Impact of First Healthcare Provider on Keratitis Course: How to Overcome Poor Prognosis in Keratitis Treatment? A Single Tertiary Center, Observational Study.

Background: To assess the difference in course and final visual outcome of keratitis (AK) patients based on the first healthcare provider (HCP) seen.

Methods: Retrospective observational cohort study of AK patients admitted to the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital between 2003 and 2017. HCPs were grouped (Group 1: Optometrists, Opticians; Group 2: General Practitioners (GPs); Group 3: Ophthalmologists) and the data analyzed on demographics, risk factors, clinical history, clinical features, and subspecies.

Microbial Keratitis in Corneal Transplants: A 12-Year Analysis.

Purpose: To investigate the frequencies, trends, and in vitro drug susceptibilities of the causative pathogens in corneal transplant microbial infections in Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.

Methods: Corneal scrape results recorded by the microbiology service between 2004 and 2015 were extracted from an established database. This microbiological data was matched with a separate database of all corneal transplant procedures performed in our centre over this time period.

Next-Generation Sequencing of the Ocular Surface Microbiome: In Health, Contact Lens Wear, Diabetes, Trachoma, and Dry Eye.

Objectives: To assess publications examining the occurrence, composition, and clinical significance of a microbiome at the ocular surface.

Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched. Reference lists of included articles were also searched for relevant citations.

Corneal Imaging and Densitometry Measurements in Juvenile and Adult Keratoconus Patients to Evaluate Disease Progression and Treatment Effects After Corneal Cross-Linking.

Purpose: In this study densitometry software for the Oculus Pentacam was used to investigate the treatment outcomes of corneal cross linking (CXL) in adult and juvenile keratoconus (KCN) patients. Densitometry measurements were taken before and after treatment and followed up for one year.

Methods: A comparative study was carried out at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.

Association Between Season, Temperature and Causative Organism in Microbial Keratitis in the UK.

Purpose: Microbial keratitis (MK) is a major cause of corneal blindness worldwide. Variations in season and temperature can affect MK incidence due to specific causative organisms; however, few studies have examined these factors in the UK.

Methods: Retrospective review of all corneal scrapes from patients with MK presenting to Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, UK, between January 2004 and December 2015.

Corneal imaging and densitometry measurements in keratoconus patients to monitor disease progression and treatment outcomes after contact lens or Intacs treatment.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the pre- and posttreatment corneal densitometry and corneal thickness value of keratoconus (KCN) patients managed via contact lenses (CLs) or by both intrastromal corneal rings and contact lenses.

Patients And Methods: This prospective study was performed at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, UK. Patients were recruited before treatment and followed up for 12 months.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Moraxella Keratitis.

Purpose: Changing trends of infective keratitis have been identified worldwide. The aim of this study was to define the clinical associations, characteristics, and outcomes of patients with culture-proven Moraxella keratitis from a large tertiary corneal unit in the United Kingdom.

Methods: Patients with confirmed Moraxella isolates presenting between January 2004 and November 2016 were analyzed.

A fully automated cell segmentation and morphometric parameter system for quantifying corneal endothelial cell morphology.

Background And Objective: Corneal endothelial cell abnormalities may be associated with a number of corneal and systemic diseases. Damage to the endothelial cells can significantly affect corneal transparency by altering hydration of the corneal stroma, which can lead to irreversible endothelial cell pathology requiring corneal transplantation. To date, quantitative analysis of endothelial cell abnormalities has been manually performed by ophthalmologists using time consuming and highly subjective semi-automatic tools, which require an operator interaction.

Corneal clarity measurements in patients with keratoconus undergoing either penetrating or deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty.

Purpose: To compare the corneal clarity measurement between penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) in patients with keratoconus, using densitometry software for the Oculus Pentacam.

Methods: A retrospective comparative study was carried out at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. Data were collected 12-18 months after corneal transplantation for keratoconus, including postoperative corneal densitometry, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central corneal thickness (CCT), and other relevant clinical details.

Evaluation of corneal symmetry after UV corneal crosslinking for keratoconus.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess UV corneal crosslinking (CXL) treatment outcomes for keratoconus by evaluating the corneal regularity in patients through follow-up using the Oculus Pentacam.

Patients And Methods: A total of 18 eyes from CXL patients with keratoconus were studied before and after CXL treatment, and six eyes from six patients who were not treated with CXL served as controls. Treated patients had Pentacam images taken before CXL treatment and regularly 3 months post treatment up to the 12th month.

Corneal clarity measurements in healthy volunteers across different age groups: Observational study.

