Comparing paediatric optometric vision care in Canada over a 14-year period.

Purpose: In Canada, teaching in paediatric eye care has increased in the past decade both within the optometry curriculum and as continuing education to optometrists. Paediatric vision care guidelines have also been established by North American optometric associations. This study examined whether this exposure was associated with changes in paediatric eye care in Canada over a 14-year period.

Validation of the Waterloo Differential Visual Acuity Test (WatDAT) and Comparison With Existing Pediatric Tests of Visual Acuity.

Purpose: The new Waterloo Differential Acuity Test (WatDAT) is designed to allow recognition visual acuity (VA) measurement in children before they can typically undertake matching tests. The study purpose was to validate WatDAT in adults with normal and reduced VA.

Methods: Eighty adults (18 to <40 years of age) participated (32 normal VA, 12 reduced VA, and 36 simulated reduced VA).

Cytogenetic Abnormalities for Predicting the Risk of Metastases in Choroidal and Ciliary Body Melanoma.

Purpose: Choroidal melanoma (CM) and ciliary body melanoma (CBM) are the two most common subtypes of uveal melanoma. Starting from the observation that CBM tends to have a higher metastatic potential than CM, we hypothesized that specific cytogenetic abnormalities could be associated with tumor location - reflecting distinct genetic signatures that would drive the risk of distant spread.

Methods: Chromosomal alterations were investigated by molecular cytogenetic techniques in 217 and 97 patients with CM and CBM, respectively.

Measuring recognition visual acuity in young children - testability with the Waterloo Differential Acuity Test (WatDAT).

Clinical Relevance: Visual acuity measurement is important for the detection and monitoring of eye disorders. Developing accurate and sensitive visual acuity tests suitable for young children is therefore desirable.

Background: Recognition or form visual acuity (VA), which is measured with matching in children aged 3 years and up, is more sensitive for detecting visual deficits compared to resolution VA.

Systemic sarcoidosis presenting as acute rapidly progressive proptosis.

Sarcoidosis is a generalized systemic chronic inflammation that rarely involves the orbit. As a chronic inflammation, sarcoidosis typically manifests with an insidious onset and slowly progressive course. We report a case of acute-onset proptosis resulting from a rapidly growing diffuse orbital mass that simulated malignant growth, which was biopsy proven to be the first manifestation of systemic sarcoidosis.

Pigment-induced glaucoma secondary to bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation.

We report the first case of pigment-induced glaucoma in a patient presenting with bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation (BDUMP) syndrome. Despite treatment with plasma exchange, the patient developed progression of her lesions and bilateral glaucoma. Surgical treatment with Ahmed valve implant was performed to control her increased intra-ocular pressure.

Retinal perfusion changes in radiation retinopathy.

Purpose: To investigate retinal blood flow and oxygen saturation changes in patients diagnosed with retinopathy following plaque radiation treatment to treat choroidal melanoma.

Methods: Eight patients (mean age 55.75 years, SD 12.

Preliminary investigation of multispectral retinal tissue oximetry mapping using a hyperspectral retinal camera.

Oximetry measurement of principal retinal vessels represents a first step towards understanding retinal metabolism, but the technique could be significantly enhanced by spectral imaging of the fundus outside of main vessels. In this study, a recently developed Hyperspectral Retinal Camera was used to measure relative oximetric (SatO2) and total hemoglobin (HbT) maps of the retina, outside of large vessels, in healthy volunteers at baseline (N = 7) and during systemic hypoxia (N = 11), as well as in patients with glaucoma (N = 2). Images of the retina, on a field of view of ∼30°, were acquired between 500 and 600 nm with 2 and 5 nm steps, in under 3 s.

Intervisit Repeatability of Retinal Blood Oximetry and Total Retinal Blood Flow Under Varying Systemic Blood Gas Oxygen Saturations.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to validate and calibrate the Doppler spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) derived total retinal blood flow (TRBF) and metabolic hyperspectral retinal camera (MHRC) derived oxygen saturation (SO2) of major retinal vessels in human volunteers using a novel and exact provocation technique (RespirAct) that allows the precise control of the end-tidal partial pressure of oxygen (PETO2). Between visit repeatability of the TRBF and retinal blood SO2 also were studied.

Methods: One eye of 11 young healthy subjects was chosen randomly for the study.

Grader learning effect and reproducibility of Doppler Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography derived retinal blood flow measurements.

Purpose: To investigate grader learning effect and to quantify intergrader reproducibility of Doppler Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) derived retinal blood flow measurements.

Methods: Fifteen healthy young subjects (mean age 28.44; SD 3 years) underwent Doppler SD-OCT scans of one eye using the circumpapillary double circular scan protocol of the Optovue RTVue by one of two experienced operators.

Retinal blood flow and vascular reactivity in chronic smokers.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of cigarette smoking in otherwise healthy young individuals on retinal blood flow (RBF) and vascular reactivity (RVR).

Methods: An automated gas flow controller (RespirAct) was used to achieve normoxic hypercapnia in 10 nonsmokers (mean age 28.9; SD 4.