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Long‐term visual outcomes in patients with orbitotemporal neurofibromatosis
Author(s) -
Greenwell Timothy H,
Anderson Peter J,
Madge Simon K,
Selva Dinesh,
David David J
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
clinical and experimental ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.3
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1442-9071
pISSN - 1442-6404
DOI - 10.1111/ceo.12179
Subject(s) - medicine , enucleation , visual impairment , visual acuity , strabismus , neurofibromatosis , evisceration (ophthalmology) , atrophy , surgery , presentation (obstetrics) , retrospective cohort study , photophobia , optic nerve , ophthalmology , radiology , pathology , alternative medicine , psychiatry
Background The study aimed to review the presentation and long‐term visual outcomes of patients with orbitotemporal neurofibromatosis. Design Retrospective case series. Participants Patients with orbitotemporal neurofibromatosis presenting from 1981 to 2009. Methods Demographic data, examination findings, causes of vision impairment and interventions performed were recorded for each patient from presentation through subsequent follow‐up encounters. Visual impairment was defined as an ipsilateral S nellen acuity of <6/12. Main Outcome Measures The proportion of patients with visual impairment or enucleation, the rate of new vision loss during follow up; and causes for vision loss or enucleation. Results Thirty‐seven patients (17 female) were included. Median presenting age was 15 years (range 2–45) with an average follow up of 7.4 years (range 0.5–20.3). Visual impairment occurred in 54% of patients at presentation. Causes were amblyopia (13 of 37), optic atrophy (4 of 37), previous enucleation/evisceration (2 of 37), and optic nerve glioma (1 of 37). At presentation, 76% of patients had ptosis, and 51% had strabismus. Thirty‐one patients had surgery, with an average of two procedures per patient. At final follow up, 62% had visual impairment. The rate of visual decline was 2% per patient‐years. Causes of visual decline were two patients with optic nerve atrophy, one with exposure keratitis and one whose cause was unknown. Five blind patients had enucleation. Conclusions The first series of orbitotemporal neurofibromatosis to focus on visual outcomes was presented. Vision loss is common, with a high prevalence of amblyopia. Close monitoring from an early age is needed to prevent visual impairment.