Alteraciones oculares en submarinistas: Presentación de 2 casos clínicos y revisión de la literatura / Ocular alterations in divers: 2 case reports and literature review

El submarinismo puede practicarse de manera recreativa o profesional. En ambas modalidades el buceador puede verse expuesto a riesgos como el síndrome de descompresión y al consecuente uso de la cámara hiperbárica, la hiperoxigenación de la botella de gases, el barotrauma y la inmersión en circuitos cerrados. Estas situaciones tienen en común la exposición a una gran diferencia de presiones, lo que puede provocar una amplia gama de alteraciones, incluidas las oftalmológicas. El desarrollo de una miopía de índice y catarata de tipo nuclear son hallazgos oculares frecuentemente asociados al aumento de presión de oxígeno. En este contexto, se establece un desequilibrio entre especies oxidativas y defensas antioxidantes como el glutatión, que posee un papel clave en el mantenimiento de la transparencia del cristalino. Presentamos los casos de 2 pacientes jóvenes, pescadores de coral, que presentaron una miopización reciente y progresiva asociada a cataratas nucleares

Scuba diving can be practiced recreationally or professionally. In both modalities the diver can be exposed to risks such as decompression syndrome and thus, the use of a hyperbaric chamber, hyper-oxygenation of the gas cylinder, barotrauma, and immersion in closed circuits. These situations have some phenomena in common, such as the great pressure differences, which can cause a wide range of alterations, including ophthalmological ones. The development of index myopia and nuclear cataract are ocular findings frequently associated with increased oxygen pressure. In this context, an imbalance is established between oxidative species and antioxidant defences, such as glutathione, which has a key role in maintaining the transparency of the lens. The cases are presented of 2 young coral fisher patients, who had recently developed a progressive myopisation associated with nuclear cataracts

Ocular alterations in divers: 2 case reports and literature review. / Alteraciones oculares en submarinistas: Presentación de 2 casos clínicos y revisión de la literatura.

Scuba diving can be practiced recreationally or professionally. In both modalities the diver can be exposed to risks such as decompression syndrome and thus, the use of a hyperbaric chamber, hyper-oxygenation of the gas cylinder, barotrauma, and immersion in closed circuits. These situations have some phenomena in common, such as the great pressure differences, which can cause a wide range of alterations, including ophthalmological ones. The development of index myopia and nuclear cataract are ocular findings frequently associated with increased oxygen pressure. In this context, an imbalance is established between oxidative species and antioxidant defences, such as glutathione, which has a key role in maintaining the transparency of the lens. The cases are presented of 2 young coral fisher patients, who had recently developed a progressive myopisation associated with nuclear cataracts.

Comparison of two methods for obtaining and transporting corneal samples in suspected infectious keratitis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare two alternative methods of collecting and transporting media for the diagnosis of corneal ulcers, as not all clinical settings have conventional culture materials and transport media available. METHODS: In this open-label, prospective, comparative, and randomized study, patients with clinical suspicion of infectious keratitis with high risk of loss of vision had corneal specimens collected using two methods and transport media: Eswab scraping with Amies transport medium and 23-gauge needle scraping in BACTEC Peds broth. The order of each collection method was randomized. The samples were processed by standard methods, comparing the positivity frequencies for both by parametric and nonparametric tests, according to normality criteria. RESULTS: Corneal infiltrates from 40 eyes of 40 patients were analyzed. Culture positivity rate was 50% for Eswab and 35% for 23-gauge needle (P=0.258). The overall growth rate of the two methods combined was not higher than with the swab alone. The results obtained with a swab were not influenced by the collection sequence (P=0.112); however, the positivity rate was significantly higher when the sample taken with the needle was performed first (P=0.046). CONCLUSIONS: The single sample Eswab method of collection and transportation for the diagnosis of high risk corneal ulcers is a valid alternative and can be used in cases in which, for various reasons, there is no access to the full set of traditional culture materials.