Matrix regenerative therapy.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is responsible for many of the cell behavior processes, including cell proliferation and growth, survival, change in cell shape, migration, and differentiation. The most important component of the ECM is heparan sulfate (HS), because it insures the storage of many cell communication proteins, necessary for the continuous and identical renewal of cells and thus for tissue regeneration. Regenerating agents (RGTA®) are bioengineered structural analogues of heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans that replace the degraded endogenous HS of the ECM. In the ophthalmological field, RGTA® represents an innovative approach for the improvement of the ocular surface wound healing and matrix remodeling and plays a role in controlling and regulating the wound healing process in various ocular diseases.

Management of diplopia.

Diplopia (seeing double) is an ophthalmologic complaint found mainly in elder patients. It can have both ocular and neurological causes. A careful history and clinical examination must detail the type of diplopia (monocular/ binocular), onset, and progression, associated and relieving factors. In case of monocular diplopia, refraction and biomicroscopic examination of the ocular media are mandatory. The cause of ocular misalignment for binocular diplopia must be determined and life-threatening conditions (such as posterior communicating artery aneurysm) must imply an immediate treatment. Management and treatment is always according to the specific cause of diplopia.

Chromovitrectomy.

The term "chromovitrectomy" has been coined to define the use of vital dyes in vitreoretinal surgery. The basic concept for the application of vital dyes during vitreoretinal surgery is to assist in highlighting preretinal membranes and tissues which are very thin and semitransparent and thus difficult to detect. Various dyes are currently being used in routine clinical procedures, however, the ideal staining agent has not yet been found. The vital dyes indocyanine green, infracyanine green, and brilliant blue stain the internal limiting membrane, trypan blue and triamcinolone acetonide help to visualize the epiretinal and vitreous membranes. New dyes with a better safety profile than the synthetic ones are important for optimizing the outcome of modern ophthalmic surgery and natural dyes, such as lutein, offer a potentially safer and more efficient method of identifying intraocular structures such as vitreous and ILM. Any dye, which is intravitreally injected has the potential to become toxic.

Glaucoma after chemical burns and radiation.

Glaucoma after chemical burns represents a posttraumatic glaucoma, usually open-angle glaucoma. It is a frequent complication of chemical burns, especially with alkali and it can appear in the acute stage or as a late complication. Because of the complications and scars, the treatment is very difficult. Topical treatment is based on AC inhibitors, ß-blockers, α2-agonists. Trabeculectomy, shunts, cyclophotocoagulation, and cryotherapy are the solutions in the late stages. Glaucoma after irradiation is a closing-angle secondary glaucoma. The risk factors such as the radiation dose and the volume of the radiated structure are important in the appearance and evolution of this type of glaucoma. Topical treatment is usually ineffective, the preferable options being laser and surgical treatments. Although it is not a frequently seen pathology, it is important to know how to diagnose and treat this type of glaucoma. There are various options available for treatment, but choosing one is difficult because of the possible complications.

CURRENT OPTIONS FOR SURGICAL TREATMENT OF GLAUCOMA.

The purpose of this study is to review current surgical treatment and new and better alternatives for patients with glaucoma. Glaucoma refers to a group of related eye disorders that have in common an optic neuropathy associated with visual function loss. It is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. Optic nerve damage and glaucoma-related vision loss can be prevented or limited by early diagnosis and treatment. Surgery offers a better control of the intraocular pressure then medical therapy. Nowadays, research continues for improving current surgical alternatives for treatment.

PLATEAU IRIS--DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of our study was to review the current knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment options of plateau iris configuration and syndrome. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW METHODOLOGY: Relevant publications on plateau iris that were published until 2014. CONCLUSIONS: Plateau iris syndrome is a form of primary angle closure glaucoma caused by a large or anteriorly positioned ciliary body that leads to mechanical obstruction of trabecular meshwork. This condition is most often found in younger patients. Plateau iris has been considered an abnormal anatomic variant of the iris that can be diagnosed on ultrasound biomicroscopy or optical coherence tomography of anterior segment. Patients with plateau iris syndrome can be recognized by the lack of response in angle opening after iridotomy. The treatment of choice in these cases is argon laser peripheral iridoplasty.

COGAN'S SYNDROME.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of our study was to review the current knowledge on Cogan's syndrome, including etiology, diagnosis and treatment. Systematic review methodology: Relevant publications on Cogan's syndrome from 1945 to 2014 were studied. CONCLUSIONS: Cogan's syndrome is a rare autoimmune vasculitis, with unknown pathogenesis. Infection was thought to have played a role in the pathogenesis of the disease, but now the autoimmunity hypothesis is considered more likely to be true. Cogan's syndrome is characterized by ocular and audiovestibular symptoms similar to those of Meniere's syndrome. Approximately 70% of the patients have systemic disease, of which vasculitis is considered the pathological mechanism. Corticosteroids are the first line of treatment; multiple immunosuppressive drugs were also used with varying degrees of success. The novelty in the treatment of the disease is tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-blockers, but more studies are necessary to establish their efficacy.

