Publications by authors named "William Rojas-Carabali"

Background: Adequate health literacy has been shown to be important for the general health of a population. To address this, it is recommended that patient-targeted medical information is written at a sixth-grade reading level. To make well-informed decisions about their health, patients may want to interact directly with peer-reviewed open access scientific articles.

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Introduction: With technological advancements and the growing prevalence of smartphones, ophthalmology has opportunely harnessed medical technology for visual function assessment as a home monitoring tool for patients. Ophthalmology applications that offer these have likewise become more readily available in recent years, which may be used for early detection and monitoring of eye conditions. To date, no review has been done to evaluate and compare the utility of these apps.

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  • The retinal microvasculature can be visualized non-invasively, making it a promising method for detecting microvascular changes linked to systemic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cerebrovascular issues.
  • Research shows that structural changes in the retinal blood vessels correlate with cardiovascular risks and can predict complications and mortality from systemic hypertension.
  • There is a push for better diagnostic tools using retinal imaging, emphasizing the importance of understanding 3D vascular structures and advocating for larger, long-term studies to clarify how these retinal changes relate to various systemic health conditions.
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  • Cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) is a major cause of blindness in advanced AIDS patients, with varied treatment approaches due to the lack of established guidelines.
  • A review of 59 studies revealed an 18% improvement in visual acuity and a 90% rate of inflammation resolution, with ganciclovir being the most commonly used antiviral treatment.
  • Notably, patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) had a significantly lower recurrence rate of inflammation compared to those not on ART, and the most common side effect reported was neutropenia related to ganciclovir.
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  • This study is the first of its kind to statistically assess how well the Collaborative Ocular Tuberculosis Study (COTS) calculator predicts the need for antitubercular therapy (ATT) in patients with suspected tubercular uveitis (TBU) in an international setting.
  • The main goal was to determine if a score of 4 or higher on the COTS calculator effectively guides the initiation of ATT.
  • Results showed that among 492 participants, 45.7% received a high probability for ATT initiation, and the COTS-5 score showed the highest specificity at 88.7%, suggesting its effectiveness compared to clinician judgment.
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Background: Visual acuity (VA) represents a fundamental measure of visual function. The significant prevalence of underdiagnosed ocular disorders underscores the importance of effective VA assessment. This study evaluates the efficacy of a web-based VA assessment tool ("PocDoc") versus conventional VA testing.

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  • - IL-6 inhibitors are emerging as effective treatments for non-infectious uveitis (NIU) that doesn't respond well to standard therapies, addressing key issues like inflammation and vision loss.
  • - Review studies highlight that these biologic agents have succeeded in reducing inflammation in 34% to 88% of patients and decreasing dependency on corticosteroids by about 55%.
  • - Although results are promising, showing improvements in visual acuity and macular edema, more research is necessary to confirm the long-term safety and effectiveness of IL-6 inhibitors in uveitis management.
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  • - The study investigated sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) by examining its incidence, timing, causes, and associated visual outcomes following intraocular procedures, using data from multiple cohorts between 2017 and 2021.
  • - A total of 159 patients were identified with SO, with the median time from the inciting event to SO being 151 days; notably, only two patients developed SO after open globe trauma, while none occurred after vitrectomy.
  • - Visual outcomes were poor, especially for the inciting eye, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and treatment to improve vision in the sympathizing eye.
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  • * In the medical sector, NLP can be used for tasks like extracting data from Electronic Health Records, aiding in clinical decisions, and analyzing medical images, although its real-world use is still limited.
  • * As large language models like ChatGPT are becoming more common, it's important for healthcare professionals to stay informed about how NLP technologies work, their benefits, and their limitations.
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Clinical Relevance: Glaucoma encompasses a group of eye diseases that progressively damage the optic nerve, leading to vision loss and blindness. Understanding the incidence and demographic distribution is vital for public health planning and patient care.

Background: Previous small-scale studies in Colombia have reported the prevalence of glaucoma in individuals over 40 years between 1.

