Contact lenses in dry eye disease and associated ocular surface disorders.

Dry eye disease (DED) is prevalent in all age groups and is known to cause chronic ocular discomfort and pain, and greatly affects the quality of life. Patients with ocular surface disease (OSD) may also have reduced tear secretion due to lacrimal gland damage, thus leading to aqueous deficient DED. Even with conventional management modalities such as lubricating eyedrops, topical corticosteroids, autologous serum eyedrops, or punctal plugs, many patients continue to suffer from debilitating symptoms.

Development of a Smart Scaffold for Sequential Cancer Chemotherapy and Tissue Engineering.

The fabrication of a dual-functional drug-containing porous polymeric scaffold by layer-by-layer surface modification involving citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles and cisplatin molecules is being reported. These scaffolds were characterized by electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The capability of the scaffolds to release hydrated cisplatin in a slow and sustained manner over two days is established.

Long-term results of cornea collagen cross-linking with riboflavin for keratoconus.

Corneal collagen cross-linking with riboflavin and UVA light (CXL) is the only method designed to arrest the progression of keratoconus. Visual improvement generally starts 3 months after treatment. Reduction is coma seen on aberrometry in early postoperative phase is also responsible for the improvement in visual acuity.

Characteristics of keratoconus patients at a tertiary eye center in India.

Purpose: To evaluate the presentation and characteristics of patients with keratoconus at a tertiary eye care center in Mumbai, India.

Methods: This single center, non-comparative, retrospective cohort analysis was performed on patients with keratoconus who presented to the Clear Vision Eye Center clinic from April 2007 to March 2009. Data was collected to characterize correlations among visual acuity, corneal biomicroscopic findings, and refractive and topographic findings in keratoconus.

Validation of scoring system for preoperative stratification of intra-operative risks of complications during cataract surgery: Indian multi-centric study.

Aim: To validate a system that uniformly and objectively assesses the risk of complications of cataract surgery performed with phacoemulsification technique in individual patients preoperatively.

Materials And Methods: Outcome analysis of patient data entered into a standardized protocol. The data sheet was analyzed at a single center in terms of the risk assessed preoperatively and the incidence of surgical complications.

Corneal collagen cross-linking with riboflavin and ultraviolet - a light for keratoconus: results in Indian eyes.

Aim: To assess the results of corneal collagen cross-linking with riboflavin using ultraviolet - A light for keratoconus at one year in Indian eyes.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-eight eyes of 41 patients with progressive keratoconus were included in this retrospective study. All eyes completed was 12 months of follow-up and 37 eyes had a one-year follow-up.

Comparison of the mouse foot pad test with a Buddemeyer type radiorespirometric assay in detecting viable Mycobacterium leprae in human lesional biopsies.

Aim: This study assesses the utility of a Buddemeyer type radiorespirometric (RR) assay in detecting viable Mycobacterium leprae in clinical samples taking the mouse foot pad (MFP) test as gold standard.

Methods: A total of 131 skin biopsy specimens comprising of 56 untreated, smear-positive, borderline lepromatous and lepromatous leprosy (BL-LL) and 75 untreated, smear-negative, borderline tuberculoid and mid-borderline (BT-BB) specimens were processed by both the methods. The cut-off value (in counts per minute, cpm) for test samples in the RR assay was determined using nonleprous (normal) skin biopsy specimens.

Hypokalemia causing rhabdomyolysis resulting in life-threatening hyperkalemia.

Hyperkalemia is commonly associated with renal failure and is rare if renal function is normal. It is rarely caused by rhabdomyolysis and can be life threatening if unrecognized. Rhabdomyolysis is caused by many disorders, including hypokalemia.

Corneal epithelial wound healing.

One of the important functions of the cornea is to maintain normal vision by refracting light onto the lens and retina. This property is dependent in part on the ability of the corneal epithelium to undergo continuous renewal. Epithelial renewal is essential because it enables this tissue to act as a barrier that protects the corneal interior from becoming infected by noxious environmental agents.

Peribulbar anaesthesia for penetrating keratoplasty. A case series.

Purpose: To prospectively analyse the efficacy and safety of peribulbar anaesthesia for penetrating keratoplasty through a noncomparative, consecutive series.

Methods: One hundred twenty-four (91.1%) of 136 patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty (PK) from January 1997 to December 2001, were administered peribulbar anaesthesia.