The Capacity of Eye Care Services for Patients with Glaucoma in Botswana.

Purpose: To evaluate current delivery of glaucoma care in Botswana; in particular, the service infrastructure available and glaucoma-related workload.

Methods: A multi-center cross-sectional study was undertaken comprising government eye care institutions and ophthalmic personnel across Botswana. Data on human resources, equipment types and numbers, diagnostic criteria routinely used, treatments routinely provided, and new and repeat glaucoma consultations were obtained through quantitative and qualitative surveys.

The clinical characteristics of patients with glaucoma presenting to Botswana healthcare facilities: an observational study.

Objective: This study aimed to establish the clinical characteristics of patients with glaucoma attending eye care facilities in Botswana, and management of glaucoma among patients who received care in these facilities. The study also aimed to calculate the number of new diagnoses of glaucoma within the glaucoma service.

Design: A prospective, hospital-based, observational study.

Use of trypan blue for penetrating keratoplasty.

Use of trypan blue for penetrating keratoplasty was developed to facilitate the procedure. Trypan blue is injected before and after the addition of 0.25 mL of an ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD), sodium hyaluronate, to stain the internal and external cut edge of the cornea as well as the OVD, enabling the surgeon to improve visualization of the incision and suture depth, improve alignment of host and donor tissues, and ensure that all OVD is removed.

Non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma, with ocular albinism and Noonan syndrome.

A 21-year-old woman presented with non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma; she was born a collodion baby. Associated features were ocular albinism, anterior segment dysgenesis of both eyes and Noonan syndrome. X-linked ichthyosis (steroid sulphatase deficiency) and X-linked ocular albinism have been mapped to the Xp22.

Keratocyte density and size in conscious humans by digital image analysis of confocal images.

Purpose: Confocal microscopy can give images of high magnification and resolution in undisturbed living tissue. It provides new information about the cellular structure of the cornea. Our aim was to measure the density, size and distribution of keratocytes.

Mucous membrane pemphigoid: a dual circulating antibody response with IgG and IgA signifies a more severe and persistent disease.

Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is an autoimmune blistering disease frequently associated with scarring of involved clinical sites. At present, therapeutic intervention in the form of immunomodulating or immunosuppressive agents is often reserved until the onset of significant inflammation and/or early cicatrization. We have therefore studied the clinical and immunopathological findings in 67 patients with MMP in order to try to establish a reliable prognostic indicator by which patients at high risk may be identified early in the disease.

Confocal microscopy using oblique sections for measurement of corneal epithelial thickness in conscious humans.

Purpose: Thickness measurements by confocal microscopy in conscious human subjects may be liable to error as a result of instability of the eye or instrument. Our aim was to evaluate a technique which was expected to be less sensitive to such problems.

Method: Thickness of corneal epithelium was determined from oblique confocal sections through cornea.

Photorefractive keratectomy. A 6-year follow-up study.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the long-term stability and efficacy of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy.

Design: Patients who participated in the first United Kingdom photorefractive keratectomy clinical trial were asked to attend a 6-year follow-up assessment.

Participants: Eighty-three patients (68%) of the original cohort of 120 participants were observed for 6 years.

Phenytoin-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis: a case report.

We present a case of phenytoin-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis resulting in 60-70% skin involvement. Systemic corticosteroids and prophylactic antibiotics used initially were discontinued, and subsequent management concentrated on intensive supportive treatment. The patient survived, but is left with disabling ocular complications.

Cellular reaction on the anterior surface of poly(methyl methacrylate) intraocular lenses.

Purpose: To assess the cellular reaction on the anterior surface of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) intraocular lenses (IOLs) implanted by phacoemulsification with continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) or by extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) with a linear capsulotomy.

Setting: Cataract and Refractive Surgery Research Unit. Department of Ophthalmology, St.

Postoperative inflammatory response to phacoemulsification and extracapsular cataract surgery: aqueous flare and cells.

Purpose: To compare the postoperative blood-aqueous barrier (BAB) breakdown induced by phacoemulsification with continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) and by extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) with a linear capsulotomy.

Setting: Cataract and Refractive Surgery Research Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom.

