Structural and functional implications of severe foveal dystopia in epiretinal membranes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the functional and structural correlates of severe foveal dystopia in patients with epiretinal membranes.

Methods: For this retrospective study of 29 eyes with epiretinal membrane, we identified 7 eyes that had severe foveal dystopia (defined as fovea located >200 μm from its expected location) and followed the direction and rate of foveal movement pre- and postoperatively.

Results: Epiretinal membrane traction caused the fovea to move preoperatively at a rate of 275 μm/month from its anatomical location in 2 patients.

Bacterial contamination of ocular surface and needles in patients undergoing intravitreal injections.

Purpose: To evaluate potential sources of bacterial contamination during intravitreal (IVT) injection procedures.

Methods: Patients scheduled for IVT injection were asked to enroll in the study at the California Vitreoretinal Center (Menlo Park, CA) and the Vantage Eye Center (Salinas, CA) between October 2004 and April 2005. A total of 104 patients participated in the study, with a total of 118 IVT injection procedures performed on 107 eyes.

Intraocular pressure and ocular pulse amplitude comparisons in different types of glaucoma using dynamic contour tonometry.

Purpose: To compare the intraocular pressures (IOP) and ocular pulse amplitudes (OPA) in patients with different types of glaucoma, ocular hypertension (OHT), and normal controls (NC) using dynamic contour tonometry (DCT) and the goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT).

Methods: 906 eyes of 501 adult patients in the following five groups were included in this cross-sectional study: primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), normal tension glaucoma (NTG), Pseudoexfoliative Glaucoma (PXG), OHT, and NC. The following tests were performed simultaneously during a single visit: IOP using DCT and GAT; OPA using DCT and central corneal thickness (CCT) using ultrasound pachymetry.

Developmental endothelial locus-1 (Del-1), a novel angiogenic protein: its role in ischemia.

Background: Developmentally regulated endothelial locus-1 (Del-1) is an extracellular matrix protein that is expressed by endothelial cells during embryological vascular development. We speculated that Del-1 may be reexpressed in ischemia and may be involved in endogenous angiogenesis.

Methods And Results: Del-1 protein was detected by immunohistochemistry in murine ischemic hindlimb after femoral artery excision.