Paraneoplastic and non-paraneoplastic retinopathy and optic neuropathy: Evaluation and management

Paraneoplastic syndromes involving the visual system are a heterogeneous group of disorders occurring in the setting of systemic malignancy. Timely recognition of one of these entities can facilitate early detection and treatment of an unsuspected, underlying malignancy, sometimes months before it would have otherwise presented, and gives the patient an increased chance at survival. We outline the clinical features, pathogenesis, and treatment strategies for the retinal- and optic nerve–based paraneoplastic syndromes: cancer-associated retinopathy; melanoma-associated retinopathy; paraneoplastic vitelliform maculopathy; bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation; paraneoplastic optic neuropathy; and polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes syndrome. Distinguishing these disorders from their non-paraneoplastic counterparts (e.g., autoimmune-related retinopathy and optic neuropathy, and acute zonal occult outer retinopathy) and determining appropriate systemic evaluation for the responsible tumor can be challenging. In addition, we discuss the utility and interpretation of autoantibody testing.     

Segmentation and accuracy in copying and drawing: Experts and beginners

As part of an ongoing investigation into real-world copying and drawing, I recorded the eye-hand drawing strategies of 16 subjects with drawing experiences ranging from expert to novice while they copied a line drawing of a standing nude. The experts produced accurate copies whereas all the beginners produced marked inaccuracies of overall scaling, proportion and shape. Analysis of eye and hand movements showed that the experts alone segmented the original drawing into simple line sections that were copied one at a time using a direct eye-hand strategy not requiring intermediary encoding to visual memory. The results suggest that segmentation into simple lines defines the task-specific process of accurate copying, and that this process is restricted to experts, i.e. acquired through training and practice. Additional preliminary tests also suggest that a similar process may apply to drawing a model from life.     

Sensitivity to first- and second-order motion and form in children and adults

We compared the sensitivity of adults and children aged 3-10 years to first- and second-order motion and form. For first-order stimuli, at all ages sensitivity was better for motion than form, and motion thresholds were better at 6 Hz than at 1.5 Hz. For second-order stimuli, at all ages sensitivity was better for form than motion, and motion thresholds were better at 0.25 cyc/deg than at 1 cyc/deg. Thresholds became adult-like later for motion than for form and later for first-order than second-order stimuli. For first-order stimuli, the changes with age were larger and more protracted.     

Nodes and nodal points and lines in eyes and other optical systems

The typical stigmatic optical system has two nodal points: an incident nodal point and an emergent nodal point. A ray through the incident nodal point emerges from the system through the emergent nodal point with its direction unchanged. In the presence of astigmatism nodal points are not possible in most cases. Instead there are structures, called nodes in this paper, of which nodal points are special cases. Because of astigmatism most eyes do not have nodal points a fact with obvious implications for concepts, such as the visual axis, which are based on nodal points. In order to gain insight into the issues this paper develops a general theory of nodes which holds for optical systems in general, including eyes, and makes particular allowance for astigmatism and relative decentration of refracting elements in the system. Key concepts are the incident and emergent nodal characteristics of the optical system. They are represented by 2 × 2 matrices whose eigenstructures define the nature and longitudinal position of the nodes. If a system's nodal characteristic is a scalar matrix then the node is a nodal point. Otherwise there are several possibilities: Firstly, a node may take the form of a single nodal line. Second, a node may consist of two separated nodal lines reminiscent of the familiar interval of Sturm although the nodal lines are not necessarily orthogonal. Third, a node may have no obvious nodal line or point. In the second and third of these classes one can define mid-nodal ellipses. Astigmatic systems exist with nodal points and stigmatic systems exist with no nodal points. The nodal centre may serve as an approximation for a nodal point if the node is not a point. Examples in the Appendix , including a model eye, illustrate the several possibilities.     

Ethics and optometry: concepts and applications

Ethics refers both to the study of behaviour, and moral principals. The related concepts of justice and law are also relevant to optometry. A profession typically claims specialist knowledge and ethical behaviour – putting the interests of clients above its own. However, professional codes fail as ethical directives, and their goals are questioned. Beginning with broad principles, institutional ethics and issues of general health care provision are considered, and applications to optometry are made. Ethical theory can guide us in interacting with our patients, utilising resources and ordering priorities. The conservative approach to consumerism and advertising is defended on the basis of protecting public and professional interests. Ethical behaviour can be fostered, and this process should begin in undergraduate education.     

