A comparison of autorefractor performance.

Purpose: To compare the agreement between subjective refraction and autorefraction using two commercially available autorefractors.

Methods: Prospective data were collected for 190 subjects using either the Nidek ARK-700A (Fremont, CA) or the Topcon KR-8000 (Paramus, NJ) and subjective refraction (masked to autorefraction). Refractions were compared in terms of spherical equivalent using Bland-Altman limits of agreement and astigmatic vector difference using median and 95th percentile.

Contrast and glare testing in keratoconus and after penetrating keratoplasty.

Aim: To compare the performance of keratoconus, penetrating keratoplasty (PK), and control subjects on clinical tests of contrast and glare vision, to determine whether differences in vision were independent of visual acuity (VA), and thereby establish which vision tests are the most useful for outcome studies of PK for keratoconus.

Methods: All PK subjects had keratoconus before grafting and no subjects had any other eye disease. The keratoconus (n = 11, age 35.

Comparison of autologous serum eye drops with conventional therapy in a randomised controlled crossover trial for ocular surface disease.

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of 50% autologous serum drops against conventional treatment in ocular surface disorders refractory to normal treatments in a prospective randomised crossover trial.

Method: Patients fulfilling ophthalmological and haematological entry criteria were randomised to either 3 months of autologous serum 50% followed by 3 months of their conventional treatment, or 3 months of conventional treatment, followed by 3 months of autologous serum. Clinical assessments, including Schirmer's test, rose Bengal, and fluorescein staining, were carried out on entry and at monthly intervals.

Late onset post-keratoplasty astigmatism in patients with keratoconus.

Aim: 10 eyes of 10 patients are reported where progression of keratoconus in the host cornea occurred more than 10 years after penetrating keratoplasty with resultant increase in astigmatism. The technique and results of graft refractive surgery in seven eyes are presented.

Methods: The clinical features and management of these patients were retrospectively analysed.

The usefulness of Vistech and FACT contrast sensitivity charts for cataract and refractive surgery outcomes research.

Aim: To investigate the repeatability and sensitivity of two commonly used sine wave patch charts for contrast sensitivity (CS) measurement in cataract and refractive surgery outcomes.

Methods: The Vistech CS chart and its descendant, the Functional Acuity Contrast Test (FACT), were administered in three experiments: (1) Post-LASIK and age matched normal subjects; (2) Preoperative cataract surgery and age matched normal subjects; (3) Test-retest repeatability data in normal subjects.

Results: Contrast sensitivity was similar between post-LASIK and control groups and between the Vistech and FACT charts.

Refractive error changes in cortical, nuclear, and posterior subcapsular cataracts.

Aims: To determine the effect of the three main morphological types of cataract on refractive error.

Methods: Data were prospectively collected from 77 subjects (age 67 (SD 8) years) with one morphological type of cataract. 34 had cortical, 21 had nuclear, and 21 had posterior subcapsular cataract.

The Activities of Daily Vision Scale for cataract surgery outcomes: re-evaluating validity with Rasch analysis.

Purpose: The Activities of Daily Vision Scale (ADVS) has been extensively validated by traditional methodology. In the current study, Rasch analysis was used to explore further the validity of the ADVS and to determine whether improvements could be made.

Methods: Forty-three patients with cataract underwent visual acuity (VA) and contrast sensitivity (CS) testing and completed the ADVS.

Cataract surgery and changes in quality of life measures.

Background: This study examines whether quality of life measured with non-disease specific instruments is altered by cataract surgery and whether the effect is modulated by the presence of ocular comorbidity or other non-ocular issues.

Methods: Thirteen patients were assessed pre- and at three months post-cataract surgery. Visual disability was measured with the Visual Disability Assessment.

Iridoschisis.

