Abstract
Purpose: :
To report the visual function outcome of contact lens wear as part of low vision rehabilitation for pediatric patients.
Methods: :
We conducted a chart review of 32 pediatric patients who were evaluated and fit with contact lenses, as a result of an assessment by the CVRP multidisciplinary rehabilitative team.
Results: :
The mean age was 13.25 years. 60% were male. Ocular diagnoses included; Albinism (10), Aniridia (4), Aphakia (5), Retinal Dystrophies (5), Retinopathy of Prematurity (4), and Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (3). Mean contact lens parameters (corrected for vertex distance) were OD 7.1 D of spherical and 2.2 D of astigmatic refractive error, OS 9.00 D of spherical and 2.6 D of astigmatic refractive error, 54% were binocular. Best corrected binocular visual acuity prior to contact lens wear was 0.8 log minimum angle of resolution (MAR), with an improvement to 0.56 log MAR following contact lens wear (p = 0.000000433).
Conclusions: :
This study demonstrates that 1) many pediatric low vision patients have significant refractive errors, 2) these errors can be corrected with contact lenses, and 3) correction of these refractive errors results in a better than 2 line improvement in visual acuity than with spectacle wear. The study indicates the potential value of contact lens use for pediatric low vision patients.
Keywords: low vision • contact lens • visual acuity