Nutritional antioxidants and age-related cataract and maculopathy

Loss of vision is the second greatest, next to death, fear among the elderly. Age-related cataract (ARC) and maculopathy (ARM) are two major causes of blindness worldwide. There are several important reasons to study relationships between risk for ARC/ARM and nutrition: (1) because it is likely that the same nutritional practices that are associated with prolonged eye function will also be associated with delayed age-related compromises to other organs, and perhaps, aging in general, (2) surgical resources are insufficient to provide economic and safe surgeries for cataract and do not provide a cure for ARM, and (3) there will be considerable financial savings and improvements in quality of life if health rather than old age is extended, particularly given the rapidly growing elderly segment of our population. It is clear that oxidative stress is associated with compromises to the lens and retina. Recent literature indicates that antioxidants may ameliorate the risk for ARC and ARM. Given the association between oxidative damage and age-related eye debilities, it is not surprising that over 70 studies have attempted to relate antioxidant intake to risk for ARC and ARM. This article will review epidemiological literature about ARC and ARM with emphasis on roles for vitamins C and E and carotenoids. Since glycation and glycoxidation are major molecular insults which involve an oxidative stress component, we also review new literature that relates dietary carbohydrate intake to risk for ARC and ARM. To evaluate dietary effects as a whole, several studies have tried to relate dietary patterns to risk for ARC. We will also give some attention to this emerging research. While data from the observational studies generally support a protective role for antioxidants in foods or supplements, results from intervention trials are less encouraging with respect to limiting risk for ARC/ARM prevalence or progress through antioxidant supplementations, or maintaining higher levels of antioxidants either in diet or blood. Without more information it is difficult to parse these results. It would be worthwhile to determine why the various types of studies are not yielding similar results. However, there are many common insults and mechanistic compromises that are associated with aging, and proper nutrition early in life may address some of these compromises and provide for extended youthful function later in life. Indeed, proper nutrition, possibly including use of antioxidant supplements for the nutritionally impoverished, along with healthy life styles may provide the least costly and most practical means to delay ARC and ARM. Further studies should be devoted to identifying the most effective strategy to prevent or delay the development and progress of ARC/ARM. The efforts should include identifying the right nutrient(s), defining useful levels of the nutrient(s), and determining the age when the supplementation should begin.     

Exogenous attention and color perception: performance and appearance of saturation and hue

Exogenous covert attention is an automatic, transient form of attention that can be triggered by sudden changes in the periphery. Here we test for the effects of attention on color perception. We used the methodology developed by Carrasco, Ling, and Read [Carrasco, M., Ling, S., & Read, S. (2004). Attention alters appearance. Nature Neuroscience, 7 (3) 308-313] to explore the effects of exogenous attention on appearance of saturation (Experiment 1) and of hue (Experiment 2). We also tested orientation discrimination performance for single stimuli defined by saturation or hue (Experiment 3). The results indicate that attention increases apparent saturation, but does not change apparent hue, notwithstanding the fact that it improves orientation discrimination for both saturation and hue stimuli.     

血糖和血脂异常代谢与糖尿病性眼肌麻痹患者的关联分析

目的探究糖代谢和脂代谢异常与糖尿病性眼肌麻痹患者的关联性。方法选取2012年2月至2016年2月在首都医科大学附属北京同仁医院神经内科住院的39例糖尿病性眼肌麻痹患者为观察组,40例于本院体检中心进行健康检查的人群为对照组。对比两组研究对象糖代谢(Hb A1c、FPG、2h PBG)及脂代谢(TG、TC、HDL-C、LDL-C)水平;分析观察组患者脂代谢指标中TG、TC与糖代谢指标Hb A1c的相关性。结果观察组糖代谢的Hb A1c、FPG及2h PBG水平显著高于对照组;观察组脂代谢的TG、TC及LDL-C水平显著高于对照组,指标HDL-C水平低于对照组;观察组血糖血脂的关联性分析得出TG及TC与Hb A1c呈正相关,均处于平行上升趋势。结论糖尿病患者高血糖和血脂代谢异常是引发颅神经病变的因素,导致患者眼肌麻痹并发症的出现,治疗和改善糖尿病患者血糖及血脂代谢异常,可以更好的预防糖尿病患者眼肌麻痹的发生。     

