Relationship between morphometric optic disc parameters, sex and axial length.

Optic disc correlations were evaluated in normal eyes by means of computer-aided morphometry. Two hundred and thirty-five subjects (144 women and 91 men) entered the study. One eye per patient was randomly chosen for statistical analysis. Disc area (P < 0.05) and axial length (P < 0.0001) were statistically different between sexes. There was a correlation between axial length and both disc area (r for females = 0.55, P < 0.00001; r for males = 0.35, P < 0.0007) and refraction (r for females = 0.40, P < 0.00001; r for males = 0.50, P < 0.00001). The main findings of this investigation were that disc area is greater in male than in female eyes (thus clinically confirming the Ishi's and Quigley's previous observations of autopsy eyes) on the basis of axial length difference between the two sexes, and that disc size correlated with axial length. Disagreements in disc measurements reported in previous studies may be caused by differences in the male/female ratios of their samples.

The efficacy of the combination of l-moprolol and dipivefrin in reducing the intraocular pressure in primary open-angle glaucoma or in ocular hypertension.

BACKGROUND: In this double-blind prospective trial the efficacy of lowering the intraocular pressure of l-moprolol given alone and in combination with dipivefrin was tested. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension were randomly assigned to receive twice-daily l-moprolol eye drops or dipivefrin eye drops for 4 weeks; in a second phase of the trial, the combination of the two drugs was administered for 4 weeks. RESULTS: The results of this study indicated that l-moprolol and dipivefrin had an equivalent effect in lowering the intraocular pressure. The association of the two drugs caused a further reduction of intraocular pressure which was significant only in the group previously treated with dipivefrin alone. CONCLUSION: This trial demonstrated that the combination of l-moprolol and dipivefrin is an effective and safe treatment for elevated intraocular pressure.

Topical lomefloxacin 0.3% twice daily versus tobramycin 0.3% in acute bacterial conjunctivitis: A multicenter double-blind phase III study.

AIMS/BACKGROUND: To evaluate in a double-masked comparative, prospective, randomized multicenter trial the efficacy of lomefloxacin 0.3% eye drops twice daily and of tobramycin eye drops 4 times daily in patients with acute bacterial conjunctivitis. METHODS: Ninety-nine subjects were enrolled: 50 were treated with lomefloxacin 0.3% eye drops twice daily and 49 with tobramycin 0.3% eye drops 4 times daily. In all patients, conjunctival swabbing and assessment of objective signs and of subjective symptoms were performed. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference for any individual sign or symptom or for the sum score of either key or other signs and symptoms at any of the examination days. The sum score of both key and other signs and symptoms decreased in both groups at day 3-4 as compared to baseline values (p < 0.0001). The decrease in both these scores continued significantly from day 3-4 to day 7-8 (p < 0.05) and was similar in the two treatment groups (p > 0.4). The lowest resistance rate was seen in lomefloxacin (3.5%) and in neomycin (7.0%), while tobramycin showed resistance in 10 out of 88 resistance strains (11.4%). CONCLUSION: Both lomefloxacin 0.3% twice daily and tobramycin 0.3% administered 4 times daily were well tolerated and showed a high degree of clinical and microbiological efficacy in the treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Lomefloxacin caused less resistance than other antibiotics evaluated.