Refractive Surgery in Children

Impact of Ocular Conditions and Improvements After Refractive Surgery in Quality of Life for Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders

PURPOSE

This study aims to characterize the eye-related quality of life of children with neurodevelopmental and ocular disorders at baseline and after refractive surgery.

DESIGN

Prospective interventional case series.

METHODS

We enrolled children and adolescents 5 to 18 of age with neurodevelopmental disorders undergoing refractive surgery (6 for pre-/postsurgical assessment and 14 for baseline analysis). Eye-related quality of life was measured using the Pediatric Eye Questionnaire (PedEyeQ). Baseline levels of adaptive functioning and social behaviors were measured using the Adaptive Behavioral Assessment System (ABAS-3) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2). We assessed the correlation between baseline PedEyeQ scores, number of ocular comorbidities, magnitude of refractive error, and ABAS-3 and SRS-2 scores.

RESULTS

At baseline, 14 patients demonstrated decreased median eye-related quality of life (<60/100) in 5 of 9 PedEyeQ domains, moderate deficiencies in social behaviors (SRS-2 median 71, range 49-90), and low adaptive functioning (ABAS-3 median percentile for age of 0.100). Baseline PedEyeQ scores did not correlate with magnitude of refractive error or adaptive functioning scores but did correlate with number of ocular comorbidities and social behavior scores. Six patients have undergone refractive surgery without complication. Postoperatively, 11 of 11 eyes were within ±1.5 diopters spherical equivalent. Four of 6 patients exhibited clinically significant improvements in PedEyeQ scores after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Even in the presence of significant social and adaptive impairments, quality of life in children with neurodevelopmental disorders is decreased by ocular disorders. Refractive surgery is associated with clinically significant improvements in eye-related quality of life.

Severe anisometropic myopia in identical twins

High anisometropic myopia is a rare condition in twins. Genetic factors have been implicated in its development and there may be an association with vision-threatening complications. A pair of 11-year-old twins presented with poor distance vision in both eyes. Detailed ocular examination was performed including slit lamp examination, dilated funduscopy, cycloplegic refraction, keratometry and axial length measurement. The objective refraction was -6.50DS -2.00DC × 180 (right eye), -1.00DS (left eye) for the first twin; -13.75DS -2.25DC × 180 (right eye), -0.50DS -0.75DC × 04 (left eye) for the second twin. This case suggests an underlying genetic defect in the development of myopia.