinical and sensory factors associated with motor performance were also evaluated. Results Overall, amblyopic and nonamblyopic children were three to six times more likely than controls to be at risk for or to have a total motor impairment (≤15th percentile). Although amblyopic children scored lower than controls for the Manual Dexterity, Aiming and Catching, and Balance tasks, nonamblyopic children scored lower on Manual Dexterity only. Factors related to manual dexterity deficits include the presence of amblyopia and binocularity deficits typical of these eye conditions. Aiming, catching, and balance deficits were most pronounced in children with an infantile onset of the eye condition, a history of strabismus, and reduced binocularity. Conclusions Amblyopia and strabismus disrupt the development of motor ability in children. These findings highlight the widespread effects of discordant binocular input early in life and the visual acuity and binocularity deficits typical of these eye conditions.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We evaluated relationships between visual acuity and eye-related quality of life (ER-QOL) and functional vision in children, across a spectrum of pediatric eye conditions, using the Pediatric Eye Questionnaire (PedEyeQ). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study METHODS: 397 children (aged 5 to 11 years) with an eye condition and 104 visually normal controls, completed the Child PedEyeQ (Functional vision, Bothered by Eyes/Vision, Social, and Frustration/Worry domains). One parent for each child completed the Proxy PedEyeQ (same domains as Child plus Eye care) and Parent PedEyeQ (Impact on Parent and Family, Worry about Child’s Eye Condition, Worry about Child’s Self-perception and Interactions, Worry about Functional Vision domains). Each domain was Rasch-scored and Spearman rank correlations calculated to evaluate relationships between better-seeing-eye and worse-seeing-eye visual acuity and PedEyeQ domain score. RESULTS: There was a significant relationship between poorer better-seeing-eye visual acuity and lower (worse) PedEyeQ score on 2 of 4 Child domains (e.g., Functional Vision: r=−0.1474 ; P=.005), on 2 of 5 Proxy PedEyeQ domains (e.g., Functional Vision: r=−0.2183; P

Purpose To evaluate eye-related quality of life (ER-QOL) and functional vision across a wide range of pediatric eye conditions, using the Pediatric Eye Questionnaires (PedEyeQ). Methods A total of 1,037 children with an eye condition and 254 visually normal controls, across 0-4, 5-11, and 12-17 years age groups, completed the following questionnaires: Child PedEyeQ (Functional Vision, Bothered by Eyes/Vision, Social, Frustration/Worry domains), Proxy PedEyeQ (same domains plus Eye Care), and Parent PedEyeQ (Impact on Parent and Family, Worry about Child's Eye Condition, Worry about Child's Self-perception and Interactions, and Worry about Functional Vision domains). The primary eye condition was classified as amblyopia (n = 171), cataract (n = 99), cerebral visual impairment (CVI; n = 50), cornea (n = 20), eyelid (n = 35), glaucoma (n = 24), nystagmus (n = 57), orbital (n = 19), pupil/iris (n = 7), refractive error (n = 119), retina (n = 82), strabismus (n = 332), and uveitis (n = 22). Results PedEyeQ domain scores (scaled 0-100) were significantly worse across eye conditions, compared with controls. Child PedEyeQ greatest differences were on the Bothered by Eyes/Vision domain (nystagmus 5-11 years, −26 points [95% CI, −39 to −12]; nystagmus 12-17 years, −45 [95% CI, −61 to −28]). Proxy PedEyeQ differences were greatest on Functional Vision (CVI 0-4 years, −45 [95% CI, −56 to −34]; CVI 5-11 years, −58 [95% CI, −72 to −43]; nystagmus 12-17 years, −50 [95% CI, −69 to −31]). Parent PedEyeQ differences were greatest on Worry about Child's Functional Vision (CVI 0-4 years, −64; 95% CI −77 to −50). Conclusions The PedEyeQ detects reduced ER-QOL and functional vision across pediatric eye conditions, and across age groups, indicating its utility for clinical practice and clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Use of a microsensor has been suggested to monitor patching adherence. Application has been limited because the microsensor’s small size makes it easy to lose and a swallowing risk. We designed the Eye Patch Assistant (EPA) to hold the small microsensor in place and reduce the risk of loss or swallowing. This study reports the accuracy, precision, ease of use, and comfort for patching with EPA (patch+EPA) to monitor adherence. METHODS: Adults (N = 13) wore an adhesive patch alone or a patch+EPA for 2 hours each, recorded wear time, and completed an ease of use/comfort questionnaire; 30 children wore a patch or patch+EPA and completed the questionnaire. Sensor sampling interval was every 5 minutes or every 1 minute. Sensor accuracy and precision were evaluated by Bland-Altman analysis and 95% limits of agreement, and questionnaire scores compared by Wilcoxon tests. RESULTS: With 5-minute sampling, we found excellent accuracy for adults (mean actual vs recorded time difference, 1.4 minutes) and children (mean difference, −0.9 min). We found high precision for both adults and children (95% limits of agreement half widths of 6.4 minutes and 1.9 minutes, respectively). In adults, the ease of use score for the patch+EPA was lower than the patch (P < 0.01), but the comfort score for the patch+EPA was higher (P < 0.01). For children, scores did not differ significantly. The patch+EPA functioned well between 45° and 82°F. CONCLUSIONS: The patch+EPA was well accepted and monitored adherence accurately and precisely.

