PURPOSE: To report the results of preschool vision screening in South Korea in 2003. METHODS: Nation wide, population-based vision screening tests were conducted in preschool children over the age of 3 years from March to September 2003. The first step involved home-screening using picture cards. The children who did not pass the first test were sent to public health care centers, where their visual acuity was re-tested. After the re-tests, some children were referred to ophthalmologists. The referral criteria for visual acuity were: age 3, less than 0.5 visual acuity; age 4 or older, less than 0.63 visual acuity in at least one eye. RESULTS: Among 56,836 subjects who had been enrolled, 2,637 (4.6%) children were referred to ophthalmologists. Refractive error was found in 1,746 (66.2%) children. Amblyopia was discovered in 480 (18.2%) children. Anterior segment abnormalities were detected in 269 (10.2%) children, manifest strabismus was detected in 169 (6.4%) children, and fundus abnormalities were found in 17 (0.6%) children. Myopic astigmatism (31.0%) was the most common type of refractive error. Refractive error (87.9%) was the most common cause of amblyopia and exodeviation (63.9%) was the most common type of strabismus. CONCLUSIONS: From the results of the 2003 Preschool Vision Screening, we collected data about the ophthalmic abnormalities that can affect visual development in children. This information will foster improvement in the overall quality and design of preschool vision screening systems.
Amblyopia ; Astigmatism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Exotropia ; Humans ; Korea* ; Public Health ; Referral and Consultation ; Refractive Errors ; Strabismus ; Vision Screening* ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To compare high-order aberrations in the pseudophakia with different types of intraocular lenses (IOLs), as well as with normal phakic eyes. METHODS: This single-center prospective study comprised 80 cataract patients who underwent cataract surgery and 20 phakic eyes. Twenty eyes received an AF-1(R) VA-60BB; 20 eyes, a Corneal(R) ACR6D SE; 20 eyes, a Sensar(R) AR40e; and 20 eyes, a ClariFlex(R). One month after cataract surgery, the eye aberration was measured using a Hartmann-Shack type aberrometer. The same test was performed for 20 normal phakic eyes. The individual Zernike polynomials, the root mean square (RMS) values of the third and fourth order aberration, and the total RMS among the groups were compared. RESULTS: The individual Zernike coefficient (Z3(-1), Z3(3), Z4(-4), Z4(0), Z4(4)) showed a significant difference in the IOL-implanted groups compared with the normal phakic eyes. There were statistically significant differences in the RMS values of the third and fourth order aberration, and total among each group. CONCLUSIONS: There was a statistically significant increase in aberration in patients with high refractive index IOL and a statistically significant decrease in patients with silicone IOL, compared to the normal phakic eyes.
Cataract ; Humans ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Prospective Studies ; Pseudophakia* ; Refractometry ; Silicones

PURPOSE: To compare the results of laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) and epi-laser in situ keratomileusis (Epi-LASIK) for the treatment of moderate to high myopia. METHODS: In this study, 50 patients with a manifest refraction of moderate to high myopia were assigned to two groups: 50 eyes of 25 patients treated with LASEK and 50 eyes of 25 patients treated with epi-LASIK. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), manifest refraction, corneal haze, and postoperative pain were reviewed in LASEK and epi-LASIK treated eyes at 3 months after the operation. RESULTS: At one week after surgery, UCVA was recovered more rapidly after epi-LASIK than LASEK (LASEK: 0.61+/-0.23, Epi-LASIK: 0.79+/-0.11, p<0.05), but UCVA at both 1 and 3 months showed no significant difference between the LASEK and epi-LASIK groups. However, epi-LASIK-treated eyes had lower postoperative pain scores and lower corneal haze scores (1 month; p=0.01) than those of LASEK-treated eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Epi-LASIK showed a more rapid visual recovery than LASEK at 1 week after surgery for the correction of myopia. Epi-LASIK-treated eyes also had less postoperative pain and an earlier reduction of postoperative corneal haze. These results suggest epi-LASIK could be a viable alternative procedure for the correction of moderate to high myopia.
Humans ; Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted ; Myopia* ; Pain, Postoperative ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: We studied the effect of LASIK and LASEK for correction of myopic astigmatism and the clinical results in relation to preoperative astigmatism and operative methods. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the results of 176 eyes of 97 patients in the LASIK group and of 56 eyes of 29 patients in the LASEK group. All patients had undergone LASIK or LASEK for correction of myopic astigmatism with MEL-70TM (Aesculap-Meditec, Jena, Germany). Patients were divided into groups I (or=3.00D) according to preoperative astigmatism, and into groups A (LASIK) and B (LASEK) according to operative method. Each patient was followed up for over 6 months with measurements of uncorrected visual acuity, manifested refraction, and spherical equivalent at 1, 3, and 6 months after operation. RESULTS: In groups IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IVA, and IVB, preoperative cylindrical errors were 0.56 +/- 0.17D, 0.61 +/- 0.13D, 1.27 +/- 0.28D, 1.24 +/- 0.21D, 2.18 +/- 0.25D, 2.10 +/- 0.25D, 3.39 +/- 0.66D, and 3.50 +/- 0.61D, and postoperative 6-month astigmatism measurements were 0.33 +/- 0.49D, 0.34 +/- 0.36D, 0.28 +/- 0.30D, 0.63 +/- 0.44D, 0.48 +/- 0.42D, 0.44 +/- 0.57D, 0.86 +/- 0.42D, and 1.00 +/- 0.78D, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The correction of myopic astigmatism in LASEK was less effective than in LASIK at early postoperative periods, but they showed similar effect on the correction of astigmatism at 6 months after surgery, especially in the group with medium to low grade of astigmatism.
