Evaluation of Pentacam-Scheimpflug imaging of anterior segment parameters in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to evaluate anterior segment parameters in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS) or pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PXG) with the Pentacam-Scheimpflug imaging system. METHODS: Eighty eyes of 53 patients with PXS (Group 1), 80 eyes of 57 patients with PXG (Group 2) and 80 eyes of 45 control cases (Group 3) were included in the study. Anterior chamber depth, volume (ACV), angle (ACA) width, central corneal thickness (CCT), central 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0 mm corneal volumes and pupil diameters were compared between groups. RESULTS: Although anterior chamber depths in the PXG group were significantly lower than the control group (p < 0.05), there was no statistically significant difference between the PXS group and the control group in means of anterior chamber depth values (p > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences among PXS, PXG and the control group in mean values of ACV, ACA width, CCT, pupil diameters and central 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0 mm corneal volume (p > 0.05). conclusions: The anterior chamber depths of PXG patients were lower than those of healthy individuals. Although the difference in anterior chamber depth between PXG patients and normal patients was statistically significant, this finding is unlikely to be of clinical significance. The anterior chamber depths of PXS patients were similar to those of healthy individuals. There were no significant differences in the means of ACV, ACA width, CCT, pupil diameter and corneal volume values on central 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0 mm among patients with PXS, PXG and healthy individuals.

Vitreous vascular endothelial growth factor level during gestation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the vitreous VEGF level alterations and its correlation with its plasma level if any, in gestation. METHODS: The blood and vitreous sampling procedures were performed before, during (20-23 days of gestation), and after gestation (2 months after birth) from seven White New Zealand rabbits. Blood samples were centrifuged then supernatants and vitreous samples were stored at -80 degrees C until assay. Measurements of serum and vitreous VEGF(165) were done by ELISA. RESULTS: The median plasma and vitreous VEGF(165) concentrations were 36.61 pg/ml (range 19.17-40.30), 14.92 pg/ml (range 8.95-15.20); 58.30 pg/ml (range 32.60-11.53), 20.51 pg/ml (range 11.94-21.26); and 35.30 pg/ml (range 27.30-39.60), 13.05 pg/ml (range 9.33-16.04) before, during and after gestation, respectively. Both the plasma and the vitreous VEGF(165) concentration during gestational period were significantly higher than pre-gestational period (P = 0.028, P = 0.018) and post-gestational period (P = 0.043, P = 0.028). The intravitreal VEGF(165 )concentrations appeared to correlate with plasma VEGF(165) levels (r = 0.940, P = 0.002) only in the gestational period. CONCLUSION: Vitreous VEGF levels increase in positive correlation with plasma VEGF during pregnancy. Further prospective studies are needed to support this finding.

Surgical excision, cryotherapy, autolimbal transplantation and mitomycin-C in treatment of conjunctival-corneal intraepithelial neoplasia.

PURPOSE: To report surgical excision, cryotherapy, autologous conjunctival-limbal transplantation and topical mitomycin C (MMC) in the patient with extensive conjunctival-corneal intraepithelial neoplasia. METHODS: Case report and literature review. RESULTS: A 75-year-old woman was referred to our department with the diagnosis of conjunctival-corneal neoplasia. Slit-lamp microscopic examination revealed an extensive papilliform tumoral mass invading the limbus at 360-degrees, and bulbar conjunctiva and cornea. Visual acuity was finger counting from 2 m in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. We performed total surgical excision, cryotherapy and autologous conjunctival-limbal transplantation in the right eye. Mitomycin-C 0.02% eye drops four times a day were prescribed for 4 weeks after the surgery. After the treatment, the visual acuity increased to 0.7 in the right eye. Corneal epithelium completely healed within 1 week after the surgery. No corneal epithelium-related problem or neoplasia recurrence were noted during the 2-year follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: This technique may be useful in reconstruction of eyes with extensive neoplastic involvement of the conjunctiva, limbus, and cornea. In addition, mitomycin C drops may be useful in preventing postoperative recurrence of conjunctival-corneal intraepithelial neoplasia.