[Patient education and treatment documentation - Law to Improve the Rights of Patients]. / Patientenaufklärung und Behandlungs-dokumentation - Gesetz zur Verbesserung der Rechte von Patientinnen und Patienten.

The Law to Improve the Rights of Patients came into force with the promulgation in the (German) Federal Law Gazette on February 25, 2013. Thus administrations of medical institutions and doctors of all disciplines should themselves acquaint with the statutory regulations and their impact on the daily practice. The present article describes and explains the statutory regulations concerning patient education and treatment documentation.

[Research funding in German ophthalmology]. / Möglichkeiten der Forschungsförderung--die Ophthalmologie in der DFG.

Since 2004 applications for research funding in ophthalmology have been evaluated together with those from neurosurgery, neuropathology, psychiatry, psychotherapy, psychosomatics, otolaryngology and neurology by a joint review board of the German Research Council (DFG). Facing a decreasing number of applications--in contrast to the need and importance of widespread ocular diseases--the working group "young academics" of the Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft (DOG) assessed the perception of funding programmes and grants available. Young ophthalmologists think that they have poor prospects to receive funding by a DFG proposal. In comparison, specialist funding quotas show a stable development within the neurosciences over the last years. The sum of requested funding has a strong correlation with the total amount actually paid. By clarifying the number of funded proposals, the better transparency and communication for the existing programmes should improve the cooperativeness, the funding rate and number of applications in future. This inventory explicitly includes a motivational guidance for young researchers to take the initiative to do more proposals.

[Working conditions for young trainees and junior researchers in ophthalmology: results of a recent online questionnaire]. / Arbeitsbedingungen des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses in der Augenheilkunde: Ergebnisse einer aktuellen Online-Befragung.

PURPOSE: By evaluating the current working conditions of young ophthalmology researchers in Germany, potential deficits should be highlighted to create a greater transparency. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Within the time period between October 2008 and March 2009 all residents and junior researchers at university eye hospitals and teaching hospitals were invited to participate in an open online survey to retrieve validated data on four different topics. RESULTS: A total of 187 validated residents filled out the questionnaire consisting of 48 items. The mean age of the 84 women and 77 men was 32±4 years and 48% of the physicians reported exceeding the normal working hours (by law) 4-5 times per week. Of the respondents 76% ruled out ever being supported in their research activities by a temporary release from clinical work. Nevertheless, several indices indicated enthusiastic career aspirations and research activities. The career success scale was greater than 5 in 70 (37%) of the participants (mean: 4.5). An adequate access to ophthalmologic online journals was indicated only by 59% of the people surveyed and 45% of scientists required additional support by English native speakers when writing a scientific manuscript. All physicians interviewed would decide in favor of ophthalmology again when asked which discipline would be chosen and 28% of the residents would not apply for a job at the same institution again. The atmosphere, access to surgical training and the quality of teaching were specified as the most important factors in the career decision in favor of a certain university. CONCLUSION: Some deficits of the training and working conditions could be clearly identified in the view of ophthalmology residents. Facing the unbroken high attractiveness of clinical disciplines, the provided insights can support further training programs and research incentives to improve the scientific output and ophthalmologic research in the long term.

[Use of multilayer amniotic membrane as first therapy for penetrating corneal ulcers]. / Anwendung mehrschichtig aufgenähter Amnionmembranen in der Erstbehandlung penetrierender Hornhautulzera.

BACKGROUND: A corneal penetration secondary to inflammation or chronic trophic disease is an emergency situation in ophthalmology. The ocular globe is instable and there is a significant risk of an endophthalmitis. A corneal graft for a tectonic transplantation may not be available in many cases. The prognosis of an emergency corneal transplantation is relatively poor. We report the results of multilayer amniotic membrane transplantation as initial therapy for penetrating corneal ulcers. PATIENTS: In 13 eyes with penetrating corneal ulcers an initial therapy with multilayer amniotic membrane was performed. All patients (11 men, 2 women; age 52-90 years; mean 71.7 years) were given therapeutic contact lenses as well as systemic and local antibiotics. We investigated the postoperative course with regard to stabilisation of the cornea and deepening of the anterior chamber. RESULTS: The anterior chamber was reestablished in 8 of 13 patients (62%) after an average of 5.25 days (range, 1-15) using multi-layer amniotic membrane transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that an initial treatment of penetrating corneal ulcers with multilayer amniotic membrane is reasonable. With this procedure the surgeon gains sufficient time for obtain a corneal graft for a possible penetrating corneal transplantation.

[Insulation characteristics of transport containers for organ cultured donor corneas under different ambient temperatures]. / Isoliereigenschaft von Transportbehältern für organkultivierte Spenderhornhäute bei wechselnden Umgebungstemperaturen.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of different transport containers to maintain an inside temperature between +10 and +40 degrees C, which is supposed to be safe for organ cultured donor corneas in dextran containing culture media, for a period of 24 hours at ambient temperatures of -10, 0, +10 and +50 degrees C. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 3 containers were tested: 1. Styrofoam box with 2.5 cm thick walls (Graft-tec, AL.CHI.MI.A., Padova, Italy). 2. Thermos jug 0.5 litre (Primus, Solna, Sweden), a double walled metal jug. 3. ThempShell-22 degrees (VWR International, Darmstadt, Germany), a box of gel filled plastic elements. The containers were exposed to -10, 0, +10 and +50 degrees C for 24 hours each. A continuous temperature recording of the ambient and internal environments was performed using electronic thermometers (Mini Intelligent Logger, Escort). RESULTS: The inside temperature of the styrofoam box reached the outside temperature level after 80 - 230 min for all tested settings. The Thermos jug reached the outside temperature approximately after 5 hours. In contrast, the inside temperature of the TempShell-22 degrees CC was at -10 degrees C outside temperature 21 degrees C after 6 hours, 19 degrees C after 12 hours and 12 degrees C after 24 hours. At an ambient temperature of 0 and +10 degrees C the inside temperature of the TempShell-22 degrees C was 19.2 and 17.8 degrees C respectively after 24 hours. An ambient temperature of + 50 degrees C led to an inside temperature of the TempShell-22 degrees C of 30.5 degrees C after 6, 38.3 degrees C after 12 hours and 47.0 degrees C after 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS: A standard Styrofoam box with 2.5 cm thick walls and the tested thermos jug are not suitable to assure a safe temperature range. The TempShell-22 degrees C assures a safe temperature range for low ambient temperatures (-10 to +10 degrees C) for at least 24 hours and for an ambient temperature of +50 degrees C for at least 10 hours.

[LASIK using a scanning spot excimer laser for the treatment of myopia and myopic astigmatism 3-Jahresergebnisse]. / Laser-in-situ-Keratomileusis mittels Scanning-Spot-Excimerablation zur Korrektur von Myopie und myopem Astigmatismus 3-Jahresergebnisse.

PURPOSE: The correction of refractive errors using laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) has become the primary refractive procedure worldwide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate LASIK within a retrospective cohort. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The mean preoperative spherical equivalent for the 34 consecutively treated eyes was -6.67+/-2.69 D. The LASIK operations were performed by a Hansatome microkeratome (Bausch and Lomb) and a scanning spot excimer laser (Technolas Keracor 217, Bausch and Lomb). For pre- and postoperative analysis the Datagraph med software (Version 2.7) was used. RESULTS: None of the treated eyes lost 2 or more lines of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). At the 36-month examination the spherical equivalent had changed to -0.47 D (mean increase of myopia: 0.13 D). No long-term complications were found in the study period. CONCLUSION: LASIK with superior hinge and scanning spot excimer ablation is an effective treatment for the correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism in the refractive range described above.