Astigmatism* ; Humans ; Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted* ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To report a case of a young man with nonspecific normal retinal vessels found in foveal avascular zone. METHODS: We experienced a 20-year-old man with decreased visual acuity of left eye. In anterior segment there was no abnormality, but there were unusual vessels in foveal avascular zone that appeared to be normal vessels. RESULTS: In fluorescein angiography, dye was exhibited on the vessel of foveal avascular zone in 14-15 sec after injection, and there were no leaking or abnormal findings. CONCLUSIONS: Normal retinal vasculature in foveal avascular zone is known to be an extremely unusual case in normal adult, and it is to report a case with review of available papers.
Adult ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Retinal Vessels* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Visual Acuity ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: We compared therapeutic efficacy and steroid-induced IOP elevation of 1% rimexolone with that of 0.1% fluorometholone. METHODS: Of all LASIK treated eyes from March of 2001 to December of 2002 in Sungae General Hospital, 46 eyes were treated with 1% rimexolone and 46 eyes were treated with 0.1% fluorometholone. And we measured the degree of myopic regression (1 day, 1 month, 3 month) and intraocular pressure (1 month). RESULTS: Statistically signicant difference in therapeutic efficacy of myopic regression, and no statistically signicant difference in IOP were found. The therapeutic efficacy of 1% rimexolone was higher. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that application of 1% rimexolone was more useful in myopic regression following LASIK rather than that of 0.1% fluorometholone.
Fluorometholone* ; Hospitals, General ; Intraocular Pressure ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ*

PURPOSE: To inform the necessity of mass screening, we performed a mass screening for the detection of ocular disorders of preschool children. METHODS: Ocular examination was performed on 60, 827 children in Korea (3-6 years of age) during the period from March to October, 2000. The total of 3, 254 children were shown to have either visual acuity of less than 0.5 or anisometropia of over 2 lines. Detailed eye examination was conducted on those 3, 254 children. RESULTS: The numbers of first mass screening were 60, 826. Diagnosis consisted of refractive errors in 2, 216, amblyopia in 664, and strabismus in 235. Among the types of refractive errors, myopic astigmatism was the most common type (34.0%). Astigmatism was combined with all other types in 1, 659 children. Refractive error was the most common cause of amblyopia (88.0%) CONCLUSIONS: To prevent and treat amblyopia or strabismus, early detection and adequate care at preschool age seemed to be very effective. Participation rate for this mass-screening of eye disease during preschool age will be more increased by efforts of constiutional support and parental cooperation.
Amblyopia ; Anisometropia ; Astigmatism ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis ; Eye Diseases ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Parents ; Refractive Errors ; Strabismus ; Vision Screening* ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: We report four cases of strabismus presenting after cataract surgery and review the previous reports. METHODS: We examined four cases with diplopia for three months or more following cataract surgery between March 2001 and February 2002 in our hospital. We reviewed our records to inquire the preoperative systemic and ophthalmologic exam included past and present medical history. Also, we performed the strabismus test such as prism and cover test, forced duction test, force generation test included CT scan, if necessary. RESULTS: Case 1, 2, 3 were performed by retrobulbar anesthesia. Case 1 showed left superior rectus muscle overaction, case 2 showed left inferior rectus muscle palsy, case 3 showed left inferior rectus muscle palsy and superior rectus muscle overaction. Case 4 showed irregular pattern of strabismus. In case 1, 2, 3, diplopia in primary position was improved after strabismus surgery. We have observed case 4 until the pattern of strabismus would be stable. CONCLUSIONS: After uneventful cataract surgery, persistent strabismus may be occurred. So the operator must explain the occurrence of strabismus to patient before surgery, and carefully perform pre and post operative strabismus test and retrobulbar anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Cataract* ; Diplopia ; Humans ; Paralysis ; Strabismus* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: Since a recent study that the use of dopamine therapy for the hypotension of premature infants was a risk factor on the development of retinopathy of prematurity was reported, this study was intended to access whether treatment of premature infants with dopamine acts as a risk factor for development of retinopathy of prematurity. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 123 premature infants who had been admitted in our Neonate Intensive Care Unit, and were alive and born under 36 weeks of gestational age, between January 1995 and December 1999. In comparing dopamine treated group (91) and non-treated group (31), we performed univariate and multivariate statiscal analysis for the comparisons of two groups. RESULTS: Although in the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity, dopamine treated group (51 of 91,55.4%) was higher than non-treated group (15 of 31,48.4%), statistically, it was not significantly different(P< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The use of dopamine therapy was not risk factor for the development of retinopathy of prematurity.
Dopamine* ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intensive Care Units ; Medical Records ; Retinopathy of Prematurity* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: It is to report the efficacy and safety of an argon laser photocoagulation which was the treatment modality for retinopathy of prematurity. METHODS: From March 1996 to December 1999, on 69 prethreshold retinopathy of prematurity, they were series of observations following periods of two to five days, one week, two weeks, four weeks, three months and one year time respectively. RESULTS: We noticed the regressions in 84 prethreshold retinopathy of prematurity cases as well. CONCLUSIONS: The report emphasized the advantages of the argon laser photocoagulation which reduce the risk from a general anesthesia by applying a topical anesthesia, and the safety of using laser technique of convenience to apply and minimize the tissue damages of the lesions. It also described the preferable consequent results following the early treatment with divided applications on the prethreshold cases.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Argon* ; Light Coagulation ; Ophthalmoscopes* ; Retinopathy of Prematurity*