The effect of aging on the antioxidative activity of astaxanthin in human aqueous humor.

We previously evaluated the antioxidative effects of astaxanthin intake in the aqueous humor by measuring reactive oxygen species-related parameters, including O2 •- scavenging activity, H2O2 level, and total hydroperoxides level. In this study, we analyzed the antioxidative effects of astaxanthin in relation to age in 16 males and 19 females (average age 71.3 and 70.6, respectively) who underwent bilateral cataract surgery on one side before and the other side after astaxanthin intake (6 mg/day for 2 weeks). None of the parameters correlated with age before astaxanthin intake, but only total hydroperoxides level was significantly correlated after the astaxanthin intake (r = 0.4, p<0.05). Total hydroperoxides levels were similar in younger and older patients (<70 vs ≥70 years) before astaxanthin, but decreased significantly more in younger patients (-0.21 ± 0.18 vs -0.05 ± 0.31, p<0.05) after the intake, resulting in significantly different levels (p<0.05). The previously observed decrease in mean total hydroperoxides levels following astaxanthin intake was therefore considered likely to be attributable to a greater response in younger subjects. Given that total hydroperoxides levels reflect general antioxidative status, astaxanthin intake may exert a greater antioxidative effect in younger patients. Further comparative studies involving younger subjects and different astaxanthin doses are needed.

Effects of astaxanthin on VEGF level and antioxidation in human aqueous humor: difference by sex.

In our previous report, we showed the effect of astaxanthin intake on VEGF level in the aqueous humor and the relationship between VEGF level and reactive oxygen species-related parameters and other relevant factors. VEGF level is associated with total hydroperoxide level, and a multivariate analysis identified sex as a secondary factor affecting these relationships. Here, we analyzed the effects of astaxanthin on the relationship between VEGF level and reactive oxygen species-related parameters by sex. Patients (16 males and 19 females, aged 71.3 and 70.6, respectively) underwent bilateral cataract surgery on one side before and the other side after astaxanthin treatment (6 mg/day for 2 weeks). Levels of VEGF, hydrogen peroxide, and total hydroperoxide, and O2 •- scavenging activity, were measured in the aqueous humor. In females only, VEGF level was negatively correlated with O2 •- scavenging activity before the astaxanthin intake (r = -0.6, p<0.01) and positively correlated with total hydroperoxide level before and after the astaxanthin intake (r = 0.7 and 0.8, respectively, p<0.01). In conclusion, astaxanthin appears to affect O2 •- scavenging activity in the aqueous humor in females, and is likely to be involved in the control of VEGF levels in the anterior eye.

Gender differences in mRNA expression of aquaporin 8 and glutathione peroxidase in cataractous lens following intake of an antioxidant supplement.

Antioxidants can decrease oxidative damage and prevent age-related ocular disease. Our previous investigation on human aqueous humor following intake of a lutein-containing antioxidant supplement reported an increase in the scavenging activity of superoxide in both genders and an increase in the amount of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in females. Aquaporin 8 (AQP8) is a diffusion facilitator of H2O2 and glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) is a H2O2 scavenging enzyme. The correlation between AQP8 and Gpx may be the key to determining how oxidative stress in the aqueous humor affects the lens after intake of antioxidant supplements. In this study, 24 patients with the same grade of binocular cataract were included. Anterior capsule samples, including lens epithelial cells (LECs), were collected during cataract surgery before (as pre-intake samples) and after 6 weeks of oral intake of Ocuvite Lutein ® (as post-intake samples). The mRNA expression of APQ8 and Gpx was measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Among males, AQP8 expression decreased significantly after the supplementation (P = .03), while there was no statistical change among females. AQP8 expression was significantly correlated to that of Gpx in post-intake samples among females (R = 0.69, P = .02), while no correlation was evident among males. The results suggest antioxidant supplementation may work by different mechanisms on LECs between genders. After supplementation, a decrease in AQP8 in LECs may inhibit the influx of H2O2 from the aqueous humor in males. In females however, the correlation between AQP8 and Gpx in LECs may indicate an increase in Gpx activity following the influx of H2O2 from the aqueous humor and further scavenging of H2O2.

Refractive changes after lens-sparing vitrectomy for macular hole and epiretinal membrane.

