Purpose: To determine the incidence of ophthalmologic disorders in children with autism and related disorders. Design: Retrospective chart review. Four hundred and seven children diagnosed with autism or a related disorder between 1998 and 2006. One hundred and fifty-four of these children completed a comprehensive ophthalmology exam by a…

Objective: This research identifies effective and ineffective interventions for reducing barriers to the uptake of eye care services in developing countries. Design: Systematic literature review. Setting: Only research studies done in developing countries were included. Method: The review is restricted to English-language articles published…

The study assessed the effectiveness of a pilot intervention to promote the use of eyeglasses in one school in California. The intervention used a one-group pretest, posttest design. Between January and June 2011, during the intervention, all first- and second-grade children received eye evaluations and the children with refractive error received…

In the typical human visual system, the macula allows for high visual resolution. Damage to this area from diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), causes the loss of central vision in the form of a central scotoma. Since no treatment is available to reverse AMD, providing low vision rehabilitation to compensate for the loss of…

Context: Rural residents are more likely to be uninsured and have low income. Purpose: To determine if rural residents in Arkansas have decreased access to eye care services and use them less frequently than urban residents. Methods: Data from the 2006 Visual Impairment and Access to Eye Care Module from the Arkansas Behavioral Risk Factor…

In 73 children (6-13 years old) with reading difficulty, ophthalmological evaluation showed that 18 had overt refractive errors, 18 dyslexia and no ocular anomalies, and 37 impaired fusional amplitudes, 24 of whom were dyslexic. In all Ss with poor fusional amplitudes the reading mechanism could be improved with orthoptic exercises. (Author/CL)

The examination of a child for strabismus (misalignment of the eyes) and treatment if the condition is present are described. General considerations when evaluating need of surgery are presented. Steps in the ophthalmologic examination are discussed, including such tests as extraocular muscle function and traction testing and studies of eye…

Background: The prevalence of visual impairments in people with severe and profound multiple disabilities (SPMD) is the subject of considerable debate and is difficult to assess. Methods: In a typical Dutch care organization, all clients with SPMD (n = 76) participated in the study and specific instruments adapted to these clients (requiring a…

This article describes a device, the Visual Hand Display, used by pediatric ophthalmologists at the Children's Low Vision Center (Boston) to evaluate a child's postoperative visual functioning. The device consists of different sized black stripes on white circles and a face. (DB)

This article reports on a study of the methods that 21 ophthalmologists used to assess the visual acuity of children with multiple impairments and the difficulties they encountered. Additional means of assessing visual function and alternative means of communicating the results are suggested. (Author/DB)

A new test designed to detect an hereditary eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is described. This condition is revealed by pigmentation in the retina, but early diagnosis is difficult because the symptoms are subtle, and since it is genetically recessive it frequently occurs in families with no history of early blindness. In many cases…

Ophthalmological screening was conducted on 113 clients in a work activity center for adults with mental retardation. Abnormalities that were neither refractive nor strabismic were found in 32 percent of clients. Findings suggest the value of conducting screenings in settings familiar to such clients. (Author/DB)

The authors describe personal experiences with Usher's Syndrome, a condition involving visual impairment (due to Retinitis Pigmentosa) and deafness. Prevalence and onset of Usher's Syndrome are described along with characteristics of two different types. Problems connected with diagnosis are reviewed, including genetic aspects and the progressive…