Periocular corticosteroids in diabetic papillopathy.

PURPOSE: To ascertain the therapeutic effect of periocular corticosteroids in diabetic papillopathy. METHODS: Prospectively, five consecutive adult-onset diabetic patients with symptomatic diabetic papillopathy underwent visual fields and fluorescein angiography before and after superonasal subtenon injection of corticosteroids. RESULTS: The median duration of papillopathy was 2.5 weeks by ophthalmoscopy and 3 weeks by fluorescein angiography. The median recovery time of best-spectacle-corrected visual acuity was 2 weeks. Two patients developed sequential diabetic papillopathy, and both reported faster visual recovery and better subjective vision in treated eyes. In these two patients, the final best-spectacle-corrected visual acuity and visual evoked responses were comparable between the two eyes, while automated visual fields were less constricted in treated eyes. Complications included ocular hypertension, mild progression of cataract, and mild ptosis in one patient each. CONCLUSIONS: Periocular corticosteroids shortened the duration of diabetic papillopathy from a reported median of 5 months to 3 weeks in the present uncontrolled observational study, partly by their angiostatic and antioedema effects at the level of the anterior optic nerve. Intraocular pressure needs to be monitored in eyes receiving periocular corticosteroids.

Phacoemulsification at King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital--the experience of the past.

OBJECTIVE: To study the outcome of phacoemulsification (PE) compared to standard extracapsular surgery before the introduction of state-of-the-art techniques (capsulorhexis, hydrodissection, nuclear cracking, nuclear chopping, sutureless incisions) and sophisticated equipment. STUDY DESIGN: Charts from 375 patients (453 eyes) undergoing PE between 1984 and 1989 were randomly selected and studied retrospectively. A minimum age of 35 years, and a minimum follow-up of three months were required. SETTING: A large eye hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia staffed with an international faculty of ophthalmic surgeons. PATIENTS: Patients over 35 years of age undergoing PE for immature, mature and traumatic cataract. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postoperative visual acuity, and rate or frequency of intraoperative complications. RESULTS: 66.5% achieved visual acuity of 20/40 or better, which compares favourably with the 36.5% of eyes reaching this level of visual acuity after mainly standard extracapsular cataract surgery in another study at our hospital. Posterior capsule ruptures occurred in 7.5% and vitreous loss in 5.5%. Other ocular disease (odds ratio 7.51 confidence interval 4.43-12.7) and intraoperative complications (odds ratio 2.97 confidence interval 1.38-6.42) were statistically significant predictors for final visual acuity of under 20/40 (p = < 0.001 and 0.005 respectively). CONCLUSION: The outcome of PE was better than that of standard extracapsular cataract extraction in the same setting. However, since PE appeared to be used selectively, no clear advantage compared to extracapsular cataract extraction is evident in the period before the introduction of modern state-of-the-art PE-techniques.

Excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy for shield ulcers and corneal plaques in vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

BACKGROUND: Shield-shaped corneal ulcers and corneal plaques in vernal keratoconjunctivitis are associated with delayed epithelial healing, as well as the risks of infectious keratitis and sterile stromal ulceration. Significant visual impairment due to scarring and irregular astigmatism may result from central corneal lesions. METHODS: Three eyes with central corneal lesions resulting from vernal keratoconjunctivitis were treated by excimer laser after active vernal keratoconjunctivitis was controlled and inflammatory plaque overlying the shield ulcers was removed. RESULTS: All three eyes showed rapid reepithelialization within 1 week. Spectacle-corrected visual acuity of 20/30 or better was obtained in each eye. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients, excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of shield-shaped corneal ulcers and plaques in vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

A case of corneal keloid: clinical, surgical, pathological, and ultrastructural characteristics.

A 69-year-old patient developed a localised, whitish, elevated, corneal lesion with a smooth and glistening surface following trauma, without evidence of corneal perforation. Twelve months later, the lesion showed evidence of slow growth. An excisional biopsy was then performed. Histopathologically, the lesion was covered by non-keratinised squamous epithelium and was comprised of randomly oriented collagen fibres containing active fibroblasts. Blood vessels were noted deep in the lesion. Ultrastructurally, the cell population was formed by fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, similar to keloids of the skin. The clinical, pathological, and ultrastructural features of the corneal lesion are compatible with a corneal keloid.

