Cortical visual dysfunction in children: a clinical study.

Damage to the cerebral cortex was responsible for impairment in vision in 90 of 130 consecutive children referred to the Vision Assessment Clinic in Glasgow. Cortical blindness was seen in 16 children. Only 2 were mobile, but both showed evidence of navigational blind-sight.

Assessment of an inner city visual screening programme for preschool children.

Aims: The efficiency of preschool visual screening programmes to detect amblyopia is questionable. In this study such a programme in an inner city was assessed to determine its effectiveness.

Methods: The results of screening and hospital treatment of 712 patients who were considered to require referral were entered into a database for analysis.

Quantitative assessment of the blue-light hazard during indirect ophthalmoscopy and the increase in the "safe" operating period achieved using a yellow lens.

Purpose: The indirect ophthalmoscope presents a blue-light hazard with the potential for causing photochemical injury to the retina. In this study, this hazard was assessed with respect to the threshold limit values (TLVs) recently adopted by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.

Method: Spectral radiometric measurements were made from a standard indirect ophthalmoscope headset used in conjunction with either a clear or a yellow lens.

The structure of the capsular polysaccharide of Escherichia coli O8:K43:H11.

The primary structure of the acidic capsular polysaccharide of Escherichia coli 08:K43:H11 was shown by monosaccharide analysis, methylation analysis, beta-elimination, and by 1D and 2D 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy to be composed of branched pentasaccharide repeating units with the structure.

A comparison of colour Doppler imaging of orbital vessels and other methods of blood flow assessment.

Background: Comparison of the haemodynamic measurements obtained by colour Doppler imaging and other methods of ocular blood flow measurements was desired.

Methods: The blood velocity findings from colour Doppler imaging of patients with central retinal vein occlusion were compared to the results of fluorescein video-angiography, continuous tonography and ophthalmodynamometry.

Results: Patients with low or undetectable blood velocities in the central retinal vein had longer retinal dye transit times on fluorescein video-angiography.

Comparison of visual assessment tests in multiply handicapped children.

The aims of this study were to compare acuity estimates achieved with visual evoked potential (VEP) and acuity card techniques and to examine the success rates of each test in a group of multiply handicapped children. Subjects were 52 children (3-183 months) with multiple handicaps associated with prematurity (n = 17), congenital anomalies (n = 16), hypoxic insult (n = 10) and other disorders (n = 9). Success rates for completing the tests were: VEP 88% and acuity cards 85% (Keeler or Cardiff).

Impaired perception of moving objects after minor injuries to the eye and midface: the Pulfrich phenomenon.

Delayed conduction along one optic nerve can result in an incorrect appreciation of moving objects. The temporal mismatch between the two different pathways results in altered perception of the vector of a moving target and is known as 'the Pulfrich phenomenon'. This is a well-recognised handicap in patients with multiple sclerosis, but has not previously been reported as a consequence of injury.

Retrobulbar haemorrhage: can blindness be prevented?

Retrobulbar haemorrhage is a rare complication following orbital trauma or surgery occurring in less than 1 per cent of cases. Early diagnosis and treatment of this complication may save the vision of the affected eye. This paper illustrates cases where diagnosis was not made and blindness resulted.

Simultaneous interocular brightness sense testing in ocular hypertension and glaucoma.

Objective: To investigate the performance of the simultaneous interocular brightness sense test in patients with ocular hypertension and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).

Design: Brightness matches were obtained for an age-matched control sample and for patients with ocular hypertension and POAG. In addition, for the patients with POAG, visual field defects were quantified and a risk factor count was established for those with ocular hypertension.

The simultaneous interocular brightness sense test. A test of optic nerve function.

Objective: To describe and establish control data from controls for a simultaneous interocular brightness sense test in which the apparent brightness of two independently viewed light patches was compared.

Design: Dichoptic viewing was achieved by dissociation of right and left eyes using a septum and cross-polarization. Brightness matches were obtained by using adjustments to the illumination of the left retina while the illumination of the right retina was kept constant.

Argon laser photocoagulation of fluorescein stained retina--an unrecognised hazard?

Sodium fluorescein staining of the retina following fluorescein angiography may affect the absorption characteristics of argon ion laser photocoagulation. This hypothesis was investigated by performing laser photocoagulation on control and fluorescein stained porcine retinas. The resultant damage was viewed by scanning electron microscopy.

Subclinical operating microscope retinopathy: the use of static perimetry in its detection.

Focal retinal pathology and dysfunction as a sequel to manifest damage due to operating microscope illumination is well recognised. We wished to determine whether retinal dysfunction could be identified in the absence of clinically visible lesions. We therefore have conducted a prospective controlled study on 36 patients undergoing cataract surgery and 27 control subjects.

Ophthalmic features of fourteen cases of Goodpasture's syndrome.

Juxtapapillary subretinal neovascular membranes developed in both eyes of a patient who had been treated for Goodpasture's syndrome for 4 years. These lesions caused visual impairment but were successfully treated by laser photocoagulation. Subretinal neovascularisation has not been reported before in association with Goodpasture's syndrome, but diverse ocular abnormalities have been described.

Structural investigation of the capsular polysaccharide produced by a novel Klebsiella serotype (SK1). Location of O-acetyl substituents using NMR and MS techniques.

The capsular polysaccharide of Klebsiella SK1 was investigated by methylation analysis, Smith degradation, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The oligosaccharides (P1 and P2) obtained by bacteriophage phi SK1 degradation of the polymer were studied by methylation analysis, and 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy. The resulting data showed that the parent repeating unit is a branched pentasaccharide having a structure identical to the revised structure recently proposed for Klebsiella serotype K8 capsular polysaccharide.