Clinicopathology of a case with retinopathy of pancreatitis.

Bilateral retinopathy of pancreatitis developed in a 36-year-old male patient during recurrent acute necrotizing pancreatitis. The retinopathy remained clinically unchanged between the detection and the death 6 days later. Characteristics of the retinal lesions were histologically similar to cotton-wool spots of other origin, but all the retinal vessels including vessels around and in the cotton-wool spots were intact and contained plasma and red blood cells.

Bilateral intraocular pressure elevation and decrease of facility of aqueous humour outflow as a consequence of regional lymphoedema of head and neck.

Aqueous humour drainage to the deep cervical lymphatics has been proven in animal experiments, but there have been no observations of changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) or aqueous humour drainage as a consequence of lymph drainage dysfunction. The history of a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, who underwent a left-sided radical neck dissection in January 1991, is reported. From the end of 1991 lymphoedema of the head and neck, predominantly on the right side, developed without venous stasis but with significant bilateral IOP elevation and aqueous humour outflow reduction, refract to conventional treatment.

Is retinopathy in pancreatitis caused by leukocyte emboli?

The theory of granulocyte embolization in the retinal arterioles in acute pancreatitis cannot account for several aspects of the ophthalmic complication. Therefore we studied retinal circulation by fluorescein angiography, light and transmission electron microscopy following the first six hours of acute experimental necrotizing pancreatitis. The studied period was characterized by high serum lipase and amylase concentrations, hypocalcemia, necrosis of the pancreatic tissue and preceded the development of hypovolemic shock.

A clinical evaluation of XPERT NCT (Reichert) for glaucoma screening by optometrists.

XPERT NCT advanced logic pneumotonometer (Reichert) was studied for its reliability and use in glaucoma screening. The evaluated 2400 NCT measurements on 300 eyes were compared to the results of Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) from the same eyes. Repeated NCT tonometry had no significant effect on IOP.

[Dry eye syndrome in patients with biliary cirrhosis].

Ophthalmic state of 18 women patients between 40 and 69 years of age with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) was studied. Tear secretion was studied by Schirmer I., break up time and conjunctival and corneal bengal rose staining tests.

Does the lymph drainage from the head influence aqueous humour outflow and visual functions?

Effect of lymphoedema of the head on the central nervous system is known. Possible changes in intraocular pressure, tonogram, electroretinogram, visual functions and ophthalmologic state was studied in animal experiments and in patients following serious surgical impairment of the cervical lymph drainage. Lymph drainage from the orbit to the deep cervical lymphatics was established, while no ophthalmologic alteration was detected after surgery.