Assessment of visual morbidity amongst diabetic retinopathy at tertiary eye care center, Nepal: a cross-sectional descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in low and middle income countries. In Nepal, there are less studies regarding DR and they too are limited around Kathmandu valley. This study was done to assess visual morbidity in patients with DR at a peripheral tertiary eye care center of Nepal. METHODS: This was a prospective, hospital based, cross-sectional study in which all consecutive cases of DR were evaluated. DR was classified according to Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Research Group - report no. 10 Table A5-1 (Modified Airlie House Classification). Data entry and analysis was done in an SPSS unit version 20. Wherever applicable, variables were set as 100 eyes. RESULTS: Total number of patients included in this study was 50. Commonest age group was 50-69 yrs. (43/77 yrs.; min/max) comprising 80% of the total population (n = 50) and the predominant population was male (76%). Non proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) was found in 69%, proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in 31% and advanced diabetic eye disease (ADED) in 3% (n = 100). CONCLUSIONS: All the stages of DR were present at significant proportions in this study, noteworthy was the percentage of PDR. This study shows an urgency to gather a national data on DR, raise awareness among diabetics and train effective man power at a local level to diagnose DR at an early stage.

Lightning Injury to Eye: Brief Review of the Literature and Case Series.

PURPOSE: In ophthalmology, injuries due to lightning strikes have been documented as various entities ranging from keratitis, cataracts, uveitis in the anterior segments to retinal detachments, papillitis, and macular hole formation in the posterior segment. We report the largest case series so far with a total of seven cases of lightning injuries with ocular involvement and its management and a brief review of the literature on this topic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All of the patients were evaluated for ocular injuries due to a lightning strike and each of the cases has been individually described as case series with their findings and management in this report. RESULTS: Ocular injuries caused by lightning are very rare, but when they occur, they can present with various ocular tissue pathology-ranging from anterior to the posterior segment structures. Most of the cases presented with maculopathy and foveschitic lesions, which resolved over time with the use of steroids. CONCLUSION: Lightning injuries to the eyes, if detected early and managed appropriately, have a very good prognosis. The recovery is usually good with minimal functional loss if there is a quick referral. The macular region seems to be particularly involved in most cases and OCT can be a valuable diagnostic tool to detect and monitor the pathology.

A RARE COMPLICATION OF POSTERIOR SUBTENON INJECTION.

PURPOSE: To report a case of posterior ciliary artery occlusion after posterior subtenon injection. METHODS: Clinical examination and fundus fluorescein angiography was performed to confirm diagnosis. A 49-year-old female who was on treatment for bilateral chronic sclerokeratouveitis was given posterior subtenon injection for cystoid macular edema. RESULTS: Posterior ciliary artery occlusion occurred after posterior subtenon injection. CONCLUSION: Choroidal vascular occlusion is a rare complication of posterior subtenon injection.

Pattern of buprenorphine abuse among opioid abusers in Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Although buprenorphine abusers are a common clinical entity, literature on them is rare in Nepal. AIM: To assess whether injectable opioid abusers are any different a subgroup vis-a-vis brown sugar abusers in relation to their demographic and clinical profiles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-six opioid abusers, who were admitted over a period of one year, in our de-addiction center, were included in the present study. They were divided into two groups based on the history of the presence or absence of buprenorphine injection abuse in them. The demographic and clinical profiles of these two groups were studied and compared. RESULTS: The most characteristic opioid abuse pattern was the abuse of brown sugar through inhalation (chasing). A total of 32 (42.1%) among them had a history of injectable drug abuse (IDU). Most characteristic buprenorphine abuse pattern seen was an evolution from injectable buprenorphine to triple injection to brown sugar abuse (Reverse Transition). Injection buprenorphine abusers, who attended our clinic, were older in age and had a history of a longer duration of abuse than their counterparts who abused opioid drugs through the inhalational route only. Their lifetime diagnosis revealed a polysubstance abuse pattern. They were more unstable, impulsive, and disorganized in their behavior pattern, suggestive of the presence of inadequate personality traits. There were high instances of injection-related side effects in the form of the presence of thrombophlebitis, HIV positivity, and clinical AIDS in them. CONCLUSION: Findings of the current research indicate the presence of a subgroup of patient population among opioid abusers with a history of injectable buprenorphine abuse, with characteristic personality traits, pattern of drug abuse, and associated physical complications resulting from it.