PURPOSE: To evaluate a newly developed, web-based system for at-home pediatric visual acuity testing and to compare results with standard in-office visual acuity test results. METHODS: Children aged 3–12 years with and without visual deficits were enrolled (N = 65; 130 eyes). Monocular visual acuity was tested in-office using the ATS-HOTV (ages 3–6) or E-ETDRS (ages 7–12) protocol. Each child’s family was emailed a link to a web-based version of the same visual acuity test for at-home testing. Equivalence was evaluated by using a linear mixed model to estimate the mean difference between in-office and at-home visual acuity test results and the corresponding two-sided 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: For children tested with the ATS-HOTV protocol, the mean difference between in-office and at-home visual acuity test results was 0.01 log MAR (95% CI, −0.06 to 0.09). For children tested with the E-ETDRS protocol, the mean difference was 0.04 log MAR (95% CI, −0.06 to 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: At-home, web-based ATS-HOTV and E-ETDRS visual acuity test results had excellent concordance with in-office visual acuity testing. If the burden of travel is significant, at-home testing of children’s visual acuity may provide the information needed to continue care when it might otherwise be discontinued or delayed.

PURPOSE: To evaluate eye-related quality of life (ER-QOL) and functional vision in children wearing glasses using the Pediatric Eye Questionnaire (PedEyeQ). METHODS: Children 5–17 years of age with normal visual acuity who wore glasses for correction of refractive error and with no other eye condition or treatment and control subjects who did not wear glasses, along with 1 parent for each child, were prospectively enrolled. Children completed the Child 5–11 or 12–17 PedEyeQ (four domains); parents completed the Proxy 5–11 or 12–17 questionnaires (perceived effect on child; five domains) and also the Parent questionnaire (effect on parent themselves; four domains). Each domain was Rasch-scored (converted to 0–100), and scores between groups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 40 subjects and 99 non-glasses-wearing controls, along with 1 parent for each child, were included. Children 5–11 and 12–17 years of age who wore glasses had lower PedEyeQ scores across all domains compared with controls (mean differences, −6 to −15; P ≤0.04 for each domain). Proxy scores were also lower for glasses wearers across age groups and domains (mean differences, −4 to −18; P ≤ 0.02), and Parent scores were lower for parents of children wearing glasses (mean differences, −6 to −18; P < 0.001 for each domain). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, glasses wearers had reduced ER-QOL and functional vision compared with control subjects. Parents of children wearing glasses also experience reduced quality of life.

Background Reading relies on ocular motor function, requiring sequential eye movements (forward and regressive saccades). Binocularly discordant input from a dense congenital or infantile cataract is associated with ocular motor dysfunction and may affect the development of reading ability. The purpose of this study was to assess silent, binocular reading in children treated for unilateral congenital or infantile cataract. Methods Twenty school-age children (age range, 7-13 years) treated for unilateral congenital (n = 9) or infantile (n = 11) cataract and 49 age-similar control children silently read a grade-appropriate paragraph during binocular viewing. Reading rate (words/min) and the number of forward and regressive saccades (per 100 words) were recorded using the ReadAlyzer. Results Reading rate in children treated for a unilateral cataract did not differ significantly from controls (174 ± 59 words/min vs 195 ± 54 words/min; P = 0.1). However, they did have significantly more forward saccades (101 ± 33 saccades/100 words vs 87 ± 21 saccades/100 words; P = 0.03) but not regressive saccades (21 ± 14 saccades/100 words vs 16 ± 8 saccades/100 words; P = 0.1) compared with controls. Reading rate was not related to cataract type (congenital vs infantile), visual acuity outcome (poor vs good), or sensory fusion (fail vs pass; all P ≥ 0.1). Conclusions Reading rate of children treated for a dense unilateral cataract did not differ from that of controls. Increased forward saccades during reading may be due to fixation instability associated with fusion maldevelopment nystagmus prevalent in children following cataract extraction.

