Retinal venous pressure measurements in patients with Flammer syndrome and metabolic syndrome.

Background: The purpose of this research is to analyze retinal venous pressure (RVP) of both eyes of patients who visited a Swiss ophthalmic practice and compare values among the following groups of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), Flammer syndrome (FS), and metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods: RVP was measured in both eyes of all patients who visited a Swiss ophthalmic practice during March 2016 till November 2016, and the results were analyzed retrospectively. All measurements were performed by one physician by means of ophthalmodynamometry.

Nutritional recommendations for individuals with Flammer syndrome.

The Flammer syndrome (FS) describes the phenotype of people with a predisposition for an altered reaction of the blood vessels to stimuli like coldness or emotional stress. The question whether such people should be treated is often discussed. On the one hand, most of these subjects are healthy; on the other hand, FS seems to predispose to certain eye diseases such as normal tension glaucoma or retinitis pigmentosa or systemic diseases such as multiple sclerosis or tinnitus.

Comet assay as an indirect measure of systemic oxidative stress.

Higher eukaryotic organisms cannot live without oxygen; yet, paradoxically, oxygen can be harmful to them. The oxygen molecule is chemically relatively inert because it has two unpaired electrons located in different pi * anti-bonding orbitals. These two electrons have parallel spins, meaning they rotate in the same direction about their own axes.

Retinal venous pressure in chronic smokers.

Background: The overall aim of this study was to determine retinal venous pressure (RVP) in healthy chronic smokers and compare values to those of healthy non-smokers.

Methods: Both eyes of 25 healthy chronic smokers and 41 healthy non-smokers were included. Measurements of RVP were performed by means of contact lens ophthalmodynamometry.

The effect of nifedipine on retinal venous pressure of glaucoma patients with the Flammer-Syndrome.

Purpose: The purpose was to measure the retinal venous pressure (RVP) in both eyes of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients before and 3 weeks after treatment with low-dosed Nifedipine.

Methods: This retrospective study included 20 POAG patients who were treated with Nifedipine (5 mg daily) and 20 untreated control POAG patients. In both the treated and untreated control group, a distinction was made between those patients who had the Flammer-Syndrome (FS) and those who did not.

The effect of flammer-syndrome on retinal venous pressure.

Background: The purpose of the study was to measure the retinal venous pressure (RVP) in the eyes of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients and healthy subjects with and without a Flammer-Syndrome (FS).

Methods: RVP was measured in the following four groups of patients and age- and sex-matched healthy controls: (a) 15 patients with a POAG and a FS (POAG/FS+); (b) 15 patients with a POAG but without a FS (POAG/FS-); (c) 14 healthy subjects with a FS (healthy/FS+) and (d) 16 healthy subjects without a FS (healthy/FS-). RVP was measured in all participants bilaterally by means of contact lens ophthalmodynamometry.

Retinal venous pressure in the non-affected eye of patients with retinal vein occlusions.

Background: To measure the retinal venous pressure (RVP) in both eyes of patients with unilateral central retinal vein occlusions and to compare these values to controls.

Methods: The study included 31 patients with unilateral central retinal vein occlusions (CRVO) and 31 controls who were matched by age, sex, and systemic disease. RVP was measured in all patients bilaterally by means of contact lens ophthalmodynamometry, and the RVP measurements of the affected and unaffected eyes of patients were compared to the RVPs of controls.

New insights in the pathogenesis and treatment of normal tension glaucoma.

Increased intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor for glaucomatous damage and reducing IOP improves prognosis. Nevertheless, there is little doubt that other risk factors besides IOP such as unstable ocular perfusion are involved. Blood flow is unstable if either the IOP fluctuates at a high level (or blood pressure fluctuates at a low level) or if the autoregulation of blood flow disturbed.

Effect of avosentan (SPP-301) in porcine ciliary arteries.

Purpose: To investigate the vasoactive effect of ET(A)-endothelin receptor antagonists avosentan (SPP-301) and BQ-123 in isolated porcine ciliary arteries with and without endothelium. To investigate the effect of avosentan on the endothelin-1 induced contractions in comparison with BQ-123 and BQ-788 (ET(B)-endothelin receptor antagonist) in isolated porcine ciliary arteries with and without endothelium.

Methods: Vessels were placed in a myograph system to measure isometric forces.

Retinal vein occlusions: The potential impact of a dysregulation of the retinal veins.

A retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a sight threatening disease. It can be divided into central vein occlusion and branch retinal vein occlusion. The pathogenesis of the condition remains to be solved.

Half a pack of cigarettes a day more than doubles DNA breaks in circulating leukocytes.

Background: The mechanisms by which smoking induces damage is not known for all diseases. One mechanism believed to play a role is oxidative stress. Oxidative stress leads to cellular damage including DNA damage, particularly DNA breaks.

Thermal discomfort with cold extremities in relation to age, gender, and body mass index in a random sample of a Swiss urban population.

Background: The aim of this epidemiological study was to investigate the relationship of thermal discomfort with cold extremities (TDCE) to age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) in a Swiss urban population.

