A prospective study to assess the role of vitamin D individually and in combination with cyclosporine in the treatment of dry eye in patients with deficient serum 25(OH)D levels.

Purpose: To study the efficiency of vitamin D3 (buccal spray) alone and combination of vitamin D3 with cyclosporine in the treatment of dry eye disease (DED) in patients with deficient serum 25(OH)D levels. Methods: Around 90 patients with DED with deficient serum 25(OH)D levels were included and randomized into three groups and were given treatment for dry eye (Group A- 0.5% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), Group B- 0.5% CMC + 2000 IU vitamin D through buccal spray, Group C- 0.5% CMC + 2000 IU vitamin D through buccal spray + 0.05% cyclosporine). The patients were followed at day-15, day-30, and day-90 for improvement in tear breakup time (TBUT) and Schirmer's, and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score. Improvement in serum vitamin D level was assessed at day-90. One way ANOVA test, paired t-test, and Chi-square test were used for analysis. Results: Group B and Group C had significantly higher in Schirmer's test-I values as compared to Group A (P = 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001 at day-15, day-30, and day-90, respectively). Significantly higher values of TBUT and mean serum vitamin D levels were obtained in Group B and Group C as compared to Group A at day-90 (P < 0.05). OSDI scores of patients significantly decreased in all three groups at all follow-up visits (P < 0.05). Overall, Group C and Group B were found statistically better than Group A. Group C showed better results than Group B but they were nonsignificant. Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation leads to earlier and significant improvement in TBUT, Schirmer's, and OSDI score in patients with vitamin D deficient DED.

A comparative study of preoperative and postoperative changes in corneal astigmatism after pterygium excision by different techniques.

Purpose: To study the changes in corneal astigmatism before and after pterygium excision as well as with differences between various surgical techniques (bare sclera, conjunctival autograft, amniotic membrane graft). Methods: The study population included 71 patients with primary pterygium who underwent surgery. The surgical techniques used differed among the study population. All the patients were preoperatively assessed for visual acuity, anterior and posterior segments, autorefraction, and autokeratometry. After surgery, the patients were assessed for visual acuity, autorefraction, and autokeratometry on day 5, 1 month, and 3 months and the results were analyzed. Paired and unpaired t-tests were used to compare the variables. The probability level of 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The reduction in the mean preoperative astigmatism of 3.47 ± 1.74 Diopters (D) to 1.10 ± 0.78 D 3 months after surgery was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Bare sclera, conjunctival autograft, and amniotic membrane graft techniques exhibited changes in astigmatism amounting to 1.85 ± 0.88 D, 2.55 ± 1.26 D, and 2.67 ± 1.44 D, respectively. Pterygium excision surgeries using amniotic membrane graft and conjunctival autograft techniques were more effective than pterygium excision surgery using bare sclera technique in reducing astigmatism. Conclusion: Pterygium excision results in significant reduction in astigmatism which leads to improvement in visual acuity. Amniotic membrane graft and conjunctival autograft are better surgical techniques than bare sclera as far as reducing astigmatism is concerned.

Dry eye: prevalence and attributable risk factors in a hospital-based population.

PURPOSE: To study the prevalence of dry eye in a hospital-based population and to evaluate the various risk factors attributable to dry eye. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 500 patients above 20 years of age were screened randomly for dry eye. A 13-point questionnaire, Lissamine Green test, Tear film break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer's test and presence of strands/filaments were used to diagnose dry eye. The diagnosis was made when at least three of the tests were positive. The role of air pollution, sunlight, excessive winds, smoking, drugs and refractive status as dry eye risk factors was assessed. RESULTS: Ninety-two (18.4%) patients had dry eye. Dry eye prevalence was maximum in those above 70 years of age (36.1%) followed by the age group 31-40 years (20%). It was significantly higher (P = 0.024) in females (22.8%) than in males (14.9%), more common in rural residents (19.6%) than in urban (17.5%) and highest among farmers/labourers (25.3%). A 2.15 fold increase was found in the odds for dry eye in those exposed to excessive wind, 1.91 fold to sunlight exposure, 1.42 to smoking, 1.38 to air pollution and 2.04 for persons on drugs. Dry eye prevalence was 14% in emmetropes, 16.8% in myopes and 22.9% in hypermetropes. It was 15.6% in those with corrected and 25.3% in those with uncorrected refractive errors. CONCLUSION: Dry eye is an under-diagnosed ocular disorder. Reduction in the modifiable risk factors of dry eye is essential to reduce its prevalence.

Outcome of Capsular Tension Ring (CTR) Implant in Complicated Cataracts.

INTRODUCTION: Surgery in the presence of zonular weakness or subluxated lens was a great surgical challenge and included intracapsular cataract extraction with anterior chamber IOL implantation or pars plana lensectomy and vitrectomy with a sutured (IOL). Modern surgical approache involves placement of endocapsular flexible PMMA ring that prevents iatrogenic loss of zonular support, minimizing vitreous loss and enables placement of in the bag IOL. AIM: To evaluate frequency and indications of capsular tension ring (CTR) implant and analyse the visual and anatomical outcome in various complicated cataract surgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective screening of database of 6000 consecutive cataract surgeries was done. BCVA, complete ocular examination with SLEx, intraocular pressure, direct ophthalmoscope, fundus examination with +78/+90D were noted. CTR was implanted in cases where Zonular dialysis of > 3 clock hours was present or capsular bag instability was detected during capsulorhexis or subsequent intraoperative maneuvers. In cases with capsulorrhexis extension, CTR was not implanted. Records were analysed for indication of CTR implant and clinical outcome on Day 1, 1 month and 6 month follow up. RESULTS: In this series CTR implant was done in 45 cases. The indications were hypermature senile cataract in 9 cases, hypermature senile cataract with lens induced glaucoma in 9 cases, pseudoexfoliation syndrome in 9 cases, post blunt injury traumatic cataract in 6 cases, iridochoroidal coloboma in 6 cases, hypermature cataract with pseudoexfoliation and marfan syndrome in 3 cases respectively. Decision of CTR implant was intraoperative in 42 patients. At 6 month follow up, 39 patients had best corrected visual acuity ≥6/12. IOL decentration was detected in only 3 cases, but without any subjective visual complaints. CONCLUSION: As per the results CTR was used very infrequently (0.75%) but remains useful in cataract surgeries with difficult pre and intraoperative conditions. It gives good postoperative result and creates satisfied patients.