PURPOSE: Cataract progression after lens-sparing vitrectomy might differ according to original posterior segment diseases. Our objective was to analyze the refractive values after lens-sparing vitrectomy for macular hole (MH) and epiretinal membrane (ERM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 25 MH patients (25 eyes) and 23 ERM patients (23 eyes) who underwent lens-sparing vitrectomy. Refractive changes in both groups were compared. All patients underwent 20-gauge three-port pars plana vitrectomy. Fluid-air exchange was performed during vitrectomy only in the MH group. The results were analyzed using the unpaired t-test, chi-square test, or Fisher exact probability test, and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the patient's age (P=0.45). The myopia progression rate (D/month) was higher in the MH group after surgery than that in the ERM group (P=0.035). MH group had more females (P=0.043), longer surgical time (P<0.001), and higher frequencies of surgical adjuvants use (triamcinolone acetonide, P=0.019; brilliant blue G, P<0.001). The myopia progression rate in the MH group (R=0.568, P<0.001) correlated with female gender. However, no correlation was observed between longer surgical time and the use of surgical adjuvants. CONCLUSION: The rate of myopia progression was higher in the MH group. Fluid-air exchange and gender may affect the rate of myopia progression.

Evaluating the Biostability of Yellow and Clear Intraocular Lenses with a System Simulating Natural Intraocular Environment.

PURPOSE: Blue light-filtering intraocular lenses (IOLs) are thought to protect the retina from blue light damage after cataract surgery, and the implantation of yellow-tinted IOLs has been commonly used in cataract surgery. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation measuring the long-term biostability of yellow-tinted IOLs using an in vitro system simulating natural intraocular environment. METHODS: Six hydrophobic acrylic IOLs, three clear IOLs, and three yellow-tinted IOLs were included in the study. Each yellow-tinted IOL was a matching counterpart of a clear IOL, with the only difference being the lens color. The IOLs were kept in conditions replicating the intraocular environment using a perfusion culture system for 7 months. Resolution, light transmittance rate, and the modulation transfer function (MTF) were measured before and after culturing. Surface roughness of the anterior and posterior surfaces was also measured. RESULTS: After culturing for 7 months, there were no changes in the resolution, the light transmittance rate, and MTF. The surface roughness of the anterior and posterior surfaces increased after culturing; however, this increase was clinically insignificant. There were no differences in surface roughness between the clear and yellow-tinted IOLs, either before or after culturing. CONCLUSIONS: A novel in vitro system replicating intraocular environment was used to investigate the biostability of yellow-tinted IOLs. The surface roughness showed no clinically significant increase after culturing for 7 months. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: This system is useful for evaluating the biostability of IOLs.

The effect of astaxanthin on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels and peroxidation reactions in the aqueous humor.

We explored the effect of astaxanthin on vascular endothelial growth factor in the aqueous humor, by measuring vascular endothelial growth factor levels and oxidation-related parameters, including O2 (•-) scavenging activity, H2O2 level, and total hydroperoxide level in the aqueous humor, obtained from 35 patients before and after astaxanthin administration. We evaluated the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor and the oxidation-related parameters as well as the patient's diabetic status, age, and sex. Vascular endothelial growth factor levels did not change significantly but O2 (•-) scavenging activity and total hydroperoxide level significantly (p<0.05) increased and decreased, respectively. Both pre- and post- astaxanthin intake, vascular endothelial growth factor and total hydroperoxide levels were positively correlated (Pearson: r = 0.42, p<0.05; r = 0.55, p<0.01, respectively). Analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor levels and O2 (•-) scavenging activities gave a negative correlation but only pre-astaxanthin intake (r = -0.37, p<0.05). Differences in levels pre- and post-astaxanthin only showed association between vascular endothelial growth factor and total hydroperoxide (r = 0.49, p<0.01) analyzed by multiple linear regression. Using multivariate analysis, pre-astaxanthin vascular endothelial growth factor level was associated with two factors of total hydroperoxide and O2 (•-) scavenging activity (r = 0.49, p<0.05), and post-astaxanthin vascular endothelial growth factor level with two factors of total hydroperoxide and sex (r = 0.60, p<0.01). Astaxanthin intake may have affected vascular endothelial growth factor level through its antioxidant effects by increasing O2 (•-) scavenging activity and suppressing peroxide production.

