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Aims: To evaluate the visual and fluorescein angiographic outcomes of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin in patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) caused by pathologic myopia in the Chinese. Methods: Prospective, non-comparative, two centre interventional study. Patients with CNV secondary to pathologic myopia of Chinese ethnicity were recruited and treated with a standard regimen of PDT with verteporfin. Results of this study in Chinese eyes with pigmented retinal pigment epithelium were compared with those from the Verteporfin in Photodynamic Therapy (VIP) Study of predominantly white eyes. Results: Thirty one and 22 eyes that completed the 12 month and 24 month follow up studies respectively were analysed. The mean and median best corrected visual acuities (BCVA) could be maintained at the baseline level at the 12 month and 24 month visits. Fourteen (63.6%) eyes had stable or improved BCVA at 24 months and six (27.3%) of them had a moderate gain in vision (improved by three or more lines). Visual results were comparable with that of the VIP study, but the average accumulative PDT treatments required in one and two years were 1.7 and 2.3 respectively, which were significantly less than 3.4 and 5.1 treatments in VIP study. Mean logMAR BCVA of the younger age group (<55 years) at 24 months was 0.41 (SD 0.29), which was significantly better than the older age group (&ges;=55 years) of 0.82 (SD 0.40) (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.029). Conclusions: PDT using the predetermined treatment protocol has achieved similar visual outcomes in the Chinese population as in white people with subfoveal myopic CNV over a 2 year study period. The complete cessation of CNV leakage can be accomplished, on average, with fewer PDT retreatments than reported in the VIP study. The disparity may be due to ethnic differences in these two populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To study the prevalence, type, and progression of astigmatism in Chinese preschool children, and its effect on refractive development. Methods: A cross sectional study of preschool children was carried out in two randomly selected kindergartens. A cohort study was performed on a subset of children, five years after initial examination. Refractive error (measured by cycloplegic auto refraction) and axial ocular dimensions (measured by ultrasonography) were the main study outcomes. Results: 522 children participated in the study; the mean age was 55.7 months (SD 10.9; range 27 to 77). Mean cylinder reading was -0.65 D (SD 0.58; range 0.00 to -4.75), and with the rule astigmatism was predominant (53%). In the 108 children studied longitudinally, the mean cylinder reading reduced from -0.62 D to -0.50 D (p=0.019). The presence of astigmatism in initial examination predisposed the eyes towards greater myopisation (p<0.001). In addition, children with increased astigmatism had greater myopic progression (p<0.001) and axial length growth (p = 0.002). Conclusions: This study reports a high prevalence of astigmatism in Chinese preschool children. The presence of astigmatism, and particularly with increasing astigmatism, appears to predispose the children to progressive myopia. Further studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]