Comparison of three monocular methods for measuring accommodative stimulus-response curves

Precision Concussion Management: Approaches to Quantifying Head Injury Severity and Recovery

Mitigating the substantial public health impact of concussion is a particularly difficult challenge. This is partly because concussion is a highly prevalent condition, and diagnosis is predominantly symptom-based. Much of contemporary concussion management relies on symptom interpretation and accurate reporting by patients. These types of reports may be influenced by a variety of factors for each individual, such as preexisting mental health conditions, headache disorders, and sleep conditions, among other factors. This can all be contributory to non-specific and potentially misleading clinical manifestations in the aftermath of a concussion. This review aimed to conduct an examination of the existing literature on emerging approaches for objectively evaluating potential concussion, as well as to highlight current gaps in understanding where further research is necessary. Objective assessments of visual and ocular motor concussion symptoms, specialized imaging techniques, and tissue-based concentrations of specific biomarkers have all shown promise for specifically characterizing diffuse brain injuries, and will be important to the future of concussion diagnosis and management. The consolidation of these approaches into a comprehensive examination progression will be the next horizon for increased precision in concussion diagnosis and treatment.

Visual acuity, near phoria and accommodation in myopic children using spectacle lenses with aspherical lenslets: results from a randomized clinical trial

Objectives

To investigate the short- and long-term effects of myopia control spectacle lenses with highly aspherical lenslets (HAL) and slightly aspherical lenslets (SAL) on visual function and visual quality using data obtained from a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Methods

This was a prospective, randomized, controlled, and double-blinded study; 170 myopic children aged 8–13 years were randomly assigned to the HAL, SAL, or single-vision spectacle lenses (SVL) groups. Distance and near visual acuity (VA) at high (100%) and low (10%) contrast in photopic and scotopic conditions, near phoria, stereoacuity, and accommodative lag, microfluctuations (AMFs), amplitude (AA) were measured after wearing lenses for 10 min, 6 months, and 12 months.

Results

In total, 161 subjects completed all follow-up in 12 months and were included in the analysis. After 10 min of wearing, the HAL and SAL groups had lower scotopic and low-contrast VA than the SVL group (decreased 0.03–0.08 logMAR and 0.01–0.04 logMAR in different VAs in the HAL and SAL groups, respectively, all P < 0.05). The reduction in VA was recovered at 12 months as the HAL and SAL groups exhibited significant VA improvements, and the VA was not different among the three groups (all P > 0.05). The HAL and SAL groups had significantly larger AMFs than the SVL group (HAL vs. SAL vs. SVL: 0.21 ± 0.08 D vs. 0.16 ± 0.05 D vs. 0.15 ± 0.06 D at baseline, 0.19 ± 0.07 D vs. 0.17 ± 0.05 D vs. 0.13 ± 0.07 D at 12 months, all P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in accommodative lag, AA, or phoria between the groups (all P > 0.05). The HAL and SAL groups had reduced stereoacuity compared to the SVL group at baseline (70’ vs. 60’ vs. 50’, P = 0.005), but no difference was observed at 12 months (70’ vs. 70’ vs. 70’, P = 0.11).

Conclusions

HAL and SAL have no significant influence on accommodation and phoria except had larger AMF than SVL. Scotopic VA and low-contrast VA are reduced with short-term HAL and SAL use but recovered to be at same level with the SVL after 1 year of use.

Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR1800017683. Registered on 9 August 2018. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=29789

The associations of accommodation and aberrations in myopia control with orthokeratology

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the effect of orthokeratology (OK) on accommodative function and aberrations, to explore the correlations between them and determine what role they play in myopia control.

Methods

In this prospective case‐controlled study, 61 children were divided into an OK (n = 30) and a single‐vision spectacles (SVS) (n = 31) group. Accommodation and ocular wavefront aberrations in the OK group were measured at baseline and after 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of OK wear, and again at 1 month after stopping OK (13^th month). The same procedure was performed in the SVS group at baseline and at 3, 6 and 12 months. Axial length (AL), accommodative lag area and aberrations including spherical aberration (SA), coma and total higher‐order aberrations (HOAs) were analysed.

