[Analysis of Cytokines Related to Helper T and Regulatory T Cells in the Vitreous of Uveitis Patients].

PURPOSE: To investigate helper T (Th) cell-related cytokines elevated in the vitreous of endogenous uveitis (EU), and to compare these with those of acute retinal necrosis (ARN). METHODS: Vitreous fluids were obtained from 23 eyes of EU patients, 4 eyes of ARN patients, and 14 eyes of patients with epiretinal membrane (ERM) who had had vitrectomy surgery. The vitreous levels of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23, IL-25, IL-31, IL-33, interferon (IFN)-γ, soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured. RESULTS: The vitreous cytokine levels of IL-6, IL-10, IL-31, IFN-γ and TNF-α in the EU patients were significantly higher than in the ERM patients. On the other hand, the levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, IL-31, IFN-γ, sCD40L and TNF-α were significantly higher in the ARN patients than in the EU patients, while those of IL-4, IL-17A and IL-22 were higher in the EU patients than in the ARN patients although they were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that Th1-, Th2- and Th17 cells are related to the development of EU, and Th1- and regulatory T cells to that of ARN, and that the severity of ocular inflammation may be associated with the activity of Th1 cells.

[Trends of refractive correction in the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces: examination after the Great East Japan earthquake].

PURPOSE: To investigate the trends in refractive correction in Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces' (JGSDF) soldiers. METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to 519 soldiers of the Camp Funaoka in the northeastern region. RESULTS: Five hundred and sixteen subjects (99.4%) responded. In total, 246 soldiers (47.7%) wore spectacles or contact lenses. Among the contact lens wearers, 52 had experienced problems previously and 35 reported problems that occurred during military exercises. With regard to military exercises, 66.9% and 63.5% of the spectacle or disposable soft contact lens-users reported inconvenience. Among contact lens users, 33.1% reported that they changed to new sterilized contact lenses only occasionally and 61.9% did not change their contact lenses at all during exercises. During disaster-relief work, subjects worried 'very' (21.5%) or 'somewhat' (46.9%) about problems associated with their spectacles or contact lenses. Twenty-four had undergone refractive surgery (4.9%). CONCLUSION: About one-half of the JGSDF soldiers surveyed required refractive correction. Attention to convenient and safe refractive correction in the military is warranted.

Evaluation of microincision vitrectomy surgery using wide-viewing system for complications with ocular sarcoidosis.

We evaluate the outcomes of microincision vitrectomy surgery (MIVS) using wide-viewing system for complications with ocular sarcoidosis resistance to medical treatment.Consecutive clinical records of 24 eyes (19 patients) with complications of ocular sarcoidosis underwent MIVS between April 2010 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. MIVS and phacoemulsification were performed in 18 eyes and MIVS only in 6 eyes. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), inflammation scores in the anterior segment and in the posterior segment, and central retinal thickness (CRT) of eyes with cystoid macular edema (CME) before surgery and after 1 week, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months were evaluated.LogMAR (log of the minimum angle of resolution) converted from BCVA was improved in 83.3% after 12 months and 66.7% showed improvement of more than 2 lines. The mean LogMAR was significantly improved from 1.14 ± 1.18 to 0.36 ± 0.79 in all eyes and 0.83 ± 0.86 to 0.23 ± 0.41 in eyes with MIVS and phacoemulsification, although no improvement was observed in eyes with MIVS only. Significant decrease of the mean anterior inflammation score was observed after 1 month in eyes with MIVS only and after 12 months in eyes with MIVS and phacoemulsification, and the mean posterior inflammation scores decreased after 1 week in all eyes. In eyes with preoperative CME, mean CRT was significantly decreased from 1 week after surgery. There was no case in which ocular inflammation was exacerbated by surgical stress. Improvement of visual acuity and resolution of ocular inflammation could be achieved by MIVS using wide-viewing system for complications of ocular sarcoidosis.