Características clínico-demográficas de pacientes con ceguera irreversible en el Servicio de Oftalmología General de la Clínica Belén, Coronel Oviedo, Paraguay desde febrero del 2018 a febrero del 2019 / Clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with irreversible blindness at the General Ophthalmology Service of the "Clínica Belén", Coronel Oviedo, Paraguay from February 2018 to February 2019

Según la Organización Mundial de la Salud, la ceguera está definida como la agudeza visual inferior a 3/60 (20/400) en el mejor ojo y un campo visual menor a 10° desde el punto central de fijación. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir las características clínico demográficas de pacientes con diagnóstico de ceguera irreversible atendidos en el Servicio de Oftalmología General de la Clínica Belén - Coronel Oviedo (Paraguay). Estudio observacional, descriptivo y retrospectivo de corte transversal. Se realizó la revisión retrospectiva de las historias clínicas de los pacientes con diagnóstico de ceguera irreversible atendidos en el Servicio de Oftalmología General de la Clínica Belén, entre el 1 de febrero 2018 y el 28 de febrero 2019. Se analizaron la edad, sexo, escolaridad, procedencia, agudeza visual, comorbilidades y etiología de la deficiencia visual. El análisis estadístico fue mediante el cálculo de frecuencias absolutas y relativas para las variables cualitativas, y el promedio y desviación estándar para las cuantitativas. Se estudiaron 78 pacientes, con predominio del sexo masculino (56,4%), edad de 71 a 95 años (43,6%) y primaria incompleta (41%). La hipertensión arterial (55,6%) fue la principal comorbilidad y glaucoma (43,6%) la etiología de ceguera más frecuente. El glaucoma fue más frecuente en varones que en mujeres (59% vs 32%) y en pacientes mayores de 50 años de edad (50%). En esta serie, los pacientes presentaron ceguera irreversible bilateral, en mayor frecuencia en varones, mayores de 50 años de edad, hipertensión como comorbilidad y glaucoma como etiología más frecuente

According to the World Health Organization, blindness is defined as visual acuity less than 3/60 (20/400) in the better eye and a visual field less than 10 ° from the central fixation point. The objective was to describe the clinical demographic characteristics of patients with a diagnosis of irreversible blindness treated at the General Ophthalmology Service of the "Clínica Belén" - "Coronel Oviedo" (Paraguay). This was an observational, descriptive and retrospective cross-sectional study. A retrospective review of the medical records of patients with a diagnosis of irreversible blindness treated at the General Ophthalmology Service of the "Clínica Belén" between February 1, 2018 and February 28, 2019 was carried out. Age, sex, education, origin, visual acuity, comorbidities and etiology of visual impairment were analyzed. The statistical analysis was through the calculation of absolute and relative frequencies, as well as the average and standard deviation. Seventy eight patients were studied, with a slight predominance of males (56.4%), aged 71 to 95 years (43.6%), incomplete primary school (41%) and from "Coronel Oviedo" (25.6 %) and surroundings. Arterial hypertension (55.6%) was the main comorbidity and glaucoma (43.6%) the most frequent blindness etiology. Glaucoma was more common in male patients than female patients (59% and 32%, respectively) and in patients older than 50 years of age (50%). In this series, patients presented bilateral irreversible blindness, more frequent in men, older than 50 years of age, hypertension as comorbidity and glaucoma as the most frequent etiology

Changing trends in the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment in a rural district of India: Systematic observations over a decade.

