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Vision status of children with oculocutaneous albinism
Author(s) -
Oduntan A. O.,
Raliavhegwa M.,
Lund P. M.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
ophthalmic and physiological optics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.147
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1475-1313
pISSN - 0275-5408
DOI - 10.1046/j.1475-1313.2002.00086_3.x
Subject(s) - emmetropia , oculocutaneous albinism , retinoscopy , strabismus , heterophoria , astigmatism , optometry , stereoscopic acuity , albinism , medicine , ophthalmology , refractive error , eye disease , visual acuity , optics , physics , paleontology , biology
Purpose: Black South African children with oculocutaneous (OCA) albinism were examined optometrically to establish the level of vision improvement that could be achieved following optical correction. Methods: The children ( N = 153) (males 50.3%; females 49.7%), aged 7–17 years (mean = 10.76 ± 2.25 years) were examined with a logMAR VA chart, cover tests, retinoscopy (dry), subjective refraction, Vistech contrast sensitivity test, ophthalmoscopy, Randot stereotest, Ishihara and Farnsworth Panel D‐15 tests. Results: Many (34.6%) of the children had strabismus, 2–25 prism dioptres. Uncorrected distance VAs were: OD: Finger counting (FC) to 6/7.5 − 2, OS: 6/7.5 + 2 to 6/7.5 − 3, OU: 6/60 − 1 to 6/7.5. Most (67.6%) of the children had myopia. Others (30.8%) had hyperopia or emmetropia (1.7%). Astigmatism was present in 92.25% of the children. The nearest equivalent spherical powers were: OD: −12.00 to +2.75 D (mean = −1.48 ± 2.28 D) and OS: −8.00 to +5. 75 D (mean = 1.36 ± 2.18 D). Following optical correction, VA improvement ranged from one to three lines in 71.2% of the children. The corrected VAs were, OD FC to 6/6 − 1, OS 6/7.5 + 2 to 6/6 − 1, and OU 6/60 to 6/6. Many (84.3%) of the children had corrected VA worse than 6/18 in the better eye and were therefore classified as partially sighted or blind (VA worse than 3/60). Stereoacuity was poor (500–70 sec arc) in most (89.5%) of the children, whilst others could not perceive the minimum 500 sec arc on the test. Contrast sensitivity was poor, maximum spatial frequency being 18 cpd with peak sensitivity at 3 cpd. Many (83%) of the children, however, had normal colour vision. Conclusion: These children with OCA had poor VA, which could be improved significantly with optical correction. Their poor contrast sensitivity and depth perception, however, were not improved. Most of the children with OCA had normal colour vision.