Effects of ablation diameter, depth, and edge contour on the outcome of photorefractive keratectomy.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of the ablation diameter, depth, and edge contour on the outcome of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

Methods: A prospective study was conducted in which 60 patients (60 eyes) were randomly allocated to 5.00-mm, 6.

The effects of ablation diameter on the outcome of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study.

Objective: To determine the effects of the ablation diameter on the outcome of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy.

Design: Eighty patients were randomized to either a 5.00-mm or a 6.

Mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the conjunctiva.

The recognition of mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue as a distinct entity has lead to the separate classification of tumors arising in this tissue, ie, the mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Five patients with mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the conjunctiva are described herein; four of the five patients had bilateral tumors. Laboratory analysis was done using microscopy, immunophenotyping, gene rearrangement analysis using both Southern blot and polymerase chain reaction techniques, and oncogene (bcl-1, bcl-2, and c-myc) rearrangement studies.

The effects of topical corticosteroids and plasmin inhibitors on refractive outcome, haze, and visual performance after photorefractive keratectomy. A prospective, randomized, observer-masked study.

Background: This study of 86 patients with 12 months of follow-up was designed to determine whether topical corticosteroids or plasmin inhibitors have an effect on the outcome of photorefractive keratectomy.

Methods: Patients were allocated randomly to either steroid (0.1% fluorometholone for 6 months), plasmin-inhibitor (aprotinin 40 IU/ml for 3 weeks), or control (no treatment) groups and underwent either -3.

Discrimination between the origins and functional implications of haze and halo at night after photorefractive keratectomy.

A series of 84 eyes with up to -6.00 diopters (D) of myopia were treated by photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) using a 5.00 mm ablation zone.

Night vision after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy: haze and halos.

A series of 85 patients with myopia, up to -6.00D, was treated by photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), using a 5 mm diameter ablation zone. At six months, 38 patients (45%) reported slight disturbances of night vision, nine (11%) of whom had significant problems.

Disturbances in night vision after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy.

Eighty-four patients with up to -6.00 dioptres of myopia underwent photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), using 5.00 mm ablation zones.

Mycobacterium chelonei keratitis: a case report and review of previously reported cases.

A 56-year-old woman who wore hard contact lenses developed a keratitis due to Mycobacterium chelonei. The organism was only sensitive to imipenem and partially to ciprofloxacin and erythromycin. After an initial response to topical therapy with these antibiotics the infection relapsed and a penetrating keratoplasty was performed, with resulting cure.

Primary low-grade B-cell lymphoma of the conjunctiva: a mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type lymphoma.

We describe the clinical presentation, morphology, immunophenotypic features and molecular biology of seven cases of conjunctival lymphoid infiltration. In five cases there was either immunophenotypic or molecular evidence of B-cell lymphoma. Each of these cases showed the morphological, immunophenotypic and molecular feature of low-grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type.

Treatment of band keratopathy by excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy: surgical techniques and long term follow up.

A series of 122 eyes with band keratopathy was treated by excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK), with a mean follow up of over 12.3 months (range 3 to 60 months). A single photoablation zone was used to remove the opacity over the visual axis in smooth surfaced band deposition.

The effect of topical corticosteroids on refraction and corneal haze following excimer laser treatment of myopia: an update. A prospective, randomised, double-masked study.

Several thousands of myopic patients have undergone photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) worldwide (prior to the publication of long-term, carefully controlled studies). The evidence in support of the currently widespread use of topical corticosteroids after PRK, however, is limited. We report the results of a prospective, double-masked trial to determine the effect of dexamethasone 0.

Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy. 18-month follow-up.

Purpose: This study, comprising 120 patients (follow-up, 12 to 22 months; mean, 18 months), was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of excimer laser photo-refractive keratectomy.

Methods: Ablation zone diameter (4 mm), ablation rate (0.22 microns/pulse), fluence (180 mJ/cm2), and frequency (10 Hz) were kept constant, and all patients used a standard topical corticosteroid regimen.

One year experience in the treatment of familial hypercholesterolaemia with simvastatin.

Patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) have a substantially increased risk of atherosclerosis due to very high plasma levels of cholesterol. Recent evidence has shown that coronary heart disease in these patients may regress with lipid-lowering therapy. In this study the efficacy and safety of simvastatin, an inhibitor of the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A, was investigated in 30 patients with FH over a period of one year.