Anaerobic orbital abscess secondary to intraorbital wood

A case of anaerobic orbital cellulitis secondary to intraorbital wood and an approach to management are presented. Retained foreign bodies should be suspected in all penetrating orbital injuries involving wood. Computed tomography (CT) should be performed to delineate the location and size of any foreign body and to determine damage to adjacent structures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is useful in certain circumstances. Orbital infection should be anticipated and broad-spectrum antibiotic cover (including anaerobes) provided. Surgical intervention should be undertaken to remove any retained foreign bodies to prevent vision-threatening complications.     

Construction of a cDNA library from human retinal pigment epithelial cells challenged with rod outer segments

Background: To study genes expressed by retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells during phagocytosis and digestion of rod outer segments (ROS), a complementary (c)DNA library was produced using an in-vitro model. The cDNA library can be used to study molecular changes which contribute to the development of diseases due to a failure in outer segment phagocytosis and digestion by RPE cells. Here we demonstrate a way to study genes and their functions using a molecular biological approach and describing the first step involved in this process, the construction of a cDNA library.
Methods and results: Human RPE cells obtained from the eyes of a seven-year-old donor were cultured and challenged with bovine ROS. The culture was harvested and total RNA was extracted. Complementary DNA was transcribed from the messenger (m)RNA and was directionally cloned into the LambdaGEM-4 bacteriophage vector successfully. Some clones were picked and the DNA extracted, to determine the size of the inserts as a measure of the quality of the library.
Conclusions: Molecular biology and cell culture are important tools to be used in eye research, especially in areas where tissue is limiting and animal models are not available. We now have a ROS challenged RPE cDNA library which will be used to identify genes responsible for degrading phagocytosed debris within the retinal pigment epithelium.     

Angiosarcoma of the eyelid

Background: Angiosarcomas are uncommon malignant tumours of vascular endothelium. They frequently affect the face and scalp, but to our knowledge there are only three reports of eyelid involvement.
Methods/results: We report a case of angiosarcoma arising from the eyelid skin in a 79-year-old woman. Treatment was surgical with wide excision and staged reconstruction of the defect. Systemic oncological work-up for metastatic disease was negative. Adjuvant systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy were considered but were not felt to be of proven benefit and were not used. The patient died seven months after presentation from a myocardial infarct.
Conclusion: Angiosarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unusual or atypical eyelid lesions. Management is wide surgical excision, although adjuvant systemic therapy should be considered in selected cases in consultation with an oncologist.     

Amyloidosis of the conjunctiva

Background: Amyloid of the eyelid conjunctiva is an extremely rare condition which may result in chronic discomfort and multiple surgeries.
Methods: A retrospective study of four patients from Moorfields Eye Hospital is presented to assess the clinical features and results of surgical treatment.
Results: Three patients had persistent ocular irritation and required multiple surgical procedures for recurrent amyloid. However, one patient has been followed for nearly 30 years with relatively few symptoms, and has required only infrequent surgical intervention. All patients underwent debulking and ptosis surgery at least once. The more severe clinical course was not related to the type of amyloid protein present. Shave excision of recurrent tarsal conjunctival arnyloid with split-thickness mucous membrane grafting was successfully tried in one patient in order to minimise postoperative cicatrisation of the posterior lamella.
Conclusion: The clinical course of patients with eyelid amyloid may vary greatly. Management should be conservative when possible, but surgery is an integral part of management since debulking of amyloid deposits and ptosis surgery was required in all patients in this series.     

Treatment of orbital capillary haemangioma with interferon

Background: Capillary haemangiomas are vascular tumours of childhood characterised by proliferative and involutional phases and affecting 1% to 2% of newborns. Recently, recombinant interferons have been used in the treatment of life and sight threatening complications of these tumours. Methods: The history, results of examination, investigations, management and outcome of two patients with sight-threatening orbital capillary haemangiomas treated with recombinant interferon alpha-2a and 2b respectively were reviewed. Results: Orbital and systemic lesions displayed good response to interferons. Side effects noted were transient pyrexia and elevated serum aminotransferase levels. Disturbed liver function test results occurred in one case and normalised with temporary cessation of therapy. Conclusions: The interferons are a useful alternative treatment of orbital capillary haemangioma in selected cases.     

Automated extraction and quantification of macular drusen from fundal photographs

The objective quantification of drusen (and other macular lesions) should have applications epidemi-ologically, in the study of the natural history of drusen, and with such instruments as the scanning laser ophthalmoscope. The automated extraction of drusen from photographs is technically difficult because of uneven macular reflectance, and the confusing pattern of darker vessels. We have developed a method using an IBM personal computer, an image digitising board and specially written software. Once the image is digitised, no further input from the operator is necessary. We present the results of manual counting versus automated counting on a small series of patients with drusen. The automated technique is highly reproducible, and will calculate the retinal area occupied by drusen. The area and numbers of drusen can be compared over time, giving an index of progression. Hard drusen are fairly well detected, but the detection of soft drusen with their lower contrast remains a problem. The technique cannot distinguish between drusen and other pale lesions (e.g., atrophic retinal changes).     

Isolated bulbar conjunctival Kaposi's sarcoma

We present a case of an isolated bulbar conjunctival Kaposi's sarcoma in a man with HIV infection. This is an unusual site for the initial presentation of Kaposi's sarcoma and in this site can be confused with a caroticocavernous fistula, cavernous haeman-gioma or chronic subconjunctival haemorrhage. Biopsy is required to confirm the diagnosis in isolated disease. Local radiotherapy is the preferred treatment for isolated Kaposi's sarcoma.     

Detection of functional vision loss using the Ishihara plates

Many techniques have been described for the detection of functional visual loss. We report four cases in which Ishihara pseudo-isochromatic colour plates gave objective evidence of functional vision loss. In all cases the patients were able to read the first test pattern (No. 12), but could not distinguish any of the following pseudo-isochromatic numbers (plates 2–17). However, they experienced no difficulty in tracing the winding lines (plates 18–24), demonstrating that they in fact had normal colour vision.