THE MANAGEMENT OF LACERATIONS OF THE ANTERIOR SEGMENT OF THE EYE.

Traffic and occupational accidents are the main causes of perforating injuries of the eye. The mechanism and the typical clinical pictures are described. Nowadays, micro-surgical techniques produce more favourable results. Treatment of iridodialysis by McCannel procedures is presented as a typical example.     

THE EYE AND VISUAL CAPACITY

The visual system is considered as the input side of a communication channel for the transfer of visually displayed information. The performance of the channel is limited to 5 to 10 bits/second but this limitation occurs at the processing and output levels: it is not due to limitations of the visual system which has a remarkable capacity to receive visually displayed information. However for the communication channel to work effectively the visual display of information must have dimensions which exceed the threshold characteristics of the visual system. Poor task design can limit performance and the production engineer must have a knowledge of human visual performance if he is to design visual displays that will permit maximum operator performance and minimise errors. The principal capabilities of the visual system are briefly reviewed under the headings of (1) detection (2) spatial resolution (3) colour discrimination (4) depth perception.     

MANAGEMENT OF DYSTHYROID EYE DISEASE

Once the diagnosis of thyroid eye disease has been made the doctor's problems begin because the management is long term with a condition that has many ramifications over a period of years. Short-term heroics to save vision by use of high-dose systemic steroids, orbital decompression or radiotherapy may have to be followed by control of diplopia by muscle surgery and prisms. Lid retraction, both upper and lower, may merit surgery, and even those patients who have come to terms with their facial appearance may still complain of lacrimation, irritation and grittiness. The advantages of a thyroid clinic, run jointly by a physician and an ophthalmologist, are presented and the patient is helped to live with this distressing condition.     

SCLERODERMA, CONNECTIVE-TISSUE DISORDERS, AND THE EYE

In 38 patients with diffuse scleroderma (progressive systemic sclerosis) ocular complications were frequent, and included dermal thickening, hardening, tightening and telangiectases of the eyelids, vascular congestion or telangiectasia of conjunctival capillaries with intravascular sludging, deficient lacrimal secretion and punctate defects in the iris pigment epithelium.