Verification of the usefulness of shape acquisition using plastic casts during fabrication of a metal strut ankle-foot orthosis.

[Purpose] When fabricating metal strut ankle-foot orthoses, previous studies have reported that shape acquisition is more efficient with a plastic cast than with a plaster of Paris bandage; however, this has not been quantitatively evaluated. This study aimed to clarify the usefulness of plastic casts by quantitatively evaluating the time spent and body shape accuracy among different methods of shape acquisition. [Participants and Methods] We compared the time spent and acquired shapes among the plaster of Paris bandage, plastic cast, and trace methods in 30 limbs of 15 healthy participants. Three-dimensional scans of the lower legs of participants were used as references to compare the three methods. [Results] The plastic cast method required less time than the plaster of Paris bandage method and provided a more accurate shape than the trace method did. However, the plastic cast method resulted in an increased overall width and circumferential diameter owing to the thickness of the stockinette and plastic cast. [Conclusion] The plastic cast method may be useful in reducing the time and burden of fabricating metal strut ankle-foot orthoses. The use of slightly narrow dimensions during the metal strut bending process can account for the increased width and diameter.

Quantification of accommodative response and visual performance in non-presbyopes wearing low-add contact lenses.

PURPOSE: Digital eye strain encompasses a range of ocular and visual symptoms across all age groups. Recently, symptoms associated with accommodative or binocular vision stress have become a major problem, especially in young individuals. The purpose of this prospective, single-blinded study was to objectively quantify the accommodative response and visual performance of low-add soft contact lenses (CLs) in young non-presbyopic individuals. METHODS: A daily disposable low-add bifocal design lens (low-add CL) was tested. It employs a centre-distance optical zone and peripheral zone with the added power of +0.50 D to support near vision. Sixteen subjects aged 20-39 years were enrolled in the study. Refractive state and accommodation were measured using an open-field autorefractor with three target vergences, namely, -0.20 D, -2.5 D, and -4.0 D. Binocular visual acuity at high (100%) and low (40%, 20%) contrast and reading ability were assessed. Monofocal soft CLs were used as controls. RESULTS: Accommodative response with low-add CLs was significantly smaller than those with two monofocal CL wearing conditions, i.e., at 40 cm (2.5 D of stimulus) and 25 cm (4.0 D of stimulus) (all p < 0.05). The 20% contrast visual acuity at distance was significantly better with low-add CLs and second-time monofocal CLs compared to first-time monofocal CLs (all p < 0.05). The reading ability was not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Quantification of accommodative response and visual performance demonstrated that using low-add CLs alleviated the accommodation under the near-vision condition, without sacrificing distance vision, in non-presbyopes.

Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Patients Following Cultivated Oral Mucosal Epithelial Transplantation.

PURPOSE: To analyze corneal neovascularization using anterior segment optical coherence tomography angiography (AS-OCTA) in patients following cultivated oral mucosal epithelial sheet transplantation (COMET). DESIGN: Observational case series. METHODS: Nine eyes in 7 patients were analyzed. Four images of corneal quadrant were obtained by AS-OCTA from each patient during follow-up post-COMET in the Department of Ophthalmology at Osaka University Hospital. The depth of corneal neovascularization was evaluated using en face and B-scan images. Each quadrant image was classified as 1 of the following 5 types: stromal, predominantly stromal, epithelial, predominantly epithelial, or avascular. The image quality of slit-lamp photography and AS-OCTA was graded from 0 to 4. Manually segmented images of the epithelial and stromal vessels were obtained. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Depth and image quality of corneal neovascularization following COMET. RESULTS: Six patients were male and 1 was female. The mean patient age was 61.3 ± 19.1 years. Thirty-six quadrant images were obtained, of which 4 (11.1%) were stromal, 16 (44.4%) were predominantly stromal, 3 (8.3%) were epithelial, 11 (30.6%) were predominantly epithelial, and 2 (5.6%) were avascular. The image quality obtained by AS-OCTA was significantly better than that obtained by slit-lamp photography (2.38 ± 0.94 vs 2.03 ± 0.90; P = .021). Segmentation images clearly demonstrated both epithelial and stromal vasculatures individually. CONCLUSIONS: AS-OCTA is useful for evaluation of depth of corneal neovascularization and has the potential to distinguish between conjunctivalization and stromal neovascularization following COMET. Findings on AS-OCTA could contribute to clinical decision making, given that retreatment is required for conjunctivalization after COMET.