Effect of latanoprost on the diurnal variations in the intraocular and ocular perfusion pressure in normal tension glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of latanoprost on the diurnal variations in the intraocular pressure (IOP) combined with the ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) in patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-two eyes from 22 patients with NTG were used for the study. The diurnal variations in the IOP and blood pressure (BP) were measured every 3 hours without therapy, and then the patients were treated with latanoprost (0.005%) once daily for more than 12 weeks. The diurnal variations in the IOP and BP under medication were again measured every 6 hours. The diurnal variation of IOP for 24 hours, mean diurnal IOP, maximum IOP, minimum IOP, range of variation in IOP, OPP, and BP were compared between the baseline and after treatment by means of a paired t test. RESULTS: At 3 months after the start of the latanoprost treatment regimen, the IOP showed a statistically significant decrease at every assessed time point over 24 hours (P<0.001). Latanoprost significantly reduced the mean diurnal IOP, maximum IOP, minimum IOP, and mean range of variation in the IOP values from baseline (P<0.001, <0.001, <0.001, and 0.009, respectively). OPP after treatment showed no significant difference at any assessed time points from the baseline (P>0.1). Latanoprost did not significantly alter the mean diurnal OPP (P>0.1), and BP (P>0.5) from the baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Latanoprost was thus found to significantly reduce IOP over 24 hours, whereas it does not affect OPP and BP in NTG patients. Therefore, it may be a useful medication for NTG.

Congenital microcoria associated with late-onset developmental glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate that developmental glaucoma (instead of the term goniodysgenetic glaucoma is used in this paper), defined as glaucoma with goniodysgenesis resulting from a fetal maldevelopment of the iridocorneal angle, develops in association with congenital microcoria. METHODS: Three subjects descended from a family with autosomal dominant congenital microcoria and goniodysgenesis were followed up for more than 25 years. RESULTS: The extended family consisted of 3 generations including 8 males and 10 females. In the second generation, 2 of 7 subjects who presented with a history of congenital microcoria had late-onset goniodysgenetic glaucoma. In the third generation, all 3 descendants of the second generation subjects with congenital microcoria had congenital microcoria with goniodysgenesis. Two of these subjects developed late-onset goniodysgenetic glaucoma in both eyes during the 25-years follow-up period. They were both treated with a trabeculectomy in both eyes to control the glaucoma. Histologically, the iridocorneal angle tissues from the patients showed thick juxtacanalicular connective tissue with accumulations of a basement membrane-like extracellular matrix. CONCLUSION: Congenital microcoria are considered to be frequently associated with the incidence of late-onset goniodysgenetic glaucoma.

The influence of central corneal thickness and corneal curvature radius on the intraocular pressure as measured by different tonometers: noncontact and goldmann applanation tonometers.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine whether or not central corneal thickness (CCT) and corneal curvature radius (CCR) influence the concordance of intraocular pressure (IOP) readings taken with a noncontact tonometer (NCT) and a Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT). METHODS: Eighty-seven eyes from 87 patients without any histories of intraocular operation were enrolled in the present study. We calculated the difference in IOP readings between the 2 methods (NCT-GAT), and then examined the relationship between the IOP readings, and CCT and CCR using a linear regression line. RESULTS: IOP measured by both NCT (r=0.515, P<0.0001) and GAT (r=0.237, P<0.05) was significantly correlated with CCT. NCT readings were significantly higher in the thicker group (CCT>or=526.9 microm) than in the thinner group (CCT<526.9 microm) (P<0.005). GAT readings had no difference between the thicker and thinner groups. IOP measured by GAT (r=-0.261, P<0.05), but not that measured by NCT (r=-0.111, P=0.3042), showed a significant negative correlation with CCR. An IOP value of (NCT-GAT) had a significant positive correlation with not only CCT (r=0.666, P<0.0001) but also CCR (r=0.227, P<0.05). The value of (NCT-GAT) was significantly higher in the thicker group than in the thinner group (P<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: NCT can be more affected by CCT than GAT. CCR could influence the measurements of GAT, but not those by NCT. CCT and CCR can therefore influence the discordance of IOP readings taken with NCT and GAT.

Iris metastasis of esophageal cancer.

Ocular metastasis in patients with esophageal cancer is quite rare. Several cases have been reported in the literature, but no successful treatments for such metastases have ever been described. We herein report a case of esophageal cancer in which the ocular metastasis was controlled by systemic chemotherapy.