非球面单焦点及多焦点人工晶体眼高阶像差及对比敏感度比较

目的探讨非球面、单焦点及多焦点人工晶体眼的对比敏感度及高阶像差的差别。方法病人进行随机分组,其中一组病人植入非球面人工晶体Z9001,一组植入单焦点人工晶体SA60AT,一组植入多焦点人工晶体SA40N,共124只眼进入本研究。术后由Allegretto Wave Analyzer(Allegretto,Germany)像差仪测量高阶像差,由CSV-1000E(Vector Vision,USA)测量对比敏感度。结果术后的最佳矫正视力,瞳孔直径,撕囊口直径的大小及角膜高阶像差比较,组间差异不具有统计学意义。术后的高阶像差测量,其中球面像差、4阶高阶像差及总体像差比较中SA40N组大于SA60AT组,SA60AT组大于Z9001组。对比敏感度比较,在所有的空间频率3、6、12、18cpd,Z9001组大于SA60AT组,SA60AT组大于SA40N组。结论多焦点人工晶体眼较单焦点人工晶体相比,可以引起眼的高阶像差增加,对比敏感度降低。非球面人工晶体可以减少球面像差、增加对比敏感度。     

Aberration and contrast sensitivity comparison of aspherical and monofocal and multifocal intraocular lens eyes

BACKGROUND: Higher-order aberrations and contrast sensitivity were evaluated in patients who underwent phacoemulsification cataract extraction followed by implantation of aspherical, monofocal or multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) replacements. METHODS: In this comparative trial, 124 patients with an average age of 66.8+/-5.2 years and their 124 eyes were randomly divided into three surgical implantation groups to receive one of three types of IOLs in replacement of cataract lenses. The patients of group 1 were given an aspherical IOL Z9001 (AMO, Santa Ana, CA, USA) replacement, and group 2 was implanted a monofocal IOL SA60AT (Alcon, Fort Worth, TX, USA) and group 3 the multifocal IOL SA40N (AMO). Post-surgical best-corrected visual acuity, corneal aberrations, total ocular aberrations, pupil diameters, capsulorhexsis sizes and contrast sensitivity were measured and compared. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference for mean best-corrected visual acuity, pupil diameter, curvilinear capsulorhexis size and corneal aberration among the three groups. For the spherical aberration, fourth-order higher-order aberration and total ocular higher-order aberration, the SA40N group was higher than the SA60AT group and the SA60AT group was higher than the Z9001 group, and the differences between the three groups were statistically significant for these measurements. Contrast sensitivity was higher for the Z9001 group than the SA60AT group and the SA60AT group was higher than the SA40N group, and the difference was statistically significant in all the spatial frequencies of 3, 6, 12 and 18. CONCLUSIONS: Although the multifocal IOL can provide near vision, it can increase higher-order aberration and negatively influence contrast sensitivity. However, the aspherical IOL can reduce aberration and improve contrast sensitivity as compared with the monofocal IOL.     

Ocular malingering and hysteria: diagnosis and management

Confronted with a claim of poor vision in the absence of any apparent pathology, the ophthalmologist must consider the possibility that the patient is malingering or hysterical. The authors define four categories of such patients, and recommend diagnostic approaches for each. Specific diagnostic tests are described, as are methods of managing patients once the diagnosis of malingering or hysteria has been made.     

Proximal and accommodative convergence and age

The authors have estimated the phoria for distant and near fixation in two groups of subjects (mean age 27.5 ± 4.4 and 59.2 ± 8.2 years). Different accommodative stimuli were induced by adding minus lenses for distant fixation and plus lenses for near fixation. Statistical analysis of the experimental data indicates that, for distant fixation, the value of phoria per unit of accommodative stimulus is significantly lower in presbyopic than in nonpresbyopic subjects. Also, during near fixation, the accommodative convergence (AC/A ratio) is more reliable in the presbyopic subjects when the accommodative stimulus is progressively reduced. This varying behavior indicates in presbyopic subjects that proximal convergence is of greater relative importance in the determination of the fusion-free position. In nonpresbyopic subjects, accommodative convergence is the more important component.     

