The use of fenofibrate in the management of patients with diabetic retinopathy: an evidence-based review.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy is a significant cause of vision impairment, especially affecting those of working age. There are two large, randomised controlled trials examining the effect of fenofibrate on diabetic retinopathy.

Objective: We summarise their findings, and report on the available safety data.

Bilateral blurry vision - a case study.

Henry, 60 years of age, was referred by his general practitioner with a 3 month history of blurred vision in the left eye on a background of decreasing vision in both eyes over the preceding 6 months. He had not had his eyes examined for many years. His past medical history included hypertension,hypercholesterolaemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic renal impairment and peripheral vascular disease.

A painful red eye.

A man, 75 years of age, presents with a red, painful, watery right eye of 1 week duration. He describes photophobia but says his vision is not reduced or blurry. He was seen at another clinic after 2 days of symptoms and was prescribed topical chloramphenicol antibiotic eye drops.

Laser corneal biofilm disruption for infectious crystalline keratopathy.

Crystalline keratopathy can be successfully treated by the Nd:YAG laser. We present two cases of crystalline keratopathy managed this way. A 36-year-old female contact lens wearer presented with crystalline keratopathy following recent treatment with topical steroids and antibiotics for a corneal abscess.

Pharmacological mydriasis secondary to ipratropium bromide: a cause of unilateral dilated pupil.

Ipratropium bromide is a commonly used bronchodilator which has been rarely reported to cause pharmacological mydriasis. We report a 22-year-old woman using 6-hourly nebulised ipratropium from a multi-dose preparation, who presented with a unilateral dilated pupil which resolved spontaneously over 24h after discontinuation of her ill-fitting nebuliser mask which had been directing the drug toward that eye. No alternative cause was found despite extensive investigations.

Corneal perforation and intraocular lens prolapse in Serratia marcescens endophthalmitis.

A 72-year-old lady was referred with bacterial endophthalmitis secondary to complicated left cataract extraction. The organism was identified as Serratia marcescens. Despite aggressive treatment the eye continued to deteriorate with corneal perforation and prolapse of the intraocular contents.

The length of superficial temporal artery biopsies.

Background: To compare temporal artery biopsy specimen lengths from a tertiary care and a community hospital in New South Wales to recommended clinical guidelines in suspected giant cell arteritis.

Design: A retrospective observational study of all patients who underwent temporal artery biopsy at Bathurst Base Hospital (BBH) and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) over a 5-year period.

Methods: Patients who underwent temporal artery biopsy during the 5-year period were identified using computerized hospital databases.

Culture-proven Aspergillus fumigatus infection in a primary hydroxyapatite orbital implant.

Hydroxyapatite orbital implants are widely used in enucleation surgery. Infection in this setting is an uncommon but severe complication. Herein a patient with a 3-year history of chronic socket discharge, orbital discomfort, conjunctival breakdown and implant exposure after enucleation and implantation of a hydroxyapatite sphere 7 years previously is reported.

Ultraviolet fluorescence photography: patterns in established pterygia.

Purpose: To investigate established pterygia using our newly developed ultraviolet fluorescence photography (UVFP) system.

Design: Prospective observational case series.

Methods: setting: Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia.

Ultraviolet fluorescence photography to detect early sun damage in the eyes of school-aged children.

Purpose: To develop a method to detect precursors of ocular sun damage using ultraviolet fluorescence photography (UVFP).

Design: Observational cross-sectional study

Methods: settings: Preschool, primary, and high school in Sydney, Australia. study population: 71 children ages 3 to 15 years old (both eyes).

Sudden visual loss after uneventful cataract surgery: Snuff syndrome.

We describe a case in which the patient had routine, uneventful cataract surgery and developed snuff syndrome on day 1 postoperatively. The patient had pseudoexfoliation syndrome and normal intraocular pressure that was well controlled by timolol and previous laser trabeculoplasty. Although the visual result had been good after surgery in the first (right) eye with a best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 6/5, this adverse event, which decreased the BCVA in the left eye from 6/24 preoperatively to hand movements postoperatively, was unexpected.