A Novel Method to Eliminate Preservatives in Eye Drops.

Purpose: Multiuse eye drops must maintain sterility and typically accomplish this by added preservatives. However, preservatives often cause harmful side effects. A gauze barrier dressing ("BIOGUARD") recently cleared by the FDA has an immobilized poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride (p-DADMAC) coating and is an effective antimicrobial with minimal compound release into solution.

Lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5.0% for treatment of dry eye disease: results of the OPUS-1 phase 3 study.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5.0% compared with placebo in subjects with dry eye disease.

Design: Prospective, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, parallel arm, multicenter clinical trial.

Confocal microscopy of central toxic keratopathy.

Purpose: To examine the confocal microscopic findings in a case of late-onset central toxic keratopathy.

Methods: A 46-year-old man with central toxic keratopathy 2 months after IntraLASIK underwent confocal microscopy to examine the cellular findings within the flap interface.

Results: The confocal microscopy in central toxic keratopathy reveals activated keratocytes without aggregation of inflammatory cells.

Ocular infection secondary to gemella.

Purpose: To report four cases of ocular infection caused by Gemella species.

Methods: Microbial identification was carried out using the MicroScan Walkaway system (Dade Behring) and/or Vitek-2 (bioMérieux) and susceptibility testing with either Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion and/or Vitek-2. The paper is presented as an interventional case report.

Ocular complications associated with the use of cosmetic contact lenses from unlicensed vendors.

Purpose: To call attention to the unauthorized sale of cosmetic contact lenses, resulting in ocular complications. DESIGN Observational case report.

Methods: Retrospective, observational, clinical practice setting.

Surgical management of conjunctival lymphangiectasis by conjunctival resection.

Purpose: To report the treatment of symptomatic conjunctival lymphangiectasis with conjunctival resection.

Design: Interventional case series.

Methods: Retrospective review of three cases of patients with symptomatic unilateral conjunctival lymphangiectasis who had conjunctival resection of the involved tissue down to bare sclera.

Ciprofloxacin microprecipitates and macroprecipitates in the human corneal epithelium.

In 4 corneal transplantation patients treated preoperatively with ciprofloxacin ophthalmic drops, microprecipitates associated with damaged corneal epithelium were noted in 2 patients. Another patient developed a large macroprecipitate in a corneal ulcer. All specimens were examined by electron microscopy and high-pressure liquid chromatography.

Histological comparison of corneal ablation with Er:YAG laser, Nd:YAG optical parametric oscillator, and excimer laser.

Purpose: To use histological techniques to assess and compare the ablation depth, local damage, and surface quality of corneal ablations by a Q-switched Er:YAG laser, an optical parametric oscillator laser at 2.94 microm, a long pulse Er:YAG laser, and a 193-nm excimer laser.

Methods: Human cadaver eyes and in vivo cat eyes were treated with a 6.

Healing after photorefractive keratectomy in cat eyes with a scanning mid-infrared Nd:YAG pumped optical parametric oscillator laser.

Purpose: To evaluate the healing characteristics of cat corneas treated with a new scanning mid-infrared laser system.

Methods: Six adult cats were treated with 6-mm diameter photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) corrections. One eye in each animal was untreated as a control and the other was treated with either a -3.

Comparison of ciprofloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.3% to fortified tobramycin-cefazolin in treating bacterial corneal ulcers. Ciprofloxacin Bacterial Keratitis Study Group.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of ciprofloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.3% (Ciloxan) with a standard therapy regimen (fortified tobramycin, 1.3%-cefazolin, 5.

Rapidly polymerized collagen gel as a smoothing agent in excimer laser photoablation.

Background: Excimer laser photoablation effectively and precisely removes corneal tissue but may not smooth irregularities on the anterior corneal surface. An even surface might be obtained by applying a smoothing substance that fills in irregularities and ablates at the same rate as corneal tissue. Evaluation of collagen gel as a smoothing agent is reported.

193-nm excimer photorefractive keratectomy in high myopia.

Purpose: To evaluate the refractive results of 193-nm excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) performed on 48 highly myopic eyes in a multicenter study.

Methods: A Visx 2015 or 2000 argon-fluoride excimer laser and a single-zone ablation technique were used. Postoperatively, eyes were treated with topical fluoromethalone for up to 5 months.

Iridoschisis and keratoconus.

We report herein a patient with iridoschisis and keratoconus. Since the posterior layers of the cornea and the iris stroma have a common embryological deviation, the combination of these two conditions suggests an inter-related pathogenesis. This case is similar to those of patients with progressive essential iris atrophy and keratoconus described by Cavanagh.

Wound healing modulation in glaucoma filtration surgery.

In some cases, modulation of wound healing, in association with glaucoma filtration surgery, results in lower postoperative intraocular pressures than would occur without such therapy. Treatments affecting wound healing increase the likelihood of achieving long-term filtration, especially in eyes with a poor surgical prognosis. After summarizing the wound-healing process following filtration procedures, we review the mechanism of action, the effectiveness, and the complications associated with some of the most commonly used wound healing inhibitors and then discuss new alternatives currently under investigation.

Novel topical thiadiazoles and benzothiazoles as pharmacological probes of corneal endothelial function.

Corneal transparency is maintained by an active transport system, located at the endothelial cell membranes. This bicarbonate-dependent pump counteracts the tendency of the corneal stroma to absorb water, swell and become opaque. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAI) are capable of attenuating the bicarbonate efflux, therefore causing thickening of the cornea.

Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy in high myopia. A multicenter study.

Excimer photorefractive keratectomy was performed at three centers on 16 highly myopic eyes (8 diopters [D] or more) and followed up for 6 months. Ablation depths ranged from 137 to 230 microns. The preoperative spherical equivalent of myopia ranged from -8.

Endothelin does not affect experimentally induced corneal neovascularization.

Endothelin, a potent vasoconstrictor, was found to be ineffective in the treatment of experimentally induced corneal neovascularization. Endothelin was administered topically, subconjunctivally, and intraluminally in serial concentrations ranging from 0.0005 to 5.

Spontaneous iris stromal cyst: a case report and review of literature.

Spontaneous iris stromal cysts are rare and usually are identified early in life. They resemble implantation iris cysts after nonsurgical and surgical trauma; both have an epithelium which usually is conjunctival in nature. However, in spontaneous iris stromal cysts, no ocular trauma history is found.