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PRK may improve quality of life in children with isoametropic amblyopia, neurobehavioral problems
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 Evelyn A. Paysse |
SAN DIEGO — PRK for bilateral isoametropic amblyopia may improve developmental functions in children with neurobehavioral reasons for not adhering to wearing glasses, a presenter said here.
Marked improvements were seen in the children's developmental quotients after PRK, Evelyn A. Paysse, MD, said at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting.
"Most people with bilateral severe ametropia will wear their glasses, because why would you want to go through life with this kind of visual blur when a simple pair of glasses can cure it?" she asked. "But there is a subset of patients that doesn't comply."
Generally these non-adherent patients are children who have neurobehavioral problems such as autism; other reasons for non-adherence include neck hypotonia.
The study employed a developmental testing battery to objectively compare the preoperative and 6-month postoperative neurobehavioral function in a small group of children with neurodevelopmental issues and bilateral high ametropia and amblyopia who underwent PRK.
In the subdomains of receptive and expressive communication and in interpretive and coping socialization, the researchers found approximately 10% improvement in the developmental quotient, Dr. Paysse said.
- Disclosure: Dr. Paysse reports no financial disclosures relevant to this presentation.