Systemic associations of anterior uveitis in a tertiary care ophthalmic centre in south India.

Anterior uveitis is the most common form of uveitis in most regions of the world. A recent study reported that 50 % of patients with anterior uveitis have a related systemic illness. The most common cause of anterior uveitis to date remains idiopathic (45-50 %), followed by HLA-B27-positive acute anterior uveitis.

Association of macular pigment optical density with risk factors for wet age-related macular degeneration in the Indian population.

Purpose: To investigate macular pigment optical density (MPOD) in patients with and without wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to elucidate the association between MPOD and the risk factors for AMD in an Indian population.

Methods: Thirty-three subjects with wet AMD and 29 controls above 50 years old underwent MPOD measurement with the 'Macular Densitometer'. The subjects were also tested for their smoking history, lifetime ultraviolet (UV) exposure, dietary intake of carotenoids, and body mass index (BMI).

Visual rehabilitation with keratoprosthesis after tenonplasty as the primary globe-saving procedure for severe ocular chemical injuries.

Purpose: To analyze the outcome (functional and anatomic) of eyes that underwent tenonplasty as the primary globe-saving procedure in severe ocular chemical injuries (grade V-VI Dua's classification).

Methods: The records of patients who underwent tenonplasty for associated scleral ischemia in severe chemical burns in our institute between October 2005 and June 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. Out of 31 eyes that underwent tenonplasty, 21 belonged to grade V and VI of Dua's classification with diffuse scleral ischemia for which a four-quadrant tenonplasty was performed and only these 21 eyes were included for further analysis.

Prevalence of Visual Impairment and Associated Risk Factors in Subjects with Type II Diabetes Mellitus: Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetics Study (SN-DREAMS, Report 16).

Purpose: To report the prevalence of visual impairment (VI) and the associated risk factors in type II diabetic subjects.

Materials And Methods: The study included type II diabetes mellitus subjects who were enrolled from a cross-sectional study. Participants underwent biochemical testing and comprehensive ocular examination including stereo fundus photography.

Management of peripheral polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy with intravitreal bevacizumab and indocyanine green angiography-guided laser photocoagulation.

A 69-year-old lady presented with complaints of decreased vision in left eye since one month. Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) was 6/18 in that eye. Fundus examination revealed non-central geographic atrophy and soft drusens at macula in both eyes.

Spectral domain optical coherence tomography and microperimetry in foveal hypoplasia.

A case of foveal hypoplasia associated with ocular albinism with anatomic and functional changes by various techniques using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), microperimeter and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope is described. This case highlights the importance of microperimeter in detecting the functional abnormalities of vision and SD-OCT in identifying the retinal laminar abnormalities in foveal hypoplasia.

Photodynamic monotherapy or combination treatment with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide, bevacizumab or ranibizumab for choroidal neovascularization associated with pathological myopia.

This retrospective, interventional case series analyses treatment outcomes in eyes with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathological myopia, managed with photodynamic therapy, (PDT), (Group 1, N = 11), PDT and intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (4 mg/0.1ml) (Group 2, N = 3), PDT and intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) bevacizumab 1.25 mg/0.

Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetic Study (SN--DREAMS III): study design and research methodology.

Background: To describe the methodology of the Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetic Study III, an ongoing epidemiological study to estimate the prevalence of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy in rural population of Kanchipuram and Thiravallur districts of Tamil Nadu, India and to elucidate the clinical, anthropometric, biochemical and genetic risk factors associated with diabetic retinopathy in this rural population.

Methods: Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetic Study III will be a mobile van based epidemiological study; 11,760 participants aged ≥ 40 years will be recruited from the study areas. Eligible subjects will undergo blood sugar estimation to diagnose diabetes.

Foveal atrophy and macular hole formation following intravitreal ranibizumab with/without photodynamic therapy for choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration.

Background: To report the occurrence of foveal atrophy and macular hole formation following intravitreal ranibizumab with or without photodynamic therapy for choroidal neovascularization caused by age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: This was a retrospective, interventional case series, in which 78 eyes of 76 patients were treated for wet age-related macular degeneration between February 2007 and August 2007. Of these, three eyes developed foveal atrophy following treatment.

Choroidal neovascularization associated with coloboma of the choroid: a series of three cases.

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a rare complication associated with coloboma of the choroid. We describe three cases of coloboma choroid where there was loss of vision due to CNV development at the edge of the coloboma. One was managed by photodynamic therapy alone and two were managed by a combination of reduced fluence PDT and intravitreal bevacizumab.

Detection of novel coupled mutations in the katG gene (His276Met, Gln295His and Ser315Thr) in a multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain from Chennai, India, and insight into the molecular mechanism of isoniazid resistance using structural bioinformatics approaches.

