Conjunctival and corneal sensitivity in patients under topical antiglaucoma treatment.

The purpose of the study is to measure corneal and conjunctival sensitivity in patients under glaucoma topical treatment as compared to a control group. It is a case-control study. Corneal and conjunctival esthesiometry were carried out through a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer. We took healthy individuals as controls, who did not use any type of ophthalmic topical medications and without history of ocular surface pathology or irritation. The study group was subdivided per number of applications (1, 2, and 3 or more applications). From a total 182 eyes from 91 patients, of which 26 (28.57 %) were controls and 65 (71.43 %) were in the study group, a mean corneal sensitivity of 58.98 ± 2.25 mm was found in the control group and 52.97 ± 6.41 mm in patients using topical medication. Mean conjunctival sensitivity was 18.80 ± 5.40 mm in the control group and 11.76 ± 5.45 mm in the study group. There was no statistically significant difference among groups when separated by 1, 2, and 3 or more applications. Eyes under use of timolol-containing medications showed lower sensitivity values as compared to other topical antiglaucoma medications. Corneal and conjunctival sensitivities are diminished in patients with chronic use of topical hypotensive medications and these results can explain the lack of correlation between signs and symptoms that is typically found in patients treated for glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Disclosure of genetic research results to members of a founder population.

There is currently extensive discussion and debate in the literature on how, when, and to whom genetic research results should be returned (see Genetics in Medicine, April 2012 issue). Here, we describe our experience in disclosing genetic information on Mendelian disorders discovered during the course of our research in the Hutterites. We first assessed attitudes toward the disclosure of carrier results, which revealed that many individuals wanted carrier information and that many intended to use the information in family planning. Based on this information, we developed a pilot study to test and disclose cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier status. Next, a larger scale project was developed in order to disclose genetic research results for 14 diseases to those interested in receiving the information. We developed brochures, offered a live interactive educational program, conducted a consent process, and disclosed results in letters mailed to the consented individuals. Overall, ~80% of individuals who participated in the educational program signed consent forms for the release of their results for 14 diseases. We describe our experience with returning individual genetic research results to participants in a population-based research study.

Intraoperative Flap Complications in LASIK Surgery Performed by Ophthalmology Residents.

PURPOSE: To report the rate of flap-related complications in LASIK surgery performed by in-training ophthalmology residents and to analyze the risk factors for these complications. METHODS: We analyzed 273 flap dissections in 145 patients from March 2013 to February 2014. We included all LASIK surgeries performed by 32 ophthalmology residents using a Moria M2 microkeratome. All the flap-related complications were noted. Comparison between both groups with and without complications was performed with an independent Student's t-test and relative risks were calculated. RESULTS: There were 19 flap-related complications out of the 273 flap dissections (6.95%). The most common complication was incomplete flap dissection (n = 10; 3.66%), followed by free-cap (n = 5; 1.83%), and flap-buttonhole (n = 2; 0.73%). There was no significant difference between the complicated and uncomplicated cases in terms of the right versus the left eye, pachymetry results, white-to-white diameter, and spherical equivalent. But this difference was significant for mean keratometry (P = 0.008), K-min (P = 0.01), and K-max (P = 0.03) between these groups. Final visual acuity after rescheduling laser treatment was similar in both groups. Relative risks for flap-related complications were 2.03 for the first LASIK surgery (CI 95% 0.64 to 6.48; P = 0.22) and 1.26 (CI 95% 0.43 to 3.69; P = 0.66) for the surgeon's flap-related complications. Female gender presented an odds ratio of 2.48 (CI 95% 0.68 to 9.00; P = 0.16) for complications. CONCLUSION: Flap-related complications are common intraoperative event during LASIK surgery performed by in-training ophthalmologists. Keratometries and surgeon's first procedure represent a higher probability for flap related complications than some other biometric parameters of patient's eye.