Objective. To create an age-based formula to estimate the base curve needed for contact lens fitting using measured central corneal curvature (CCC) with a handheld auto keratometer from ophthalmologically normal infants.

Methods. This is a prospective cross-sectional study involving 70 ophthalmologically normal full-term infants aged 0 to 12 months. The infants were divided into four groups: 0-3 months, >3-6 months, >6-9 months and >9-12 months. CCC was measured with a handheld auto keratometer and was used to compute for the base curve. Differences in CCC between the four groups were measured and linear regression models were used for formula creation.

Results. The mean CCC was highest in group 1 at 45.5 ±2.4 diopters (D). These values slowly decreased as age increased. A formula predictive of the base curve based on the infants age was derived using linear regression analysis. It predicted that for every month increase in age, there is a 0.063 millimeter increase in the base curve (p<0.001).

Conclusion. Infant CCC is highest at birth and gradually decreases as age increases. The formula can predict the base curve needed for contact lens fitting in infants without the need for a handheld autokeratometer.

Objective: To determine the visual outcome of amblyopia treatment and describe the relationship between age of onset and consult, compliance as measured by a patch diary, amblyopia subtype, and severity with the final visual outcome. Methods: Thirty-two consecutive, newly-diagnosed cases of amblyopia, aged 3-8 years on initial consult, with no history of prior amblyopia treatment, were included. Patching was done based on current AAO recommendations and patients were followed up monthly for 6 months. Treatment success was defined as best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) better than 20/30 (0.17LogMAR), or a 3-line improvement from baseline, or stable isoacuity for at least 3 months. Treatment failure was defined as no improvement of BCVA after 3 months of occlusion therapy or a regression of 2 lines. Descriptive and correlation statistics were performed comparing age of onset and consult, amblyopia subtype, severity, and compliance with the main outcome measure of BCVA at 6 months. Results: Sixteen (50%) attained treatment success. Patients seen earlier (age 2-5 years) had higher rates of success (75%) than those seen later (age 6-8 years) (35%). A moderately strong negative correlation (r=-0.48, p=0.01) existed between severity of amblyopia and final BCVA at 6 months. overall compliance to patching was 88±18%, with good compliance in the success group (92%) compared to fair compliance in the failure group (84%) and a moderate correlation between compliance and BCVA (r=0.37, p=0.05). Conclusion Treatment success was related to severity, compliance, and younger age of treatment. In the presence of good compliance, severity was a strong prognostic variable.
Amblyopia ; Compliance ; Sensory Deprivation ; Anisometropia

Objective: To determine refractive changes in children post-cataract extraction and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation at a Philippine tertiary hospital. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study involving patients aged 1 to 10 years in the Department of Ophthalmology of a Philippine tertiary hospital who underwent cataract extraction and IOL implantation between 2004 to 2013. Results: We included 55 eyes of 34 patients in the analysis. Thirty-eight eyes (69%) eyes underwent primary IOL implantation. The mean duration of follow-up was 3.5 ± 2.1 years. The median refractive changes were -2.00 (-2.50, -0.50) diopters (D) for the 1- to 3-year-old group, -1.25 (-1.50, -0.25) D for the 4- to 7-year-old group, and -1.00 (-1.63, -0.25) D for the 8- to 10-year-old group. Only the 1- to 3-year-old group had significant difference between the initial post-operative refraction and the latest follow-up refraction (p<0.001). For the primary implantation group, patients in the 1- to 3-year-old group had the highest median refractive change at -2.00 (-3.125, -1.00) D while patients in the 8- to 10-year-old group had the highest median refractive change at -2.12 (-2.56, -1.69) D in the secondary implantation group. Refractions of eyes with IOL-implanted and normal eyes showed a median difference of -1.00 (-0.25, -3.5) D. Conclusion The determination of the power of IOL implants in pediatric patients who underwent cataract extraction remains challenging despite availability of recommendations.
Lens Implantation, Intraocular ; Child ; Cataract

Objective: To compare the postoperative alignment of patients surgically corrected for esotropia or exotropia 6 weeks and 6 months after surgery. Method: This retrospective study reviewed clinical records of patients who underwent horizontal muscle surgery at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital from 2010 to 2014. The changes in alignment from 1 week to 6 weeks and from 1 week to 6 months after surgery were compared for overcorrection, undercorrection, and adequate correction groups. ANOVA and Pearson correlation were used. Results: Twenty two esotropia and 10 exotropia patients were included. Overcorrected esotropia patients had an esotropic change in alignment (15.50+13.44 PD after 6 weeks, p=0.026; 25+18.38 PD after 6 months, p=0.008). Under corrected esotropia patients had an exotropic change in alignment (-1.25+5.91 PD after 6 weeks, p=0.026;-4.38+14.16 PD after 6 months, p=0.008). Undercorrected exotropia patients had an esotropic change in alignment (6.67+6.35 PD after 6 weeks, p=0.028; 6+9.85 PD after 6 months, p=0.024). The presence of vertical deviations in esotropia caused an exotropic change in alignment after 6 months (p=0.03). Conclusion Although an exotropic drift is more commonly reported, fusional vergences may account for postoperative alignment changes towards orthotropia.
Esotropia ; Exotropia