This study reports on the structural basis of drug resistance targeting the katG gene in a multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB) strain with two novel mutations (His276Met and Gln295His) in addition to the most commonly reported mutation (Ser315Thr). A structural bioinformatics approach was used to predict the structure of the mutant KatG enzyme (MT). Subsequent molecular dynamics and docking studies were performed to explain the mechanism of isoniazid (INH) resistance.

Influence of glycosylated hemoglobin on sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy: a population-based study.

Aim: To evaluate the role of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) on the occurrence of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) in urban Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Methods: A total of 5999 individuals were enumerated from the Chennai metropolis. Of these, 1414 subjects with diabetes were included for data analysis in the study.

Laser photocoagulation (810 nm diode) for threshold retinopathy of prematurity: a prospective randomized pilot study of treatment to ridge and avascular retina versus avascular retina alone.

The purpose of this study was to compare the structural outcome of laser treatment to avascular retina and ridge versus laser treatment to avascular retina alone in cases with threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). A prospective, randomized, interventional, comparative study of consecutive cases referred to a single tertiary center was considered here. 50 infants with bilateral symmetrical threshold ROP were recruited into this study over a period of 3 years.

Toxicogenomics of nanoparticulate delivery of etoposide: potential impact on nanotechnology in retinoblastoma therapy.

To develop a suitable formulation with high entrapment efficiency, etoposide-loaded poly(lactide--glycolide) nanoparticles (NPs) were formulated by single emulsion-solvent evaporation method by changing different formulation parameters such as drug loading, choice of organic solvent and percentage of emulsifier polyvinyl alcohol. The NPs showed higher entrapment efficiency, ~86% (with 15% (/) drug loading). The physicochemical parameters revealed smooth topology with size range (240-320 nm), a negative zeta potential (~19 mV) and in vitro sustained-release activity (~60% drug release in 40 days).

Management of complications in glaucoma surgery.

Surgical option for glaucoma is considered when other modalities are not working out to keep the intraocular pressure under control. Since the surgical procedures for glaucoma disrupt the integrity of the globe, they are known to produce various complications. Some of those complications can be vision-threatening.

Clinico-pathological correlations of fatty acid synthase expression in retinoblastoma: an Indian cohort study.

Retinoblastoma (RB), the most common intra-ocular malignancy in children under 5 years of age, has an estimated incidence of about 2000 a year in India, where most cases are in advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. Newer therapeutic approaches would reduce the morbidity of chemotherapy in children with RB. Fatty Acid Synthase (FASN), a lipogenic multi-enzyme complex, is minimally expressed in normal human tissues and over expressed in many cancers, making it an attractive target for cancer therapy.

"pp65 antigenemia and real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based-study to determine the prevalence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in kidney donors and recipients with follow-up studies".

Background: The present study was undertaken to determine the rate of occurrence of Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) among kidney transplant recipients and donors by application of direct detection methods and to understand HCMV infection/disease development among transplanted patients as a prospective study.

Results: Peripheral blood samples collected from 76 kidney donors and 76 recipients from September 2007 to August 2009 were subjected to pp65 antigenemia and Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays. Data were analyzed under Group A, B and C.

Ocular aberrations after wavefront optimized LASIK for myopia.

Purpose: To study the change in ocular aberrations after wavefront optimized (WFO) laser in situ keratomileusis (Lasik) for correction of myopia and to analyze causative factors that may influence them.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective case series. WFO Lasik was performed for the correction of myopia, using the hansatome (Bausch and Lomb) microkeratome to create the flap and the Allegretto laser (Wavelight Technologie) to perform the ablation.

Endophthalmitis in eyes presenting with orbital signs: a case-control study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical profile and treatment outcomes in eyes with endophthalmitis presenting with orbital signs.

Methods: A case-control study of 24 eyes with endophthalmitis and orbital signs at presentation (defined as ocular motility restriction and/or presence of " inverted perpendicular" sign on ultrasonography) was conducted between January 2000 and December 2006. The control group was constituted of 40 age- and sex-matched eyes with endophthalmitis presenting without orbital signs.

Tear ascorbic acid levels and the total antioxidant status in contact lens wearers: a pilot study.

Aims: The tear ascorbate owing to its high concentration, functions as an effective antioxidant against the oxidative damage of cornea. Contact lens wearers (CLW) are prone to oxidative stress due to the lens-induced hypoxic conditions. A pilot study was done to compare the tear ascorbic acid level and the total antioxidant capacity give as in normal and CLW.

Functional and anatomical outcomes after primary lens-sparing pars plana vitrectomy for Stage 4 retinopathy of prematurity.

Background: While lens-sacrificing vitrectomy is the standard approach to manage Stage 5 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), scleral buckling has been used to manage some cases of Stage 4. Lens-sparing vitrectomy was popularized by Maguire and Trese in selected cases of Stage 4 disease.

Purpose: To assess the functional and visual outcomes after primary lens-sparing pars plana vitrectomy for Stage 4 ROP.