Comparison of preoperative Nd:YAG laser anterior capsulotomy versus two-stage curvilinear capsulorhexis in phacoemulsification of white intumescent cataracts.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of preoperative Nd:YAG laser anterior capsulotomy versus two-stage continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) in phacoemulsification of eyes with white intumescent cataracts and liquefied cortex. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-three eyes with white intumescent cataract were consecutively randomized for phacoemulsification with preoperative Nd:YAG laser anterior capsulotomy (group 1, n = 11) or two-stage CCC (group 2, n = 12) procedures. Intraoperative findings and postoperative outcomes were compared using the nonparametric tests. RESULTS: Postoperative visual acuity, mean surgical time, mean effective phacoemulsification time, and frequency of complications were not significantly different between the two groups (P > .05). Two cases in each group were converted to the extracapsular technique. Excluding these four patients, surgical time was shorter in group 1 (P = .017). CONCLUSION: Preoperative Nd:YAG laser anterior capsulotomy is a safe technique in decompressing the capsular bag before phacoemulsification of white intumescent cataracts with liquefied cortex.

Quantitative comparison between upper eyelid retraction induced voluntarily and by Graves orbitopathy.

PURPOSE: To compare 2-dimensional palpebral fissure measurements of normal subjects with voluntary upper eyelid retraction and patients with Graves upper eyelid retraction. METHODS: Three groups of monocular palpebral fissure images were measured. Group 1 consisted of 32 images of healthy subjects with the upper eyelid in a normal position of rest. Group 2 included the same subjects with voluntary upper eyelid retraction. Group 3 included 45 images of patients with Graves upper eyelid retraction. Fissure images were acquired with a digital camera and transferred to a Macintosh computer. For all images, three variables were quantified with NIH Image software: the midpupil-to-upper eyelid margin distance and the nasal and temporal upper areas of the palpebral fissure. RESULTS: Voluntary upper eyelid retraction significantly increases the absolute difference between the temporal and nasal areas of normal subjects. The disproportion between the lateral and medial areas of the palpebral fissure was greater for the patients with Graves than for the control group with voluntary eyelid retraction, even though there was no difference between the midpupil-to-upper eyelid margin distance of these two groups. Overall, there was a positive correlation between the midpupil-to-upper eyelid margin distance and absolute difference between the temporal and nasal areas (r = 0.75, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In normal subjects, voluntary upper eyelid retraction increases the disproportion between the lateral and medial aspects of the fissure. However, even for the same amount of eyelid elevation, the mean disproportion of the control group with voluntary eyelid retraction is smaller than the disproportion displayed by patients with Graves. These findings suggest that an enhanced lateral retraction is a normal finding associated with levator muscle contraction.

Características do uso do óculos e de lente de contato em uma comunidade universitária / Characteristics of eyeglasses and contact lenses wearing in an university community

Uma investigaçäo sobre as condiçöes de uso de correçäo óptica mostrou que 49,5 por cento dos funcionários e 56,7 por cento dos estudantes da UNICAMP, com idades entre 18 e 39 anos, usam correçäo óptica. Deste total, 76,6 por cento dos funcionários e 71,7 por cento dos estudantes usam óculos 23,4 por cento e 28,3 por cento, respectivamente, usam lentes de contato. 41,6 por cento dos funcionários e 33,9 por cento dos estudantes usuários de óculos, gostariam de mudar o tipo de correçäo óptica para lentes de contato