BACKGROUND: Binocular amblyopia treatments promote visual acuity recovery and binocularity by rebalancing the signal strength of dichoptic images. Most require active participation by the amblyopic child to play a game or perform a repetitive visual task. The purpose of this study was to investigate a passive form of binocular treatment with contrast-rebalanced dichoptic movies. METHODS: A total of 27 amblyopic children, 4–10 years of age, wore polarized glasses to watch 6 contrast-rebalanced dichoptic movies on a passive 3D display during a 2-week period. Amblyopic eye contrast was 100%; fellow eye contrast was initially set to a lower level (20%−60%), which allowed the child to overcome suppression and use binocular vision. Fellow eye contrast was incremented by 10% for each subsequent movie. Best-corrected visual acuity, random dot stereoacuity, and interocular suppression were measured at baseline and at 2 weeks. RESULTS: Amblyopic eye best-corrected visual acuity improved from 0.57 ± 0.22 at baseline to 0.42 ± 0.23 logMAR (t(26) = 8.09; P < 0.0001; 95% CI for improvement, 0.11–0.19 logMAR). Children aged 3–6 years had more improvement (0.21 ± 0.11 logMAR) than children aged 7–10 years (0.11 ± 0.06 logMAR; t(25) = 3.05; P = 0.005). Children with severe amblyopia (≥0.7 logMAR) at baseline experienced greater improvement (0.24 ± 0.12 logMAR) than children with moderate amblyopia at baseline (0.12 ± 0.06 logMAR; t(25) = 3.49; P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, passive viewing of contrast-rebalanced dichoptic movies effectively improved visual acuity in amblyopic subjects. The degree of improvement observed was similar to that previously reported for 2 weeks of binocular games treatment and with 3–4 months of occlusion therapy.

Purpose We investigated longitudinal changes of refractive error in children with accommodative esotropia (ET) throughout the first 12 years of life, its dependence on age at onset of ET, and whether amblyopia or anisometropia are associated with defective emmetropization. Methods Longitudinal refractive errors in children with accommodative ET were analyzed retrospectively. Eligibility criteria included: initial hyperopia ≥ +4.00 diopters (D), initial cycloplegic refraction before 4 years, at least 3 visits, and at least one visit between 7 and 12 years. Children were classified as having infantile (N = 30; onset ≤ 12 months) or late-onset (N = 78; onset at 18-48 months) accommodative ET. Cycloplegic refractions culled from medical records were converted into spherical equivalent (SEQ). Results Although the initial visit right eye SEQ was similar for the infantile and late-onset groups (+5.86 ± 1.28 and +5.67 ± 1.26 D, respectively), there were different developmental changes in refractive error. Neither group had a significant decrease in hyperopia before age 7 years, but after 7 years, the infantile group experienced a myopic shift of -0.43 D/y. The late-onset group did not experience a myopic shift at 7 to 12 years. Among amblyopic children, a slower myopic shift was observed for the amblyopic eye. Among anisometropic children, the more hyperopic eye experienced more myopic shift than the less hyperopic eye. Conclusions Children with infantile accommodative ET experienced prolonged hyperopia followed by a myopic shift after 7 years of age, consistent with dissociation between infantile emmetropization and school age myopic shift. In contrast, children with late-onset accommodative ET had little myopic shift before or after 7 years.

Reading is a major life activity, as recognized by the US Congress in the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and the education code of most US states requires schools to evaluate reading and implement reading programs to addresses students' reading difficulties. Currently, such legislation is employed to identify accommodations needed for children with bilateral visual impairment and for children with dyslexia and/or related learning disabilities. Yet recent research has shown that children with the most common form of monocular visual impairment-amblyopia-read slowly. Slow reading can be detrimental to academic performance and learning, which in turn may affect self-esteem. Parents and educators can work together to implement accommodations (eg, extra time) to help amblyopic students succeed in their daily school tasks, and improve their performance on the timed, standardized tests that are critical for promotion and admission to magnet schools, TAG programs, high schools, and colleges. Children with other visual disorders that cause visual impairment in one eye (eg, glaucoma, cataract, trauma, etc) should also be considered for academic accommodations.

