ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ultrasound time on macular thickness and the influence of macular thickness on visual acuity after uneventful phacoemulsification surgery.

In this study, 42 eyes of 30 cataract patients who underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery were evaluated. The phacoemulsification was performed using 20% “pulse mode” ultrasound energy. The ultrasound time of each case was noted. Visual acuity (logMAR) and macular thickness were measured pre- and postoperatively. Macular thickness was measured by “spectral-domain” optical coherence tomography using “macular map 6” (MM6) programme.

Disorders of sex development (DSD) are a group of congenital medical conditions that affect life as a whole. In this study, we aimed to reflect the experience of a multidisciplinary team in the clinical/psychiatric follow-up of a group of children and adolescents with DSD.

The study group consisted of 51 patients diagnosed with DSD. The Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Draw a Person Test and Children’s Apperception Test, and the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGIS) were used for psychiatric evaluations.

The mean age of the patients was 7.8 years (median: 7.8; min: 1.0; max: 18.0). Genetic evaluation showed 46,XX configuration in 15 patients (29.4%) and 46,XY in 35 (68.6%). One patient (2.0%) was diagnosed to have a sex chromosome disorder. Forty patients (78.4%) had no problems with their given gender identity and gender role. Thirty-four (66.7%) patients had normal intellectual capacity. Twenty-eight (54.9%) patients did not have any psychiatric problem. Depression, anxiety disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and adjustment disorders were the common diagnoses. The mean score of symptom severity on CGIS-severity-baseline was 6.15±0.68 and after one year, it was 1.46±0.51 (Z=-3.236 p=0.001). The mean score of CGI–Improvement was 1.23±0.44.

It is important to identify and treat the psychiatric disorders encountered in patients with DSD. A psychiatrist needs to be included in the professional team following these patients. Examination and observation results need to be shared by holding periodic team meetings to establish a wholesome point of view for every unique child.

This study shows that in patients who underwent uneventful phacoemulsification surgery, there is an increase in macular thickness independent of ultrasound time. We also found no correlation between macular thickness and visual acuity. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2011; 41: 286-90)