Results

During OK wear, the accommodative lag area at each visit was lower than the baseline level (all p < 0.01); all aberrations at each visit were higher than pre‐treatment (all p < 0.001). After 1 month of OK treatment, changes in accommodative lag area and SA did not show significant correlation (p = 0.16), but after OK cessation these changes were correlated (p = 0.01). In the OK group, multivariate regression analysis showed changes in accommodative lag area were associated with AL progression in the first 6 months but not in the 1‐year analysis. For the SVS group, there were no significant changes in the accommodative lag area or any aberrations during the study period.

Conclusions

Increased HOAs and improved accommodative accuracy were observed during OK treatment, but began to regress after the cessation of OK. A significant positive correlation between improved accommodative accuracy and slowed axial elongation was only observed during the first 6 months of treatment.

One-year myopia control efficacy of spectacle lenses with aspherical lenslets

Aims

To evaluate the 1-year efficacy of two new myopia control spectacle lenses with lenslets of different asphericity.

Methods

One hundred seventy schoolchildren aged 8–13 years with myopia of −0.75 D to −4.75 D were randomised to receive spectacle lenses with highly aspherical lenslets (HAL), spectacle lenses with slightly aspherical lenslets (SAL), or single-vision spectacle lenses (SVL). Cycloplegic autorefraction (spherical equivalent refraction (SER)), axial length (AL) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were measured at baseline and 6-month intervals. Adaptation and compliance questionnaires were administered during all visits.

Results

After 1 year, the mean changes in the SER (±SE) and AL (±SE) in the SVL group were −0.81±0.06 D and 0.36±0.02 mm. Compared with SVL, the myopia control efficacy measured using SER was 67% (difference of 0.53 D) for HAL and 41% (difference of 0.33 D) for SAL, and the efficacy measured using AL was 64% (difference of 0.23 mm) for HAL and 31% (difference of 0.11 mm) for SAL (all p<0.01). HAL resulted in significantly greater myopia control than SAL for SER (difference of 0.21 D, p<0.001) and AL (difference of 0.12 mm, p<0.001). The mean BCVA (−0.01±0.1 logMAR, p=0.22) and mean daily wearing time (13.2±2.6 hours, p=0.26) were similar among the three groups. All groups adapted to their lenses with no reported adverse events, complaints or discomfort.

Conclusions

Spectacle lenses with aspherical lenslets effectively slow myopia progression and axial elongation compared with SVL. Myopia control efficacy increased with lenslet asphericity.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR1800017683.

Distribution of Visual and Oculomotor Alterations in a Clinical Population of Children with and without Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A prospective, non-randomized comparative study was conducted to compare the distribution of oculomotor and visual alterations in children with neurodevelopmental disorders and healthy children without such disorders. Sixty-nine children (aged 6-13 years) were enrolled and divided into three groups: a control group (CG) of 23 healthy children; a group of 18 healthy children with oculomotor abnormalities (OAG); and a group of 28 children with a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDDG), with 15 cases of dyslexia, 7 cases of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and 6 cases of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Significantly worse near stereopsis was found in NDDG compared with CG (p < 0.001) and OAG (p = 0.001). Likewise, a significantly lower amplitude of accommodation was found in NDDG compared with CG in both the right (p = 0.001) and left eyes (p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences between groups were found in the measurement of near and distance phoria (p ≥ 0.557), near point of convergence (p = 0.700) and fusional vergences (p ≥ 0.059). Significantly impaired oculomotor test scores were found in NDDG compared with CG (p < 0.001), with no significant differences between OAG and NDDG (p ≥ 0.063). The comparison between the three types of neurodevelopmental disorders included revealed the presence of a significantly lower amplitude of accommodation in children with DCD compared with dyslexics. Furthermore, less exophoria at near was present in children with dyslexia compared with children with ADHD (p = 0.018) and DCD (p = 0.054). In conclusion, children with dyslexia, ADHD and DCD show an altered oculomotor pattern and a more reduced amplitude of accommodation, not always compatible with the diagnostic criteria of an accommodative insufficiency. Accommodative and binocular vision problems are not always present in these children and cannot be considered an etiologic factor.

