Healthcare professionals' knowledge and attitudes towards polygenic risk testing for glaucoma.

Background: Effective clinical implementation of polygenic risk testing for glaucoma relies on healthcare professionals' attitudes and knowledge of the test. Given the emerging applications of the test, it will likely impact a range of healthcare professionals and will require competency in polygenic risk scores concepts for all those involved in patient care. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess healthcare professionals' views towards polygenic testing for glaucoma.

Comparison of penetrating and endothelial keratoplasty in patients with iridocorneal endothelial syndrome: A registry study.

Background: To compare graft survival of endothelial keratoplasty (EK) versus penetrating keratoplasty (PK) in patients with iridocorneal endothelial (ICE) syndrome and identify ocular features associated with graft survival.

Methods: Observational, prospective, cohort study. A total of 30 806 first grafts performed between 1985 and 2020 were identified through the Australian Corneal Graft Registry and included in this observational, prospective cohort study.

Attitudes Toward Glaucoma Genetic Risk Assessment in Unaffected Individuals.

Purpose: Integrating polygenic risk scores (PRS) into healthcare has the potential to stratify an individual's risk of glaucoma across a broad population. Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, therefore effective screening for glaucoma endorsed by the population is highly important. This study assessed the attitude of unaffected individuals toward PRS testing for glaucoma, and sought to identify factors associated with interest in testing.

Outcomes of corneal transplantation in Australia, in an era of lamellar keratoplasty.

Widespread adoption of modern lamellar procedures has altered the pattern of practice of corneal transplantation. Herein, we describe recent findings from the Australian Corneal Graft Registry and place these data into an international context. The total number of grafts reported to the Registry has doubled over the past decade.

Women's Authorship of Reviews in Ophthalmic Journals Over Time.

Purpose: To investigate prevalence and trends in women's authorship of articles in ophthalmic review journals over 2 decades.

Design: Literature survey.

Methods: Total number of authors, and number and gender of first and senior (last-named) authors, were identified in all full reviews published in Prog Retin Eye Res, Surv Ophthalmol, and Curr Opin Ophthalmol for the calendar years 1999, 2009, and 2019.

Attitudes Towards Polygenic Risk Testing in Individuals with Glaucoma.

Purpose: Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide; however, vision loss resulting from glaucoma generally can be prevented through early identification and timely implementation of treatment. Recently, polygenic risk scores (PRSs) have shown promise in stratifying individual risk and prognostication for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) to reduce disease burden. Integrating PRS testing into clinical practice is becoming increasingly realistic; however, little is known about the attitudes of patients toward such testing.

DNA methylation at the 9p21 glaucoma susceptibility locus is associated with normal-tension glaucoma.

Purpose: Recent genome-wide association studies reported strong association of genetic variation at the CDKN2B/CDKN2B-AS1 locus on 9p21 with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) in multiple populations. The mechanism by which this locus causes disease remains to be elucidated. We investigated the association of DNA methylation of CpG islands at this locus with NTG.

Is there evidence for a surgeon learning curve for endothelial keratoplasty in Australia?

Importance: Expected outcomes from endokeratoplasty may vary with surgeon experience.

Background: It was explored whether a surgeon learning curve exists for Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasties (manual or automated) performed in Australia.

Design: This is a prospective cohort study, with various clinical settings.

A comparison of endothelial and penetrating keratoplasty outcomes following failed penetrating keratoplasty: a registry study.

Purpose: To compare graft survival and visual outcomes for endothelial keratoplasty (EK) after a first penetrating keratoplasty (PK), with outcomes of repeat PK after a first PK.

Methods: 400 eyes with a second graft (65 EKs, 335 PKs) performed after failure of a primary PK were identified through the Australian Corneal Graft Registry, a national prospectively followed cohort. Grafts were performed after January 2008 (follow-up of the second graft extending to 6.

Adequacy of published screening criteria for retinopathy of prematurity.

Background: Criteria for screening preterm infants for retinopathy of prematurity vary around the world. We aimed to analyse the efficacy of alternative screening criteria.

Design: We collected retrospective data at a tertiary level neonatal nursery.

Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty versus penetrating keratoplasty for treating keratoconus.

Background: Keratoconus is an ectatic (weakening) disease of the cornea, which is the clear surface at the front of the eye. Approximately 10% to 15% of patients diagnosed with keratoconus require corneal transplantation. This may be full-thickness (penetrating) or partial-thickness (lamellar).

A comparison of lamellar and penetrating keratoplasty outcomes: a registry study.

