In early and intermediate age related macular degeneration (ARMD), visual acuity alone has failed to explain the complete variation of vision. The aim of the present study was to determine correlation between different visual functions and retinal morphology in eyes with early and intermediate ARMD. In this single center cross sectional study, patients diagnosed as early or intermediate ARMD in at least one eye were recruited. Visual functions measured were best- corrected distance visual acuity (DVA), near vision acuity (NVA), reading speed (RS), and contrast sensitivity (CS). Parameters such as thickness (RT) and volume (RV) of the retina, outer retinal layer thickness (ORLT) and volume (ORLV), outer nuclear layer thickness (ONLT) and volume (ONLV), retinal pigment epithelium layer-Bruch’s membrane complex thickness (RPET) and volume (RPEV) were assessed employing semi-auto segmentation method of Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT). Twenty-six eyes were evaluated. DVA, CS, and RS showed significantly good correlation with RPET, ONLT, and ONLV, whereas NVA showed good correlation with ONLV and RPET. The present study concluded that RS, CS, NVA, and DVA represent the morphological alteration in early stages and should be tested in clinical settings. ONLT, ONLV, and RPET morphological parameters can be employed as important biomarkers in diagnosis of early to intermediate ARMD.

The objective of this study was to compare visual parameters and retinal layers’ morphology pre-treatment (baseline) and 6 months post-treatment in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) eyes. A single centre, longitudinal, prospective study was conducted at a public tertiary hospital of Malaysia. Visual parameters including distance and near visual acuity (DVA and NVA), contrast sensitivity (CS), reading speed (RS), and different qualitative and quantitative optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters were evaluated pre- and 6 months post-treatment. Thirty-three naïve PCV eyes of 32 patients (mean age of 67.62 years) were evaluated pre- and post-treatment of intravitreal ranibizumab with and without photodynamic therapy. After treatment, sub retinal fluid decreased from 27 eyes (84.35%) at baseline to 7 eyes (21.88%) at 6 months while pigment epithelium detachment decreased from 32 eyes (100%) at base line to 15 eyes (46.87%) at 6 months. Mean pre-treatment quantitative morphological OCT retinal parameters including thickness and volume of central sub field, center thickness, center minimum, and maximum thickness reduced significantly. Similarly, all visual parameters including DVA, NVA, CS, and RS showed statistically significant improvement. While 89% of the eyes showed improvement in CS, 78%, 71%, and 65% of the eyes showed improvement in NVA, RS, and DVA, respectively. Thus, CS was the most treatment responsive visual parameter.

Objective: To evaluate ocular health status and ophthalmic safety practices among industrial metal workers of Moradabad, pre- and post-intervention. Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted from November 2022 to December 2023. Metal workers, recruited from an industrial zone of Moradabad, underwent eye examination and were administered a pre-validated questionnaire on ocular health and safety, translated in Hindi. A multifaceted intervention included detailed ophthalmic evaluation, correction of refractive error, and presbyopia followed by provision of personal protective equipment (PPE). Thereafter, an awareness program was conducted using leaflets, followed by monthly monitoring group meetings. All workers were followed up for one year. Results: Four hundred metal workers aged between 14 and 65 years, predominantly from unorganized sector (70%), were evaluated. While a notable percentage of the metal workers (18.50%) reported ocular injuries in last 5 years, only 11.25% wore PPE and 4.3% of the participants attended prior ophthalmic safety training at baseline evaluation. Majority of the participants reported uncorrected presbyopia and/or refractive error. All participants completed 3 stages of intervention. A total of 297 spectacles were provided. After the intervention and 1 year of monitoring, safety attitudes of the workers improved significantly ( P < 0.05). There were no cases of eye injuries reported during 1 year. Conclusions: Present research revealed eye injuries to be a significant public health concern among metal workers of Moradabad, further highlighting the minimal use of PPE. However, continuous education, increased supervision, and mandatory safety measures improved worker attitudes and reduced work-related eye injuries in this occupational group.

Objective: The relationship between morphological and visual parameters in age-related macular degeneration may reveal markers for diagnosis and management of this disease. However, there is an insignificant paucity of research reporting any strong correlation between visual and morphological components of typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Hence, the objectives of the present pilot research were to assess detailed visual components and various optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters in eyes with typical nAMD, and to determine the association between them.Material and Methods: Patients identified as naïve nAMD were recruited from a public hospital in Malaysia. Distance visual acuity (DVA), near visual acuity (NVA), reading speed (RS) and contrast sensitivity (CS) were assessed. Several quantitative and qualitative morphological parameters were evaluated, using the spectral-domain OCT. Results: Fifteen newly diagnosed Typical nAMD eyes were examined. Mean (±standard deviation) DVA, NVA, CS and RS were recorded as: 0.92±0.39, 0.80±0.38, 0.75±0.39, 70.02±14, respectively. Average retinal thickness, central thickness and centre maximum thickness demonstrated good correlation (r≥0.05 with BCVA, NVA and CS. Similarly, the Centre minimum thickness demonstrated a good correlation (r≥0.50) with DVA. An intact external limiting membrane and photoreceptors inner and outer segment showed better visual components. Conclusion: This present pilot study reported visual components and OCT parameters of Malaysian eyes with Typical nAMD, with some of the OCT parameters showing good correlation with visual components. Thus, regardless of its small sample size, this present pilot study generated new knowledge and understanding in this area. Future research with a larger sample is recommended.

An 8-year-old boy, diagnosed with moderate autism spectrum disorder visited Divine Myndz with his mother with complaints of reduced vision, inability to maintain eye contact and less attention span in terms of visual tasks. Assessment done at Divine Myndz showed that he had bilateral amblyopia, difficulty with eye movements, visual attention span and visual perceptual skills. A multi modal approach in vision therapy was planned for a period of 2 months to work on amblyopia, visual attention span and visual perceptual skills. At the end of 40 sessions over a period of 2 months, the boy showed significant improvement in visual acuity and eye movements. However, the visual perception remained same. After the initial reassessment after 40 sessions, the parents were advised to continue with remote vision therapy using vision therapy softwares that can be administered with parental support at home. Both pts2 and AmbP inet (home based vision therapy softwares) were prescribed. After 1 year of using the remote vision therapy softwares, a reassessment was conducted. The reassessment results showed that the boy had shown significant improvement in both visual perceptual skills and visual efficiency skills along with improvement in visual acuity and stereopsis. His parents reported a significant improvement in his visual task and improved attention span and eye contact.