[Chronic endophthalmitis after cataract surgery: a report of two cases]. / Endophtalmie chronique après chirurgie de la cataracte: à propos de deux cas.

Delayed postoperative endophthalmitis following cataract surgery remains a rare complication. We report two cases of patients who presented with marked intraocular inflammation following uncomplicated cataract surgery. The patients did well for the first weeks after surgery (6 and 5 weeks). Both patients presented with visual impairment, inflammatory red eye, and a whitish plaque on the anterior surface of intraocular lenses. Posterior segment examination was normal in both cases. The two patients were treated with systemic antibiotic therapy as well as intravitreal and/or intracameral injections of antibiotics. The exact organism involved could not be identified in either patient. Each patient regained a final 20/25 visual acuity. Based on the clinical courses of these patients, the various possible therapeutic approaches for delayed postoperative endophthalmitis are discussed. This report underlines the problem of reaching the differential diagnosis between inflammation recurrence and delayed postoperative endophthalmitis as well as obtaining positive culture results if the latter diagnosis is suspected.

[Optical coherence tomography follow-up of a case of solar maculopathy]. / Suivi d'un cas de maculopathie solaire par OCT.

Solar maculopathy is caused by sun-gazing without protection and in most cases appears to be reversible. Retinal damage may be caused by photochemical changes combined with a rise in temperature at the time of sun observation. We report a case of bilateral solar retinopathy following direct sun gazing after observation of the partial eclipse on 3 October 2005. A 25-year-old Caucasian man presented 24 h after watching the eclipse with symptoms of blurred vision and a bright positive central scotoma. Total direct viewing time was approximately 5 min. While observing the eclipse, the patient kept both eyes open. On presentation, his visual acuity was 20/25 in his right eye and 20/32 in his left eye. Ophthalmoscopic examination revealed a bilateral yellowish-white spot in the center of the foveal region. Static visual field examination did not disclose any absolute scotoma but a decrease in the foveal threshold was noted in both eyes. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination revealed a bilateral increased reflectivity of the inner foveal retina that was greater in the left eye. This finding was associated with a hyporeflective area of the underlying retinal pigment epithelium: choriocapillaris complex and an increase in retinal thickness. Eight days later, visual acuity was 20/20 in each eye. Funduscopy showed the yellow lesion had vanished. Four months after exposure, funduscopy was normal and OCT scan showed normal reflectivity of all retinal layers in the fovea. However, static visual field examination disclosed a decreased foveal threshold on the left eye. We compare the OCT findings in this patient with the data reported in the literature. Indeed, various OCT findings have been reported depending on the intensity and frequency of sun exposure. This observation demonstrates that OCT appears to be potentially useful in the evolutive follow-up of solar maculopathy, and emphasizes the importance of eye safety during solar eclipse observation.

[A novel mutation of the OPA1 gene responsible for isolated autosomal dominant optic atrophy in two brothers]. / Nouvelle mutation du gène OPA1 responsable d'une atrophie optique dominante isolée chez deux frères.

Autosomal dominant optic atrophy, or Kjer disease, is the most frequent form of autosomal dominant optic neuropathy. We report a novel mutation of the OPA1 gene in two brothers with autosomal dominant optic atrophy and describe their clinical features. The two patients, aged 41 and 37, presented with a bilateral visual impairment that had been detected at the age of 4 in both of them. Their ophthalmoscopic examinations disclosed a bilateral optic atrophy and their Goldmann visual fields showed cecocentral scotomas. The patients thought their disease might be a Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy; however, mutations had ever been sought. When first seen by us, they wished to know whether their disorder might be transmitted to their children. They had a family history of visual impairment. We carried out mtDNA sequencing but we did not identify any primary or rare Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy mutations. On the other hand, the 30 coding exons of the OPA1 gene and the intron-exon junctions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. A novel mutation of the OPA1 gene was found in both brothers: a deletion of four nucleotides in intron 19, associated with anomalous splicing, demonstrating the pathogenicity of the mutation. These molecular analyses contributed to identifying a novel mutation of the OPA1 gene with a clinical phenotype of isolated optic atrophy.

[Long-term effects of iterative diving on visual field, color vision and contrast sensitivity in professional divers]. / Retentissement à long terme de la plongée sous-marine sur le champ visuel, la vision des couleurs et la sensibilité au contraste du plongeur professionnel.

