Ocular response analyzer to assess corneal biomechanical properties in exfoliation syndrome and exfoliative glaucoma

Background  

The aim of this work was to investigate the differences in corneal biomechanical parameters between healthy and exfoliation syndrome (EXS) and exfoliative glaucoma (EXG) patients.     

Ocular pneumoplethysmography after lens implantation

A series of letters in this journal discussed the safety of ocular pneumoplethysmography (OPG-Gee) in pseudophakic patients. In the interval since these letters, experience with OPG-Gee tests performed on 115 pseudophakic eyes demonstrated no ocular morbidity associated with these procedures.     

Ocular ischaemic syndrome

Ocular ischaemic syndrome is a rare condition. It often results in blindness and is linked to serious systemic morbidity. Its presentation is usually subtle and it can be misdiagnosed due to its diverse signs and symptoms. A case of ocular ischaemic syndrome is presented and current diagnostic procedures and treatment described. Recognition by the clinician is important because of the severe ocular and potential systemic sequelae.     

Ocular Munchausen's syndrome

Patients with contrived histories and/or self-induced physical abnormalities (Munchausen's syndrome) are often successful in deceiving physicians. We recently cared for four patients with ocular Munchausen's syndrome. Self-induced ocular manifestations included voluntary nystagmus, subconjunctival hemorrhages, chronic orbital emphysema requiring exenteration, corneal alkali burns, erosions and ulcerations, and abscesses of the periorbital area. Correct diagnoses of ocular Munchausen's syndrome were made only after extensive medical and surgical investigations. Suggestions for evaluation and treatment will also be discussed.     

Ocular ischemic syndrome

Ocular ischemic syndrome (OIS) is a group of ocular diseases caused by chronic artery occlusion usually involving the internal carotid artery. Patients suffer from visual loss and pain. OIS is a rare disease which can be confounded with diabetic retinopathy or an older central retinal vein occlusion. The only therapy is to treat the neovascular complications. Due to the high mortality of OIS patients, medical and neurological examinations are mandatory. We discuss the clinical findings and diagnostic and therapeutic options of OIS patients in this paper.     

Ocular histoplasmosis syndrome

The Macular Photocoagulation Study (MPS) is a multi-center clinical trial supported by the National Eye Institute whose purpose is to assess argon laser photocoagulation as a treatment for choroidal neovascular membranes (NVMs) that do not involve the fovea. The MPS documented that in patients with ocular histoplasmosis syndrome argon laser photocoagulation in comparison with no treatment can reduce the risk of severe visual loss from 46 to 13% in the first two years. Accordingly, patients with ocular histoplasmosis and NVMs outside the fovea are advised to undergo prompt treatment with argon laser photocoagulation.     

Ocular and systemic pseudoexfoliation syndrome

PURPOSE: To provide an update on most recent developments regarding ocular and systemic manifestations and complications, clinical diagnosis and management, and molecular pathophysiology of pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome, and to discuss future tasks and challenges in this field. DESIGN: Perspective. METHODS: Review of recent literature and authors' own clinical and laboratory studies. RESULTS: PEX syndrome is a common age-related generalized fibrotic matrix process of worldwide significance, which may not only cause severe chronic open-angle glaucoma and cataract, but also a spectrum of other serious spontaneous and surgical intraocular complications. Recent progress and advances have led to (1) improvements in clinical management by understanding the effects of the PEX process on ocular tissues, by refining diagnostic criteria, by applying new treatment regimes, and by developing preventive strategies to reduce surgical complications; (2) increasing evidence for systemic associations of PEX with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity; and (3) new insights into the molecular pathophysiology by analyzing the composition of PEX material, the differential gene expression of affected tissues, and key factors involved in pathogenesis. The current pathogenetic concept describes PEX syndrome as an elastic microfibrillopathy involving transforming growth factor-beta1, oxidative stress, and impaired cellular protection mechanisms as key pathogenetic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Future tasks and challenges comprise epidemiologic prevalence and genetic studies of PEX syndrome, prospective randomized clinical and histopathological screening studies on its systemic manifestations and associations, and intensified basic research on differential protein and gene expression, animal and in vitro models, as well as potential biomarkers for PEX syndrome and its associated glaucoma.     