Context: Globally, limited data are available on changing trends of blindness from a single region. Aims: To report the changing trends in the prevalence of blindness, visual impairment (VI), and visual outcomes of cataract surgery in a rural district of Andhra Pradesh, India, over period of one decade. Settings and Design: Rural setting; cross-sectional study. Materials and Methods: Using a validated Rapid Assessment of Cataract Surgical Services (RACSS) method, population-based, cross-sectional survey was done in a rural district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Two-stage sampling procedure was used to select participants ≥50 years of age. Further, a comparative analysis was done with participants ≥50 years from the previously concluded Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study (APEDS) study, who belonged to the same district. Statistical Analysis: Done using 11th version of Stata. Results: Using RACSS, 2160/2300 (93.9%) participants were examined as compared with the APEDS dataset (n=521). Age and sex adjusted prevalence of blindness in RACSS and APEDS was 8% (95% CI, 6.9–9.1%) and 11% (95% CI, 8.3–13.7%), while that of VI was 13.6% (95% CI, 12.2–15.1%) and 40.3% (95% CI, 36.1–44.5%), respectively. Cataract was the major cause of blindness in both the studies. There was a significant reduction in blindness following cataract surgery as observed through RACSS (17.3%; 95% CI, 13.5–21.8%) compared with APEDS (34%; 95% CI, 20.9–49.3%). Conclusion: There was a significant reduction in prevalence of blindness and VI in this rural district of India over a decade.

Turning the tide of corneal blindness.

Corneal diseases represent the second leading cause of blindness in most developing world countries. Worldwide, major investments in public health infrastructure and primary eye care services have built a strong foundation for preventing future corneal blindness. However, there are an estimated 4.9 million bilaterally corneal blind persons worldwide who could potentially have their sight restored through corneal transplantation. Traditionally, barriers to increased corneal transplantation have been daunting, with limited tissue availability and lack of trained corneal surgeons making widespread keratoplasty services cost prohibitive and logistically unfeasible. The ascendancy of cataract surgical rates and more robust eye care infrastructure of several Asian and African countries now provide a solid base from which to dramatically expand corneal transplantation rates. India emerges as a clear global priority as it has the world's largest corneal blind population and strong infrastructural readiness to rapidly scale its keratoplasty numbers. Technological modernization of the eye bank infrastructure must follow suit. Two key factors are the development of professional eye bank managers and the establishment of Hospital Cornea Recovery Programs. Recent adaptation of these modern eye banking models in India have led to corresponding high growth rates in the procurement of transplantable tissues, improved utilization rates, operating efficiency realization, and increased financial sustainability. The widespread adaptation of lamellar keratoplasty techniques also holds promise to improve corneal transplant success rates. The global ophthalmic community is now poised to scale up widespread access to corneal transplantation to meet the needs of the millions who are currently blind.

What the comprehensive economics of blindness and visual impairment can help us understand.

Since the year 2000, the amount written about the economics of blindness and visual impairment has increased substantially. In some cases, the studies listed under this heading are calculations of the costs related to vision impairment and blindness at a national or global level; in other cases the studies examine the cost-effectiveness of strategies to prevent or modify visual impairment or blindness that are intended to be applied as a guide to treatment recommendations and coverage decisions. In each case the references are just examples of many that could be cited. These important studies have helped advocates, policy makers, practitioners, educators, and others interested in eye and vision health to understand the magnitude of the impact that visual impairment and blindness have on the world, regions, nations, and individuals and the tradeoffs that need to be made to limit the impact. However, these studies only begin to tap into the insights that economic logic might offer to those interested in this field. This paper presents multiple case studies that demonstrate that the economics of blindness and visual impairment encompasses much more than simply measures of the burden of the condition. Case studies demonstrating the usefulness of economic insight include analysis of the prevention of conditions that lead to impairment, decisions about refractive error and presbyopia, decisions about disease and injury treatment, decisions about behavior among those with uncorrectable impairment, and decisions about how to regulate the market all have important economic inputs.

Integrated model of primary and secondary eye care for underserved rural areas: The L V Prasad Eye Institute experience.