PURPOSE: To assess long-term functional effects of iterative diving, we studied visual field, color vision, and contrast sensitivity in 21 French Navy professional divers and 21 controls. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study investigated a population of 21 divers and 21 controls. All subjects were male. The inclusion criterion for divers was a total number of dives greater or equal to 1,000. Exclusion criteria for the two groups were glaucoma, ocular hypertension, smoking, and vasospastic risks. Additional exclusion criteria for controls were any history of diving practice and of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The visual field was examined with a Humphrey Central 30-2 threshold test. Moreover, we explored spatial contrast sensitivity using Metrovision Moniteur Ophtalmologique "STAT" program and color vision with desaturated 15 hue test. RESULTS: None of the divers had any loss of spatial contrast sensitivity. There was a high frequency of yellow-blue axis color vision defects (45.2%) in the diver group. Regarding visual field, corrected pattern standard deviation was significantly higher in divers (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that iterative diving may cause subclinical functional effects on vision. Further studies will be needed to determine the exact setting of this repercussion upon macula and/or the optic nerve.

Comparison of carteolol plasmatic levels after repeated instillations of long-acting and regular formulations of carteolol 2% in glaucoma patients.

BACKGROUND: A new long-acting (LA) formulation of carteolol 2% instilled once daily has been shown to provide a therapeutic effect similar to that of the regular formulation of carteolol 2% instilled twice daily. This study was designed to test whether the new formulation reduces the systemic delivery of carteolol. METHODS: In this double-masked, randomised, intra-subject comparative study, 23 patients with bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma or bilateral ocular hypertension received sequentially, according to the randomised order of administration, each of the 2 following treatments: carteolol 2% LA once daily for 2 months and carteolol 2% regular twice daily for 2 months. Treatments were instilled in both eyes throughout the study period. At the end of each period of treatment, blood samples were taken immediately before the last morning instillation (residual time), then 30 min, 1 h, 2 h and 4 h after this instillation in order to measure the carteolol plasma concentrations. RESULTS: The mean values of maximal plasma concentration (C(max)), residual level and area under the curve obtained following carteolol 2% LA treatment were significantly lower than the values obtained after carteolol 2% regular treatment (mean+/-SD): C(max) (ng/ml): 1.72+/-0.85 versus 3.64+/-3.65; residual level (ng/ml): 0.70+/-0.58 versus 1.80+/-0.84; area under the curve (ng/mlxh): 5.50+/-2.66 versus 10.27+/-5.46. Regarding safety, two drug-related, non-serious adverse events were reported in the LA group: one case of moderate, superficial, punctate keratitis and one case of "bitter taste in the throat." Both treatments appeared to be well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: The data from this study showed that the systemic delivery of carteolol is lower for the once-daily LA formulation than for the regular twice-daily formulation. Consequently, long-acting carteolol eye-drops should reduce the risk of beta-blocking systemic side effects.

[Macular complications of synthetic antimalarials. Apropos of a case]. / Complications maculaires des antipaludéens de synthèse. A propos d'une observation.

The clinico-pathological findings in a 17-year-old girl with an "oeil de boeuf" maculopathy are reported together with the aetiological elements involved (hereditary or toxic maculopathy). The case was a second stage typical maculopathy due to antimalarial drugs. These patients were particularly susceptible, probably because of impaired renal function, since the total dose absorbed (140 g. chloroquine) was low. Ophthalmologic monitoring is required to prevent intoxication. Clinical examination, angiography and automatic perimetry and contrast sensitivity test are needed to detect the first effect of toxicity.

[Combined cataract-glaucoma operations. Extracapsular extraction and trabeculectomy versus phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy]. / Interventions combinées cataracte-glaucome. ECCE et trabéculectomie versus phacoémulsification et trabéculectomie.

This retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the results of Combined Surgery of Cataract and Glaucoma (triple procedure). The procedure of combined surgery were trabeculectomy and extracapsular extraction (14 eyes) versus trabeculectomy and phacoemulsification (15 eyes). The follow-up of both groups was at least 9 months and up to 16 months (mean: 12 months). The mean decrease of IOP was 12.4 mmHg and 8.9 mm Hg in the first and second group respectively. Instillation of Beta-blockers twelve months after surgery were more frequent in the first group (64.3%) than in the second (26.7%). Finally, the IOP values one year after surgery were equivalent in both groups (less than 19 mmHg in 93% of cases). The mean features to emphasize the delay of recuperation of the best corrected visual acuity: one month for phacotrabeculectomy, and three months for extracapsular with trabeculectomy. The frequency of complications was low in both groups. We observed more hyphemas but less secondary cataracts in the phacotrabeculectomy group. Phacotrabeculectomy could become a reference procedure for combined glaucoma and cataract surgery.

[Oculo-orbital injuries caused by firearms. Clinical and ballistic study of 3 cases]. / Plaies oculo-orbitaires par armes à feu. Etude clinique et balistique, à propos de 3 cas.

For 3 cases, the authors made a clinical and ballistic analysis of the penetration of war projectiles inside the eye and the orbit. They emphasize the seriousness of the injuries, the multiplicity of the operations, the need for participation of different specialists and lastly, the almost-inescapable loss of sight.