Pharmacotherapeutic candidates for myopia: A review.

This review provides insights into the mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of myopia and potential targets for clinical intervention. Although the etiology of myopia involves both environmental and genetic factors, recent evidence has suggested that the prevalence and severity of myopia appears to be affected more by environmental factors. Current pharmacotherapeutics are aimed at inhibiting environmentally induced changes in visual input and subsequent changes in signaling pathways during myopia pathogenesis and progression.

Myopia among schoolchildren in East Asia and Singapore.

Myopia is highly prevalent among schoolchildren in East Asia and Singapore; however, its prevalence has been gradually increasing, and the number of population-based and non-population-based studies assessing this trend has increased in the past 10 years. Although the causes of this high prevalence in East Asia and Singapore remain poorly identified, related studies have discussed the associated risk factors. We summarize the data concerning the prevalence rates reported in related studies and discuss the most crucial risk factors among these schoolchildren.

Long-term biometric optic components of diode laser-treated threshold retinopathy of prematurity at 9 years of age.

Purpose: To assess quantitatively the biometric optic components and its relationship with refractive status in preterm school children with diode laser-treated threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study in which ultrasound biometric measurement of optic components and cycloplegic refraction were performed on 24 consecutive preterm children with diode laser-treated threshold ROP at the age of 9 years. The study results were compared with 1021 age-matched full-term control children from a national survey.

Clinical prospective study of visual function in patients with acute optic neuritis.

Background/purpose: To investigate the clinical features and visual outcomes of acute optic neuritis in adult patients.

Methods: We prospectively collected ninety-nine adult patients, who were found to have acute optic neuritis between 2005 and 2007 at National Taiwan University Hospital. A total of 30 cases, aged ranging from 21 to 55 years old (average 36.

Polymorphisms in steroidogenesis genes, sex steroid levels, and high myopia in the Taiwanese population.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship among single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in steroidogenesis enzyme genes, serum levels of sex steroids, and high myopia in Taiwanese male and female populations.

Methods: A campus-based sample of 283 cases (145 males and 138 females) with high myopia and 280 controls (144 males and 136 females) with low myopia or emmetropia was studied. Estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.

Comparing myopic progression of urban and rural Taiwanese schoolchildren.

Purpose: To compare myopic progression rates in Taiwanese schoolchildren between urban and rural areas.

Methods: Several longitudinal studies of myopic progression were performed in urban and rural areas. Five primary schools, four junior high schools, and two senior high schools were selected from both urban and rural areas.

Long-term evaluation of refractive status and optical components in eyes of children born prematurely.

Purpose: To evaluate the refractive status and optical components in school age children born prematurely and to examine the risk factors associated with refractive errors.

Methods: The participants were a cohort of children aged 7 to 9 years with gestational age less than 35 weeks or birth weight less than 1500 g. The participants' neonatal histories were reviewed; their refractive status and optical components were measured.

Estimation of heritability in myopic twin studies.

Purpose: To examine the genetic and environmental factors for myopia at the family level, as well as risk factors such as ocular measurements and environmental covariates at the individual level, by analysis of myopic twin data.

Methods: A myopic twin study was conducted on participants from the 2000 Guinness World Records for twins in Taiwan. A total of 130 participants comprising 58 twin pairs and 13 siblings were recruited.

The association of haplotype at the lumican gene with high myopia susceptibility in Taiwanese patients.

Objective: To investigate the association of genetic polymorphisms in the dermatan sulfate proteoglycan 3 (DSPG3), lumican (LUM), and decorin (DCN) genes (component genes of the sclera) with high myopia susceptibility in Taiwanese people.

Design: Prospective case-control study.

Participants: Hospital clinic-based samples of 120 unrelated patients with extremely high myopia were studied.

Lens thickness changes among schoolchildren in Taiwan.

Purpose: To explore the possible influence of ocular growth, refractive error and age on the crystalline lens in school-age children.

Methods: A Taiwan nationwide survey of myopia performed in 2006 was used to determine the prevalence and severity of myopia and the changes in ocular components. A total of 11,656 students were enrolled, including 5,390 boys and 6,266 girls, with ages ranging from 7 to 18 years.

Association between high myopia and progression of visual field loss in primary open-angle glaucoma.

Background/purpose: Taiwan has a very high prevalence rate of myopia. We retrospectively studied the influence of myopia on the progression of visual field (VF) loss in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients.

Methods: We studied 515 POAG patients for a minimum follow-up period of 5 years.