Cyclosporine effects on optic nerve and retinal vasculitis in Behçet's disease.

In a prospective, open clinical trial, we studied long-term effects of cyclosporine (CsA) on the optic nerve and retinal vasculitis in 14 Behçet's disease patients. Patients were treated with CsA and corticosteroids for a mean period of 42 months, with a range of 36 to 52 months. They received an initial CsA dosage of 7 mg/kg/day for three days, followed by 5 mg/kg/day, and prednisone 1 mg/kg/day for three to five days, tapered to 0.4 mg/kg/day. CsA was tapered when clinical response was noted. Improvement occurred in visual acuity and visual field defects secondary to papillitis, optic neuritis, macular neuroretinitis, and retinal phlebitis, but not with retinal arteritis. Despite a 12/14 (85%) exacerbation rate, no permanent liver or renal lab tests abnormalities were noted. Intermittent, low-dose CsA therapy may be considered in treatment of acute retinal and optic nerve vasculitis assisted with Behçet's disease.

Contamination of donor cornea: postpenetrating keratoplasty endophthalmitis.

Nine cases (0.41%) of bacterial and fungal endophthalmitis developed out of a total of 2,210 consecutive penetrating keratoplasties performed between November 1983 and April 1989. Five of the nine cases (0.23%) had endophthalmitis related to donor tissue contamination. The donor tissue of these cases had a storage time of greater than 5 days. A retrospective analysis of 1,399 consecutive corneoscleral rim cultures showed a contamination rate of 29%. The most common organisms isolated were Propionibacterium 26%, diphtheroids 24%, Staphylococcus epidermidis 22%, and fungi 9%. There is a statistically significant increase (p less than 0.005) in the percentage of contaminated donor rims with a preservation time of more than five days. The risk of developing endophthalmitis is 12 times greater with a positive donor rim culture. Prolonged preservation of donor tissue can be a risk factor in developing endophthalmitis.

Endophthalmitis from contaminated donor corneas following penetrating keratoplasty.

We encountered six (0.2%) cases of endophthalmitis resulting from contaminated donor corneas between January 1983 and July 1990 following a total of 3000 consecutive penetrating keratoplasties. Causative organisms in the three cases of fungal endophthalmitis were Torulopsis glabrata, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus flavus; the three cases of bacterial endophthalmitis were due to Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis. All organisms were resistant to gentamicin in the preservation media. A significantly higher incidence of endophthalmitis was noted in patients receiving corneas from a Sri Lankan eye bank (1.25%) than in those receiving US eye bank tissue (0.14%). Donor rim cultures are important to identify those patients at increased risk of developing endophthalmitis, enabling earlier diagnosis and more specific treatment should endophthalmitis occur.

Extracapsular cataract extraction using a temporal limbal approach after filtering operations.

We reviewed the charts of 29 patients who underwent extracapsular cataract extraction after filtering surgery. Seven of these patients also had simultaneous implantation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens. All eyes were operated on using a temporal limbal approach. The median postoperative follow-up was 13 months. There was no statistically significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressures, but there tended to be an increase in the number of antiglaucoma medications administered postoperatively. None of these patients, however, required further surgery for intraocular pressure control.

Aqueous misdirection and flat chamber after posterior chamber implants with and without trabeculectomy.

Three patients developed flat anterior chamber and were ultimately diagnosed as having aqueous misdirection after trabeculectomy with extracapsular cataract extraction and posterior chamber lens implantation (glaucoma triple procedure). A fourth patient developed aqueous misdirection after posterior chamber lens implantation only (without trabeculectomy). This latter was cured by repeated pars plana vitrectomy, not requiring removal of the pseudophakos. In only one of the three eyes with the triple procedure did the lens have to be removed and anterior vitrectomy performed, whereas the remaining two were cured by neodymium-YAG laser disruption of the anterior hyaloid. In these two cases, the posterior capsule remained intact. Neodymium-YAG laser vitreolysis should be the first step in the management of these cases because of its safety compared with open surgery.