Blindness is a major global public health problem and recent estimates from World Health Organization (WHO) showed that in India there were 62 million visually impaired, of whom 8 million are blind. The Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study (APEDS) provided a comprehensive estimate for prevalence and causes of blindness for the state of Andhra Pradesh (AP). It also highlighted that uptake of services was also an issue, predominantly among lower socio-economic groups, women, and rural populations. On the basis of this analysis, L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) developed a pyramidal model of eye care delivery. This article describes the LVPEI eye care delivery model. The article discusses infrastructure development, human resource development, and service delivery (including prevention and promotion) in the context of primary and secondary care service delivery in rural areas. The article also alludes to opportunities for research at these levels of service delivery and the amenability of the evidence generated at these levels of the LVPEI eye health pyramid for advocacy and policy planning. In addition, management issues related to the sustainability of service delivery in rural areas are discussed. The article highlights the key factors required for the success of the LVPEI rural service delivery model and discusses challenges that need to be overcome to replicate the model. The article concludes by noting the potential to convert these challenges into opportunities by integrating certain aspects of the existing healthcare system into the model. Examples include screening of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy in order to promote higher community participation. The results of such integration can serve as evidence for advocacy and policy.

Best practice eye care models.

Since the launching of Global Initiative, VISION 2020 “the Right to Sight” many innovative, practical and unique comprehensive eye care services provision models have evolved targeting the underserved populations in different parts of the World. At places the rapid assessment of the burden of eye diseases in confined areas or utilizing the key informants for identification of eye diseases in the communities are promoted for better planning and evidence based advocacy for getting / allocation of resources for eye care. Similarly for detection and management of diabetes related blindness, retinopathy of prematurity and avoidable blindness at primary level, the major obstacles are confronted in reaching to them in a cost effective manner and then management of the identified patients accordingly. In this regard, the concept of tele-ophthalmology model sounds to be the best solution. Whereas other models on comprehensive eye care services provision have been emphasizing on surgical output through innovative scales of economy that generate income for the program and ensure its sustainability, while guaranteeing treatment of the poorest of the poor.

Evaluación preoperatoria en pacientes incluidos en el programa de cooperación Misión Milagro en Cienfuegos / Preoperative evaluation of patients included in Miracle Mission cooperation program in Cienfuegos province

Introducción: en la práctica médica se han creado, desde hace décadas, instrumentos que persiguen modificar y mejorar la condición previa a la cirugía. Objetivo: mejorar la evaluación preoperatoria en pacientes incluidos en el programa de cooperación Misión Milagro. Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo, en el Hospital-Hotel Pasacaballos, Cienfuegos, donde se evaluaron 7 956 pacientes de 12 países de América Latina y del Caribe, desde septiembre 2005 hasta abril 2007. Para la evaluación preoperatoria se propuso una metodología en cuatro etapas confeccionada en el centro. Se tomaron los siguientes datos de la base de datos en la institución: estado físico del paciente, causas del aplazamiento de la intervención, causas de cancelación por especialidades y enfermedad oftalmológica del paciente. Resultados: predominaron los pacientes clasificados en el tipo II, 55,8 porciento, según la Sociedad de Anestesia de los Estados Unidos de América. Las causas principales de aplazamiento de la cirugía fueron secreción ocular (22,6 porciento de los aplazados), hipertensión ocular (19,5 porciento), ingestión de aspirina (17,2 porciento) y diabetes mellitus descompensada (12,4 porciento). Se declararon no aptos para la intervención quirúrgica, 899 pacientes por oftalmología y 37 por medicina interna. Conclusiones: la metodología propuesta contribuye a mejorar la asistencia médica preoperatoria en pacientes incluidos en el programa de cooperación Misión Milagro en Cienfuegos

