Commonly used intraocular medications and the corneal endothelium.

Forty-one cats had balanced salt solution, chymotrypsin, epinephrine hydrochloride with preservatives in varying concentrations, acetylcholine chloride, and carbachol injected intracamerally to determine the toxic effects on the endothelium. Specular microscopy was performed both before and after injection, and for each of the medications, the cell densities were compared with the results obtained with the balanced salt solution. The mean postinjection density as compared with the preinjection density for the medications varied between 98% and 108%, and there were no statistically significant differences between each medication group and the balanced salt solution results. From the results of this study, it is believed that when indicated, these medications probably do not produce substantial toxic effects on the corneal endothelium.

Polyvinyl alcohol as a protective coating on intraocular lenses.

Sixty-eight intraocular lenses were implanted in cats to compare the efficacy of a new polyvinyl alcohol coating in protecting the corneal endothelium from lens-cell contact damage. The mean endothelial density after implantation of the coated lens was significantly higher than the cell density in those eyes receiving the uncoated lens. We saw no clinical signs of unusual inflammation; whole-eye histopathologic study disclosed no signs of inflammation or toxicity related to the coating. Ten coated lenses were placed in balanced salt solution or perfused with balanced salt solution at 0.5 mL/min. The coating remained intact for 60 minutes, affording corneal endothelial protection for this period. In a rabbit anterior chamber toxicity study, using balanced salt solution as a control, no differencs in reaction in the anterior chamber or intraocular pressure were noted.

Donor cornea contamination with McCarey-Kaufman medium preservation.

A patient had corneal infection with Staphylococcus aureus after keratoplasty from tissue preserved in McCarey-Kaufman medium. The small, successfully treated corneal infection was from the same organism cultured from the tissue culture medium at the time of transplantation. Possible sources of donor-tissue contamination included the increase in ocular flora seen in postmortem eyes, blood-borne bacteria, lack of sterile technique in securing donor tissue, inadequate irrigation of the tissue, and inadequate use of topical antibiotics on the tissue. Preservation medium and specimens from medium-preserved and refrigerated corneas should be cultured before and during surgery.

Encuesta mundial sobre la xeroftalmia : La hipovitaminosis A : Epidemiologia y aspectos de salud publica / A global survey on xerophthalmia : Epidemiology and public health aspects o hypovitaminosis A

The purpose of this study was to review the problem of nutritional disorders of the eye; with that end in view, surveys were carried out between July 1962 and March 1963 in South and East Asia, in the Near East and Northern Africa, and in Mexico, Central America, and South America. The authors first examine the sources of information used, which included replies to specially prepared questionnaires; government statistics and hospital records; surveys (cases of xerophthalmia might be detected during the course of surveys of infectious diarrhea, especially shigellosis); vernacular names for this condition; and personal observations of the consultants. On analyzing the epidemiological aspects the authors point out that climatic conditions have less influence on the occurrence of xerophthalmia than might at first be thought; more important is the correct use of available foods. On the other hand, studies made in Vietnam showed that seasonal variations do have a significant influence, especially in places where changes in climate are more marked. Among the social and economic factors which play a role in the occurrence of xerophthalmia and other nutritional disorders of childhood, attitudes toward foods and especially their suitability for young children, mal-distribution of food in the family and the abandonment of breast feeding among the economically insecure have a profound effect. Etiologic

Ocular manifestations of vitamin-A deficiency in man.

Vitamin-A deficiency continues to be one of the most widely prevalent and devastating nutritional diseases of man. This is in spite of the discovery of vitamin A more than half a century ago and its now ready availability in inexpensive concentrated form. Lack of knowledge at many levels is the basis of this tragic situation, which may result in needless blindness and loss of life, especially among young children.As a contribution to the alleviation of the problem, the present paper has as its object the provision, for the general and hospital physician in those countries where xerophthalmia is endemic, of adequate descriptive and pictorial information to enable him to make an accurate diagnosis of vitamin-A deficiency when he is presented with any stage of the ocular manifestations.

Encuesta mundial sobre la xeroftalmia : La hipovitaminosis A : Epidemiologia y aspectos de salud publica / A global survey on xerophthalmia : Epidemiology and public health aspects o hypovitaminosis A

The purpose of this study was to review the problem of nutritional disorders of the eye; with that end in view, surveys were carried out between July 1962 and March 1963 in South and East Asia, in the Near East and Northern Africa, and in Mexico, Central America, and South America. The authors first examine the sources of information used, which included replies to specially prepared questionnaires; government statistics and hospital records; surveys (cases of xerophthalmia might be detected during the course of surveys of infectious diarrhea, especially shigellosis); vernacular names for this condition; and personal observations of the consultants. On analyzing the epidemiological aspects the authors point out that climatic conditions have less influence on the occurrence of xerophthalmia than might at first be thought; more important is the correct use of available foods. On the other hand, studies made in Vietnam showed that seasonal variations do have a significant influence, especially in places where changes in climate are more marked. Among the social and economic factors which play a role in the occurrence of xerophthalmia and other nutritional disorders of childhood, attitudes toward foods and especially their suitability for young children, mal-distribution of food in the family and the abandonment of breast feeding among the economically insecure have a profound effect. Etiologic

Publicado en inglés en el Tropical Geographic Medical 16:271-316, 1964