Ocular findings in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A Case-Control study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatrics
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children.
• Ocular abnormalities may be associated with ADHD, but research is limited.
• Sibling controls can help minimize genetic and environmental confounding factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate ocular differences in children with ADHD compared to their unaffected siblings.
• To identify specific visual or ocular motor functions that may be impaired in ADHD.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 55 children with ADHD and 55 sibling controls.
• Comprehensive eye examinations including visual acuity, motility, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, funduscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and corneal topography (Pentacam).
• Assessment of the near point of convergence (NPC).

Main Results:

• Visual acuity and refractive errors showed no significant differences between groups, with most children not requiring corrective lenses.
• OCT and Pentacam measurements indicated normal ocular structures and no significant group differences.
• A significantly higher percentage (41.9%) of children with ADHD exhibited abnormal near point of convergence compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder demonstrate a significant deficit in their near point of convergence.
• NPC abnormalities may represent a potential ocular motor marker associated with ADHD.