Vitrectomy in patients over 90 years of age.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate vitrectomy procedures performed in patients over 90 years of age at the Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital (Koshigaya, Japan). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Vitrectomies were performed in nine eyes of nine patients who were over 90 years of age between May 2010 and March 2015. Factors such as the underlying vitreoretinal disease, preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), surgical time, postoperative body position, need for a second surgery, systemic disease, and intraoperative changes in systemic conditions have been evaluated. RESULTS: The most common cause of the underlying vitreoretinal disease was vitreous hemorrhage derived from age-related macular degeneration and posterior dislocation of the lens secondary to a posterior capsular rupture (two cases each). The mean values for the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution BCVA were 2.15 preoperatively and 1.46 postoperatively (P=0.020, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). The mean surgical time was 109 minutes. Prone position was needed in two cases, and no second surgeries were needed. The most common cause of systemic disease was hypertension, which was found in six cases. Transient hypertension was found in two cases during surgery, and these patients were treated using intravenous calcium blocker injections. CONCLUSION: Patients over 90 years of age who underwent vitrectomy procedures did not have serious problems, except transient hypertension during surgery. The BCVA significantly improved. These results indicated that vitrectomies could be performed successfully in patients over 90 years of age.

The gender-differentiated antioxidant effects of a lutein-containing supplement in the aqueous humor of patients with senile cataracts.

Antioxidant supplements are expected to decrease oxidative damage and prevent ocular diseases. In this study, changes in the anti-oxidative ability and oxidative status in the aqueous humor before and after intake of a lutein-containing supplement were measured. Forty patients who all had identical grades of cataracts in both eyes were included. The aqueous humor was collected as pre-intake samples during cataract surgery. Ocuvite + Lutein(Ⓡ), an antioxidant supplement, was administered orally beginning the day after surgery. Six weeks later, the aqueous humor was collected as a post-intake sample during cataract surgery of the opposite eye. To determine the anti-oxidative ability, the levels of superoxide (O2(*-)) scavenging activity were measured. To determine the oxidative status, the levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and total amount of hydroperoxides (TH, including H2O2 and peroxides of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids) were measured. In post-intake samples, the O2(*-) scavenging activities were significantly higher in both genders (p < 0.05). The levels of H2O2 were significantly higher (p < 0.01) while the levels of TH were significantly lower (p < 0.01) only in females. The level of H2O2 was significantly negatively correlated to the TH in the post-intake samples of both genders (r = -0.50 and p < 0.05 for males; r = -0.59 and p < 0.01 for females) while the level of H2O2 was significantly positively correlated to the O2(*-) scavenging activity in both pre- and post-intake aqueous humor in females only (r = 0.66 and p < 0.01 for pre-intake samples, r = 0.71 and p < 0.01 for post-intake samples). After the introduction of the antioxidant supplement, O2(*-) scavenging activity increased while H2O2 levels remained the same in males, suggesting that scavenging rates are proportional. In postmenopausal females, the superoxide scavenging activity also increased, however unlike in males, the H2O2 levels also increased meaning H2O2 was not completely scavenged. H2O2 is a non-free radical and can be excreted from the aqueous humor to prevent further oxidation of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, which was confirmed by the low levels of TH in post-intake samples. Antioxidant supplements are suggested to be effective in reducing oxidation in the aqueous humor by different mechanisms in both genders.

[Study of free radicals in aqueous humor in glaucoma and cataracts: differences in presence or absence of diabetes mellitus and neovascular glaucoma].

PURPOSE: This study was conducted for the purpose of comparing differences in the types of free radicals in the aqueous humor of glaucoma and cataract patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Free radicals in the aqueous humor of 44 glaucoma eyes and 15 cataract eyes were measured by electron spin resonance (ESR), followed by comparing the detection rates. In addition, subgroup analyses were also conducted for the presence or absence of complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) and neovascular glaucoma (NVG) in the patients. RESULTS: Three types of free radicals were measured, ascorbate-free radical (AFR), AFR containing a trace amount of superoxide (SO) (AFR +), and SO containing a trace amount of AFR (SO +). Significant differences were observed in the detection rates of each type between the glaucoma group (maximum SO +) and the cataract group (maximum AFR), between the DM group (maximum SO +) and the non-DM group (maximum AFR) in the glaucoma, and between the DM group (maximum AFR +) and the non-DM group (maximum AFR) in the cataract. SO + was detected in all cases of NVG regardless of whether they were DM or non-DM. CONCLUSION: Glaucoma cases are more susceptible to the generation of SO in the aqueous humor than cataracts, and they are more liable to occur in DM than in non-DM in both glaucoma and cataract cases. This study suggest an evidence for a strong correlation with SO and vascularization in NVG.

