[Objective determination of accommodation in eyes with central scotoma due to organic lesions (author's transl)]

Functional differences between free alternators and non-alternators successfully treated for strabismic amblyopia

Visual acuity was examined in patients successfully treated for strabismic amblyopia, and with equal refractive error in the two eyes (no more of 4 diopters of hyperopia). Patients able to freely alternate fixation showed equal visual acuity in the two eyes without optical correction. An optical correction in front of the ex-amblyopic eye was needed, in order to achieve equal visual acuity in patients unable to freely alternate fixation. No correction was necessary for the sound eye. This difference is attributed to a residual anomaly of accomodation of the ex-amblyopic eye. It is concluded that the concept of cure of strabismic amblyopia based on the attainment of equal visual acuity needs re-evaluation.

[Results of objective accommodation determination in eyes with alternating functional central scotoma (alternating strabismus) (author's transl)]

Objective determination of monocular accommodation in young eyes revealed a different behaviour in strabismus alternans from that in normal binocular vision. This manifested itself by strongly differing individual responses, less correct values in physiological and unphysiological accommodation tests, and different reactions on hindering clear vision that cannot be compensated by refraction changes. The possibility of central scotoma, persisting during fixation and varying in density, occurring in alternating strabismus, is discussed.

[Objective determination of accommodation in eyes with permanent central scotoma due to amblyopia (author's transl)]

Objective determination of accommodation in 38 children with permanent central scotoma due to amblyopia on one side (with central and eccentric fixation) revealed: 1. The physiological adaptation of refraction for far and near distances did not serve its purpose. 2. There was either no or an irregular response on hyperopia, which was produced by placing concave lenses in front of the eye while fixing a far object, or on myopia produced by placing convex lenses in front of the eye while fixing a near object. 3. On hindering clear vision which could not be compensated by accommodation there was contrary to normal eyes no reactive change of refraction at all or only a poor one. The accommodation behavior in eyes with permanent central scotoma due to amblyopia does not differ from that in eyes with permanent central scotoma due to organic lesions when using the same test methods.