The aim of this study was to standardize and investigate the changes in corneal clarity with age. Densitometry software for the Oculus Pentacam was used to examine corneal clarity at different age groups.A total of 192 eyes from 97 healthy participants were included in this cohort comparative nonrandomized, cross-sectional study.

Evaluation of Corneal Cross-Linking for Treatment of Fungal Keratitis: Using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy on an Ex Vivo Human Corneal Model.

Purpose: Some previous reports have established the use of photoactivated chromophore-induced corneal cross-linking (PACK-CXL) in treating fungal keratitis. The results of these case reports have often been conflicting. To systematically study the effect of PACK-CXL in the management of Fusarium keratitis, we have developed an ex vivo model of human corneal infection using eye-banked human corneas.

Regeneration of Corneal Epithelium With Dental Pulp Stem Cells Using a Contact Lens Delivery System.

Purpose: The corneal epithelium is sloughed off surface of the eye by the action of blinking and is continually replaced by division and maturation of the limbal stem cells (LSCs). In the case of injury or disease, LSCs can be lost or damaged to a point at which the corneal epithelial layer is no longer maintained. leading to LSC deficiencies (LSCDs).

A fully automatic nerve segmentation and morphometric parameter quantification system for early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy in corneal images.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most common types of diabetes that can affect the cornea. An accurate analysis of the nerve structures can assist the early diagnosis of this disease. This paper proposes a robust, fast and fully automatic nerve segmentation and morphometric parameter quantification system for corneal confocal microscope images.

In vivo confocal microscopic corneal images in health and disease with an emphasis on extracting features and visual signatures for corneal diseases: a review study.

There is an evolution in the demands of modern ophthalmology from descriptive findings to assessment of cellular-level changes by using in vivo confocal microscopy. Confocal microscopy, by producing greyscale images, enables a microstructural insight into the in vivo cornea in both health and disease, including epithelial changes, stromal degenerative or dystrophic diseases, endothelial pathologies and corneal deposits and infections. Ophthalmologists use acquired confocal corneal images to identify health and disease states and then to diagnose which type of disease is affecting the cornea.

Biomechanical Changes of Collagen Cross-Linking on Human Keratoconic Corneas Using Scanning Acoustic Microscopy.

Purpose: To assess the biomechanical changes of collagen cross-linking on keratoconic corneas in vitro.

Methods: Six keratoconic corneal buttons were included in this study. Each cornea was divided into two halves, where one half was cross-linked and the other half was treated with riboflavin only and served as control.

Biomechanical changes after repeated collagen cross-linking on human corneas assessed in vitro using scanning acoustic microscopy.

Purpose: To explore the biomechanical changes induced by repeated cross-linking using scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM).

Methods: Thirty human corneas were divided into three groups. In group A, five corneas were cross-linked once.

Biomechanical properties of human corneas following low- and high-intensity collagen cross-linking determined with scanning acoustic microscopy.

Purpose: To assess and compare changes in the biomechanical properties of the cornea following different corneal collagen cross-linking protocols using scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM).

Methods: Ten donor human corneal pairs were divided into two groups consisting of five corneal pairs in each group. In group A, five corneas were treated with low-fluence (370 nm, 3 mW/cm(2)) cross-linking (CXL) for 30 minutes.

Scanning acoustic microscopy for mapping the microelastic properties of human corneal tissue.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of applying scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) on UV cross-linked corneal tissue for mapping and analyzing its biomechanical properties.

Materials And Methods: Five corneal pairs (10 corneas) were used. In each pair, one cornea was cross-linked (epithelium removed, riboflavin application for 45 min and UVA irradiation for 30 min) and the contralateral control cornea was epithelial debrided and treated only with riboflavin for 45 min.

Enlarging the big-bubble during deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty.

Purpose: During big-bubble deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty, a bubble that is not large enough can be formed. Further air injection can result in the rupture of the posterior lamella, necessitating conversion to penetrating keratoplasty. We describe some techniques to safely enlarge the big-bubble in such a circumstance.

Rupture pressure of the posterior lamella obtained during big-bubble deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty.

Purpose: To investigate the pressure required to rupture the posterior lamella obtained during the presumed Descemet membrane-baring big-bubble technique of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK).

Methods: DALK using the big-bubble technique was carried out on donor corneoscleral discs mounted on an artificial anterior chamber. Once the anterior lamella was removed, the chamber was connected to a mercury manometer.

Donor preparation using pneumatic dissection in endothelial keratoplasty: DMEK or DSEK?

Purpose: To determine if residual stroma remains on the Descemet membrane when pneumatic dissection is used to prepare donor tissue for endothelial keratoplasty.

Methods: Pneumatic dissection using a posterior peripheral needle insertion was carried out on 5 eye bank corneas. Samples were then sent for histological analysis.