To investigate visual function and ocular features in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Fifty-one children underwent a detailed ophthalmologic evaluation. Thirty-two were diagnosed with ADHD, and 19 children with attention deficit disorder (ADD). The mean age was 9.9±3.1 years. The average best-corrected visual acuity of the better-seeing eye was 1 (range 0.9-1.25) and 0.96 (range 0.5-1.25) for the fellow eye. Eighteen percent (10) had amblyopia in one or both eyes (3 had strabismic and 7 had ametropic amblyopia). Heterotropia was found in 5 (10%), and absent stereo acuity was found in 3 (6%). Subnormal convergence amplitude was noted in 2 patients (4%). The mean spherical equivalent (SE) of the eyes in this study was 0.17±1.73 (range -5.5 to +7). Twenty-two subjects (43%) had a myopia of -0.50 D or higher. Hyperopia higher than 3.5 D was seen in 10 cases(20%), and astigmatism larger or equal to 1.0 D was observed in 10 patients (20%). With-the-rule a stigmatism was by far most common type in the 29 eyes with an astigmatic refractive error (59%).Significant ametropia was detected in 42 (83%) of the patients. In contrast to other studies, we did not find a higher rate of convergence insufficiency or heterotropia.
Children diagnosed with either ADHD or ADD can present with significant ametropia but infrequent heterotropia.
Do children and adolescents with attention deficit  hyperactivity disorder have ocular abnormalities?