To what extent do infants represent the absolute pitches of complex auditory stimuli? Two experiments with 8-month-old infants examined the use of absolute and relative pitch cues in a tone-sequence statistical learning task. The results suggest that, given unsegmented stimuli that do not conform to the rules of musical composition, infants are more likely to track patterns of absolute pitches than of relative pitches. A 3rd experiment tested adults with or without musical training on the same statistical learning tasks used in the infant experiments. Unlike the infants, adult listeners relied primarily on relative pitch cues. These results suggest a shift from an initial focus on absolute pitch to the eventual dominance of relative pitch, which, it is argued, is more useful for both music and speech processing.

Purpose To report the incidence and demographics of childhood ptosis diagnosed over a 40-year period in a well-defined population. Design Retrospective, population-based cohort study. Participants Patients (< 19 years) diagnosed with childhood ptosis as residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, from January 1, 1965, through December 31, 2004 Methods The medical records of all potential patients identified by the Rochester Epidemiology Project were reviewed. Main Outcome Measures Calculated annual age- and sex-specific incidence rates and demographic information. Results A total of 107 children were diagnosed with ptosis during the 40-year period, yielding an incidence of 7.9/100,000 < 19 years (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.4-9.5) of age. Ninety-six (89.7%) of the 107 were congenital in onset, 81 (75%) of which had simple congenital ptosis, yielding a birth prevalence of 1 in 842 births. A family history of childhood ptosis was present in twelve percent of queried patients with simple congenital ptosis. Three (4%) of the simple congenital ptosis cases were bilateral and 55 (68%) of the unilateral cases involved the left upper eyelid (95% CI: 57%-78%, p<0.001). Conclusion Childhood ptosis was diagnosed in 7.9 per 100,000 patients less than 19 years (95% CI: 6.4-9.5). Simple congenital ptosis was the most prevalent form, occurring in 1 in 842 births, and significantly more likely to involve the left side.

Purpose To report the prevalence, clinical findings, and outcomes in children diagnosed with congenital dacryocystocele in a well-defined population over a 20-year period. Methods The medical records of all Olmsted County, Minnesota, patients diagnosed with congenital dacryocystocele from January 1, 1988, through December 31, 2007, were retrospectively reviewed. Results A total of 9 children were diagnosed with dacryocystocele during the 20-year period, yielding an incidence of 1 in 3884 live births. The median age at diagnosis was 12 days (range, birth to 40 days); 7 (78%) were female. Eight patients (89%) had unilateral disease. Clinical findings included a cystic mass in all 9, dacryocystitis in 3 (33%), intranasal cysts in 3 (33%), and 1 (11%) each with facial cellulitis and dacryocystocele-induced astigmatism. Conservative treatment resolved the obstruction in 3 (33%), while the remaining 6 (67%) each underwent one surgery. Complete resolution was observed in all 9 patients. Conclusions Congenital dacryocystocele is an uncommon unilateral condition of predominantly neonatal females. Clinical findings support a relatively high incidence of complications such as dacryocystitis and intranasal cysts as well as a less common finding of astigmatism that resolved without evidence of amblyopia. One-third of the cases were successfully managed with conservative treatment alone; most patients required surgical intervention.

Purpose To report the prevalence and causes of amblyopia among children with ptosis diagnosed in a well-defined population over a 40-year period. Design Retrospective, population-based cohort study. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the charts of one hundred and seven patients (< 19 years) for the prevalence and causes of amblyopia who were diagnosed with childhood ptosis as residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, from January 1, 1965, through December 31, 2004. Results Amblyopia was diagnosed in 16 (14.9%) of the 107 patients with childhood ptosis. Fourteen (14.6%) of 96 patients diagnosed with a congenital form of ptosis demonstrated amblyopia. Twelve (14.8%) of the 81 patients diagnosed with simple congenital ptosis had amblyopia, 7 (8.6%) of which were due solely to eyelid occlusion of the visual axis. The causes of amblyopia in the remaining 5 patients were due to significant refractive error in 3 patients and strabismus in 2 patients. Conclusions Amblyopia occurred in 1 in 7 children diagnosed with ptosis in this population-based cohort. Approximately half of those with amblyopia, or less than 10% of all patients, were due solely to eyelid occlusion of the visual axis.

In most specimens, the location of a significant portion of hyaluronic acid gel following injection to the infraorbital hollows differed from the intended injection plane. Soft tissue structures including fat compartment septa and the orbicularis oculi muscle appear to influence the resting position of hyaluronic acid gel. Careful attention should be used to avoid overfilling the thin soft tissue layers of the medial infraorbital hollows or tear trough.

The purpose of this report is to describe the clinical, radiographica, and histopathologic findings in two pediatric patients with orbital IgG4-related disease.

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence, clinical features, and treatment of prolonged periorbital edema following the injection of hyaluronic acid gel to the infraorbital hollows. Materials and Methods: Retrospective descriptive study. The medical records of patients from 4 physician practices with prolonged (≥1 month) periorbital edema following the placement of hyaluronic acid gel to the infraorbital hollows, diagnosed between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011, were reviewed. Results: A total of 51 charts were reviewed, of which 12 (24%) patients were diagnosed with prolonged periorbital edema with a mean follow-up time of 7.1 ± 4.2 months (range, 1.5–15.3 months). The mean patient age was 50.4 years (range, 36.4–64.9 years), and the edema lasted an average of 5.4 months (range, 2.7–5.3 months). A minority of patients had a preprocedural history of fluid retention (17%), seasonal allergies (25%), previous lower eyelid or midface surgery (25%), or festoons on examination (0%). Hyaluronidase was used to treat 3 of the 12 affected patients. Conclusions: In this retrospective review of patients undergoing hyaluronic acid gel injection to the periorbital region, prolonged periorbital edema of varying severity occurred in approximately 1 in 4 patients. There were no clinical symptoms or signs prior to injection that consistently identified patients susceptible to the edema. Most patients treated with hyaluronidase had successful improvement of their swelling.

Increased oxygen permeability associated with silicone hydrogel contact lenses may reduce, but does not eliminate, the risk of pseudomonas keratitis. Studies have yet to quantify the risk of keratitis associated with daily wear of these lens materials. Further study is necessary to identify the risks of complications with daily wear of silicone hydrogel lenses and to determine which factors may contribute to those risks.