Introduction: for decades, instruments aimed at changing and improving the patient's condition before surgery have been created in the medical practice. Objective: to improve the preoperative evaluation of patients included in the Miracle Mission cooperation program. Methods: a retrospective and descriptive study was conducted at the hotel-hospital located in Pasacaballos, Cienfuegos, in which 7 956 patients from 12 Latin American and Caribbean countries were evaluated from September, 2005 to April, 2007. A customized four-phased methodology was submitted to evaluate preoperatively. The center's database provided the following pieces of information: physical status, causes of surgery postponement, causes of surgery cancellation by specialty and eye disease of the patient. Results: type II-classified patients predominated (55.8 percent), according to criteria of the US Society of Anesthesiology). The main causes of surgery postponement were ocular secretion (22.6 percent of the postponed cases), ocular hypertension (19.5 percent), aspirin taking (17.2 percent) and decompensate diabetes mellitus (12.4 percent). Eight hundred and ninety nine patients and thirty seven patients were considered non-eligible for surgery due to ophthalmological and internal medicine reasons respectively. Conclusions: The submitted methodology contributes to improving the preoperative medical care for patients included in the Miracle Mission cooperation program in Cienfuegos province. The achieved results suggested that it can be useful in limited financial resource settings

Short-term outcome of Boston Type 1 keratoprosthesis for bilateral limbal stem cell deficiency.

This study reports the short-term functional and anatomical outcome of Boston Type 1 keratoprosthesis (Boston Kpro) implantation for bilateral limbal stem cell deficiency (LCSD). Retrospective analysis was done on eight eyes of eight patients who underwent Boston Kpro implantation between July 2009 and October 2009. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and slit-lamp biomicroscopy findings were assessed at 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively. All eight eyes retained the prosthesis. BCVA of 20/40 or better was achieved in 8, 6, and 5 eyes at 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively, postoperatively. One patient each developed epithelial defect, sterile stromal melt and fungal keratitis in the late postoperative period associated with antecedent loss of the soft contact lens from the eye. Boston Kpro has good short-term visual and anatomical outcome in patients with bilateral LSCD, provided compliance with postoperative care can be ensured.

Massive retinal gliosis: An unusual case with immunohistochemical study.

Massive retinal gliosis (MRG) is a rare, benign intraocular condition that results from the proliferation of well-differentiated glial cells. Immunohistochemically, these cells show positivity for glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), neuron specific enolase (NSE), and S-100 protein. We encountered a case of a 45-year-old female with loss of vision in the left eye. She had a history of trauma to that eye two years ago. Enucleation was carried out, because malignancy was suspected due to retinal calcification. On the basis of light microscopy and immunohistochemistry (IHC) performed on the enucleated eye, it was diagnosed as massive retinal gliosis.

Experiência inicial com a ceratoprótese de Dohlman-Doane: relato de casos / Experience with Dohlman-Doane keratoprosthesis: case reports

OBJETIVO: Relatar a evolução de 9 olhos (8 pacientes) submetidos ao implante da ceratoprótese de Dohlman-Doane tipo 1, com tempo médio de seguimento de 11,2 meses (2 a 25 meses). MÉTODOS: Trabalho retrospectivo, não comparativo, intervencionista de uma série de casos. Quanto à doença de base, em 4 olhos foram queimadura alcalina, 3 falência de múltiplos transplantes de córnea, 1 síndrome de Stevens-Johnson e 1 queimadura térmica. A acuidade visual pré-operatória era de movimento de mãos ou pior em todos os olhos. Três olhos apresentavam glaucoma pré-operatório, sendo submetidos a implante valvulado de Ahmed. RESULTADOS: A acuidade visual com correção pós-operatória foi melhor ou igual a 20/100 em 88,9 por cento dos olhos e melhor ou igual a 20/40 em 44,4 por cento dos olhos. Como intercorrências pós-operatórias, 3 olhos apresentaram opacidade de cápsula posterior tratada com capsulotomia com YAG laser; 3 olhos membrana retroprotética de fibrina tratada com injeção tPA ou corticoterapia; 2 olhos glaucoma tratado com medicação; 1 olho "melting" corneano tratado com a troca do botão e 1 olho endoftalmite fúngica tratada com transplante a quente, vitrectomia anterior, explante da ceratoprótese e da LIO e tratamento antifúngico. CONCLUSÃO: A ceratoprótese de Dohlman-Doane é uma boa opção para casos graves de cegueira corneana, em que o transplante penetrante de córnea não apresenta bom prognóstico. Sua principal vantagem é não necessitar imunossupressão sistêmica. Casos de queimadura alcalina e de alta chance de rejeição apresentaram os melhores resultados.