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  • The integration of AI in healthcare is revolutionizing the management of complex conditions like uveitis, which requires specialized knowledge due to its various causes and treatment responses.
  • AI's potential in this field includes classifying diseases, analyzing imaging data, predicting outcomes, and identifying new treatments, addressing the shortage of uveitis specialists and improving patient care.
  • However, successfully applying AI in clinical settings faces challenges, such as the need for extensive datasets, transparency in algorithms, and real-world validation of these models.
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  • The perspective promotes the use of salutogenesis, a theory focusing on factors that contribute to health, as a new way to treat ophthalmologic inflammatory conditions, emphasizing its application in medical practice.
  • It explains how daily stressors can negatively impact health, particularly in individuals with poor vision, and highlights the need to consider alleviating factors in treatment.
  • The authors suggest that applying salutogenic principles could enhance patient autonomy, improve treatment compliance, and inform public health policies while noting the current lack of research in this area.
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Infectious uveitis is a major global cause of vision impairment. Despite the eye's immune privilege, afforded by the blood-ocular barrier that restricts microbial entry, several pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites can still infiltrate and cause ocular infections and complications. Clinicians often encounter significant challenges in treating infectious uveitis due to limited or ineffective treatment options.

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We aimed to compare the concordance of information extracted and the time taken between a large language model (OpenAI's GPT-3.5 Turbo via API) against conventional human extraction methods in retrieving information from scientific articles on diabetic retinopathy (DR). The extraction was done using GPT3.

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Introduction: The efficacy of diagnostic and monitoring tools in ophthalmology is significantly influenced by patient engagement levels. This presents a notable challenge, especially in the context of developing tools designed for telemedicine applications. Ensuring consistent patient engagement is therefore crucial for the accurate and reliable utilization of these technologies.

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Purpose: To evaluate rural community-based eye care models from the perspective of community ophthalmology experts and suggest sustainable technological solutions for enhancing rural eye care delivery.

Methods: A semi-structured descriptive survey, using close-ended and open-ended questions, was administered to the experts in community ophthalmology sourced through purposive sampling. The survey was self-administered and was facilitated through online platforms or in-person meetings.

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Background And Aim: Stem cell therapy is considered a promising treatment for several neurodegenerative diseases. However, there are very few studies on the use of this therapy in glaucoma models. By detecting the changes produced by glaucoma early, cell therapy could help prevent the events that lead to blindness.

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  • The study aimed to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of uncorrected refractive errors (URE) among individuals seeking eye care in Colombia from 2015 to 2019, using national health data.
  • The overall prevalence of URE among eye care consultations was 30.26%, with astigmatism being the most common issue, particularly in those under 40, and geographic variations noted with higher cases in the Andean region.
  • The findings indicate a rising trend in URE, emphasizing the need for targeted prevention programs and increased awareness among health professionals and government authorities to address this public health concern.
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Introduction: Macular diseases are major contributors to visual impairment and blindness worldwide. This study introduces PocDoc, a digital version of the conventional Amsler grid, aimed at enhancing the screening and monitoring of macular diseases. We conducted a comprehensive evaluation to compare the effectiveness of PocDoc against the conventional method.

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Introduction: Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of retinal ganglion cells. Recent research suggests immunological changes such as cytokine imbalance may affect its pathophysiology. This implies that immunomodulation, like that of mesenchymal cells, could be a potential therapeutic avenue for this disease.

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  • * A total of 3,404 patient records were reviewed, showing a mean diagnosis age of 41.1 years, with a majority being women; the most common types of uveitis were unilateral, acute, and non-granulomatous, primarily affecting the anterior segment of the eye.
  • * Findings highlight idiopathic as the leading cause of uveitis, underlining the importance of ongoing research to adapt diagnosis and treatment strategies for these inflammatory eye conditions.
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  • This study investigated the ocular surface characteristics in children with uveitis and the connection to dry eye disease (DED).
  • The results showed that 54.8% of children with uveitis had DED, compared to 31% in healthy children, with a significant difference in the severity of symptoms and lipid layer thickness.
  • The research concluded that children with uveitis are three times more likely to develop DED compared to healthy peers, highlighting the need for careful monitoring and potential preventive treatments.
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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was one of the most devastating public health issues in recent decades. The ophthalmology community is as concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic as the global public health community is, as COVID-19 was recognized to affect multiple organs in the human body, including the eyes, early in the course of the outbreak. Ophthalmic manifestations of COVID-19 are highly variable and could range from mild ocular surface abnormalities to potentially sight and life-threatening orbital and neuro-ophthalmic diseases.

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