This issue of Acta

Abstract

This issue of Acta is dominated by paediatric ophthalmology. The cover illustrations show fundus photographs and optical coherence tomography (OCT) images from a girl with 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency as reported by Teär Fahnehjelm et al. in this issue. Teär Fahnehjelm discusses the role of paediatric ophthalmologists and their interaction with paediatricians. The second editorial is the yearly report by the Editor in Chief on the state of the journal. Berker & Batman, in Ankara, review several approaches to the surgical treatment of central retinal vein occlusion. Teär Fahnehjelm et al., in Stockholm, found dry eye to be common in children treated with stem-cell transplantation, particularly in patients treated with high levels of cyclosporine A. These children need intensive ophthalmological care. Lindqvist et al., in Trondheim, found that children born prematurely with very low birth weight are at risk for poor binocular function and eye movement in adolescence, whereas this does not apply to very low birth weight children who are born at term. Lavezzo et al., in São Paulo, found that newborn babies blink their eyes slower and less frequently than 4–6-year-old children. Uretmen et al., in Turkey, report that accommodative esotropia developed in 50% of children who underwent surgical treatment for presumed infantile esotropia. Teär Fahnehjelm et al., in Sweden, describe the ocular characteristics of a group of children with 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency with variable degrees of chorioretinal pathology and visual impairment. Soliman et al., in Copenhagen and Egypt, propose that OCT analysis can predict the visual outcome 1 month following laser photocoagulation for diffused diabetic macular oedema. Maca et al., in Vienna, used the retinal thickness analyser to demonstrate that cystoid macular oedema is common in children with uveitis – even some with good visual acuity. Mahdizadeh et al., in Iran, found that retinal cryopexy did not benefit the anatomical reattachment rate from scleral buckling surgery. Donati et al., in Geneva, found that both necrosis and apoptosis are involved in neuronal cell death following experimental retinal vein occlusion in pigs. Krøyer et al., in Copenhagen, described the effect of acute retinal pigment epithelial loss, which destroyed scotopic but not photopic retinal function in a 68-year-old woman. Bertschinger et al., in Geneva, used the Vryghem macular function test and found this to be reliable in predicting postoperative visual acuity after cataract surgery. Cillino et al., in Italy, found Gore-Tex® implants to be useful adjuvants in glaucoma filtration surgery. Yoeruek et al., in Tübingen, used Avastin® eyedrops to reduce corneal damage and neovascularization following experimental chemical burns to the cornea. Al-Jamal & Kivelä describe an optic nerve tumour leading to progressive visual loss in a young man. I hope that this issue of Acta offers an opportunity to brush up on our knowledge in paediatric ophthalmology and provides educational opportunities in all subspecialties of ophthalmology.