Effects of astaxanthin on antioxidation in human aqueous humor.

We evaluated the antioxidative effects of astaxanthin through the changes in superoxide scavenging activity, levels of hydrogen peroxide and total hydroperoxides in human aqueous humor. The study subjects were 35 patients who underwent bilateral cataract surgery on one side before and the other side after intake of astaxanthin (6 mg/day for 2 weeks). Their aqueous humor was taken during the surgery and subjected to measurements of the three parameters. After astaxanthin intake, the superoxide scavenging activity was significantly (p<0.05) elevated, while the level of total hydroperoxides was significantly (p<0.05) lowered. There was a significant negative correlation between the superoxide scavenging activity and the level of total hydroperoxides (r = -0.485, p<0.01), but no correlations between the hydrogen peroxide level and the other two parameters. Astaxanthin intake clearly enhanced the superoxide scavenging activity and suppressed the total hydroperoxides production in human aqueous humor, indicating the possibility that astaxanthin has suppressive effects on various oxidative stress-related diseases.

Lens dislocation has a possible relationship with laser iridotomy.

We report our recent experience of four eyes with spontaneous lens dislocation in four patients with no history of trauma or any systemic disease associated with zonular dialysis. Lens dislocation developed with 0.5 to 6 months following laser iridotomy. All patients were male and two eyes were complicated with acute primary angle closure glaucoma preoperatively. Case 1 showed bilateral lens dislocation, while cases 2 and 3 involved unilateral lens dislocation. Cases 2 and 3 showed lenses completely dislocated into the vitreous cavity. All cases needed lens removal and scleral fixation of intraocular lenses. Final visual acuity was 1.2 in all cases. We suspect that laser iridotomy may induce localized zonular dialysis that results in progressive zonular weakness, leading to lens dislocation.

A case of radial keratoneuritis in non-Acanthamoeba keratitis.

A case of non-Acanthamoeba keratitis with radial keratoneuritis, which is thought to be pathognomonic for Acanthamoeba keratitis, is reported. A healthy 32-year-old woman with a history of frequent replacement of her contact lenses due to wear was examined at Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital (Saitama, Japan) and found to have a slight corneal opacity that was accompanied by radial keratoneuritis. Based on both the patient's clinical findings and past history, the presence of Acanthamoeba keratitis was highly suspected. However, direct light microscopy of corneal scrapings stained by the Parker ink-potassium hydroxide method only found Acanthamoeba-type material in the specimen collected at her initial visit. In all other specimens collected from the patient, no Acanthamoeba was found either when using the same method or when performing cultures of the surgical debridement of the corneal lesion. In addition, topical antifungal eye drops, systemic antifungal drugs, and surgical debridement were also not effective in this case. Since a precise diagnosis could not be made, the patient was treated with topical 0.1% betamethasone sodium, which ultimately resulted in a dramatic improvement of her corneal inflammation. At 23 days after initiation of topical administration of 0.1% betamethasone sodium, visual acuity was 20/250, with a slight corneal opacity noted at the original site of infection. The outcome of the current case suggests that radial keratoneuritis is not always pathognomonic for Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Four cases of endophthalmitis after 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy.

We report our recent experience with four cases of endophthalmitis (one male, three females) after 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). One was a case of persistent cystoid macular edema caused by branch retinal vein occlusion, whereas the remaining three were cases of epiretinal membrane. Preoperative antibiotics before the first PPV procedure were not administered in three of the four cases. Endophthalmitis occurred 2-4 days after the first procedure in all cases, for which ceftazidime 2.0 mg/0.1 mL and vancomycin 1.0 mg/0.1 mL were injected into the vitreous cavity. This was followed by emergent 20-gauge PPV and intraocular lens removal using an infusion fluid containing ceftazidime and vancomycin. After the second PPV procedure, progress was good in three cases while retinal detachment occurred in the remaining case one month after surgery; this case required a third PPV procedure. Final best-corrected visual acuity ranged from 20/100 to 20/25 for the four cases. Bacterial cultures were negative after the second PPV procedure in all cases. In conclusion, postoperative endophthalmitis occurred in four of 502 cases (0.80%) that underwent 25-gauge PPV at our hospital. It is important to minimize the incidence of endophthalmitis after 25-gauge PPV.

