Comparative study of final visual outcome between open- and closed-globe injuries following surgical treatment of traumatic cataract

Objective  

The objective of this work is to compare final visual outcomes in cases of surgically treated traumatic cataract between open-globe and closed-globe groups, as classified by the Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology system.     

A Feasibility Study on Recruiting Fathers of Young Children to Examine the Impact of Paternal Depression on Child Development

Fathers are underrepresented in research on mental health and child outcome.We tested a range of methods of recruitment of fathers to establish feasibility and recruitment rates to obtain a sample for a study on paternal depression and child development. The study took place in North London. Fathers of children aged 6 years and under were approached via: general practice surgeries by post and by face-to-face contact with attendees; child health surveillance clinics face-to-face or via their partners and via hospital postnatal wards face-to-face or by post. Researcher time and associated costs were monitored for each method, and symptoms of depression and anxiety measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Face-to-face recruitment of fathers on the postnatal ward generated the highest return rate of HADS (28/37; 76%), followed by postal recruitment through general practice (41%;124/303). Lower response rates were observed with postal recruitment via postnatal wards (31%), recruitment in child health surveillance clinics (20%) and approaching attendees in general practice (16%). Twelve percent (23/194) and 30% (58/194) of fathers respectively reported depression and anxiety above the cut-off for case-definition. Costs were calculated on pro-rata researcher time. Costs of recruiting one participant ranged from £ 3 (general practice postal) to £ 11.75 (child health surveillance clinics), however the general practice attender method was disproportionately expensive (£ 52.50). This feasibility study shows that it is possible to recruit fathers to mental health studies and provides clear guidance on planning, costing and the expected levels of recruitment for future studies on fathers of young children.     

Comparative study of visual outcome of newly designed scleral tuck lens and suture-fixated lens for rehabilitation of aphakia in various aetiologies

Purpose:Visual rehabilitation in aphakia can be performed using several modalities. However, these modalities could be either technically difficult or expensive. Herein, we developed a scleral tuck lens to provide a simple and cost-effective solution for aphakia and compared its outcome with standard methods.Methods:A specially designed posterior chamber self-sustaining lens was implanted in patients with aphakia without capsular support because of different primary etiologies. The visual outcomes, as well as intraoperative and postoperative complications, were examined. The data were retrieved from electronic medical records, and visual outcome and complication rates were compared. The outcomes were also compared according to the etiology and age groups (pediatric and adults).Results:We found significant improvement in preoperative and postoperative visual outcome. We did not find any significant difference in visual outcome amongst suture-supported scleral fixated lens with scleral tuck lens.Conclusion:Satisfactory visual outcomes were noted with minimal complications; and comparable with gold standard suture fixated lens, however long-term follow-up is required.     

Neuro-ophthalmological manifestations of diabetes mellitus during COVID-19-related lockdown in India

Purpose:The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a huge impact on the health care system. Diversion of health care workforce toward management of a high number of COVID-19 cases and lockdown restrictions have affected the follow-up of patients. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of this situation on the control of diabetes, eventually resulting in related neuro-ophthalmological complications.Methods:This retrospective case series included diabetic patients visiting the neuro-ophthalmology clinic at a tertiary care eye center in India from 25 March 2020 to 25 September 2020 during the lockdown. The incidence of diabetes-related neuro-ophthalmological complications, including third, fourth, sixth nerve palsies and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) was evaluated and compared with that of the same period during 2019.Results:Overall disease incidence rate was significantly higher in the year 2020 (60.2%) compared to the previous year of 2019 (29.8%). The proportion of third nerve palsy (4.8% vs 16.3%, P < 0.001) and NAION (0.3% vs 14.3%, P < 0.001) had increased. Even though the percentage of sixth nerve palsy was 25% in 2020, this was not significantly different from 2019. There was a reduction in the percentage of fourth nerve palsy cases from the year 2019 to 2020.Conclusion:There was a significant increase in diabetes-related neuro-ophthalmic complications during the COVID-19 lockdown. This can possibly be attributed to worsening of glycemic control in diabetic patients.     

Identification of abuse experiences of South Asian women in the US and women in Mumbai,India

Abstract

The authors describe the experiences of abuse drawn from in-depth interviews conducted with 20 South Asian women in the United States and a sample of 21 abused women in Mumbai, India. We describe five major themes that identify the nature of domestic violence experienced in these two contexts, barriers to help-seeking and exiting abuse, and the process of ending the abusive relationship. The research sheds light on the similarities and differences in the two contexts. We outlined the similarities in the following themes (a) type of abuse, (b) treatment of children (c) abandonment. We found differences in the following themes (d) joint meeting, (e) back and forth between natal and marital home.     

The Effect of Low-Fat and Low-Carbohydrate Diets on Weight Loss and Lipid Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The rise in obesity has emphasised a focus on lifestyle and dietary habits. We aimed to address the debate between low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets and compare their effects on body weight, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), total cholesterol, and triglycerides in an adult population. Method: Medline and Web of Science were searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing low-fat and low-carbohydrate diets up to September 2019. Three independent reviewers extracted data. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool. The meta-analysis was stratified by follow-up time using the random-effects models. Results: This meta-analysis of 38 studies assessed a total of 6499 adults. At 6–12 months, pooled analyses of mean differences of low-carbohydrate vs. low-fat diets favoured the low-carbohydrate diet for average weight change (mean difference −1.30 kg; 95% CI −2.02 to −0.57), HDL (0.05 mmol/L; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.08), and triglycerides (TG) (−0.10 mmol/L; −0.16 to −0.04), and favoured the low-fat diet for LDL (0.07 mmol/L; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.12) and total cholesterol (0.10 mmol/L; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.18). Conclusion and Relevance: This meta-analysis suggests that low-carbohydrate diets are effective at improving weight loss, HDL and TG lipid profiles. However, this must be balanced with potential consequences of raised LDL and total cholesterol in the long-term.