[Comparative study of virgin silk and polyglachine (Dexon) corneal sutures in rabbits (author's transl)]. / Etude comparèe des sutures de soie vierge et de polyglachine (Dexon) sur las cornèe de lapin. Etude expérimentale.

An experimental study in rabbits compared corneal reaction to two types of sutures: 8.0 virgin-silk (Ethicon) and 7.0 Dexon (Davis-Geck). Results showed that the 8.0 virgin-silk (Ethicon) gives rise to a scar rapidly than the 7.0 Dexon (Davis-Geck). The degree of inflammation is smaller, the scar more solid and more regular than with 7.0 Dexon (Davis-Geck). In addition, the degree of neovascularisation of the cornea was more dense with the 8.0 virgin-silk (Ethicon) than the 7.0 Dexon (Davis-Geck) sutures.

[Clinical and pathologic-anatomical results following the application of a mobile argon-laser beam in aphakic pupillary block glaucoma (author's transl)]. / Klinische und pathologisch-anatomische Ergebnisse nach Anwendung eines beweglichen Argon-Laserstrahles bei aphakischem Pupillarblock-Glaukom.

In the last four years we have treated with the mobile argon-laser beam 25 cases of aphakic pupillary block glaucoma (p. b. g.). According to the time of manifestation of the p. b. g. the patients were divided into an "early" and a "late" group. In the "early" group (17 eyes) the glaucoma manifested itself 1--4 days after cataract extraction. In the "late" group (8 eyes) p. b. g. appeared from 4 weeks to 3 years after cataract extraction. In 14 of the 17 cases of the first group we achieved a prompt reformation of the anterior chamber and a considerable decrease of intraocular pressure immediately after laser application. In 3 cases of the first group, where the pupil was under relative or absolute mydriasis before argon-laser treatment, the mobile laser beam failed to produce satisfactory results. In all of the 8 patients of the "late" group a reformation of the anterior chamber was achieved, but in only 4 of them did i. o. pressure normalize owing to extensive anterior synechiae. Laser application left either very slight or no traces at all on the iris. In order to ascertain the actual effect of the laser beam upon the iris, we applied laser under identical conditions in eyes which had no glaucoma but were to undergo enucleation because of choroidal melanoma. The histological examination revealed a slight degree of hyperaemia of the iris as an oedema of the connective tissue, while the iris sphincter did not appear to be affected by laser treatment.

[Intravitreal injection of gentamicin--experimental findings (author's transl)]. / Intravitreale Injektion von Gentamicin--eigene Versuchsergebnisse.

In this experimental investigation the authors studied the electro-retinographic alterations and the histological lesions of the retina of rabbits following the intravitreal injection of different doses of gentamicin.

How do tears drain? Technetium studies.

We examined the tear drainage system of twenty-fiv normal volunteers by scintillography with Technetium Tc 99m (Pertechnetate). We photographed the changes occurring in the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct during closure and opening of the eyelids. Our findings support Jones' views of normal tear drainage. The tracer was concentrated in the lacrimal sac while the lids were closed for 3 minutes and descended into the nasolacrimal duct as soon as they opened.

Retinoblastoma: some aspects concerning diagnosis, heredity, and treatment.

The authors set forth their views on the early diagnosis, heredity, and therapeutic problems of retinoblastoma. They regard as imperative the frequent ophthalmological check-up of familial tumors and of tumors of sporadic occurence, notably when they are bilateral. The further problems posed by the surviving patients are discussed in detail in the light of follow-up examinations extended up to 15 years.

On the management of congenital cataract with Dardenne's equipment.

After a short review of the operative techniques applied for the extraction of congenital cataract the authors describe the method of irrigation-aspiration of the lens material by means of the Dardenne equipment. Following an analysis of the results obtained with this procedure in a number of patients operated on at the Eye Clinic at Athens University, they discuss the advantages and shortcomings of the method, insisting in particular on: the importance of a complete removal of the lens debris; the careful scraping of the posterior lens capsule, and the necessity of an intensive postoperative anti-inflammatory therapy, especially in cases of congenital cataract due to rubella.

