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Amblyopia screening is often either costly or laborious. We evaluated the Canon Powershot TX1 (CPTX1) digital camera as an efficient screener for amblyogenic risk factors (ARF). We included 138 subjects: 84-amblyopes and 54-normal. With the red-eye-reduction feature off, we obtained Bruckner reflex photographs of different sized crescents which suggested anisometropia, while asymmetrical brightness indicated strabismus; symmetry implied normalcy. Eight sets of randomly arranged 138 photographs were made. After training, 8 personnel, marked each as normal or abnormal. Of the 84 amblyopes, 42 were strabismus alone (SA), 36 had anisometropia alone (AA) while six were mixed amblyopes (MA). Overall mean sensitivity for amblyopes was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.83-0.89) and specificity 0.85 (95% CI: 0.77-0.93). Sub-group analyses on SA, AA and MA returned sensitivities of 0.86, 0.89 and 0.69, while specificities were 0.85 for all three. Overall Cohen's Kappa was 0.66 (95% CI: 0.62-0.71). The CPTX1 appears to be a feasible option to screen for ARF, although results need to be validated on appropriate age groups.

Background:Strabismus adversely affects psychosocial and functional aspects; while its correction impacts positively.Aim:The aim was to evaluate the gains in scores: Overall scores (OASs), psychosocial subscale scores (PSSs) and functional subscale scores (FSSs) following successful surgical alignment.Settings and Design:We evaluated changed scores in the adult strabismus 20 (AS-20) questionnaire, administered before and after successful surgery.Materials and Methods:Thirty adults horizontal strabismics, were administered the AS-20, at baseline, and at 6-week and 3-month. Group-wise analysis was carried out based on gender, strabismus type (esotropia [ET] or exotropia [XT]), back-ground and amblyopia.Statistical Analysis:We used Wilcoxon, and Mann-Whitney U-tests. Significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.Results:At baseline, there were no significant differences within the groups, except that those with amblyopia significantly scored less than nonamblyopes in OAS (median scores: 53.8 vs. 71.3; P = 0.009) and FSS (56.3 vs. 85.3; P = 0.009). OAS, PSS and FSS showed significant gains at 6-week and 3-month (all Wilcoxon P < 0.001). Compared with males, females showed significantly more gain at 3-month (OAS: 37.9 vs. 28.7; P = 0.02), on account of PSS gain (49.6 vs. 37.5; P = 0.01). The ET performed better than XT only on the FSS at 6-week (28.7 vs. 15.0; P = 0.02). Vis-à-vis the nonamblyopes, the amblyopes showed significantly more benefit at 6-week alone (OAS: 18.7 vs. 28.7; P = 0.04), largely due to gains in PSS.Conclusions:Successful strabismus surgery has demonstrated significant gains in psychosocial, functional and overall functions. There is some evidence that gains may be more in females; with a trend to better outcomes in ET and amblyopes up to 6-week.

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Background: Monitoring the depth of anaesthesia can be a challenge in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy because the conventional sensors for both bispectral index and entropy monitors lose their contact with a brain after scalp elevation. The new sensors for the entropy monitor are more flexible and can be placed in different locations. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility on the use of new GE entropy sensors in monitoring depth of anaesthesia in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data from 20 consecutive patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy who had the monitoring of the depth of anaesthesia using modified entropy sensors. Prior to the induction of anaesthesia, the new GE entropy sensor (P/N M1038681) was applied in a modified fashion. We measured the state entropy (SE) and response entropy (RE) at 12 perioperative time points. Entropy values were compared with the clinical indices of depth of anaesthesia. Results: Data from 20 consecutive patients (orbitozygomatic craniotomy [10] and bifrontal craniotomy [10]) were analysed. Monitoring was possible in all the patients. The changes in entropy values correlated with clinical indices of depth of anaesthesia. However, some patients showed variations in absolute values (RE and SE) during the intraoperative period without any changes in the level of anaesthetic depth. Conclusions: Monitoring the depth of anaesthesia is feasible with the use of new entropy sensors in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy. In contrast to standard sensors, the new sensors offer flexibility with the placement.