Methods: In a random population sample of Basel city, 2,800 subjects aged 20-40 years were asked to complete a questionnaire evaluating the extent of cold extremities. Values of cold extremities were based on questionnaire-derived scores.

Targeted preventive measures and advanced approaches in personalised treatment of glaucoma neuropathy.

Glaucoma is a major cause of vision loss worldwide with nearly 8 million people bilaterally blind from the disease. This number is estimated to increase over the next 10 years. The key to preventing blindness from glaucoma is effective diagnosis and treatment.

Smell perception in normal tension glaucoma patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to quantify the ability to identify odors in normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients and healthy subjects with and without a primary vascular dysregulation (PVD).

Methods: Both self-assessment of smell perception and evaluation of odor identification by means of the 12-item odor identification test ("Sniffin' Sticks") were performed in the following groups of subjects: 1) 18 NTG patients with PVD (G+), 2) 18 NTG patients without PVD (G-), 3) 18 healthy subjects with PVD (H(+)) and 4) 18 healthy subjects without PVD (H-). The subjects self-assessment of smell perception was evaluated before the Sniffin' Sticks test by asking them to judge their ability to identify odors as either "average," "better than average," or "worse than average.

Relationship between optic nerve head and finger blood flow.

Purpose: To examine the relationship between optic nerve head (ONH) and finger blood flow in subjects with and without a primary vascular dysregulation (PVD).

Methods: ONH blood flow and finger blood flow was measured in 15 subjects with PVD and in 24 subjects without PVD. PVD was defined as being present if it was detected in patient history as well as by nailfold capillaromicroscopy.

Second eye cataract surgery in the diabetes patient? Quality of life gains and speed of visual and functional rehabilitation.

Purpose: To assess gains in quality of life (QOL) and visual acuity (VA), and to evaluate speed of visual and functional rehabilitation in diabetes patients with different stages of retinopathy (DR) after phacoemulsification in either one or both eyes.

Methods: This prospective longitudinal study comprised 102 patients having either (1) first eye, or (2) first and subsequent second eye cataract surgery. One surgeon performed all surgeries.

Subretinal hemorrhages secondary to age-related macular degeneration: psychological and vision-related functional perspectives.

Purpose: To assess psychological, visual and functional aspects associated with subretinal hemorrhages secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Method: In this prospective, comparative, longitudinal study, 90 eyes of 90 patients with a subretinal hemorrhage, secondary to AMD, of at least 1 disk diameter were treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rTPA) and gas, and compared to 25 eyes of 25 controls. Outcome measures were: (1) visual acuity, (2) self-reported vision-related quality of life (Visual Function 14-item questionnaire) and (3)Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scores.

Autoregulation, a balancing act between supply and demand.

Regulation of blood flow is necessary to adapt to different conditions. Regulation of ocular blood flow (OBF) compensates for varying perfusion pressures (autoregulation), adapts to the retinal activity (neurovascular coupling), and keeps the back of the eye at constant temperature (thermoregulation). While all vessels are under the control of the vascular endothelial cells, the retinal vessels are additionally under the control of the neural and glial cells, and the choroidal vessels are influenced by the autonomic nervous system.

Oxygen and blood flow: players in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.

Unlabelled: The increase of IOP in POAG is due an increased resistance of aqueous outflow through the trabecular meshwork (TM). The exact mechanisms leading to the corresponding changes in the TM are not yet known. We know, however, that all risk factors for arteriosclerosis are also risk factors for an increase in IOP.

Is there more to glaucoma treatment than lowering IOP?

Classic glaucoma treatment focuses on intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction. Better knowledge of the pathogenesis of the disease has opened up new therapeutical approaches. Whereas most of these new avenues of treatment are still in the experimental phase, others, such as magnesium, gingko, salt and fludrocortisone, are already used by some physicians.

What is the present pathogenetic concept of glaucomatous optic neuropathy?

Glaucomatous optic neuropathy implies loss of neural tissue, activation of glial cells, tissue remodeling, and change of blood flow. The blood flow reduction is not only secondary but has a primary component. Activation of astrocytes leads to an altered microenvironment.

What is the link between vascular dysregulation and glaucoma?

The need of blood flow to different organs varies rapidly over time which is why there is sophisticated local regulation of blood flow. The term dysregulation simply means that blood flow is not properly adapted to this need. Dysregulative mechanisms can lead to an over- or underperfusion.

Mental health measures of anxiety and depression in patients with retinal detachment.

In this study, the researchers examined anxious and depressive symptoms of patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) prior to and up to year after retinal detachment surgery. One hundred and thirteen (113) patients with RRD took part in this prospective longitudinal study. Anxiety and depression were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

A novel perspective on natural therapeutic approaches in glaucoma therapy.

Glaucoma is becoming recognised as a condition for which not only elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), but also non-pressure-dependent risk factors, are responsible. Better knowledge of the pathogenesis has opened up new therapeutic approaches that are often referred to as non-IOP-lowering treatment. These new avenues of treatment, some of which are still under investigation, include agents that can improve vascular regulation and blood flow to the eye and reduce oxidative stress.