Fostering holistic eye care for children with special educational needs: an interprofessional education program bridging optometry and education.

Purpose: This study outlines the initiation of an interprofessional education (IPE) program designed for optometry and education students. The program aimed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and improve the management of eye health in children with special educational needs (SEN) - a vulnerable and underserved group.

Methods: This program incorporated lectures and workshops to impart essential knowledge about SEN and to develop the necessary attitudes and skills for conducting eye examinations.

Efficacy of 0.01% atropine for myopia control in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial depends on baseline electroretinal response.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of 18-month 0.01% atropine in 61 myopic children (aged 7-10) and the relationship with central retinal response (by multifocal electroretinogram [mfERG]) in a double-masked randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Global-flash mfERG was measured at baseline, while cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction (SER) and axial length (AL) were measured at baseline and at 6-month intervals.

Selective blue-filtering spectacle lens protected primary porcine RPE cells against light emitting diode-induced cell damage.

This study aimed to investigate whether use of a selective-blue-filtering (S-BF) lens can protect cultured primary porcine RPE cells against photo-irradiation. Transmittance of S-BF and UV-filtering (UVF) lenses was characterised spectrophotometrically. RPE cells were exposed to 1700 lux of white (peak λ at 443 and 533 nm; 0.

Chest CT Images for COVID-19: Radiologists and Computer-Based Detection.

Background: Characteristic chest computed tomography (CT) manifestation of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was added as a diagnostic criterion in the Chinese National COVID-19 management guideline. Whether the characteristic findings of Chest CT could differentiate confirmed COVID-19 cases from other positive nucleic acid test (NAT)-negative patients has not been rigorously evaluated.

Purpose: We aim to test whether chest CT manifestation of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) can be differentiated by a radiologist or a computer-based CT image analysis system.

Comparison of Choroidal Thickness Measurements Using Semiautomated and Manual Segmentation Methods.

Significance: This study demonstrated that a semiautomated segmentation method could help inexperienced practitioners to obtain choroidal thickness as good as experienced practitioners.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare choroidal thickness measurements obtained by semiautomated and manual segmentation methods.

Methods: Optical coherence tomography images of 37 eyes from 37 healthy young subjects acquired by a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography device were reviewed retrospectively.

Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides Rescue Neurodegeneration in an Acute Ocular Hypertension Rat Model Under Pre- and Posttreatment Conditions.

Purpose: To investigate the posttreatment neuronal rescue effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) in an acute ocular hypertensive (AOH) model.

Methods: Intraocular pressure (IOP) was elevated manometrically to 80 mm Hg (AOH) or 15 mm Hg (sham) for 120 minutes in adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Five experimental groups were considered: Three AOH groups were pretreated with PBS (vehicle) (n = 9), LBP 1 mg/kg (n = 8), or 10 mg/kg (n = 13), and one AOH group was posttreated with LBP 10 mg/kg (n = 8), once daily.

Delay of cone degeneration in retinitis pigmentosa using a 12-month treatment with Lycium barbarum supplement.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Lycium barbarum L. (also known as "Goji berry"), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, has been a common herb in the traditional Chinese pharmacopoeia for centuries. The main active component is the Lycium barbarum polysaccharides and its antioxidative effect has been widely shown to provide neuroprotection to the eye, and it would, therefore, be interesting to determine if Lycium barbarum help delay vision deterioration in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

Subclinical Decrease in Central Inner Retinal Activity Is Associated With Myopia Development in Children.

Purpose: To investigate the characteristics of retinal electrophysiological activity in relation to early myopia development in children.

Methods: Fifty-six children aged 6 to 9 years with emmetropic refractive error (defined as ≥ -0.5 diopter [D] and ≤ +0.

Childhood exposure to constricted living space: a possible environmental threat for myopia development.

Purpose: People in Hong Kong generally live in a densely populated area and their homes are smaller compared with most other cities worldwide. Interestingly, East Asian cities with high population densities seem to have higher myopia prevalence, but the association between them has not been established. This study investigated whether the crowded habitat in Hong Kong is associated with refractive error among children.

Isolation of adult stem cell populations from the human cornea.

Corneal blindness is a leading cause of vision loss globally. From a tissue engineering perspective, the cornea represents specific challenges in respect to isolating, stably expanding, banking, and effectively manipulating the various cell types required for effective corneal regeneration. The current research trend in this area focuses on a combined stem cell component with a biological or synthetic carrier or engineering scaffold.

Association between screen viewing duration and sleep duration, sleep quality, and excessive daytime sleepiness among adolescents in Hong Kong.

Screen viewing is considered to have adverse impacts on the sleep of adolescents. Although there has been a considerable amount of research on the association between screen viewing and sleep, most studies have focused on specific types of screen viewing devices such as televisions and computers. The present study investigated the duration with which currently prevalent screen viewing devices (including televisions, personal computers, mobile phones, and portable video devices) are viewed in relation to sleep duration, sleep quality, and daytime sleepiness among Hong Kong adolescents (N = 762).

Bovine posterior limbus: an evaluation of an alternative source for corneal endothelial and trabecular meshwork stem/progenitor cells.

A growing body of evidence has revealed that stem-like cells in the posterior limbus of the eye between the corneal endothelium (CE) and trabecular meshwork (TM) may be able to rejuvenate these tissues in disease. However, these cells have not been clearly defined and we have named them PET cells (progenitor cells of the endothelium and trabeculum). A good and inexpensive animal model for PET cells is lacking, so we investigated bovine eyes as an effective large tissue source.

Progenitors for the corneal endothelium and trabecular meshwork: a potential source for personalized stem cell therapy in corneal endothelial diseases and glaucoma.

Several adult stem cell types have been found in different parts of the eye, including the corneal epithelium, conjunctiva, and retina. In addition to these, there have been accumulating evidence that some stem-like cells reside in the transition area between the peripheral corneal endothelium (CE) and the anterior nonfiltering portion of the trabecular meshwork (TM), which is known as the Schwalbe's Ring region. These stem/progenitor cells may supply new cells for the CE and TM.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides reduce neuronal damage, blood-retinal barrier disruption and oxidative stress in retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Neuronal cell death, glial cell activation, retinal swelling and oxidative injury are complications in retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injuries. Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP), extracts from the wolfberries, are good for "eye health" according to Chinese medicine. The aim of our present study is to explore the use of LBP in retinal I/R injury.