BACKGROUND: Most clinical trials of contrast-rebalanced binocular amblyopia treatment used a contrast increment protocol of 10% daily with successful play. Paired with a definition of success requiring only 15–30 min/day of gameplay, this increment protocol could allow children to reach 100% fellow eye contrast in 3–9 hours; however, this may not provide adequate therapeutic time with reduced fellow eye contrast. The purpose of this study was to compare the original protocol against three alternative contrast increment protocols designed to increase the number of treatment hours. METHODS: In this prospective study, 63 amblyopic children (4–10 years; amblyopic eye visual acuity, 20/40-125) were randomly assigned one of four daily contrast increment protocols for 4 weeks, all starting with 20% fellow eye contrast: 10%, 5%, 0%, or 10% for first 4 weeks then reset to 20% and repeat 10% increment for the final 4 weeks. Children played contrast-rebalanced games for 1 hour/day, 5 days/week. Best-corrected visual acuity, stereoacuity, and suppression were assessed at baseline and every 2 weeks until the 8-week outcome visit. RESULTS: At baseline, mean amblyopic eye best-corrected visual acuity was 0.47 ± 0.14 logMAR (20/60), improving overall 0.14 ± 0.08 logMAR (1.4 lines; P < 0.0001) at 8 weeks. All four protocols resulted in similar improvement in visual acuity (0.13–0.16 logMAR; all Ps < 0.0002). Stereoacuity and suppression also improved (all Ps < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: None of the new protocols resulted in less improvement than the original 10% contrast increment protocol. Contrast-rebalanced binocular games yielded significant improvements in visual acuity, stereoacuity, and suppression with or without daily contrast increments.

IMPORTANCE: Deficits in fine motor skills and slow reading speed have been reported in school-aged children and adults with amblyopia. These deficits were correlated with lower self-perception of athletic and cognitive competence. Although perceived competence and social acceptance are key determinants of developing self-perception in young children, the association of amblyopia with self-perception and the association of altered self-perception with fine motor skills to date have not been reported for young children aged 3 to 7 years. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether amblyopia is associated with altered self-perception in young children and to assess whether any differences in self-perception are associated with deficits in vision and fine motor skills. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this cross-sectional study, conducted at a pediatric vision laboratory from January 10, 2016, to May 4, 2018, healthy children aged 3 to 7 years (preschool to second grade) were enrolled, including 60 children with amblyopia; 30 children who never had amblyopia but had been treated for strabismus, anisometropia, or both; and 20 control children. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Self-perception was assessed using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children, which includes the following 4 specific domains: cognitive competence, peer acceptance, physical competence, and maternal acceptance (total score range, 1-4; higher scores indicate higher perceived competence or acceptance). Fine motor skills were evaluated with the Manual Dexterity and Aiming and Catching scales of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, second edition (score range, 1-19; higher scores indicate better skill performance). Visual acuity and stereoacuity also were assessed. RESULTS: Children with amblyopia (28 girls and 32 boys; mean [SD] age, 6.3 [1.3] years) had significantly lower mean (SD) peer acceptance and physical competence scores compared with the control children (peer acceptance, 2.74 [0.66] vs 3.11 [0.36]; mean difference, 0.37; 95% CI for difference, 0.06-0.68; P = .04; and physical competence, 2.86 [0.60] vs 3.43 [0.52]; mean difference, 0.57; 95% CI for difference, 0.27-0.87; P = .009). Among the children with amblyopia, self-perception of physical competence was significantly correlated with aiming and catching skills (r = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.10-0.67; P = .001) and stereoacuity (r = −0.39; 95% CI, −0.05 to −0.65; P = .02). Children treated for strabismus or anisometropia, but who never had amblyopia, also had significantly lower mean (SD) physical competence scores compared with control children (2.89 [0.54] vs 3.43 [0.52]; 95% CI for difference, 0.23-0.85; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: These findings suggest that lower self-perception of peer acceptance and physical competence identify the broad effects of altered visual development in the everyday life of children with amblyopia.