Cataract surgery in patients older than 90 years of age.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine whether differences exist after cataract surgery is performed in patients over and under 90 years of age. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, nonrandomized study. PARTICIPANTS: Cataract surgery was performed in 21 patients (31 eyes) who were older than 90 years of age and in 45 patients (70 eyes) who were younger than 90 years of age. METHODS: The medical records of all patients who underwent cataract surgery between January 2005 and September 2010 at Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital were reviewed. Factors evaluated included systemic disease, changes in systemic condition, surgical time, preoperative and postoperative visual acuity, corneal endothelial cell density, and intraoperative complications. RESULTS: The group of patients older than 90 years of age experienced greater occurrences of systemic disease (p < 0.05; χ(2) test) and intraoperative changes in systemic conditions (p < 0.001; χ(2) test). These patients also had significantly lower preoperative visual acuity (p < 0.001; Student t test). No differences were noted between the 2 age groups in surgical time, postoperative visual acuity, preoperative corneal endothelial cell density, or intraoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Poorer cataract surgery outcome results were noted in patients older than 90 years due to systemic disease and intraoperative changes in systemic condition. Factors that need to be taken into consideration prior to performing cataract surgery in older patients include age, systemic disease, and the likelihood of intraoperative changes in systemic condition.

Case of bilateral complete posterior dislocation of lens caused by elder abuse.

We report a case of bilateral complete dislocation of lenses into the vitreous cavities due to elder abuse in a patient with senile dementia. According to the patient's son, bilateral complete lens dislocation occurred after he hit his father in the head with socks in order to control his violent behavior. Although the patient was taken to our ophthalmological ward for a planned vitrectomy, restlessness and inability to remain in his room during the night led to his leaving the hospital. The patient has not returned but did receive a vitrectomy at another clinic. While the number of patients with senile dementia has dramatically increased, no specific remedy is currently available. When treating medical concerns of seniors with unknown backgrounds, elder abuse needs to be considered as a potential cause of such injuries.

Effects of antioxidant supplementation on mRNA expression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, ß-actin and 18S rRNA in the anterior capsule of the lens in cataract patients.

This was a preliminary study of the effects of antioxidant supplementation on the peroxidation status of the lens by investigating mRNA expression of anti-oxidative enzymes in the lens. The mRNA expression levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), ß-actin (ß-ACT) and 18S rRNA (18S) were measured in this study because they are common reference genes for measuring mRNA levels by means of a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in various tissues. Thirteen patients with binocular cataracts of the same grade were included in the study after giving informed consent. A piece of the anterior capsule, along with a sample of lenticular epithelial cells (LECs), was collected as a pre-intake sample during cataract surgery. Ocuvite + Lutein(®), an antioxidant supplement, was administered orally beginning the day after surgery. Six weeks later, a piece of the anterior capsule along with a sample of LECs, was collected as a post-intake sample during cataract surgery of the opposite eye. RNA was purified from the homogenized samples, and cDNA was reverse transcribed to measure mRNA levels. The expression levels of G6PDH, 18S and ß-ACT were measured using RT-PCR. The expression levels of G6PDH and 18S were significantly higher in the post-intake samples than they were in the pre-intake samples. Significant positive correlations between the expression levels of G6PDH and 18S were observed in both the pre- and post-intake samples. Following gender-specific analyses, the expression levels of G6PDH and 18S in the post-intake samples were found to be significantly higher among the female patients. A significant positive correlation between the expression levels of G6PDH and 18S was observed in the post-intake samples from the male patients. There were no significant changes in the gene expression levels of ß-ACT after supplementation among male or female patients. ß-ACT has been verified for use as a reference gene for measuring the effects of antioxidant supplementation in the lens by RT-PCR. Antioxidant supplementation was noted to increase G6PDH in the pentose phosphate cycle and 18S rRNA in the ribosome.

Four cases of traumatic hypotony maculopathy treated by various methods.

