The purpose of our study was to evaluate the characteristics and the changes of low vision patients over ten years in Korea, and to establish useful data for planning low vision services, active care and rehabilitation. We conducted a retrospective study of 681 low vision patients who visited two low vision clinics in Seoul from 1995 to 2008. Age and sex distribution, cause of low vision, type of prescribed low vision aids, and changes of the characteristics were reviewed. In result, male were more than female. The age group between 11 and 20-yr-old (18.1%) was the largest age group. Optic atrophy (28.3%) was main causes of low vision. However, elderly low vision patients is increasing and macular degeneration is becoming a leading cause of low vision (P<0.05). One thousand five low vision aids (LVAs) were prescribed for 681 patients (1.46±0.62 aids for each patient). Near LVAs were prescribed more than distance LVAs. In most patients, the use of LVAs improved both near and distance visual function. This study is the first survey of a large number of low vision patients over a ten year period in Korea. On the base of this study, the planning of low vision services and more active rehabilitation for low vision patients, especially elderly patients, need in Korea.

PurposeTo evaluate the correlation of the distance Krimsky test and the alternate prism cover test (APCT) for the distance deviation in patients with horizontal strabismus.MethodsForty patients with horizontal strabismus (20 esotropia and 20 exotropia) were included in this study. Patients with a variable angle of deviation, vertical angle over 5 prism diopters, impaired binocular vision, or poor cooperation were excluded. We instructed the patient to look a target 6 meters away, and applied a prism over the patient's dominant eye while flashing a light source 33 centimeters from the middle of both eyebrows. When the corneal light reflexes were located on the center of each cornea, we measured the angle of deviation. We defined this method as 'distance Krimsky test,' and the angle measured by this method was compared with the conventional Krimsky test and APCT at distance. We analyzed the accuracy and intra- and inter-observer reliability.ResultsThe angle of strabismus measured by the distance Krimsky test showed a significant agreement and correlation with the deviation angle measured by the APCT. We elicited the correlation gradient between the angle measured by the distance Krimsky test and the APCT. In addition, the distance Krimsky test showed significant intra- and inter-observer reliabilities.ConclusionsThe distance Krimsky test is expected to be more useful than the Krimsky test in measuring the distance angle of deviation for patients with strabismus in whom it is difficult to measure the angle of deviation using the APCT. The distance Krimsky test can be an accurate and useful test through the improvement of proficiency of examiners and the establishment of individualized normative data.

No abstract

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the preference for antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) versus laser ablation therapy as primary and additional treatment in aggressive retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and type 1 ROP.MethodsThis multicentre retrospective study was conducted at nine medical centres across South Korea. A total of 94 preterm infants with ROP who underwent primary treatment between January 2020 and December 2021 were enrolled. All eyes were classified as having type 1 ROP or aggressive ROP. Data on the zone, primary treatment chosen, injection dose, presence of reactivation and additional treatment were collected and analysed.ResultsSeventy infants (131 eyes) with type 1 ROP and 24 infants (45 eyes) with aggressive ROP were included. Anti-VEGF injection was selected as the primary treatment in 74.05% of the infants with type 1 ROP and 88.89% with aggressive ROP. Anti-VEGF injection was selected as the ROP was located in zone I or posterior zone II, and laser ablation was selected when it was located in zone II. The anti-VEGF injection doses varied and tended to be higher in the aggressive ROP group. Infants with aggressive ROP were 2.08 times more likely to require additional treatment than those with type 1 ROP. When ROP reactivation occurred, laser therapy was preferred as an additional treatment.ConclusionIn Korea, the preference for anti-VEGF therapy or laser therapy differed according to ROP subtype, zone and primary or secondary treatment. These findings suggest that ROP treatment are considered according to ROP subtype, location and reactivation.