Ocular surface and glaucoma, a mutual relationship. Practical suggestions for classification and management.

The chronic use of glaucoma medications could improve the development of an ocular comorbidity, the glaucoma therapy-related ocular surface disease. This could be related to the exposure of the conjunctiva to preservatives, but also active compounds such as prostaglandin analogues may improve the risk of ocular surface inflammation. Inflammation has a negative impact on tolerability and adherence to eyedrops and to the outcome of filtration surgery as well.

Intravitreal bevacizumab for choroidal neovascularization secondary to angioid streaks: a long-term follow-up study.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) to treat choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in patients with angioid streaks.

Methods: Retrospective chart review of 16 eyes of 10 patients treated with IVB for CNV secondary to angioid streaks between November 2005 and November 2011. Intravitreal bevacizumab was performed in all patients with a pro re nata regimen.

Diagnosis and detection.

Purpose: To evaluate features of macular edema assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT)and other imaging tools such as infrared, blue retinography and autofluorescence, and fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) in different pathologic conditions.

Methods: The principal causes of macular edema were reviewed to evaluate its aspect in each pathology. Correlations between OCT and other imaging techniques were analyzed.

Macular edema. Diagnosis and detection.

The aim of the chapter is to provide a practical but exhaustive guide in detecting macular edema and to describe its features depending on the retinal condition which cause it. The most useful imaging techniques and tools (Biomicroscopy, retinography, Optical Coherence Tomography, Fluorescein/Indocyanine-Green Angiography) will be analysed in order to identify the best diagnostic algorithm in each pathology. At the end of the chapter a summary table synthesize what previously widely described.

Low-density lipoprotein receptors in the uptake of tumour photosensitizers by human and rat transformed fibroblasts.

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) increase the selectivity of tumour targeting by drugs, including sensitisers for photodynamic therapy, because of the enhanced expression of specific LDL receptors in many types of transformed as compared with non-transformed cells. This investigation aims at gaining more information on the role of LDL receptors in the accumulation of photosensitizer-LDL complexes by human and rat transformed fibroblasts, and the interference of the photosensitizer with LDL recognition by the specific receptors. Both an amphiphilic hematoporphyrin IX (Hp) and a hydrophobic Zn(II)-phthalocyanine (ZnPc) photosensitizers bind to human LDL with molar ratios of 5-6:1 and 10-12:1, respectively.