Aetiology of vitreous haemorrhage in Guinness Eye Centre, Lagos University Teaching Hospital over a two year period (June 2007-May 2009).

BACKGROUND: The Vitreous Humour is the transparent biological gel which fills the posterior 5/6th of the eyeball. Extravasations of blood into this delicate tissue may cause visual loss. OBJECTIVE: The study was to determine the causes and pattern of vitreous haemorrhage in Guinness eye centre, Lagos University Teaching Hospital. METHODS: Retrospective consecutive case series of all patients with Vitreous haemorrhage over a 2 year period (June 2007 - May 2009) RESULTS: A total of 5137 new patient were seen at Guinness eye centre during the study period. 13 of them had vitreous heamorrhage giving an incidence of 0.25%. 12 of the patients were males. The mean age was 41 year. The age range was from 14years to 69 years. Majority of the patients (69%) presented within 4 weeks of drop in vision. Vitreous heamorrhage was caused by trauma in 46% of the patients and proliferative sickle cell retinopathy in 30% of the patients. All the patients with vitreous haemorrhage due to proliferative sickle cell retinopathy had the Hb genotype SC. CONCLUSION: Trauma and proliferative sickle cell retinopathy were found to be important causes of vitreous heamorrhage in this case series.

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis at Guinness Eye Centre, Luth (a five year study).

INTRODUCTION: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) (Spring Catarrh) is a chronic, seasonally exacerbated bilateral external allergic ocular inflammation which causes a lot of ocular discomfort to children and young adults and, in severe or poorly managed cases, can even lead to blindness. OBJECTIVES: To determine age/sex distribution, seasonal pattern, and frequency of clinical features. METHODOLOGY: A review of medical records of patients who presented with VKC between January 2001 - December 2006. RESULTS: A total of 148 patients' records were reviewed. There was male preponderance with a Male to Female ratio of 1.27:1, and higher frequency in patients less than 10 yrs was observed. A trimodal peak pattern (January-February, April-July and September-October) was seen. Itching was the most common symptom and brownish conjunctival discolouration, the most common sign. CONCLUSION: This study is in agreement with previous findings of male preponderance and the tendency for the condition to affect children and young adults. It also detected an increase in number of cases in periods of seasonal changes from dry to wet. The necessity of patients' being assessed by an ophthalmologist was highlighted as several patients had been treated with antibiotics solely, which is insufficient for control of the condition.