[Treatment and follow-up of retinal tears associated with avulsed overlying retinal vessels (author's transl)]. / Behandlung und Nachuntersuchung von Netzhautrissen ohne Netzhautablösung mit den Riss überlagerndem abgehobenen Netzhautgefäss

The present clinical study is based on 17 cases of a specific clinical entity, which is characterised by a retinal break without retinal detachment, the tear being spanned by an avulsed patient retinal vessel invariably adjoining the operculum. The vessel was in the vitreous cavity and formed an arch above the break. All cases began with a sudden decrease or loss of visual acuity due to the rupture of the avulsed vessel and the occurrence of hemorrhages within the vitreous. These hemorrhages recurred in the course of the follow-up of the patients which lasted from 1-8 years. The recurrence of the bleeding was in most instances related to the mobility and the size of the vessel overlying the break. During treatment the cases were divided into two groups, group 1 comprising cases which were subjected only to light-coagulation, whereas in the cases of group 2 scleral buckling was performed in conjunction with cryopexy or light-coagulation. The comparatively best results were achieved in group 2. This condition is rare and amounted to only 1.5% of our total number of cases of retinal tears treated with light-coagulation during the last 8 years.

Family distribution of concomitant squint in Greece.

From a study of a large number of brothers and sisters suffering from concomitant squint, the following data were obtained: (1) 42-9% of the patients showed congenital strabismus. (2) In 96-5% of the sibs strabismus was of the same type. (3) The presence of a significant refractive error occurred in 82-8% of the patients. (4) In all twins strabismus appeared at the same age in both twins, and the squint and the refractive error were of the same type. (5) The distance of the patients' homes from Athens had no effect on either (a) the time intervening between the onset of squint and the first visit to the eye specialist, or (b) the effectiveness of treatment.

The necessary resection of the levator muscle of the upper eyelid in the operation for congenital blepharoptosis.

The authors comment on the excellent postoperative results obtained in 22 eyes operated on according to the Blaskovics method for congenital blepharoptosis. They discuss the length of the resected part of the levator muscle of the upper lid, the length depending in each case on the degree of the ptosis and on the functional ability of the levator muscle. They arrive at the conclusion that the shortening of the levator muscle must be considerably greater than heretofore advocated by the classical view.

Some observations concerning expulsive hemorrhage.

The authors describe the occurrence of expulsive hemorrhage in 12 patients out of a total of 23,985 intraocular surgical operations (0.05%). As principal etiological factors they regard increased intraocular pressure in combination with coexisting hypertension and vascular sclerosis. Attention is drawn to the manifestation of the complication during the last years under the mild form of subchoroidal hemorrhage as a result of the use of osmotically acting drugs. In 9 cases the eyeball was salvaged.

[Electroretinographic changes in experimental metalloses]. / Altérations de i'ERG dans les métalloses expérimentales.

In this experimental study the authors studied the Eclectroretinographic alterations and the histological lesions after the introduction of foreign bodies of iron and copper into the vitreous body of eyes of rabbits. The ERG alterations depend on the kind of the intraocular foreign body and on the size and the time it remained into the eye. These alterations are characterised either by a parallel diminution of the a and b wave of the ERG, or by an increase of the a wave while the b wave becomes flat. From the histological studies it was found that the iron is deposited into the nucleus and the cytoplasm in the form of granules, while the copper causes a violent inflammatory reaction and is deposited extracellularly.

[Some observations on the use of cyclocryopexy in the treatment of various forms of glaucoma (author's transl)]. / Einige Bemerkungen zur Anwendung der Zyklokryopexie in der Behandlung der verschiedenen Glaukomformen

Cyclocryopexy constitutes a method for the therapy of absolute or hemorrhagic painful glaucoma. The authors describe its technique, its indications and the postoperative results obtained in 38 patients, from which they make appropriate conclusions.