PURPOSE: To describe 9 eyes in 8 patients who received Dohlman-Doane type 1 keratoprosthesis (KPro) with a mean follow-up of 11.2 months (2 to 25 months). METHODS: A retrospective, non-comparative interventional case series. Previous corneal disease was alcaline burn in 4 eyes, multiple graft failure in 3 eyes, Stevens-Johnson syndrome in 1 eye and thermal injury in 1 eye. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was hand motions or worse in all patients. Glaucoma was present preoperatively in 3 eyes and received Ahmed valve implantation. RESULTS: 88,9 percent eyes achieved BCVA of better than or equal to 20/100, and 44,4 percent better than or equal to 20/40. In the postoperative period, 3 eyes developed posterior capsule opacity treated with YAG laser capsulotomy; 3 retroprosthetic membrane treated with tPA injection or steroids; 2 glaucoma in clinical treatment; 1 corneal melting, treated with donor cornea bottom exchange; and 1 fungic endophthalmitis, treated with corneal transplant, anterior vitrectomy, KPro and intraocular lens explantation, and specific intravitreal and endovenous treatment. CONCLUSION: Dohlman-Doane K-Pro seems to be a good option for cases of corneal blindness with poor prognosis for traditional penetrating keratoplasty. Its main advantage is not requesting systemic immunossuppression. Best results were achieved in non-immune diseases.

A profile of destructive surgery in Nepal Eye Hospital.

This is a study profile of the patients undergoing destructive surgery in Nepal Eye Hospital over a period of 2 years (2001-2003). The rationale of the study was to know the incidence and causes for destructive surgery (enucleation/evisceration) and the measures to prevent them. Patients admitted in the ward from emergency and outpatients departments for the purpose of enucleation and evisceration were taken into this study. Their visual acuity, slit-lamp examinations, fundus evaluation were done. Most of the patients had no perception of light with painful blind eyes, panophthalmitis, endophthalmitis, staphylomas, crush injuries and malignancies. After a decision made by the surgeons in the round, a full consent was taken for the operation. Evisceration was done for cases with history of ocular infections and the rest were enucleated. Destructive operation was done for (a) saving the other eye, (b) life saving, (c) painful condition and disfigurement. The incidence of destructive surgery in Nepal Eye Hospital was 1.40%. male : female ratio was 1.41:1. The causes for destructive surgery were panophthalmitis (31.71%), painful blind eye (21.95%), endophthalmitis (14.63%), staphyloma (14.63%), retinoblastoma (12.20%) and crush injuries (4.88%). Number of evisceration (73.17%) was higher than enucleation (26.83%) as most of the cases were sequele of corneal ulcer. Enucleation was mostly seen in children and evisceration in adults. Lastly, the incidences of destructive surgery would be minimized by (a) Prompt treatment of corneal ulcers for reducing panophthalmitis (b) pre, intra, and post operative care in intra ocular surgery for reducing endophthalmitis, and (c) genetic counselling (pre marital) for reducing childhood malignancies. Decision for destructive surgery should be a team work rather than a single surgeon's opinion. It should be done under general anaesthesia or retrobulbar block. Precaution must be taken to prevent the appalling tragedy of enucleating the wrong eye by marking above on the eye to be operated or EUA prior to surgery. Last but not the least, there should be fitting of a prosthesis for cosmesis, psychological support and careful follow-up of the healthy eye.