Ocular fat embolism syndrome

Ocular fat embolism syndrome in the complete absence of any cardiac defects is a rare phenomenon which is not commonly encountered in ophthalmic practice. We present a case of a 16-year-old girl with fat embolism syndrome and involvement of the retina after a tibial fracture without any cardiac defect.     

后房型人工晶体植入术后高眼压及处理

目的探讨后房型人工晶体植入术后高眼压及处理。方法分析58例68眼后房型人工晶体植入患者的高眼压发生率。结果其中23眼（33．82％）术后第一天眼压大于21mmHg，睫状沟固定型高眼压发生率为30．5％     

Ocular findings in Fryns syndrome

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the ocular histopathologic findings in Fryns syndrome, a multiple congenital anomaly syndrome, with characteristic features including Dandy-Walker malformation, cleft palate, diaphragmatic hernia, lung hypoplasia, distal limb anomalies and polyhydramnios. The prevalence is about 0.7 per 10,000 births. Reported ocular features include microphthalmus, "cloudy cornea", irregularities of Bowman's layer, thickened posterior lens capsule and retinal dysplasia. METHODS: Case report. The ocular histopathologic and ultrastructural findings in a male fetus with Fryns syndrome who died immediately after his birth at 26th week of gestation are shown. RESULTS: An abnormal Descemet's membrane was found in addition to "cloudy corneae". Electron microscopy demonstrated absence of the banded collagen fibrils in Descemet's membrane, indicating corneal endothelial dysfunction. Otherwise, the eye was morphologically normal for its age; none of the other reported ocular features of Fryns syndrome were found. CONCLUSION: Corneal endothelial dysfunction might cause abnormal composition of anterior Descemet's membrane and could contribute to the "cloudy cornea" known to occur in Fryns syndrome.     

Ocular manifestations of Seckel syndrome

PURPOSE: To report ophthalmic findings in three siblings with Seckel syndrome. METHODS: Observational case report. Three siblings with Seckel syndrome were examined. RESULTS: Severe bilateral pigmentary retinopathy with severe myopia and astigmatism was found in all three patients. Electroretinography was performed on the eldest sibling and showed no detectable rod or cone responses. CONCLUSION: Severe, early onset, bilateral retinal degeneration with severe myopia and astigmatism may be associated with Seckel syndrome.     

Ocular findings in Aicardi syndrome

During the last six years the author has seen three new cases of Aicardi's syndrome, which hitherto had only been diagnosed in a total of 15 to 20 cases. One child also had Handmann's anomaly (morning glory syndrome), another a disturbance of leucine metabolism. The ophthalmoscopic findings in the third child were pathogmonomic, so that it was possible to establish the diagnosis before the EEG showed the typical curves, and even before callosal agenesis was shown by CT or vertebral anomalies by X-ray examination.     

Ocular manifestations of Alport syndrome

AIM： To analyze the clinical manifestation of Alport syndrome, especially the ocular features. METHODS: The physical, ophthalmologic and audiologic examination results of thirty-two patients with Alport syndrome were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Thirty (93.7%) patients had some family history. All patients had renal disease: eighteen (56.3%) patients with chronic renal failure, four (12.5%) patients with renal insufficiency, and the other ten (31.3%) patients with hematuria. Twenty (62.5%) patients had sensorineural deafness. Thirteen (40.6%) patients had ocular deformity, five (15.7%) patients had typical ocular changes: three patients with anterior lenticonus, and two patients with macular flecks. CONCLUSION: Ocular anomalies are not requisite for the diagnosis of Alport syndrome. But its typical ocular features should be recognized by the ophthalmologists which supports the diagnosis.