Ophthalmic fluorometholone-gentamicin versus ophthalmic betamethasone-gentamicin following cataract surgery.

A prospective, randomised, investigator-masked, parallel-group study was performed to compare fluorometholone-gentamicin eye drops and ointment with betamethasone-gentamicin eyedrops and ointment in the control of ocular inflammation after cataract surgery. Seventy patients (35 in each treatment group) of both sexes undergoing cataract-lens implant surgery for visually disabling cataract were enrolled in the study. The demographic and baseline parameters on day I, the day after surgery, were similar in the two study groups. After treatment, on day 3 and day 6 post-operatively, the reduction in cells in the anterior chamber and conjunctival hyperaemia were similar in the two study groups. Both treatments were equally well-tolerated. Ophthalmic fluorometholone-gentamicin was as effective as ophthalmic betamethasone-gentamicin in the control of ocular inflammation after cataract surgery.

[Pressure-lowering effect of timolol in various forms of glaucoma (author's transl)]. / Drucksenkende Wirkung von Timolol bei verschiedenen Glaukomformen.

The action of Timolol, which lowers IOP in open-angle glaucoma, was investigated in patients with aphakic glaucoma and, with simultaneous administration of a miotic, in patients with narrow-angle glaucoma. Follow-ups, in some cases over periods of up to one year, showed that Timolol lowers IOP in almost all cases. Timolol alone reduced the pressure in 46% of the patients. Additional administration of other glaucoma drugs enabled IOP to be lowered to 22 mmHg or less in 82%. In five patients the pressure-lowering effect was unsatisfactory or, respectively, treatment with the drug had to be discontinued. All the patients had previously taken numerous pressure-lowering drugs without achieving adequate stabilization. In view of its minor side-effects and convenient mode of application (drops twice a day), Timolol should always be used in younger patients with wide chamber angles before surgery is contemplated.

[Postoperative astigmatism and visual acuity after cataract extraction with various operative methods (author's transl)]. / Postoperativer Astigmatismus und Visus nach Kataraktextraktion bei unterschiedlichem operativem Vorgehen.

UNLABELLED: The postoperative findings after cataract extraction with corneoscleral incision were compared with those after corneal incision in two groups consisting of 70 patients each. The criteria used were the degree and axis of postoperative astigmatism evaluated ophthalmometrically and the postoperative visual acuity. The preoperative values were taken into account. RESULTS: The mean values of astigmatism shortly after corneal incision were very much higher than those after corneoscleral incision, and they approached each other 6 months after cataract extraction. Patients who had an operation done with corneoscleral incision had a better visual acuity than those with corneal incision.

[Direct ciliary body coagulation as a treatment for various forms of glaucoma (author's transl)]. / Die direkte Ziilarkörperkoagulation als Therapie bei verschiedenen Glaukomformen.

At the University eye clinic in Mainz a new method was carried out on 40 patients to coagulate the ciliary body whereby this was laid open and directly coagulated. In the post operative stage within the first 4 weeks a further increase of pressure could be observed in 3 cases only. The other patients, who have been observed up to 15 months, did not show any further increase of pressure and are well. This operation method is commendable especially in the cases of hemorhagic and absolute glaucoma.

[Long-term study of chronic glaucoma treated with beta blockers (timolol)]. / Langzeitbeobachtung bei chronischem Glaukom unter der Therapie mit Beta-Blockern (Timolol).

In the study presented here the authors documented 50 patients with chronic glaucoma, aged between 42 and 86, who were followed up on an outpatient basis for a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 years. The results can be summarized as follows: 1) treatment with timolol resulted in an average lowering of intraocular pressure by 6 mm Hg, without any fall-off in effect over several years; 2) there was no deterioration in visual fields or visual acuity during treatment with timolol, and in some cases there was an improvement; 3) in the cases of angle-closure glaucoma the therapy was combined with pilocarpine; this resulted in a greater lowering of pressure than that achieved by treatment with timolol alone in cases of open-angle glaucoma.

[Origin of macular edema caused by pars planitis]. / Zur Entstehung des Makulödems bei der Pars lanitis

In four cases with clinical diagnosis of "pars planitis" fluorescein angiography was performed and macular area observed. Permeability disturbances were noted in retinal capillary area. This points to the vitreous changes being secondary to an inflammation of superficial retinal layers. For this reason in those conditions the name "hyalo-retinitis" used by Gärtner seems to be more correct than the limiting diagnosis of "pars planitis".

[What is the effect of glyceryl trinitrate on the intraocular pressure? (author's transl)]. / Wie wirkt Nitroglyzerin auf den intraokularen Druck

In experiments with animals and on glaucoma patients with wide and narrow anterior chamber angle, the effect of glyceryl trinitrate on the intraocular pressure was examined. In no case was found an increase in the intraocular pressure. On the contrary the pressure fell more or less definitely in the patients within 30 minutes after application of the drug. After that the intraocular pressure increased again to the original value.

[Contact lenses for children. Indications and results]. / Kontaktlinsen bei Kindern. Indikationen und Ergebnisse

If it is necessary to prescribe contact lenses for children, this correction should be made as soon as possible. As a consequence of the development of soft (hydrophile) lenses, the above mentioned group of patients has increased considerably. In any case, a monolateral aphakia as well as a manifest anisometropia should be corrected by a contact lense to avoid amblyopia, heterotropia and loss of stereoscopic vision. Usually soft lenses are well tolerated, so that patients suffering from aphakia as well as hyperopia should always use this type of lense. Nevertheless, the hard lense still has its indication in treating myopia and high astigmatism.

[The influence of vasodilatators on intraocular pressure and blood pressure (author's transl)]. / Wirkung gefässerweiternder Substanzen auf Augeninnendruck und Blutdruck.

The influence of different vasodilatators on blood pressure and intraocular pressure has been tested in animal experiments. For that purpose substances with alphasympathicolytic effect (Hydergin, Trental) have been tested as well as substances which are of direct influence on the muscles. In all cases a decrease of the blood pressure was noticed. Furthermore in most of the cases an increase of the intraocular pressure could be seen. This is due to a direct dilatation of ocular vessels. The effects were short-lived and reversible. We tried to find an explanation for the variations of intraocular pressure during the decrease of blood pressure. The low transmural pressure (PTM) and the corresponding low starting point of the muscle tonus seemed to be responsible for this phenomenon. Without doubt the starting point of the blood pressure, the dose, and the cardiac ability for compensation are of great influence in the development of the curve. Only a sufficiently high blood pressure is able to dilate the ocular vessels, so that one has to draw therapeutic conclusions from the constellation blood pressure/intraocular pressure before deciding on treatment.