Objectives: To investigate changing patterns of practice of keratoplasty in Australia, graft survival, visual outcomes, the influence of experience, and the surgeon learning curve for endothelial keratoplasty.

Design: Observational, prospective cohort study.

Participants: From a long-standing national corneal transplantation register, 13 920 penetrating keratoplasties, 858 deep anterior lamellar keratoplasties (DALKs), and 2287 endokeratoplasties performed between January 1996 and February 2013 were identified.

Predictive genetic testing experience for myocilin primary open-angle glaucoma using the Australian and New Zealand Registry of Advanced Glaucoma.

Purpose: Predictive genetic testing of relatives of known myocilin (MYOC) gene mutation carriers is an appropriate strategy to identify individuals at risk for glaucoma. It is likely to prevent irreversible blindness in this high-risk group because this treatable condition might otherwise be diagnosed late. The Australian and New Zealand Registry of Advanced Glaucoma has established genetic testing protocols for known glaucoma genes, including MYOC.

Co-expression of a scFv antibody fragment and a reporter protein using lentiviral shuttle plasmid containing a self-processing furin-2A sequence.

It is often desirable to co-express a reporter protein with a potential therapeutic protein, to verify correct targeting of an expression strategy. Vectors containing a viral self-processing 2A sequence have been reported to drive equimolar expression of two or more transgenes from a single promoter. Here, we report on the co-expression of a secreted antibody fragment and an intracellular reporter protein, enhanced yellow fluorescent protein from lentiviral shuttle plasmids by inserting a furin-2A (F2A) sequence between the two cDNAs, in two different orientations, in the expression cassette.

The influence of Australian eye banking practices on corneal graft survival.

Objective: To identify eye banking practices that influence corneal graft survival.

Design, Setting And Participants: Prospective cohort study of records of 19,254 followed corneal grafts in 15160 patients, submitted to the Australian Corneal Graft Registry between May 1985 and July 2012.

Main Outcome Measures: Influence of corneal preservation method (organ culture, moist pot, Optisol, other); death-to-enucleation, death-to-preservation and enucleation-to-graft times; transportation by air; graft era; and indication for graft on probability of graft survival at most recent follow-up.

e-Mental health in South Australia: impact of age, gender and region of residence.

Respondents to the 2008 South Australian Health Omnibus survey (n=2996) indicated whether, in the previous 12 months, they had searched for information on the Internet relating to emotional issues such as depression, anxiety or relationship problems. Logistic regression was used to examine the penetration of e-mental health in rural and metropolitan areas (region of residence), and determine if other demographic variables (age group, gender) also impacted on the likelihood of an individual reporting that they had used the Internet to obtain such information. Overall, 9% of respondents reported that they had used the Internet for this purpose.

Evaluating the effectiveness of multidisciplinary low-vision rehabilitation.

Purpose: To objectively evaluate the changes in vision-specific quality of life (QoL) after multidisciplinary low-vision rehabilitation at the Royal Society for the Blind Low-Vision Clinic.

Methods: The standard care model at the Royal Society for the Blind Low-Vision Clinic is optical management at the initial assessment, with subsequent referral to multidisciplinary services as required. Participants completed the Impact of Vision Impairment Questionnaire (IVI) and Veterans Affairs Low-Vision Visual Functioning Questionnaire (VA LV VFQ-48) before initial assessment, at 30 days (to assess the outcome of optical management) and at 3 months follow-up (to assess the outcome of multidisciplinary services).

The outcome of corneal transplantation in infants, children, and adolescents.

Objective: To examine factors affecting penetrating corneal graft survival and visual outcomes in patients aged less than 20 years.

Design: Large prospective, cohort study.

Participants: Records of 14 865 followed penetrating corneal grafts in 11 929 patients were searched to identify 765 grafts in 640 patients aged younger than 20 years of age at the time of graft.

Multiple sclerosis: patients' information sources and needs on disease symptoms and management.

Objective: To investigate the current information sources of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the early stages of their disease and to identify patients' preferred source of information. The relative amounts of information from the different sources were also compared.

Methods: Participants at a newly diagnosed information session organized by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of South Australia were invited to complete a questionnaire.

Patients' knowledge and perception on optic neuritis management before and after an information session.

Background: Patients' understanding of their condition affect the choice of treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate patients' understanding and treatment preferences before and after an information session on the treatment of acute optic neuritis.

Methods: Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire consisting of 14 questions before and after an information session presented by a neuro-ophthalmologist.