IMPORTANCE: Strabismus is common, affecting 2% to 4% of children, but how children and their families are affected in everyday life is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of strabismus with functional vision and eye-related quality of life in children and their families using the Pediatric Eye Questionnaire (PedEyeQ). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2017 and October 2019 and included 91 children with strabismus and 166 visually normal controls across 3 age groups (0-4, 5-11, and 12-17 years) who were enrolled at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, and Retina Foundation of the Southwest, Dallas, Texas. EXPOSURES: Children completed the child PedEyeQ (5 to 11- and 12 to 17-year versions: functional vision, bothered by eyes/vision, social, and frustration/worry domains); parents completed the proxy (0 to 4-, 5 to 11-, and 12 to 17-year versions: functional vision, bothered by eyes/vision, social, frustration/worry, and eye care domains) and the parent PedEyeQ (impact on parent and family, worry about child’s eye condition, worry about child’s self-perception and interactions, and worry about child’s functional vision domains). Rasch-calibrated PedEyeQ scores were calculated for each domain and converted to 0 (worst) to 100. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: PedEyeQ domain scores RESULTS: Of 91 participants with strabismus, 41 (45.1%) were girls, 74 (81.3%) were white, 4 (4.4%) were Asian, 5 (5.5%) were more than 1 race, 5 (5.5%) were African American, and 2 (2.2%) were American Indian/Alaska Native. Child PedEyeQ domain scores were lower with strabismus vs visually normal controls among children ages 5 to 11 years and the greatest mean (SD) difference was in functional vision (12 [14] points; 95% CI, 6-18; P = .001), and among children ages 12 to 17 years, the greatest mean (SD) difference was in frustration/worry (27 [13] points; 95% CI, 18-36; P

Purpose: This study aimed to validate a binocular function score that is based on common clinical measures of visual function, providing a more complete analysis of binocular outcomes, against laboratory-based dichoptic tests of threshold stereoacuity and depth of suppression. Methods: Scores on a composite binocular function (BF) score derived from clinical stereoacuity measures (Randot Preschool Stereoacuity Test and Randot Butterfly) and the Worth 4 Dot test were determined in adults (n = 20; age 24.8 ± 7.2 years) and children (N = 77; age 8.3 ± 1.7 years) with abnormal binocular vision from strabismus or amblyopia. Adults had threshold stereoacuity measured with a novel, computerised dichoptic psychophysical test of stereopsis. Depth of suppression (dichoptic eye chart inter-ocular contrast balance test) was determined in both adults and children. Results: Clinical Randot stereoacuity was measurable in 50% of adult and 61% of child participants. Threshold stereoacuity was measurable in 65% of the adult participants. The presence of suppression or simultaneous perception (flat fusion or diplopia) was measurable in all participants, enabling assignment of a BF score to all participants in both groups. In adults, the BF score was highly correlated with the psychophysical threshold stereoacuity measure (ρ = 0.71; p

IMPORTANCE: Reading and eye-hand coordination deficits in children with amblyopia may impede their ability to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, compete in sports and physical activities, and interact with peers. Because perceived scholastic, social, and athletic competence are key determinants of self-esteem in school-aged children, these deficits may influence a child’s self-perception. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether amblyopia is associated with lowered self-perception of competence, appearance, conduct, and global self-worth and whether the self-perception of children with amblyopia is associated with their performance of reading and eye-hand tasks. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2016 to June 2017 at the Pediatric Vision Laboratory of the Retina Foundation of the Southwest and included healthy children in grades 3 to 8, including 50 children with amblyopia; 13 children without amblyopia with strabismus, anisometropia, or both; and 18 control children. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Self-perception was assessed using the Self-perception Profile for Children, which includes 5 domains: scholastic, social, and athletic competence; physical appearance; behavioral conduct; and a separate scale for global self-worth. Reading speed and eye-hand task performance were evaluated with the Readalyzer (Bernell) and Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd Edition. Visual acuity and stereoacuity also were assessed. RESULTS: Of 50 participants, 31 (62%) were girls, 31 (62%) were non-Hispanic white, 6 (12%) were Hispanic white, 3 (6%) were African American, 4 (8%) were Asian/Pacific Islander, and 3 (6%) were more than 1 race/ethnicity, and the mean [SD] age was 10.6 [1.3] years. Children with amblyopia had significantly lower scores than control children for scholastic (mean [SD], 2.93 [0.74] vs 3.58 [0.24]; mean [SD] difference, 0.65 [0.36]; 95% CI, 0.29-1.01; P = .004), social (mean [SD], 2.95 [0.64] vs 3.62 [0.35]; mean [SD] difference, 0.67 [0.32]; 95% CI, 0.35-0.99] P

