Lazy eye

Sometimes a child’s vision deteriorates in an otherwise healthy eye, a condition known as amblyopia. Administering eyedrops daily to temporarily blur the vision of the “good” eye can strengthen the so-called lazy eye. Would the drops work as well if given less often?

This study randomly assigned 168 children with amblyopia to be given atropine eyedrops either daily or only on weekends. All children were younger than 7 and had been diagnosed with a moderately lazy eye

After four months, improvement was similar in both groups: Normal vision had returned to 47 percent of the children given the drops daily and 53 percent of those treated only on weekends.

Caveats: About 16 percent of the children treated daily and 29 percent of the weekend group complained of sensitivity to light when using the drops.

Bottom line: Parents of a child being treated for amblyopia may want to talk with an ophthalmologist about how often eyedrops need to be administered.

Find this study: November issue of Ophthalmology; abstract available online at www.aaojournal.org.

Diabetes

An increase of albumin in the urine of people with Type 2 diabetes is considered an early sign of kidney disease. Might blood-pressure drugs — such as ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers — help prevent this condition, known as microalbuminuria?

This study involved 1,204 adults with Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure but normal levels of urinary albumin. They were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: an ACE inhibitor (trandolapril), a calcium channel blocker (verapamil), a combination of the two or a placebo. After 3 1/2 years, microalbuminuria had developed in 6 percent of those who had taken the combination or the ACE inhibitor alone, compared with 12 percent of those who had taken channel blockers and 10 percent of the placebo group.

Caveats: Twelve participants died during the study, including five from cardiovascular disease (one was taking the ACE inhibitor; one, the channel blocker; and three, the placebo). The study was funded in part by Abbott, which markets the drugs used in the study.

Bottom line: People with Type 2 diabetes may want to talk with their doctor about taking an ACE inhibitor or a combination ACE inhibitor/channel blocker.

Find this study: Nov. 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine; abstract available online at www.nejm.org.