Iridoschisis is a rare condition in which a localised area of iris stroma is cleaved in two with the anterior atrophic portion disintegrating into fibrils. The most common presentation of iridoschisis is as an age-related iris atrophy in association with glaucoma. The association includes angle-closure glaucoma, angle-recession glaucoma and open-angle glaucoma.

Management of patients undergoing hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) therapy.

The quinolines, hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and chloroquine are used primarily for their anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of auto-immune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Another common use of these drugs is the prophylaxis and suppression of malaria. The use of quinolines may cause several ocular side-effects.

An analysis of the astigmatic changes induced by accelerated orthokeratology.

Purpose: The change in corneal astigmatism induced by reverse geometry lenses for orthokeratology has not been described previously. This study examines the efficacy of accelerated orthokeratology for reducing astigmatism and whether this varies with the degree of pre-existing astigmatism.

Method: Twenty-three randomly chosen eyes exhibiting 0.

Optical complications in congenital rubella syndrome.

Background: Post-natal rubella (German measles) is a mild illness, occasionally complicated by arthritis or encephalitis. In contrast, in utero infection can have devastating effects. collectively known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).

Reading speed test for potential central vision measurement.

This study examines the validity and reliability of a reading speed test as a measure of potential central vision. Reading speed was calculated in words per minute (wpm) from the time taken to read 30 words of 1.20 logMAR size text.

Sorsby's fundus dystrophy.

Background: Sorsby's fundus dystrophy describes the condition in which an autosomal-dominant inherited macular dystrophy with bilateral central visual loss is accompanied by progressive atrophy of the peripheral choroid and, subsequently, the outer retina. The first symptom of this condition is nyctalopia, whereas (typically) the first sign is the appearance of white-yellow deposits in the posterior pole.

Case Report: We report a case of Sorsby's fundus dystrophy, manifested with central visual loss in the fifth decade of life.

Pseudoduplication of the optic nerve head.

Background: Pseudo-doubling of the optic nerve head is a spectacular clinical entity, in which a lesion resembling an optic disk appears adjacent to the true optic disk.

Case Report: A case of unilateral pseudo-doubling of the optic disk with bilateral optic nerve pits is presented.

Conclusions: The lesion is congenital, and represents a chorioretinal coloboma with optic disk involvement.

Penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus: visual outcome and success.

Objective: To determine the long-term effect on vision of penetrating keratoplasty performed for keratoconus.

Design: Retrospective noncomparative case series.

Participants: All patients with keratoconus who received a corneal graft and who remained in our center for follow-up and visual rehabilitation during the study period.

Localized scotomata detected with temporal modulation perimetry in central serous chorioretinopathy.

Aim: Flicker deficits have been reported in various maculopathies, including age-related macular degeneration. We test whether flicker losses exist in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and whether the size and flicker frequency of the target is important in detecting such losses.

Methods: We examined four CSC patients with temporal modulation (flicker perception) perimetry using the Medmont auto-flicker module (Medmont Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Vic.

An instrument for assessment of subjective visual disability in cataract patients.

Aims/background: The construction and validation of an instrument for the assessment of subjective visual disability in the cataract patient is described. This instrument is specifically designed for measuring the outcome of cataract surgery with respect to visual disability.

Methods: Visually related activities thought to be affected by cataract were considered for the questionnaire.

Cataract surgery reduces subjective visual disability.

Purpose: The present study examines the impact of cataract on visual disability (VD) and how cataract surgery alters VD.

Methods: Fifty-six patients were assessed pre- and at 3 months post cataract surgery. Cataract severity was measured with the Lens Opacities Classification System III (LOCS III).

Decreased uncorrected vision after a period of distance fixation with spectacle wear.

Myopes of low degree commonly report that their vision seems poorer upon removal of their spectacles compared to that after a period without spectacle wear. Notably, this difference in vision can be appreciated after distance fixation. In this paper, we propose and test several alternative hypotheses to explain the phenomenon: an accommodative response to spectacles, sensory adaptation, or altered criteria for blur of psychological origin.