Role of contact lenses in the management of congenital nystagmus.

Objective: The purpose of our research is to emphasize the role of underestimated predisposing conditions for microbial keratitis in contact lens users, to draw attention to the complications of wearing contact lenses without ophthalmic examination, and to offer a short questionnaire for fast and easy estimation of the risk factors for bacterial keratitis. Methods: A series of 23 cases of healthy young individuals, treated for bacterial keratitis, provoked а research on the predisposing factors for its development. Results: 55% of the patients had started to wear contact lenses without specific examination. 75% had made mistakes in the hygiene and storage of the lenses. We identified risk factors for development of bacterial keratitis in all cases. Conclusions: A thorough anamnesis and ophthalmic examination are crucial in decision making about contact lens wearing because they could reveal some of the predisposing conditions for the occurrence of ocular complications. The usage of contact lenses without a prescription poses health risks and could have a negative impact on the social and healthcare system.

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The role of vision on postural strategy evaluated in patients affected by congenital nystagmus as an experimental model

Journal of Vestibular Research ◽

10.3233/ves-1999-9606 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 445-451

Author(s):

S. Di Girolamo ◽

W. Di Nardo ◽

A. Cosenza ◽

F. Ottaviani ◽

A. Dickmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Visual System ◽

Postural Control ◽

Visual Stimulus ◽

Postural Balance ◽

Visual Cues ◽

Normal Subjects ◽

Congenital Nystagmus ◽

Dynamic Posturography ◽

Normal Controls

The role of vision in postural control is crucial and is strictly related to the characteristics of the visual stimulus and to the performance of the visual system. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of chronically reduced visual cues upon postural control in patients affected by Congenital Nystagmus (CN). These patients have developed since birth a postural strategy mainly based on vestibular and somatosensorial cues. Fifteen patients affected by CN and 15 normal controls (NC) were enrolled in the study and evaluated by means of dynamic posturography. The overall postural control in CN patients was impaired as demonstrated by the equilibrium score and by the changes of the postural strategy. This impairment was even more enhanced in CN than in NC group when somatosensorial cues were experimentally reduced. An aspecific pattern of visual impairment and a pathological composite score were also present. Our data outline that in patients affected by CN an impairment of the postural balance is present especially when the postural control relies mainly on visual cues. Moreover, a decrease in accuracy of the somatosensory cues has a proportionally greater effect on balance than it has on normal subjects.

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