Several reports have been published on methods for treating hypotony maculopathy. Currently, the preferred choice of treatment depends on the severity of the illness. We experienced four cases of traumatic hypotony maculopathy and treated them by various methods. Cases 1-3 were treated by various surgical treatments. Case 1 was treated by combined cataract surgery and pars plana vitrectomy. The vitreous cavity was replaced with 20% sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). Case 2 did not improve with laser trabeculoplasty, so further encircling was performed. Case 3 did not improve with photocoagulation of the ciliary body and injection of 20% SF6 into the vitreous cavity. Consequently, this case required suturing of the ciliary body to the sclera, cryopexy for the ciliary body, and injection of 100% SF6. Case 4 was treated only with eye drops. Intraocular pressure (IOP) increased in all cases as a result of treatment. Treatment improved hypotony maculopathy in all cases. Pre-treatment visual acuities ranged from 0.03 to 0.4, with IOP ranging from 2 to 10 mmHg. Post-treatment visual acuity ranged from 0.09 to 1.2, with IOP ranging from 14 to 16 mmHg. Only case 2 resulted in poor visual prognosis because of choroidal rupture near the foveola. The difficulty in choosing treatment methods lies in the need for multiple surgical treatments for some cases. Effective and noninvasive treatment methods are expected to be established in the future.

Use of pars plana vitrectomy with phacoemulsification in vitreous cavity to treat complete posterior dislocation of lens.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with phacoemulsification in the vitreous cavity for treatment of complete posterior dislocation of the lens without any damage to the lens capsule. METHODS: We evaluated factors such as cause of dislocation, scleral fixation of an intraocular lens (IOL), preoperative and postoperative visual acuity, corneal endothelial cell density, and intraoperative and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Displacement in the eleven eyes studied was mostly caused by ocular trauma and was idiopathic (four eyes each). Scleral fixation of the IOL was performed in seven of the eyes during first-time PPV. Visual acuity was improved in two eyes, unchanged in eight eyes, and worse in one eye. Mean corneal endothelial cell density was 2485 cells/mm(2) preoperatively and 2301 cells/mm(2) postoperatively. No significant differences were seen before and after the surgeries (P = 0.15, paired t-test). Intraoperative complications included retinal detachment and suprachoroidal hemorrhage in one eye each. The most common postoperative complication was transient ocular hypertension, which occurred in three eyes. IOL dislocation and vitreous incarceration of the anterior chamber in one eye required a second operation, while retinal detachment in one eye required a third operation. CONCLUSION: When treating a completely dislocated lens, prevention of retinal detachment which subsequently can affect the visual prognosis is the most important factor to be addressed after PPV with intravitreal phacoemulsification.

Relationship between Pentosidine and Pyridinoline Levels in Human Diabetic Cataract Lenses.

The relationship between the levels of two different crosslink compounds, pentosidine and pyridinoline, in human diabetic cataract lenses was investigated to elucidate the pathogenic mechanism of diabetic cataract. Subjects were classified into diabetes mellitus (DM) group and non-DM group according to the presence or absence of DM. The levels of the crosslink compounds were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography and spectrofluorometry after acid hydrolysis. In the non-DM group the pentosidine level was significantly and positively correlated with the pyridinoline level and age. In the DM group the pentosidine level was not significantly correlated with either pyridinoline level or age. Pyridinoline levels and age were not significantly correlated in either group. The increase in crosslink compounds due to glycation and the relationship between the compounds are changed in DM lenses.

A retrospective study of nine cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical features of Acanthamoeba keratitis in nine patients diagnosed at Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital, Saitama, Japan. METHODS: In nine eyes of nine patients, Acanthamoeba keratitis was diagnosed by direct light microscopy of corneal scrapings stained by the Parker ink-potassium hydroxide method between September 2006 and September 2009. Their clinical features and course were studied retrospectively. Antifungal eye drops, systemic antifungal therapy, and surgical debridement of the corneal lesions were performed in all patients. RESULTS: At presentation, the clinical stage was initial in six cases, transient in one case, and complete in two cases. The patients were all contact lens wearers who had washed their lens storage cases with tap water. After treatment, final visual acuity was improved in six cases, unchanged in one case, and worse in two cases. The patient with the worst final vision (hand motion) had rheumatoid arthritis and was taking oral prednisolone, which led to corneal perforation and prevented adequate debridement from being done. CONCLUSION: Acanthamoeba keratitis is closely related to wearing contact lenses and washing the lens storage case with tap water. Although final visual acuity improved after treatment in most patients, insufficient surgical debridement resulted in a poor visual prognosis.