[When and how we start the treatment in patients with ocular hypertension or in glaucoma suspects?]. / Când si cum initiem tratamentul la hipertensivul ocular si suspectul de glaucom?

The therapeutic decision should be a collaboration between us the doctor and the patient. Patients have different tolerance and education levels, ranging from the highly cautious to the careless one. Treatment initiation in glaucoma is based on intraocular pressure levels, age, race, life expectancy, family history, progression risk, associated pathology. The therapeutic effort is aiming to maintain both quality of life and sight, through sustainable costs. Now we have the proof that intraocular pressure is just another risk factor among many others, lowering-pressure treatment being able to reduce the individual risk of progression. Still, only the high-risk ocular hypertension will be treated, considering other risk factors. There is a fine line between early glaucoma and ocular hypertension, the therapeutic decision and monitoring algorithm varying with the individual risk of progression.

[Compliance and ignorance in glaucoma in Romanian patients]. / Complianta si ignoranta în glaucom la pacientii români.

The compliance to treatment of glaucoma patient has a big importance on the long term vision preservation, as well as on the quality of life of our patients. Unknowing and misunderstanding of disease real implications and the importance of the treatment are present in out every day practice in our patients. We want to identify and analyze these aspects in a glaucoma group of Romanian patients, knowing the implications of socio-economic aspects.

[Normotensive glaucoma]. / Glaucomul normotensiv.

Normal tension glaucoma is a form of primary open angle glaucoma where the intraocular pressure remains within the normal range. In this case the main challenge is to establish the correct diagnosis. The clinical evaluation of a patient suspected of a normal tension glaucoma must answer two questions: 1) is the intraocular pressure normal and 2) is it a glaucomatous optic neuropathy or another type of optic neuropathy?

[Ocular surface disfunction in glaucoma]. / Disfunctia suprafetei oculare în glaucom.

PURPOSE: To determine the effects of travoprost 0.004% and latanoprost 0.005% treatment on ocular surface in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients. METHODS: Clinical, observational prospective study, during 6 months on two groups of patients newly diagnosed with POAG. Group I (10 patients) was treated with travoprost 0.004% and group II (10 patients) was treated with latanoprost 0.005%. The groups were homogeneous about age and sex, exclusion criteria being any ocular or general associated pathology Routine ophthalmic examination was performed before and after treatment. At each examination was performed Schirmer 1 test and break up time test. Conjunctival cytology specimen was taken and goblet cells density evaluated. RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference in goblet cell density Schirmer 1 test and BUT test before and after treatment (p<0.05). For the both groups the decrease of IOP was similar (from 23.7+/-1.5 mmHg to 15.4+/-1.7 mmHg in group I and from 24.3+/-1.5 mmHg to 15.8+/-1.7 mmHg in group II). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that travoprost 0.004% and latanoprost 0.005% treatment can have adverse effects on ocular surface and may give rise to dry eye symptoms.

[Malignant glaucoma]. / Glaucomul malign.

Malign glaucoma is an important challenge for the ophthalmologist by the incomplete knowledge of the exact etiopathological mechanisms and by the fact that represent the most difficult type of secondary glaucoma to treat, that has a reserved prognostic.

[Ginkgo biloba in glaucoma]. / Ginkgo biloba în glaucom--de la teorie la practica.

The two principal directions in the therapy of the primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) are lowering intraocular pressure medication and the surgical way. None of these two therapeutic modalities act on independent pressure risk-factors Thinking in this direction the neuro-protection concept should be in our minds all the time in the treatment of this disorder.

[Kerato-mycosis--case report]. / Keratomicoza--prezentare de caz.

The authors present the case of mycotic keratitis caused by Candida spp.

[Matrix-metalloproteinases and glaucoma]. / Matrix-metaloproteinazele si glaucomul.

PURPOSE: To analyze the matrix-metalloproteinases' activity (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in primary open angle glaucoma patients with indication for filtrating surgery. METHODS: A prospective study, 8 months, in the Ophthalmology Department of the Central Military Hospital, with the collaboration of "Victor Babes" Institute. The study was conducted on 27 eyes with primary open glaucoma and that have underwent filtrating surgery. Patients with other ocular or systemic associated conditions were excluded. Patients were distributed in 3 groups, according to their topical treatment with prostaglandin analogs: Group A: 11 eyes with travoprost 0,004%. Group B: 9 eyes with latanoprost 0,005%. Group C: 7 eyes without prostaglandin analogs. The fragments collected during surgery were processed for imunohistochimical analysis for MMPs. It has used the indirect tristadial method: streptavidine-biotin-peroxidase.