Ocular Biomechanics and Glaucoma.

Biomechanics is a branch of biophysics that deals with mechanics applied to biology. Corneal biomechanics have an important role in managing patients with glaucoma. While evidence suggests that patients with thin and stiffer corneas have a higher risk of developing glaucoma, it also influences the accurate measurement of intraocular pressure. We reviewed the pertinent literature to help increase our understanding of the biomechanics of the cornea and other ocular structures and how they can help optimize clinical and surgical treatments, taking into consideration individual variabilities, improve the diagnosis of suspected patients, and help monitor the response to treatment.

COVID-19-related Ocular Hypertension Secondary to Anterior Uveitis as Part of a Multisystemic Inflammatory Syndrome.

It is the consensus of the medical community that ocular complications associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) are mild, self-limiting, and there are no reports to date of a sight-threatening event. We report a patient with a systemic inflammatory syndrome in the context of COVID-19, with ophthalmological (uveitis), dermatological (erythema and skin nodules), and cardiovascular (edema) manifestations. The anterior uveitis led to an increase in the intraocular pressure that failed to respond to clinical treatment and prompted a surgical intervention to save the vision. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a COVID-19-related ocular hypertension. Timely surgical intervention was key to save the vision in the patient's only eye.

Corneal biomechanical metrics in eyes with refraction of -19.00 to +9.00 D in healthy Brazilian patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate corneal biomechanical metrics with tomographic parameters (given by the Oculus Pentacam) and refractive data in a population of healthy Brazilian patients. METHODS: Observational, cross-sectional study of 150 consecutive patients (53 men and 97 women; 260 eyes). Age, gender, central keratometric readings (central K), central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), spherical equivalent refraction, corneal hysteresis, and corneal resistance factor (CRF) were assessed and analyzed. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 46.5+/-21.04 years, average central K was 43.59+/-1.54 diopters (D), CCT was 545.05+/-35.41 microm, ACD was 2.96+/-0.52 mm, spherical equivalent refraction was -1.16+/-3.48 D, corneal hysteresis was 10.17+/-1.82, and CRF was 10.14+/-1.8 (range: 5.45 to 15.1). Mean CRF and corneal hysteresis were distinct among gender: CRF 10.326 in women and 9.810 in men (P=.0266); corneal hysteresis 10.421 in women and 9.727 in men (P=.0031). A negative correlation was found between both CRF and corneal hysteresis with age (r=-0.1255, P=.0434; and r=-0.2445, P=.0001, respectively). No association was found between CRF and average central K (r=0.0633, P=.3086), ACD (r=-0.0474, P=.4498), or spherical equivalent refraction (r=0.1028, P=.1061). Corneal hysteresis was not associated with age and average central K (r=0.0572, P=.3573), ACD (r=0.0060, P=.9236), or spherical equivalent refraction (r=0.0975, P=.1253). Corneal resistance factor and corneal hysteresis were positively associated with CCT (r=0.5760, P=0; and r=0.4655, P=0, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Corneal biomechanical metrics of healthy Brazilian patients were associated with CCT, gender, and age. Corneal steepness, ACD, and spherical equivalent refraction did not affect comeal hysteresis and CRF values in the studied population.