PURPOSE: To compare visual acuity (VA) improvement in children aged 7 to 12 years with amblyopia treated with a binocular iPad(®) game plus continued spectacle correction versus continued spectacle correction alone. DESIGN: Multi-center randomized clinical trial PARTICIPANTS: One hundred thirty-eight participants aged 7 to 12 years with amblyopia (33 to 72 letters, i.e., approximately 20/200 to 20/40) resulting from strabismus, anisometropia, or both. Participants were required to have at least 16 weeks of optical treatment in spectacles if needed or demonstrate no improvement in amblyopic-eye visual acuity (VA) for at least 8 weeks prior to enrollment. METHODS: Eligible participants (mean age 9.6 years, mean baseline VA of 59.6 letters, history of prior amblyopia treatment other than spectacles in 96%) were randomly assigned to treatment for 8 weeks with the dichoptic binocular Dig Rush iPad game (prescribed for 1 hour per day 5 days per week) plus spectacle wear if needed (N=69) or continued spectacle correction alone if needed (N=69). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in amblyopic-eye VA from baseline to 4 weeks, assessed by a masked examiner. RESULTS: At 4 weeks, mean amblyopic-eye VA letter score improved from baseline by 1.3 (2-sided 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.1 to 2.6; 0.026 logMAR) with binocular treatment and by 1.7 (2-sided 95% CI: 0.4 to 3.0; 0.034 logMAR) with continued spectacle correction alone. After adjusting for baseline VA, the letter score difference between groups (binocular minus control) was −0.3 (95% CI: −2.2 to 1.5, p=0.71, difference of −0.006 logMAR). No difference in letter scores was observed between groups when the analysis was repeated after 8 weeks of treatment (adjusted mean: −0.1, 98.3% CI: −2.4 to 2.1). For the binocular group, adherence data from the iPad indicated that slightly more than half of the participants (58% and 56%) completed >75% of prescribed treatment by the 4- and 8-week visits, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In children aged 7 to

Purpose To identify specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and functional vision concerns of children with eye conditions, and create comprehensive lists of potential questionnaire items as a first step in developing patient-reported outcome measures. Methods Children experiencing a range of pediatric eye conditions, along with one of their parents, were interviewed to identify specific concerns. Transcribed interviews were reviewed, and specific HRQOL and functional vision concerns were coded independently by two reviewers. Coded concerns were reviewed to formulate questions to address specific child concerns (derived from child and parent interviews) and specific parent concerns. Questions were grouped into bins of like questions. Two comprehensive lists of questions were formulated, one addressing child-related concerns and one addressing parent-related concerns. Results This study included 180 children and 328 parents. A total of 614 individual child questions were grouped into 36 bins (eg, appearance, coordination, glasses, learning), and 589 parent questions were formulated and grouped into 61 bins (eg, having to assist the child, worry about deterioration, time off work, safety). Conclusions Using rigorous methods based on individual interviews, we identified a comprehensive list of patient- and parent-derived questionnaire items that address functional vision and HRQOL concerns of children with eye conditions and of their parents. We plan to use this large pool of potential questionnaire items to develop a formal set of pediatric outcome measures, and this pool of questions may also be a resource for future research.

Purpose Strabismus or anisometropia disrupts binocularity and results in fixation instability, which is increased with amblyopia. Fixation instability has typically been assessed for each eye individually. Recently, vergence instability was reported in exotropic adults and monkeys during binocular viewing. We evaluated fixation instability during binocular viewing in children treated for anisometropia and/or strabismus. Methods 160 children age 4–12 years with treated esotropia and/or anisometropia (98 amblyopic, 62 nonamblyopic) were compared to 46 age-similar controls. Fixation instability was recorded during binocular fixation of a 0.3 deg diameter dot for 20 s using a 500 Hz remote video binocular eye tracker (EyeLink 1000; SR Research). The bivariate contour ellipse area (BCEA; log deg2) for fixation instability was calculated for each eye (nonpreferred, preferred) and for vergence instability (left eye position – right eye position). Best-corrected visual acuity, Randot Preschool stereoacuity, and extent of suppression scotoma (Worth 4-Dot) were also obtained. Results When binocularly viewing, both amblyopic and nonamblyopic children treated for anisometropia and/or strabismus had larger fixation instability and vergence instability than controls. Amblyopia primarily added to the instability of the nonpreferred eye. Anisometropic children had less nonpreferred eye instability and vergence instability than those with strabismus or combined mechanism. Nonpreferred eye instability and vergence instability were related to poorer stereoacuity and a larger suppression scotoma. Preferred eye instability was not related to any visual outcome measure. No relationships were found with visual acuity. Conclusions Fixation instability and vergence instability during binocular viewing suggests that discordant binocular visual experience during childhood, especially strabismus, interferes with ocular motor development. Amblyopia adds to instability of the nonpreferred eye. Vergence instability may limit potential for recovery of binocular vision in these children.

