Long-term follow-up after submandibular gland transplantation in severe dry eyes secondary to cicatrizing conjunctivitis.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term results of autologous submandibular gland transplantation in eyes with cicatrizing conjunctivitis and to determine biomechanical and biochemical features of the resulting salivary tear film.

Design: Prospective, observational case series.

Methods: Fifteen eyes with cicatrizing conjunctivitis with a viable autologous submandibular gland transplantation were compared with 10 eyes with cicatrizing conjunctivitis and a failed submandibular gland transplantation or no submandibular gland transplantation.

Acanthamoeba keratitis: the role of domestic tap water contamination in the United Kingdom.

Purpose: The incidence of acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) in the UK is some 15 times that in the United States and seven times that in Holland. To investigate reasons for this higher frequency, a study of the role of domestic tap water as a potential source of AK was undertaken.

Methods: Tap outlets from the homes of 27 patients with culture-proven AK were sampled and cultured for free-living amoebae (FLA).

Persistently culture positive acanthamoeba keratitis: in vivo resistance and in vitro sensitivity.

Purpose: To characterize the risk factors, clinical course, treatment outcome and the association between in vivo resistance and in vitro sensitivity for subjects with persistently culture-positive Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Design: Retrospective noncomparative case series.

Participants: Eleven subjects with repeatedly positive cultures for Acanthamoeba treated between January 1990 and December 2000, were reviewed.

Acanthamoeba sclerokeratitis: treatment with systemic immunosuppression.

Objective: This study describes the clinical features, management, and outcome of 19 patients who had severe Acanthamoeba sclerokeratitis (ASK) unresponsive to conventional management, requiring systemic immunosuppression to control disease.

Design: Retrospective, non-comparative, interventional case series.

Participants: Records of all patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis treated at Moorfields Eye Hospital between 1989 and 2000 were reviewed.

Use of a low nutrient culture medium for the identification of bacteria causing severe ocular infection.

A low nutrient culture medium was used to identify the pathogens in four cases of persisting ocular infection. Bacto R2A agar was used in addition to conventional liquid- and solid-phase media to culture pathogenic bacteria from one case of recurrent keratitis, one case of suture-related keratitis with endophthalmitis and two eyes (two patients) with post-operative endophthalmitis. In each case, a pathogen was identified solely with R2A agar after culture for 6 days.