The frequency of reversible and irreversible visual impairment was determined in children with severe and profound sensorineural deafness, as subnormal vision can adversely affect their educational and social development. Eighty three of 87 such children attending an audiology service were examined to assess the incidence and severity ofvisual impairment. Each child underwent a detailed ophthalmic assessment. The criteria for visual impairment were visual acuity <6/9 Snellen or equivalent and/or abnormal binocular vision. Forty five had a normal ophthalmic exaiination (54-2%). Twenty nine had visual impairment (34.90/%) and nine had ophthalmological abnormalities that did not interfere with vision (10.90/o).A higher proportion of children with risk factors for visual pathology demonstrated visual impairment than those in whom there were no risk factors. None the less, 44% ofvisual impairment was among patients without risk factors. The results underline the need to examine all children with severe and profound sensorineural deafness soon after diagnosis and indicate that children with multiple handicaps have a greater likelihood of visual impairment (11 of 14 cases). (Arch Dis Child 1995; 73: 53-56)

Accommodating IOLs that are in current use are constrained by their low and varied amplitude of accommodation. Such limitations may be circumvented in the future by accommodative design strategies that rely more on shape-related changes in the surfaces of the IOLs or in dynamic changes in refractive index than by forward translation alone.

SUMMARY We report the outcome of intraocular lens implantation in 20 children with visually significant cataracts (seven traumatic, 13 non-traumatic). Six patients had anterior and 14 had posterior chamber implants. The mean age of the whole group at the time of surgery was 5 9 years (range 0 3 to 15-1 years), while the mean period of follow-up was 2-4 years (range 0-8 to 5 9 years).

No abstract