Accommodative Lag by Open-field Autorefractor and Hartmann-Shack Aberrometer

The purpose of the present study was to compare an open-field autorefractor (AR) and an aberrometer for measuring the ocular accommodative lag. The measurements were. It was found higher accommodative lags when measured it with the AR specially for high accommodative stimuli. However, the differences in accommodative lag between the two instruments were not statistically significant (p >0,05) and were under the limits of agreement The results indicate that aberrometer may be used for measuring the accommodative lag and may be more efficient for measuring accommodative lag for high accommodative stimuli.

Accommodation is unrelated to myopia progression in Chinese myopic children

This study shows accommodative accuracy and distance accommodation facility in myopic children do not play a role in myopia progression. In 144 subjects, the monocular distance accommodative facility (DAF) and continuous accommodative stimulus-response curves (ASRCs) were measured at the enrolment. Retrospective and prospective refraction with regard to the enrolment visit were obtained from the outpatient database system based on noncycloplegic subjective spherical equivalent refraction (SER). The rate of myopic progression at enrolment was the first derivative of the Gompertz function, which was fitted with each subject's longitudinal refractive error data, including at least four records of SER with an interval of more than 6 months between each visit. A mixed linear model for multilevel repeated-measures data was used to explore the associations between the rate of myopia progression and accommodative parameters. The mean rate of myopia progression at enrolment was -0.61 ± 0.31 D/y with a mean age of 12.27 ± 1.61 years. By adjusting for age and SER, it was shown that the myopic progression rate was not associated with the accommodative lag (F = 0.269, P = 0.604), accommodative lag area (F = 0.086, P = 0.354), slope of ASRC (F = 0.711, P = 0.399), and DAF (F = 0.619, P = 0.432).

The effect of scleral buckling on accommodative amplitude

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of scleral buckling on accommodative amplitude.

Design

Non-randomized, prospective, double masked clinical trial in which the fellow eye of patients undergoing scleral buckling served as a control.

Methods

Patients who underwent scleral bucking for the management of retinal detachment in at least one eye were enrolled. Accommodative amplitude was measured monocularly 1 month and 3 months post operatively by two masked optometrists using a near-point "push" technique and minus-to-blur technique. Accommodative amplitude in eyes that underwent scleral buckle surgery were compared to their fellow eyes. Buckle type, buckle location, lens status and age were analyzed. Generalized Estimation Equations (GEE) were used to compare means and percentages between two groups.

Results

Seventy-four eyes of 37 patients were included in the study. Median age was 44 years old (range: 31-67 years old) and 68.4% of patients were male (n = 24). Two patients required bilateral surgery. Thirty-six of 39 operated eyes (92.3%) were phakic and three were pseudophakic. In phakic eyes there was a significantly higher amplitude of accommodation in operated eyes compared to their fellow eyes at post-operative month one (0.99 diopters, p value = 0.002) and three (1.17 diopters, p value = 0.001). The difference in accommodative amplitude in post-operative eyes compared to control eyes did not reach statistical significance in pseudophakic eyes nor did it differ between those who had an encircling band and those with a segmental buckle at both one and 3 months after surgery (p value = 0.37 and 0.38, respectively). In those with a segmental buckle, inferior fixation resulted in a larger difference in accommodative amplitude compared to control eyes than any other location fixation. Age under 40 years old and better post-operative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) both correlated with greater difference in accommodative amplitude compared to fellow eyes.

Conclusion

Compared to fellow eyes not undergoing surgery, those eyes that underwent scleral buckling had a greater accommodative amplitude with larger differences correlating with better post-operative BCVA and younger age.

Repeatability of the amplitude of accommodation measured by a new generation autorefractor

Significance

This is the first study to validate the repeatability of objective measurements of amplitude of accommodation (AA) using the TONOREF III (NIDEK Co., Ltd., Japan), which can measure the AA in 30 seconds.

Purpose

To evaluate the repeatability of objective measurements of AA using the TONOREF III and explored the association between objectively measured AA and factors, including age, sex, spherical equivalent, baseline pupil size and pupil size change during accommodation.

Methods

This cross-sectional study recruited 35 healthy subjects aged 26 to 52 years. The Bland-Altman method and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to assess the repeatability of TONOREF III measurements. The relationships between AA and age, sex, baseline pupil size, changes in pupil size (ΔPS) during accommodation were analyzed using linear regression for univariate and multivariate analysis.

