Blindness due to leptomeningeal carcinomatosis as an initial manifestation of recurrent acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) is an uncommon presentation of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and it is a devastating and life-threatening complication. The disease affects all levels of the central nervous system, and most patients present with different multifocal neurological symptoms. This case was a 34-year-old male who had acute bilateral blindness secondary to recurrent ALL with meningeal infiltration.

Clinical Course and Treatment Response of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disease: An 8-Year Experience.

Purpose: To report the clinical course and treatment response in a cohort of patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) from a single referral center in Taiwan.

Design: Case series.

Methods: All NMOSD patients who received treatment and follow-up checks at National Taiwan University Hospital for at least 2 years between January 2008 and December 2016 were recruited.

Update on ocular myasthenia gravis in Taiwan.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease involving the neuromuscular junction. Autoantibodies to the acetylcholine receptor or, less frequently, to muscle-specific kinase, attack against the postsynaptic junctional proteins, resulting in fluctuating and variable weakness of muscles. Extraocular, levator palpebrae superioris, and orbicularis oculi muscles are particularly susceptible.

Bilateral Acute Proptosis as Initial Manifestation of Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

The myeloid sarcoma is an extramedullary finding of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and orbital leukemic tumors occur most commonly during the first decade of life. To our knowledge, we report the youngest patient with bilateral proptosis of both eyes as an initial manifestation of AML. This case highlights the need for peripheral blood smear and neuro-image work-up for acute proptosis in infancy.

Bilateral optic neuritis related to chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a condition that mainly affects the peripheral nervous system; however, the central nervous system has also been involved in rare cases. Herein, we describe the case of a 33-year-old man with CIDP who presented with progressively blurred vision and pain with eye movement in both eyes for 1 month. Ocular examination revealed reduced visual acuities of 0.

Focal foveal atrophy of unknown etiology: clinical pictures and possible underlying causes.

Background/purpose: Focal foveal atrophy is defined as the presence of a small, focal, ill-defined, hypopigmented foveal or juxtafoveal lesion, with the remaining retina unaffected. The purpose of this study was to report the clinical characteristics and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with focal foveal atrophy of unknown etiology.

Methods: The study was a retrospective observational case series.

Clinical prospective study of visual function in patients with acute optic neuritis.

Background/purpose: To investigate the clinical features and visual outcomes of acute optic neuritis in adult patients.

Methods: We prospectively collected ninety-nine adult patients, who were found to have acute optic neuritis between 2005 and 2007 at National Taiwan University Hospital. A total of 30 cases, aged ranging from 21 to 55 years old (average 36.

Clinical characteristics and visual function tests with retinal tomographic correlation in patients with Stargardt's disease in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: Stargardt's disease is the most common form of juvenile macular dystrophy. The purpose of this study is to report the clinical characteristics, visual function, and retinal tomography of patients diagnosed with Stargardt's disease in Taiwan.

Methods: Retrospective case series; data collected include results of complete ophthalmic examinations: best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit-lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, color sense discrimination test, electroculography (EOG), electroretinography (ERG), dark adaptation, visual field test, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) examinations focused on the macular area.

A Comparison of Optic Neuritis in Asian and in Western Countries.

Acute demyelinating optic neuritis is a common optic neuropathy in young adults. There is usually satisfactory visual recovery. However, some patients convert to multiple sclerosis (MS) with potential sequelae of neurological disability.

The effect of interferon beta-1a on optic neuritis relapse in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background: To evaluate the clinical effect of interferon beta-1a on optic neuritis (ON) relapse in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Taiwan.

Methods: Data were collected from 23 MS patients with ON at National Taiwan University Hospital between January 1, 1993 and February 1, 2007. Twenty-three MS patients with ON received interferon beta-1a (Rebif) 44 microg via subcutaneous injection three times weekly.

Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy associated with pegylated interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Purpose: To report a case of anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) associated with the combined therapy of pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFNalpha) and ribavirin.

Methods: Case report.

Results: A 57-year-old male with chronic hepatitis C, treated with PEG-IFNalpha -2b and ribavirin for 6 months, noted sudden onset of painless blurred vision in his right eye.

Uveitis-glaucoma-hyphema syndrome caused by posterior chamber intraocular lens--a rare complication in pediatric cataract surgery.

We report a case of postoperative uveitis-glaucome-hyphema (UGH) syndrome following pediatric cataract surgery due to posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC-IOL). Slit-lamp examination revealed the optic of PC-IOL migrated into anterior chamber. The PC-IOL explantation was performed and ocular inflammation subsided.

Optic neuritis among National Health Insurance enrollees in Taiwan, 2000-2004.

Background: The objective was to examine the incidence of optic neuritis in Taiwan. A 5-year longitudinal, nationwide, population-based study was conducted. The participants were a random sample of 191,761 subjects, or about 1% of the enrollees in the National Health Insurance program of Taiwan.

Optic neuritis secondary to Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection.

Purpose: To describe a case of optic neuritis secondary to Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection.

Method: Case report of a patient with eosinophilic meningitis secondary to A. cantonensis infection.