The association of membrane frizzled-related protein (MFRP) gene with acute angle-closure glaucoma--a pilot study.

Purpose: The membrane frizzled-related protein (MFRP) has been proposed as a probable candidate gene for extreme hyperopia and nanophthalmos, which are factors for angle-closure glaucoma. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether there are significant associations between angle-closure glaucoma and sequence variants in the MFRP gene reported previously in Taiwanese subjects.

Methods: Genomic DNA was collected from 63 subjects with angle-closure glaucoma and 66 age-matched and gender-matched controls without angle-closure glaucoma.

Vitreous levels of reactive oxygen species in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Objective: To investigate vitreous levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and analyze ROS levels among different groups of PDR patients.

Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Participants: Thirty-nine eyes of 39 patients with PDR and 16 eyes of 16 non-PDR patients (control group) that underwent primary vitrectomy for complications of PDR and other conditions (control group), with a follow-up time > or = 12 months.

The genetic effect on refractive error and anterior corneal aberration: twin eye study.

Purpose: To investigate the role of heredity in determining refractive variables, anterior corneal curvature, and anterior corneal aberrations.

Methods: Thirty-three monozygotic and 10 dizygotic twin pairs were enrolled in this study. Corneal curvature, corneal astigmatism, and corneal topography were obtained from computerized videokeratoscope.

The association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the MMP-9 genes with susceptibility to acute primary angle closure glaucoma in Taiwanese patients.

Purpose: To study the relationships between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of extracellular matrix, matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of MMPs, and other glaucoma-associated genes and acute primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG).

Methods: We extracted DNA samples from 78 adult patients with acute PACG and 86 control subjects to study the relationships between these specific genes and acute PACG. Genotyping was performed for 35 genes by the GenomeLab SNPstream genotyping system after PCR amplification of chromosomal DNA.

The association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the 5'-regulatory region of the lumican gene with susceptibility to high myopia in Taiwan.

Purpose: To study the relationships between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of lumican, decorin, and DSPG3 genes and high myopia.

Methods: One hundred and twenty adult patients with high myopia (< -10.0 D) and 137 controls were used to study the relationships between the decorin, lumican, and DSPG genes and high myopia.

Prevalence of anisometropia in Taiwanese schoolchildren.

Background And Purpose: This study investigated the prevalence and distribution of anisometropia in Taiwanese schoolchildren using nationwide data from refractive surveys performed in 1995 and 2000.

Methods: Complete survey data was obtained for 11,175 students in 1995 and 10,878 students in 2000. The refractive status of each student was measured using an autorefractometer under cycloplegia and rechecked with retinoscopy.

Fundus abnormalities in a patient with type I Gaucher's disease with 12-year follow-up.

Purpose: To report a case of type I Gaucher's disease with rare presentation of fundus abnormalities in long-term observation.

Design: Observational case report.

Methods: This 53-year-old Taiwanese woman suffered from type I Gaucher's disease for 12 years, with initial presentation of hepatoslpenomegaly in 1992.

Peculiar arcuate scotoma in pathologic myopia--optical coherence tomography to detect peripapillary neural tissue loss over the disc crescent.

Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to detect peripapillary neural tissue loss (PPNTL) over the disc crescent in pathologic myopia. The retinal neural tissue loss located inside the disc crescent in pathologic myopia is a newly recognized fundus lesion.

Methods: Review of ten eyes of ten patients with peripapillary yellowish-white retinal lesions who underwent OCT for evaluation of the nature of PPNTL in pathologic myopia.

The prevalence of astigmatism in Taiwan schoolchildren.

Purpose: To understand the prevalence and distribution of astigmatism in schoolchildren in Taiwan, we analyzed and compared the nationwide survey data in 1995 and 2000.

Methods: A total of 11,175 students were enrolled in 1995, and 10,878 students were enrolled in 2000. The refractive status of each student was measured with an autorefractor during cycloplegia and rechecked with retinoscopy.

Ultrasound biomicroscopic findings in rabbit eyes undergoing scleral suction during lamellar refractive surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate changes of the central anterior chamber depth, cilio-angular cross-sectional surface area, and intraocular pressure in rabbit eyes undergoing application of the scleral suction ring during lamellar refractive surgery.

Methods: Thirty eyes of 30 rabbits were used in the study. The eyes were assigned to one of the following five surgical groups: group 1, no application of the suction ring; group 2, suction for 2 minutes; group 3, suction for 1 minute; group 4, suction for 20 seconds; and group 5, suction for 10 seconds.