Temporal-to-Nasal Macular Ganglion Cell and Inner Plexiform Layer Ratios in a Large Adult Twin Cohort: Correlations With Age and Heritability.

Purpose: Temporal-to-nasal macular ganglion cell layer thickness ratios are reduced in albinism. We explored similar ratios in a large twin cohort to investigate ranges in healthy adults, correlations with age, and heritability.

Methods: More than 1000 twin pairs from TwinsUK underwent macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans.

Glaucoma Patients Have a Lower Abundance of Butyrate-Producing Taxa in the Gut.

Purpose: Glaucoma is an eye disease that is the most common cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. It has been suggested that gut microbiota can produce reactive oxygen species and pro-inflammatory cytokines that may travel from the gastric mucosa to distal sites, for example, the optic nerve head or trabecular meshwork. There is evidence for a gut-eye axis, as microbial dysbiosis has been associated with retinal diseases.

Prevalence, Concordance, and Heritability of Vitreomacular Interface Abnormalities in a Twin Study.

Purpose: The relative importance of genetic factors in common vitreomacular interface (VMI) abnormalities is unknown. The aim of this classical twin study is to determine the prevalence case wise concordance between monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs, and heritability of common VMI abnormalities, including epiretinal membrane (ERM), posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), vitreomacular adhesion (VMA), vitreomacular traction (VMT), lamellar macular holes (LMHs), and full-thickness macular holes (FTMHs).

Methods: This is a single-center, cross-sectional classical twin study of 3406 TwinsUK participants over the age of 40 years who underwent spectral domain macular optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans which were graded for signs of VMI abnormalities.

Building the barricade-DIY slit lamp breath shield.

Ophthalmologists were concerned about the risk of SARS-COV-2 transmission via droplets given the close proximity to the patient during slit lamp examination. There is a need to design a simple, low-cost, waterproof breath shield to minimise risk of infection.Dimensions of the Haag-Streit slit lamp (model BM 900) were recorded to guide accurate design of the breath shield.

Segmented Macular Layer Volumes from Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography in 184 Adult Twins: Associations With Age and Heritability.

Purpose: To investigate segmented macular layer volumes from a healthy adult twin cohort (TwinsUK), exploring changes with age and heritability.

Methods: Macular spectral domain optical coherence tomography images were acquired from monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins in a cross-sectional study. The following layer volumes were derived for circles of 3 and 6 mm diameter around the foveal center, using automated segmentation software: retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), inner nuclear layer (INL), outer plexiform layer (OPL), outer nuclear layer (ONL), photoreceptors (PR), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), and total retinal volume (TRV).

Definitive Zygosity Scores in the Peas in the Pod Questionnaire is a Sensitive and Accurate Assessment of the Zygosity of Adult Twins.

Twin researchers face the challenge of accurately determining the zygosity of twins for research. As part of the annual questionnaire between 1999 and 2006, 8,307 twins from the TwinsUK registry were asked to complete five questions (independently from their co-twin) to ascertain their self-perceived zygosity during childhood on up to five separate occasions. This questionnaire is known as the 'peas in the pod' questionnaire (PPQ), but there is little evidence of its validation.

Incidence of Late-Stage Age-Related Macular Degeneration in American Whites: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Purpose: To estimate incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by subtype in American whites aged ≥50 years.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Setting: Prospective cohort studies of AMD incidence in populations of white European ancestry published in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science.

Improving phlebotomy handover to doctors: a quality improvement project.

Aim: To design a hospital-standardised phlebotomy handover method to improve the communication between phlebotomists and doctors. To reduce delays in patient management and discharges which occur due to poor handover.

Method: Qualitative data was collected to gauge junior doctors' experiences of the current handover process.

Khat: social habit or cultural burden? A survey and review.

The aim of this article was to investigate the psychological and socioeconomic ramifications of Khat on its users and their communities. A thorough literature review was undertaken and a questionnaire was distributed among a Somali community in South London. From the 62 individuals surveyed, 79% were born in Somalia and 15% in the United Kingdom.

The estimated prevalence and incidence of late stage age related macular degeneration in the UK.

Background: UK estimates of age related macular degeneration (AMD) occurrence vary.

Aims: To estimate prevalence, number and incidence of AMD by type in the UK population aged ≥50 years.

Methods: Age-specific prevalence rates of AMD obtained from a Bayesian meta-analysis of AMD prevalence were applied to UK 2007-2009 population data.

Age and gender variations in age-related macular degeneration prevalence in populations of European ancestry: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To obtain prevalence estimates of age-related macular degeneration (AMD; late, geographic atrophy, neovascular) by age and gender amongst populations of European ancestry taking into account study design and time trends.

Design: Systematic review of population-based studies published by September 2010 with quantitative estimates of geographic atrophy (GA), neovascular (NV), and late AMD prevalence. Studies were identified by a literature search of MEDLINE (from 1950), EMBASE (from 1980), and Web of Science (from 1980) databases.