Campanha nacional de prevencao da cegueira e campanha nacional de reabilitacao visual do idoso: experiencia no Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo / National Compaign of Prevention of Blindness and National Compaign of Visual Rehabilition of the Aged: experience in \"Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo\"

A catarata corresponde a principal causa de cegueira nos paises em desenvolvimento (40 a 70 por cento) e a cirurgia e atualmente o unico meio de reabilitacao visual nesses casos. Integrado a Campanha Nacional de Prevencao de Cegueira, foi realizada a Campanha de Reabilitacao Visual do Idoso no Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, entre os meses de abril e junho de 1996, na qual foram atendidas aproximadamente 4.000 pessoas pertencentes ao grupo etario de 50 anos ou mais...

Carotid endarterectomy: surgical prophylaxis for stroke

An experience of 28 carotid endarterctomy patients is being presented. Of these 18 were males and 10 females. Their ages ranged from 43-85 years, the mean age being 68.5 years. Twenty four patients presented with transient ischemic attacks, two had transient monocular blindness while the remaining two had partial stroke. All patients had colour duplex ultrasonography of their internal carotid arteries done pre-operatively which revealed 70-90% stenosis in their proximal part. Twenty seven patients had unilateral disease for which carotid endarterectomy was performed. The remaining one patient had bilateral carotid stenosis along with coronary artery disease. He underwent bilateral carotid endarterectomy and coronary artery bypass graft, all at the same time. Two patients developed venous bleeds postoperatively and one a partial stroke with complete recovery. There was no major stroke or death in this series

Endarterectomía carotídea: seguimiento tardío con ecodoppler / Carotid endarterectomy: follow-up for long period with ecodoppler

El objetivo de esta presentación fue evaluar por ecodoppler la incidencia de re-estenosis tardía en la endarterectomía carotídea (EC) y su repercusión en la clínica. Material y mátodos: entre julio de 1987 y junio de 1994 se operaron 87 pacientes sintomáticos, a quienes se les realizaron 99 EC por presentar estenosis significativas y/o placas ulceradas. La metodología de estudio se basó en la tríada ecodoppler de vasos de cuello, tomografía axial computada (TAC) cerebral y angiografía extra intracerebral. Todos fueron operados con anestesia general utilizando barbitúricos, shunts endoluminales y anticoagulación. El procedimiento consistió en EC con cierre primario y fijación de la íntima distal (40,4 por ciento). El control del ecodoppler se realizó a los 3 y 12 meses de la cirugía, repitiéndose anualmente. Resultados: 3 pacientes fallecieron en el postoperatorio (PO) inmediato (2 por accidente cerebrovascular (ACV) y 1 en PO de resección aneurismática toracoabdominal), 9 pacientes fallecieron en el PO alejado (1 por ACV homolateral y por causas no relacionadas), 8 se perdieron después del año. Hubo 2 ACV sin re-estenosis (1 contralateral). Ocho pacientes presentaron re-estenosis a partir del primer año (7,81 por ciento). De las mismas, 5 se mantuvieron estables, 2 retrogradaron y sólo 1 progresó hacia la oclusión, sin presentar manifestaciones neurológicas. Discusión: dado que la re-estenosis carotídea en general se produce tempranamente, es de comportamiento benigno y permanece estable durante un largo período de seguimiento, tal vez sea necesario redefinir nuevos criterios de evaluación postoperatoria, analizando la relación costo-beneficio de los mismos

Causas e características do trauma ocular perfurante em Botucatu - SP / Causes and characteristics of perfurant ocular traumas in Botucatu - SP

O trauma ocular perfurante é importante causa de cegueira prevenível. Há necessidade de conhecer suas causas para tomada de medidas preventivas. Para tal, avaliamos os traumas perfurantes atendidos no H.C. da FMB-UNESP, nos últimos 5 anos. Observamos que a maioria dos caos ocorreu em indivíduos masculinos 73 (por cento), crianças e adultos jovens, em atividades domesticas 77,92 (por cento), geralmente provocados por objetos metálicos 40,54 (por cento), sendo mais frequente a perfuraçäo corneoescleral 46,75 (por cento). A gravidade do trauma perfurante é constatada pelo número expressivo de cegos (AV menor que 0,1) no final do tratamento