Ability of optical imaging devices to detect early structural damage in ocular hypertension.

We evaluated the ability of functional and structural technologies to detect early damage in ocular-hypertensive (OHT) eyes with normal standard automated perimetry (SAP) in 48 normal and 130 ocular-hypertensive subjects. We found that optical imaging devices may detect early damage in the RNFL and the optic nerve head in ocular-hypertensive eyes with no defect in SAP.

Progressive changes in the retinal nerve fiber layer in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Purpose: To quantify changes in the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) over a 1-year time period and to compare the ability of noninvasive diagnostic imaging devices and visual evoked potentials (VEP) to detect axonal loss in these patients.

Methods: Eighty-one patients with MS underwent a complete ophthalmic examination that included assessment of visual acuity and color vision, refractive evaluation, visual field examination, optical coherence tomography (OCT), scanning laser polarimetry (GDx), and measurement of VEP. All the patients were re-evaluated after a period of 12 months in order to quantify any change in the RNFL.

Ability of different optical imaging devices to discriminate between healthy and glaucomatous eyes.

We compared the ability to discriminate between healthy and glaucomatous eyes of three optical imaging devices in 140 eyes from 140 subjects. No statistically significant differences were found among the AUCs of these parameters. However, AUCs were significantly higher in OCT and HRT parameters than most of GDx VCC ones.

Comparative study of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in normal eyes, ocular hypertensives, preperimetric glaucoma and glaucomatous subjects.

We assessed and compared the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in normal eyes, ocular hypertensives, preperimetric glaucoma and glaucomatous subjects by means of optical coherence tomography in 449 eye. RNFL in glaucoma patients was significantly thinner than in normal subjects in every location evaluated. Use of optical coherence tomography detects glaucomatous RNFL losses in preperimetric glaucoma and can improve our ability to detect structural damage in clinical practice.

Effect on diurnal intraocular pressure of the fixed combination of latanoprost 0.005% and timolol 0.5% administered in the evening in glaucoma.

We evaluated the efficacy of fixed combination of 0.005% latanoprost and 0.5% timolol maleate administered once daily in the evening for treating glaucoma patients.

Comparison of the efficacy and safety of contact versus peribulbar anaesthesia in combined eye surgery.

Purpose: To compare the combined levels of comfort, the presence of complications and the results of phacotrabeculectomy surgery obtained with 2 different forms of anaesthesia: topical contact anaesthesia and peribulbar injected anaesthesia.

Procedures: In total, 120 consecutive patients undergoing phacotrabeculectomy were randomly assigned to each anaesthesia group. The patients were asked to rate their pain level on a 5-point scale at 3 time points during the procedure.

Retinal nerve fiber layer evaluation in open-angle glaucoma. Optimum criteria for optical coherence tomography.

Purpose: To determine the optimum criteria for optical coherence tomography (OCT) to discriminate best between healthy and glaucomatous eyes.

Design: A prospective cross-sectional study.

Methods: In total, 164 eyes selected from clinical practice were included in this study.

Logistic regression analysis for early glaucoma diagnosis using optical coherence tomography.

Objective: To determine and validate the diagnostic ability of a linear discriminant function (LDF) based on the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness at each of the 12 clock-hour positions obtained using optical coherence tomography for discriminating between healthy eyes and eyes with early glaucomatous visual field loss.

Methods: We prospectively selected 62 consecutive healthy individuals and 73 patients with open-angle glaucoma to calculate the LDF. Another independent prospective sample of 280 healthy eyes and 302 glaucomatous eyes was used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the LDF.

Magnification characteristics of the Optical Coherence Tomograph STRATUS OCT 3000.

Purpose: To evaluate the magnification characteristics of an Optical Coherence Tomograph (STRATUS OCT 3000) used to measure optic disc size.

Methods: An eye model was designed, built and used to measure changes in the magnification of the Optical Coherence Tomograph (OCT) with variation in the axial length of the eye and OCT correction lenses. Theoretical calculations using ray-tracing were used to compare the experimental and theoretical results.

Preperimetric glaucoma assessment with scanning laser polarimetry (GDx VCC): analysis of retinal nerve fiber layer by sectors.

Purpose: To evaluate the capability of the GDx VCC nerve fiber analyzer to detect preperimetric glaucoma across 12 retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) peripapillary sectors.

Methods: Data were obtained in a cross-sectional, hospital clinic-based study; 699 eyes from 699 glaucoma suspects were enrolled in this protocol. All subjects underwent ophthalmologic examination, static automated perimetry [Humphrey 24-2 Swedish interactive threshold algorithm (SITA) Standard], optic nerve stereoscopic photographs, red-free digital RNFL photographs and GDx VCC examination.

Discriminating between normal and glaucoma-damaged eyes with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph 3.

Purpose: To determine and validate the diagnostic ability of a linear discriminant function (LDF) based on global stereometric parameters obtained using the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph version 3 (HRT3) for discriminating between healthy eyes and eyes with glaucomatous visual field loss.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Participants: The authors prospectively selected 81 consecutive healthy subjects and 85 consecutive patients with open-angle glaucoma.