Background Recent evidence suggests that amblyopia results in fixation instability and atypical saccades. Reading is a vision-reliant ability that requires sequential eye movements, including forward and regressive saccades. This study investigated reading and associated eye movements in school-age amblyopic children. Methods Amblyopic children with strabismus and/or anisometropia (n = 29) were compared to nonamblyopic children treated for strabismus (n = 23) and normal control children (n = 21). While fitted with the ReadAlyzer, an eye movement recording system, children silently read a grade-level paragraph of text during binocular viewing. Reading rate, number of forward and regressive saccades per 100 words, and fixation duration were determined. Comprehension was evaluated with a 10-item quiz; only data from children with at least 80% correct responses were included. Results Amblyopic children read more slowly and had more saccades compared with nonamblyopic children with treated strabismus and normal controls. Fixation duration did not differ significantly for amblyopic children versus normal controls. Treated strabismic children without amblyopia did not differ significantly from normal controls on any reading measure. Amblyopic eye visual acuity was not correlated with any reading measure. Conclusions Amblyopia was associated with slower reading speed in school-age children. Treatment for monocular amblyopia visual acuity impairment could improve reading speed and efficiency.

Purpose To determine the specificity of the Pediatric Vision Scanner, a binocular retinal birefringence scanner, in its intended setting, a pediatric primary care office. Methods A total of 102 preschool children (age 2-6 years) were screened during a well-child pediatric visit using the Pediatric Vision Scanner and the SureSight Autorefractor and completed a masked comprehensive pediatric ophthalmic examination (gold standard examination). Results Based on the gold standard examination, one child had anisometropic amblyopia, and the remaining 101 had no amblyopia or strabismus. Specificity of the Pediatric Vision Scanner was 90% (95% CI, 82%-95%) while specificity of the SureSight was 87% (95%CI, 79-93%). Combining these results with the sensitivity of the devices determined in our previous study conducted in a pediatric ophthalmology office setting, the positive likelihood ratio for the Pediatric Vision Scanner was 10.2; for the SureSight, 5.0. The negative likelihood ratio for the Pediatric Vision Scanner was 0.03; for the SureSight, 0.42, a significant difference. Conclusions The Pediatric Vision Scanner had high specificity (90%) in screening for amblyopia and strabismus as part of a pediatric well-child visit. Likelihood ratio analysis suggests that affected children have a high probability of being correctly identified by the Pediatric Vision Scanner. The high level of confidence conferred by Pediatric Vision Scanner screening may remove an important barrier to vision screening in pediatric primary care.

Background Recent experimental evidence supports a role for binocular visual experience in the treatment of amblyopia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeated binocular visual experience with dichoptic iPad games could effectively treat amblyopia in preschool children. Methods A total of 50 consecutive amblyopic preschool children 3-6.9 years of age were assigned to play sham iPad games (first 5 children) or binocular iPad games (n = 45) for at least 4 hours per week for 4 weeks. Thirty (67%) children in the binocular iPad group and 4 (80%) in the sham iPad group were also treated with patching at a different time of day. Visual acuity and stereoacuity were assessed at baseline, at 4 weeks, and at 3 months after the cessation of game play. Results The sham iPad group had no significant improvement in visual acuity ( t 4 = 0.34, P = 0.75). In the binocular iPad group, mean visual acuity (plus or minus standard error) improved from 0.43 ± 0.03 at baseline to 0.34 ± 0.03 logMAR at 4 weeks (n = 45; paired t 44 = 4.93; P t 44 = 1.35, P = 0.18). Children who played the binocular iPad games for ≥8 hours (≥50% compliance) had significantly more visual acuity improvement than children who played 0-4 hours ( t 43 = 4.21, P = 0.0001). Conclusions Repeated binocular experience, provided by dichoptic iPad game play, was more effective than sham iPad game play as a treatment for amblyopia in preschool children.

