Anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha for retinal diseases: current knowledge and future concepts.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by macrophages and T-cells. It plays an important role both in inflammation and apoptosis. In the eye, TNF-α appears to have a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory, edematous, neovascular and neurodegenerative disorders.

[Ophthalmologic diagnostic procedures and imaging of retinal vein occlusions].

Retinal vein occlusions are a common vascular disease of the eye. Ophthalmological diagnostic procedures and imaging are important for the prognosis of the disease, as are the systemic work-up and therapy. Besides routine ophthalmic tests (visual acuity, slit lamp examination, funduscopy) a work-up for glaucoma such as intraocular pressure, visual field or 24 h IOP profile is useful as a diagnostic procedure.

Effect of contact lenses on the protein composition in tear film: a ProteinChip study.

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the effects of rigid gas permeable and soft contact lenses on the protein composition in the tear film of contact lens wearers.

Methods: Wearers of soft contact lenses (CL_S, n = 13) and rigid gas permeable contact lenses (CL_H, n = 13) were recruited for this study. Thirteen non-contact lens wearers were also included as the control.

Intravitreal ranibizumab treatment of retinal angiomatous proliferation.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy of intravitreal injections of ranibizumab in the treatment of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: Retrospective, consecutive case series of 26 eyes (26 patients) treated with intravitreal injections of 0.5 mg ranibizumab for RAP.

[Idiopathic macular telangiectasia - follow-up with and without laser photocoagulation].

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of laser photocoagulation for idiopathic macular telangiectasia (IMT) by using the revised and simplified classification of Yannuzzi 2006.

Patients And Methods: The Yannuzzi classification was used for a retrospective analysis of the medical records of all patients with idiopathic macular telangiectasia as diagnosed consecutively in the University Eye Clinic of Mainz in the time period from 1 / 02 to 12 / 06. Laser treatment was indicated only in those eyes which presented with a visual acuity below 10 / 20 (follow-up interval in median 37 months, minimum 13 months).

[Arteriovenous crossing sheathotomy in branch retinal vein occlusion].

Background: The aim of this study is to report on arteriovenous sheathotomy in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) with a long-term follow-up and examine the visual field effects of this surgical approach.

Patients And Methods: In a clinical trial 36 eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion (22 eyes with ischaemia, 14 eyes with chronic macular oedema) underwent surgical decompression accompanied by peeling of the membrana limitans interna after prior isovolemic haemodilution for 3 months had been unsuccessful.

Results: All eyes showed a significant reduction of macular oedema 3 months after surgery.

[Eales' disease--10 years experience with a rare disease].

Background: Eales' disease is an uncommon vasoproliferative retinal disease affecting otherwise healthy young men. We report on our treatment results in a large patients group with long-term follow-up.

Patients And Methods: The treatment results in 50 eyes (35 patients) with Eales' disease, that were consecutively treated from May 1995 to August 2005, were analysed retrospectively.

[Laser photocoagulation and photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin for retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD)].

Background: Retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) is a subtype of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with particularly bad prognosis. Diverse treatment modalities are performed.

Patients And Methods: This is a retrospective review on the treatment results of 41 consecutive patients from 1/2003 to 12/2005 with RAP stage 1-3 (Yannuzzi classification), who were treated with laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy (PDT) and intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (IVT).

[Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and corticosteroids].

Background: Corticosteroids are under suspicion of playing an important role in the development of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Patients And Methods: In a prospective study the course of CSC was evaluated in a consecutive series of 46 patients, who received the diagnosis of CSC in the period 4 / 2004 - 12 / 2005. Data analysis was focused on the complete medical and ocular history and the ocular course of this disease.

[Radial optic neurotomy (RON) for central retinal vein occlusion].

Background: Compression in the lamina cribrosa is discussed as a reason for central retinal vein occlusion. Radial optic neurotomy should release the pressure and increase venous blood outflow.

Patients And Methods: In a clinical trial 27 eyes with central retinal vein occlusion (22 eyes with clinical ischaemia, 5 eyes with continuous disc oedema and visual acuity below 4/10) underwent surgical decompression by vitrectomy and radial optic neurotomy.

[Pseudomelanomas of the choroid].

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate what are the most frequent ocular diseases that were suspected for choroidal melanoma ("pseudo melanoma").

Patients And Methods: The data of all patients who were seen in the University Hospital of Mainz under the suspicion of choroidal melanoma between 1.1.

[Painless acanthamoeba keratitis].

A 37-year-old contact lens wearer was treated for herpes simplex keratitis. After an initial improvement the keratitis became much worse. An annular infiltrate gave rise to the suspicion of acanthamoeba keratitis even though the patient was not in pain.

Effects of multipurpose contact lens solutions on the protein composition of the tear film.

Objectives: To analyze the influence of multipurpose contact lens cleaning solutions on tear proteins. Changes in tear film protein profiles of contact lens wearers who used several marketed brands of multipurpose contact lens care solutions, were assessed by ProteinChip analysis.

Methods: Three studies were conducted.

Is homelessness a risk factor for eye disease? Results of a German screening study.

Background: There is general agreement on the presence of a correlation between poverty and impaired health. However, only scarce data are available on whether this also applies to the incidence of eye disease. The present study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of ocular disease in homeless people in Germany.

Repeatability and reproducibility of optic nerve head topography using the retinal thickness analyzer.

Objective: The objective was to determine the reproducibility and repeatability of topographic disk parameters with the retinal thickness analyzer (RTA).

Methods: Thirty-nine eyes of 39 healthy subjects were included. Three observers performed three consecutive measurements of optic disk topography independently.

[Laser in situ keratomileusis with a flying-spot excimer laser and a carriazo-barraquer microkeratome - outcomes after 6 months].

Purpose: To evaluate safety, efficacy, predictability and refractive stability of LASIK, using a flying-spot excimer laser, 91 eyes were examined during a 6-months follow-up.

Patients And Methods: Consecutively, 91 eyes were enrolled in the study, each eye previously underwent LASIK with the ESIRIS excimer laser (ESIRIS, supplier: eye-tech-solutions Schwind, Kleinostheim, Germany). 91 myopic eyes (mean preoperative refraction: - 5.

Corneal model.

Purpose: To describe the optical region of the cornea with as few parameters as possible and to compare this approach to commonly used mathematical models for the cornea.

Setting: University eye hospital, Mainz, Germany.

Methods: Corneal surface is approximated by a simple model (SM) that is defined by 2 perpendicular vertex radii, their angle to the horizontal, and a unique numerical eccentricity.

Effects of intraocular cefotaxime on the human corneal endothelium.

Purpose: To ascertain whether 0.4 mL of cefotaxime 0.25% applied intracamerally causes toxic alteration of the human corneal endothelium.