Multivariate analysis of structural parameters of the optic nerve head assessed by means of confocal scanning laser (Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II).

We evaluated the optic nerve head parameters measured by confocal scanning laser that discriminated between normal and glaucomatous subjects in 97 normal eyes and 94 glaucomatous eyes. Several different linear regression formulas can discriminate the presence of glaucomatous. The use of linear regression functions of HRT parameters elaborated from autochthon population around the world will add the amounts of evidence needed to support the global use of these functions.

Diagnostic ability of different tools for detection of glaucoma with confocal scanning laser tomography (Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II).

We evaluated the diagnostic ability of various diagnostic tools to detect glaucomatous damage in 101 normal eyes and 102 glaucomatous eyes. Mikelberg's linear discriminant function (LDF) obtained the best sensitivity followed by our own four formulas. With respect to specificity, Burk's LDF showed better results than Mikelberg's LDF and our formulae.

Can frequency-doubling technology and short-wavelength automated perimetries detect visual field defects before standard automated perimetry in patients with preperimetric glaucoma?

Purpose: To assess the ability of frequency-doubling technology (FDT) perimetry and short-wavelength automated perimetry (SWAP) to detect glaucomatous damage in preperimetric glaucoma subjects.

Participants: Two hundred seventy-eight eyes of 278 subjects categorized as normal eyes [n=98; intraocular pressure <20 mm Hg, normal optic disc appearance, and standard automated perimetry (SAP)]; preperimetric glaucoma eyes (n=109; normal SAP and retinal nerve fiber layer defects or localized optic disc notching and thinning); and glaucoma patients (n=71; intraocular pressure >21 mm Hg, optic disc compatible with glaucoma, and abnormal SAP).

Methods: The preperimetric glaucoma group underwent at least 2 reliable full-threshold 24-2 Humphrey SAPs, full-threshold C-20 FDT, full-threshold 24-2 SWAP, optic disc topography using the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II, laser polarimetry using the GDx VCC, and Optical Coherence Tomography (Zeiss Stratus OCT 3000).

Diagnostic ability of the Heidelberg retina tomograph, optical coherence tomograph, and scanning laser polarimeter in open-angle glaucoma.

Purpose: To compare the ability to discriminate between healthy and glaucomatous eyes of different criteria based on parameters from 3 optical imaging devices: Heidelberg retina tomograph (HRT-II), optical coherence tomograph (Stratus OCT 3000) and scanning laser polarimeter (GDx VCC).

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Participants: A total of 139 eyes from 139 subjects were enrolled in this study and classified into 66 healthy subjects and 73 glaucomatous patients according to intraocular pressure and standard automated perimetry.

Diagnostic ability of Heidelberg Retina Tomograph 3 classifications: glaucoma probability score versus Moorfields regression analysis.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of the glaucoma probability score (GPS), which does not require manual outlining of the disc boundaries, and the Moorfields regression classification (MRA), which requires manual outlining of the disc boundaries, for discriminating between healthy and glaucomatous eyes, using the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Participants: We prospectively selected 71 consecutive healthy subjects and 115 consecutive patients with open-angle glaucoma.

Frequency-doubling technology: searching for the optimum diagnostic criteria for glaucoma.

Purpose: To determine the diagnostic criteria of perimetry using frequency-doubling technology (FDT) with the best possible sensitivity-specificity balance for glaucoma diagnosis.

Methods: A total of 92 healthy control subjects and 110 patients with varying degrees of glaucomatous visual field loss on standard automated perimetry (SAP) were used to obtain the best diagnostic criterion for the disease, by using screening C-20-1 and threshold C-20 strategies from original FDT perimetry. Another prospective sample of 52 normal eyes and 64 glaucoma eyes was used to test how well this optimum criterion performs in other populations.

Contact-topical plus intracameral lidocaine versus peribulbar anesthesia in combined surgery: a randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: To compare the efficiency and safety of contact-topical anesthesia versus peribulbar injection anesthesia for phacotrabeculectomy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 80 patients undergoing combined cataract and glaucoma surgery were randomly allocated to receive either contact or peribulbar anesthesia. No systemic sedatives were used in either group.

Contact versus peribulbar anaesthesia in trabeculectomy: a prospective randomized clinical study.

Purpose: To compare the pre-, intra- and postoperative pain scores and complication rates in trabeculectomy under contact-topical anaesthesia versus peribulbar injection anaesthesia.

Methods: A total of 100 patients selected to undergo primary trabeculectomy were randomly allocated to receive either contact or peribulbar anaesthesia. Patients were asked to rate their pain levels on a 5-point scale for four periods: during the administration of the anaesthetic agent, during surgery, immediately after surgery and 24 hours postoperatively.

Predictive value of short-wavelength automated perimetry: a 3-year follow-up study.

Purpose: To determine whether structural changes in the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and functional abnormalities in short-wavelength automated perimetry (SWAP) can predict the onset of functional losses in standard automated perimetry patients suspected of having glaucoma.

Design: Prospective observational case series.

Participants: A total of 160 eyes of ocular hypertensive subjects (intraocular pressure greater than 21 mmHg and normal standard automated perimetry) were included in the study.