The effects of female sex hormones on the human cornea across a woman's life cycle.

The cornea is a hormone-responsive tissue that responds to changing levels of female sex hormones. This review focuses on the structural and functional changes in the human cornea associated with the hormonal milestones of menarche, pregnancy, and menopause, as well as consequences stemming from the use of exogenous sex hormones for fertility control and replacement. Articles were identified by searching PubMed without language or region restrictions.

Ocular Pain Symptoms in Individuals With and Without a History of Refractive Surgery: Results From a Cross-Sectional Survey.

Purpose: This study characterized ocular pain symptoms in individuals with and without a history of refractive surgery (RS) using a cross-sectional survey of individuals with ocular pain.

Methods: A link to an anonymous survey was posted on a corneal neuralgia Facebook group that included individuals with ocular pain from any etiology and sent to individuals seen in our clinic with ocular pain. The survey asked about medical history, ocular pain symptoms (using standardized questionnaires), and treatment responses.

Efficacy and tolerability of nortriptyline in the management of neuropathic corneal pain.

Purpose: Neuropathic corneal pain (NCP) is a recently acknowledged disease entity. However, there is no consensus in potential treatment strategies, particularly in patients with a centralized component of pain. This study aims to assess the efficacy and tolerability of the tricyclic antidepressant, nortriptyline, among NCP patients.

Update on Diagnosis and Management of Conjunctival Papilloma.

Conjunctival papilloma is an acquired benign squamous cell tumor that can present at any age, but most frequently in the third and fourth decades of life. Papillomas have been associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, usually types 6 and 11. Although histopathological diagnosis remains the gold standard, the advent of newer non-invasive imaging modalities such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) is transforming the way we diagnose and treat ocular surface tumors, including conjunctival papilloma.

Scleral-sutured intraocular lenses: Single-surgeon technique for suture-preloaded intraocular lens insertion through a small-incision corneal wound.

For scleral intraocular lens (IOL) fixation, suture-loaded IOLs have traditionally been folded in half with a forceps and delivered intraocularly through 3.5 to 4.0 mm corneal wounds.

Pigmented Spindle Cell Nevus of Reed of the Eyelid.

Purpose: To report the clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemical features of the first pigmented spindle cell nevus (PSCN) of Reed documented to have appeared in the eyelid.

Methods: The findings of clinical and histopathological examination are presented, along with differential diagnoses and a review of the pertinent literature.

Case: A 3-year-old boy presented with a rapidly growing, heavily pigmented left lower lid papule raising the concern of malignancy, warranting excisional biopsy.

Efficacy of self-retained cryopreserved amniotic membrane for treatment of neuropathic corneal pain.

Purpose: Treatment of neuropathic corneal pain (NCP) remains intricate, and involves a long-term combined multistep approach. The self-retained cryopreserved amniotic membrane (PROKERA, Bio-Tissue, Miami,FL) has been utilized for multiple ocular surface disorders. We evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of ProKera Slim [PKS] and ProKera Clear [PKC] in the treatment of NCP.

TARANTULA HAIR ASSOCIATED PANUVEITIS TREATED WITH SUSTAINED-RELEASE INTRAVITREAL DEXAMETHASONE IMPLANT.

Purpose: To report a case of tarantula hair-induced panuveitis treated with sustained-release intravitreal dexamethasone implant and followed by sequential spectral domain optical coherence tomography imaging.

Methods: Findings on clinical examination, anterior segment optical coherence tomography, corneal in vivo confocal microscopy, color fundus photos, fluorescein angiography, and retinal spectral domain optical coherence tomography are presented. Sequential optical coherence tomography images demonstrated the course of the chorioretinal lesions before and after sustained-release intravitreal dexamethasone implant.

Serotonin receptor 2C regulates neurite growth and is necessary for normal retinal processing of visual information.

Serotonin (5HT) is present in a subpopulation of amacrine cells, which form synapses with retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), but little is known about the physiological role of retinal serotonergic circuitry. We found that the 5HT receptor 2C (5HTR2C) is upregulated in RGCs after birth. Amacrine cells generate 5HT and about half of RGCs respond to 5HTR2C agonism with calcium elevation.

The N-terminal Set-β Protein Isoform Induces Neuronal Death.

Set-β protein plays different roles in neurons, but the diversity of Set-β neuronal isoforms and their functions have not been characterized. The expression and subcellular localization of Set-β are altered in Alzheimer disease, cleavage of Set-β leads to neuronal death after stroke, and the full-length Set-β regulates retinal ganglion cell (RGC) and hippocampal neuron axon growth and regeneration in a subcellular localization-dependent manner. Here we used various biochemical approaches to investigate Set-β isoforms and their role in the CNS, using the same type of neurons, RGCs, across studies.

Unusually delayed presentation of persistent Descemet's membrane tear and detachment after cataract surgery.

A 51-year-old male who had undergone phacoemulsification in his left eye 11 months prior presented with complaint of sudden onset of blurred vision in the same eye. Review of his clinical course, slit-lamp exam, pachymetry, and specular endothelial microscopy led to the diagnosis of acute hydrops caused by Descemet's membrane dehiscence at the site of the incision. He was initially managed with medical treatment and observation.

Regulating Set-β's Subcellular Localization Toggles Its Function between Inhibiting and Promoting Axon Growth and Regeneration.

The failure of the CNS neurons to regenerate axons after injury or stroke is a major clinical problem. Transcriptional regulators like Set-β are well positioned to regulate intrinsic axon regeneration capacity, which declines developmentally in maturing CNS neurons. Set-β also functions at cellular membranes and its subcellular localization is disrupted in Alzheimer's disease, but many of its biological mechanisms have not been explored in neurons.

Prospective evaluation of emergency medicine instruction for rotating first-postgraduate-year residents.

Objective: To determine whether either bedside teaching alone (group A) or bedside teaching with written course materials (group B) improved written examination scores, satisfaction with the rotation, or clinical grades of rotating PGY1 residents.

Methods: A prospective, controlled educational trial was conducted. Sixty-five PGY1 residents from diverse specialties rotated in the ED for one month over a ten-month study period, and were included in the study.