Isolated ocular ischemic syndrome with no cerebral involvement in common carotid artery occlusion.

PURPOSE: The ocular ischemic syndrome (OIS) is sometimes a complication of common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion causing complete interruption of blood flow through both the internal and external carotid arteries we investigated a single case of an isolated OIS that remained undiagnosed for two years, because the underlying CCA pathology caused no cerebral involvement. CASE REPORT: A 57-year-old man presented with subacute painful visual loss in the right eye in a setting of hypertension, smoking and coronary artery disease. RESULTS. Neurological examination, a brain CT and MRI scan were all normal. Extensive laboratory work-up excluded small artery disease, inflammatory arteritis or cardiac causes of retinal embolism. Ophthalmologic evaluation and fluorescein angiography gave findings consistent with OIS, while vascular ultrasound evaluation and aortic arch angiography verified right CCA occlusion accompanied by an extensive collateral network. CONCLUSIONS: Had this patient been referred sooner for a simple carotid artery work-up, both the CCA occlusion and the OIS could probably had been prevented.

[Can argon laser photocoagulation control senile macular degeneration?]. / La photocoagulation au laser monochromatique vert peut-elle contrôler la dégénérescence maculaire liée à l'âge?

This study comprises 20 eyes with age related macular degeneration and subsequent subretinal neovascular membranes in which green argon laser photocoagulation was performed. After a follow-up ranging from 3 to 36 months (mean follow-up period 14.5 months), 7 (35%) of these eyes kept on having visual loss, 9 (45%) of them retained the initial vision and 4 (20%) improved (2 lines or more). Despite the small number of cases we consider our results quite encouraging and this specific therapy could be performed even on the purpose to obtain the minimum possible final central scotoma.

Contrast sensitivity evaluation in eyes predisposed to age-related macular degeneration and presenting normal visual acuity.

In order to test the validity of contrast sensitivity (CS) measurements in the early detection of visual impairment in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), we have evaluated the findings of CS in patients with drusen and normal visual acuity (17 eyes), as well as in the contralateral 'healthy' eye of patients with AMD (14 eyes). We also tried to estimate the validity of CS measurements in the prognosis of neovascular macular degeneration. The CS findings were evaluated in comparison to the findings of CS measurements in age-matched controls (32 eyes). CS loss is a constant finding in eyes with drusen and normal visual acuity. CS loss is more important at the middle range and high spatial frequencies. CS loss and degree of CS loss are not prognostic indicators of neovascular macular degeneration.