[Experimental hypertony caused by obstruction of the anterior chamber angle ab interno (author's transl)]. / Experimentelle Hypertonie durch Verschluss des Kammerwinkels ab interno

In 30 rabbits, separated into 3 groups (A, B and C), the entire area (A), three quarters (B) half of the anterior chamber angle (C) was experimentally obstructed by means of a homologous scleral graft. In groups A and B a statistically significant change of the intraocular pressure and of the cornea diameter was shown as compared with the control eye and group C. This change is due to the obstructed area of the angle. The increased intraocular pressure lasted for some months. The graft was well tolerated by the tissue of the angle and the obstruction of the angle was total, as was confirmed by means of the histological preparations.

Experimental uveitis induced by prostatic antigens.

Experimental uveitis was induced in male rats following their repeated systemic and intravitreous immunization with prostatic antigen and CFA. The ensuing uveitis was proved histologically. Heteroimmunized rabbits and female animals showed less response and the level of antibodies detected was lower. Anti-prostatic antibodies were determined by the TRC flocculation and PCA techniques. Ouchterlony's method gave positive results not only for prostatic but also for other ocular antigens when tested against the same test sera.

[Irvine-Gass syndrome. Statistical and angiographic study]. / Le syndrome d'Irvine-Gass. Etude statistique et angiographique

This study is based on a detailed investigation of 12 cases of Irvine-Gass syndrome which was observed during the examination of 350 patients operated for pathological or senile cataract. The authors have found that: Males were affected more than females. Arteriol hypertension increases the frequency of the disease. The syndrome was found at an increase frequency in cases of nuclear cataract and in case where cataract was extracted by cryo-extraction. The bulge of the vitreous within the anterior chamber (without rupture of the anterior hyaloid membrane) causes a higher frequency of the disease. A similar observation was made when there was an incarceration of the vitreous to the surgical wound. The retreat of the edema was faster when the syndrome appeared earlier than the cataract operation. Whereas the restoration of good visual acuity did not depend upon the time of appearance of the disease. During the fluorescein study the following was observed. The possible participation of the chorio-capillaris layer in the pathogenicity of the disease. The diffusion of the fluorescein diminished with the improvement of the disease. Fluorescein angiography is unquestionably superior to simple ophthalmoscopy or the coloured photograph of the fundus of the eye, because the full extent of the existing damage can be revealed only through this method.

[A contribution to the study of the correlation between the depth of the anterior chamber and the coefficient of aqueous humor outflow (author's transl)]. / Ein Beitrag zur Untersuchung der zwischen der Vorderkammertiefe und dem Kammerwasserabflusskoeffizienten bestehenden Beziehung

The depth of the anterior chamber was measured and the coefficient of the aqueous humor outflow was ascertained by means of tonography in 88 normal eyes. The mean value of the depth of the anterior chamber established was 2095+/-0.42 and the median value of the outflow coefficient of the aqueous humor was found to be 0.27+/-0.07. Both values showed a regular distribution. A statistically significant correlation was established between the two values. Expressed through a correlation coefficient this would mean in practice that the coefficient of aqueous humor outflow is affected up to 10 percent by the value of the depth of the anterior chamber.

Some clinical aspects concerning microtropia.

The present study is concerned with the specific nature and the multiformity of microtropia, which is characterized by unilateral convergent small angle (under 10delta) strabismus with amblyopia and abnormal retinal correspondence. Three types of microtropia may be distinguished: Type I: Showing a positive cover test, amblyopia and abnormal retinal correspondence. Type II: Showing in addition to the above, heterophoria. Type III: Showing a negative cover test, a positive 4delta base-out prism test, amblyopia due to anisometropia, eccentric fixation and harmonious abnormal retinal correspondence, where the angle of anomaly is equal to the angle to eccentricity. For the prevention of microtropia all children aged under 4 and irrespective of the presence of any symptoms should undergo an eye examination. At a more advanced age the diagnosis of this clinical entity is of importance chiefly from a prognostic point of view, because it permits us to avoid futile efforts at correcting visual acuity by means of covering up to sound eye.