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The quantitative effect of blue lenses on pediatric photoparoxysmal response - An electroencephalographic cohort
Jolanta Strzelecka1, Tymon Skadorwa2, Sergiusz Jóźwiak3
1Department of Pediatric Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland; EEG Laboratory, Bogdanowicz Memorial Hospital for Children in Warsaw, Poland.
Insights
Blue lenses (Z1) significantly suppress photosensitivity (PS) in pediatric patients, showing a 66.1% improvement. The effectiveness of these lenses in reducing photoparoxysmal responses (PPR) is consistent across epilepsy and non-epilepsy groups.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Photosensitivity (PS) is a common concern in pediatric patients, often assessed via EEG.
- Blue lenses (Z1) are explored for their potential to mitigate PS and photoparoxysmal responses (PPR).
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the efficacy of Z1 blue lenses in suppressing PS in children aged 5-18 years.
- To compare the effects of Z1 lenses in patients with and without epilepsy.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study of 100 pediatric patients (5-18 years) with grade 4 PS.
- EEG was used to assess photoparoxysmal response (PPR) with and without Z1 lenses in a within-subject design.
- Analysis included comparisons between age groups, epilepsy status, and PPR change criteria.
Main Results:
- The overall index of improvement (IOI) for PS suppression was 66.1% (P<0.001).
- No significant differences in IOI were found between hemispheres, age groups, or epilepsy vs. non-epilepsy groups.
- Median IOI varied significantly between PPR disappearance/attenuation and PPR persistence subsets.
Conclusions:
- Z1 lenses do not completely eliminate PPR but offer significant suppression.
- The quantified PS suppression by Z1 lenses provides valuable data for clinicians and manufacturers.
- Further research may refine the application of Z1 lenses for managing photosensitive epilepsy.
Purpose:
To determine and quantify the effect of blue lenses (Z1) on photosensitivity (PS) suppression in patients aged 5-18 years with and without epilepsy.
Methods:
The retrospective cohort study was carried out in 100 pediatric patients aged 5-18 years with grade 4 PS assessed with EEG for medical indications. All EEG procedures were carried out and recordings assessed by two independent researchers. The study cohort was divided into groups with and without the diagnosis of epilepsy. The overall effect of the Z1 lenses on photoparoxysmal response (PPR) was determined by directly comparing the maximum discharge values in each patient without and with Z1 lenses in a within-subject design yielding the index of overall improvement (IOI). The differences in PS suppression by brain region and side were assessed by an additional between-subject comparison of age groups (below and above 14 years). Then, overall findings were compared with the PPR change criteria developed in 2006 by Capovilla (PPR disappearance, persistence, or attenuation) which warranted another subset analysis. Finally, in a between-subject design, we assessed whether the presence of epilepsy affects the intensity of PPR in children with PS, compared to non-epilepsy children.
Results:
The IOI in the entire cohort was 66.1±2.5% (P<0.001). There were no significant differences in IOI between the left and right hemispheres, between the age groups, and between the epilepsy and non-epilepsy groups, despite some qualitative variation. With reference to literature findings, whereas median IOI were comparable in PPR disappearance and attenuation subsets, they differed significantly from the median IOI in the PPR persistence subset.
Conclusion:
Using Z1 lenses results in neither a complete PPR disappearance, nor a complete lack of effect. However, the correlation between the quantified PS suppression and the Z1 filter may be expected to become a valuable piece of information for both clinicians and manufacturers.