Anesthesia and preoperative and postoperative medications

Although certain methods such as retrobulbar blocks are used extensively, improvements in procedure can always be implemented. The use of ultrasound, low concentrations of anesthesia, careful monitoring, and, in the case of risk patients, anesthesia standby are all important considerations to ensure uneventful treatments. Topical anesthesia eliminates needle risk as well as risk of ptosis and bruising. Because it has been demonstrated that bacteria routinely enter the anterior chamber during uncomplicated cataract surgery, certain irrigation solutions are helpful, but still debatable. Postoperatively, diclofenac, flurbiprofen, and timolol have all been proven to be effective in reducing ocular inflammation, reducing incidence of CME, and controlling pressure increase, respectively.     

Clinical and experimental links between diabetes and glaucoma

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness. It is a multifactorial condition, the risk factors for which are increasingly well defined from large‐scale epidemiological studies. One risk factor that remains controversial is the presence of diabetes. It has been proposed that diabetic eyes are at greater risk of injury from external stressors, such as elevated intraocular pressure. Alternatively, diabetes may cause ganglion cell loss, which becomes additive to a glaucomatous ganglion cell injury. Several clinical trials have considered whether a link exists between diabetes and glaucoma. In this review, we outline these studies and consider the causes for their lack of concordant findings. We also review the biochemical and cellular similarities between the two conditions. Moreover, we review the available literature that attempts to answer the question of whether the presence of diabetes increases the risk of developing glaucoma. At present, laboratory studies provide robust evidence for an association between diabetes and glaucoma.     

Caveolins and caveolae in ocular physiology and pathophysiology

Caveolae are specialized, invaginated plasma membrane domains that are defined morphologically and by the expression of signature proteins called, caveolins. Caveolae and caveolins are abundant in a variety of cell types including vascular endothelium, glia, and fibroblasts where they play critical roles in transcellular transport, endocytosis, mechanotransduction, cell proliferation, membrane lipid homeostasis, and signal transduction. Given these critical cellular functions, it is surprising that ablation of the caveolae organelle does not result in lethality suggesting instead that caveolae and caveolins play modulatory roles in cellular homeostasis. Caveolar components are also expressed in ocular cell types including retinal vascular cells, Müller glia, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), conventional aqueous humor outflow cells, the corneal epithelium and endothelium, and the lens epithelium. In the eye, studies of caveolae and other membrane microdomains (i.e., “lipid rafts”) have lagged behind what is a substantial body of literature outside vision science. However, interest in caveolae and their molecular components has increased with accumulating evidence of important roles in vision-related functions such as blood-retinal barrier homeostasis, ocular inflammatory signaling, pathogen entry at the ocular surface, and aqueous humor drainage. The recent association of CAV1/2 gene loci with primary open angle glaucoma and intraocular pressure has further enhanced the need to better understand caveolar functions in the context of ocular physiology and disease. Herein, we provide the first comprehensive review of literature on caveolae, caveolins, and other membrane domains in the context of visual system function. This review highlights the importance of caveolae domains and their components in ocular physiology and pathophysiology and emphasizes the need to better understand these important modulators of cellular function.     

Age and the lens — refraction and accommodation

The increasing radius of the lens surfaces and the development of cortex and nucleus due to the differences in refractive indices, explain the physiological changes in refraction and accommodation which occur during life.     

晶状体细胞与信号转导和通讯

细胞信号转导和通讯在维持细胞的正常发育、增殖、分化、代谢及死亡中起到关键作用,是近几年研究的热点。本文对晶状体细胞信号转导系统中的信号、受体、主要转导通路和细胞通讯,以及它们的异常与白内障的关系进行综述,以期对白内障的发病机制作深入研究,为白内障的药物防治提供新的研究方向。     

Anesthesia and preoperative and postoperative medications

Retrobulbar blocks, although widely used, still have potentially serious complications. Topical anesthesia presents less risk of injury to the globe and less pain but requires careful usage and an experienced surgeon. New techniques, however, allow for an increase in the percentage of patients able to have topical anesthesia. Preoperatively, 2.5% phenylephrine is found to be just as effective as 10% phenylephrine, and, when compared with wound closure and surgeon's experience, the effect of prophylactic medications was found to be negated. Postoperatively, diclofenac is found to be as effective an anti-inflammatory agent as prednisolone. Also, the addition of 10% phenylephrine to 4% pilocarpine drops enhances the effectiveness of pharmacologic treatment of postoperative iridocorneal adhesions. In addition, ophthalmologists should be aware of emerging antibiotic resistance.