To determine the relationships between stereoacuity, control of exotropia, and angle of deviation in children with intermittent exotropia (IXT).Data collected for 652 participants 3 to11 years of age with IXT meeting eligibility criteria for enrollment into one of two multicenter, randomized clinical trials were used to evaluate relationships between stereoacuity, control, and angle of deviation at enrollment.Any level of stereoacuity and angle of deviation could be accompanied by any level of control. Worse distance exotropia control was weakly associated with poorer distance stereoacuity (R = 0.26; 99% CI, 0.17-0.36) and larger angles of deviation at distance (R = 0.27; 99% CI, 0.17-0.36). Worse near exotropia control was weakly associated with poorer near stereoacuity (R = 0.17; 99% CI, 0.07-0.27) and moderately associated with larger angles of deviation at near (R = 0.37; 99% CI, 0.28-0.45). There was no association between stereoacuity and angle of deviation at distance (R = 0.07; 99% CI, -0.03 to 0.17) or at near (R = 0.02; 99% CI, -0.08 to 0.12).Although weak and moderate associations were found between stereoacuity, control, and angle of deviation, a child may exhibit any combination of stereoacuity, control, and angle of deviation. The specific roles of control, stereoacuity, and angle of deviation in the diagnosis, management, and pathogenesis of IXT are unclear, and each appears to yield somewhat independent information.

Previous studies show slow reading in strabismic amblyopia. We recently identified amblyopia, not strabismus, as the key factor in slow reading in children. No studies have focused on reading in amblyopic children without strabismus. We examined reading in anisometropic children and evaluated whether slow reading was associated with ocular motor dysfunction in children with amblyopia.Anisometropic children (7-12 years) with or without amblyopia were compared to age-similar normal controls. Children silently read a grade-appropriate paragraph during binocular viewing. Reading rate (words/min), number of forward and regressive saccades (per 100 words) and fixation duration were recorded with the ReadAlyzer. Binocular fixation instability was also evaluated (EyeLink 1000).Amblyopic anisometropic children read more slowly (n = 25; mean with standard deviation, 149 ± 42 words/min) than nonamblyopic anisometropic children (n = 15; 196 ± 80 words/min; P = 0.024) and controls (n = 25; 191 ± 65 words/min; P = 0.020). Nonamblyopic anisometropic children read at a comparable rate to controls (P = 0.81). Slow reading in amblyopic anisometropic children was correlated with increased forward saccades (r = -0.84, P 0.001), increased regressive saccades (r = -0.85, P 0.001), and fellow eye instability during binocular viewing (r = -0.52, P = 0.019).Slow reading in school-age children with anisometropic amblyopia is related to increased frequency of saccades and fixation instability of the fellow eye. Further research should consider the effects of slower reading on academic performance.

Reading is a major life activity, as recognized by the US Congress in the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and the education code of most US states requires schools to evaluate reading and implement reading programs to addresses students' reading difficulties. Currently, such legislation is employed to identify accommodations needed for children with bilateral visual impairment and for children with dyslexia and/or related learning disabilities. Yet recent research has shown that children with the most common form of monocular visual impairment-amblyopia-read slowly. Slow reading can be detrimental to academic performance and learning, which in turn may affect self-esteem. Parents and educators can work together to implement accommodations (eg, extra time) to help amblyopic students succeed in their daily school tasks, and improve their performance on the timed, standardized tests that are critical for promotion and admission to magnet schools, TAG programs, high schools, and colleges. Children with other visual disorders that cause visual impairment in one eye (eg, glaucoma, cataract, trauma, etc) should also be considered for academic accommodations.

Binocular summation (BiS), defined as the superiority of binocular over monocular viewing on visual threshold tasks, is most often studied in laboratory settings. Few studies have evaluated BiS with readily available clinical tools. Low contrast acuity (LCA) charts are increasingly popular in clinical research, yet their utility in detecting BiS has not been evaluated.129 normal subjects aged 3 to 85 years were prospectively enrolled and underwent monocular and binocular testing using 2.5% and 1.25% Sloan LCA charts and Pelli-Robson (PR) contrast sensitivity (CS) charts at an academic institution. Subjects also underwent similar testing with Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) VA charts. BiS was calculated as the difference between the better eye and binocular scores.Monocular and binocular scores decreased with increasing age for all metrics. The mean (±SD) BiS scores for 2.5% and 1.25% Sloan LCA were 6±4.5 and 3±5 letters, respectively. BiS score was 4.5±7 letters for PR charts and 2±3 letters for ETDRS VA. There was a significant effect of age on BiS for the low contrast metrics (P≤0.001 for all), but not for high-contrast ETDRS VA. Linear regression revealed significant associations between increased interocular difference (IOD) in acuity and decreased BiS for all tests, and associations between increasing age and decreased BiS for the LCA tests.Of the clinical tests evaluated, 2.5% and 1.25% Sloan LCA charts most readily demonstrated BiS in young normal subjects. BiS declined with increasing age and increased IOD. Median values presented in this study may be useful for future clinical studies utilizing LCA.