Results

The mean difference in AA (ΔAA) between two sessions of TONOREF III measurements was 0.23 D (95% CI: -1.07 to +1.53 D), while no significant correlation was found between the mean and ΔAA (p = .14). The ICCs of the TONOREF III was 0.96. Age, sex, and ΔPS during accommodation were significant factors affecting the AA in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

The repeatability of objective AA measurements using the TONOREF III was good. Measuring AA using the TONOREF^TM III in clinical practice is feasible.

Effect of Vision Therapy on Accommodative Lag in Myopic Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial

SIGNIFICANCE

Accommodative dysfunction has been suggested to be related to the development and progression of myopia. Office-based accommodative/vergence therapy (OBAVT) improved accommodative facility in Chinese myopic children, but it is unclear if such improvement has a role in decreasing myopic progression.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of OBAVT with home reinforcement and office-based placebo therapy (OBPT) as a treatment to improve accommodative functions (i.e., lag, amplitude, and facility) in myopic children with poor accommodative accuracy.

METHODS

This was a prospective, single-masked, randomized clinical trial. Thirty-four Chinese children 8 to 12 years old with myopia and at least 1 diopter of lag of accommodation measured by autorefraction were enrolled. The participants were randomly assigned to the OBAVT or OBPT group. The primary outcome measure was the change in the monocular lag of accommodation from the baseline visit to the 13-week visit measured by a Shin-Nippon open-field autorefractor. Secondary outcome measures were changes in accommodative amplitude and monocular accommodative facility.

RESULTS

A total of 33 participants completed the study. After 12 weeks of treatment, there were significant improvements in the lag of accommodation in both the OBAVT and OBPT groups (OBAVT: -0.30 ± 0.29 diopters [P < .001; Cohen's d effect size, 1.29]; OBPT: -0.24 ± 0.30 diopters [P = .005; Cohen's d effect size, 1.24]). There was no statistically significant difference between the improvements in the two groups (P = .50). There was statistically significant improvement in monocular accommodative facility only in the OBAVT group (OBAVT: 7.7 ± 4.7 cycles per minute [P < .001; Cohen's d effect size, 2.20]; OBPT: 1.9 ± 4.4 cycles per minute [P = .072]). The change in the OBAVT group was statistically significantly larger than that in the OBPT group (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Office-based accommodative/vergence therapy was no more effective than OBPT in reducing the lag of accommodation in children 8 to 12 years old with low to moderate myopia. It did improve accommodative facility in Chinese myopic children, but it is unclear if such an improvement has a role in decreasing myopic progression.

Lightweight Smart Autofocusing Eyeglasses

More than 100 million people in the United States of America alone suffer from age-related presbyopia caused by a loss of focal accommodation of the eye crystalline lens as the lens stiffens with age. The resulting accommodative error or lag produces blurred images of objects placed at different distances. Conventional fixed uniform or graded power eyeglasses cannot provide accommodation thus resulting in significant visual impairment. In this paper we will discuss the implementation of lightweight auto-focusing eyeglasses that augment the accommodative range thus partially or fully restoring normal vision function. The paper discusses some aspects of the construction of tunable power eyepieces and the implementation of accommodation correction algorithms.

Accommodative Stimulus-Response Curve with Emoji Symbols

Purpose

To evaluate the static measurement of the accommodative stimulus-response curve with emoji symbols.

Methods

The accommodative stimulus-response curve was measured in 18 subjects using a Hartmann-Shack sensor to obtain the objective accommodative response from the Zernike defocus term. Measurements were acquired at different accommodative demands, from 0 to 3 D with a step of 0.5 D. Detailed and nondetailed emoji targets were used with two different sizes, corresponding to the two most common visual angles used in smartphones.

Results

A regression analysis was performed to fit the mean results obtained for each target. The determination coefficient was R² ≥ 0.988 for all targets. For the detailed targets, the slopes for the averaged stimulus-response curve were 0.65 and 0.66 for the bigger and smaller sizes, respectively. For the nondetailed targets, the slopes were 0.60 and 0.58 for the bigger and smaller sizes, respectively. p values for these slopes were statistically significant for the two types of targets (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Our results reveal that the replacement of a word or several words by detailed or nondetailed emoji symbols seems not to provoke a different accommodative response in normal subjects and under standard viewing conditions in the use of smartphones.