title: Increased prevalence of ametropia in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 disease.
abstract: Neurofibromatosis type 1 disease is an autosomal dominant disorder associated with numerous ophthalmic and systemic manifestations. Organic causes of visual loss include optic pathway gliomas, orbital plexiform neurofibroma, and glaucoma. In this study, the authors analyzed the prevalence of ametropia as a cause for visual loss in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 disease younger than age 12 years compared to matched controls. Only children with normal neuroimaging were evaluated. Myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and anisometropia were all more common in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 disease; however, statistically significant differences were observed in mild myopia and astigmatism alone. A higher need for optical correction was found in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 disease (33.3% vs 17.1% of controls, P = .049). In conclusion, children with neurofibromatosis type 1 disease have a higher prevalence of ametropia, especially mild myopia and astigmatism, often requiring optical correction. Routine refraction screening is recommended for limiting preventable visual loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel Maccabi Healthcare Services, Ramat Hasharon, Israel gaddotan@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Gad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dotan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Shay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keren
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Chaim
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stolovitch
authors.affiliation: Gilbert Israeli Neurofibromatosis Center, Pediatric Neurology and Child Development Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Hagit
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toledano-Alhadef
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kesler
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: ametropia; neurofibromatosis type 1; refractive error