The association between scholarly impact and National Institutes of Health funding in ophthalmology.

Objective: To examine whether there is an association between scholarly impact, as measured by the h-index, academic rank, and National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards in academic ophthalmology.

Design: Retrospective analysis of NIH RePORTER and Scopus databases.

Participants: Not applicable.

Optic disc drusen in a child: diagnosis using noninvasive imaging tools.

Purpose: To describe a case of bilateral optic nerve head drusen (ONHD) in a pediatric patient and the complementary use of advanced noninvasive imaging techniques to confirm this diagnosis.

Case Report: A 15-year-old female adolescent with type 1 diabetes and no ocular history was seen at a routine screening without complaints. Visual acuity was 20/20 bilaterally, and visual fields using frequency doubling technology (Zeiss Humphrey Systems, Dublin, CA) were within normal limits.

Neuro-ophthalmological Complications of Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) can lead to prominent nerve hypertrophy, which can mimic other forms of neuropathy radiologically. Neuro-ophthalmological complications can also occur in CIDP, either at presentation or chronically in the disorder. This can also cause diagnostic difficulties.

Nail gun-induced open-globe injuries: a 10-year retrospective review.

Purpose: To describe the characteristics of nail gun-related open-globe injuries.

Methods: Retrospective series of all patients presenting with open globes secondary to nail gun injury from 2000 to 2010. Data were collected on demographics, setting of accident, presenting clinical examination findings, visual acuity, management, surgical procedures needed, and long-term outcomes.

Inflammatory biomarkers and progression of diabetic retinopathy in African Americans with type 1 diabetes.

Purpose: We examined whether baseline plasma levels of markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction are associated with the incidence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in African Americans with type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

Methods: At baseline and follow-up examinations, detailed ocular examination, structured clinical interview, venous blood specimens, and masked grading of seven standard field retinal photographs were obtained. Baseline plasma levels of 28 inflammatory biomarkers, measured using multiplex bead analysis system, were measured in the participants.

Recent Innovations in Medical and Surgical Retina.

Purpose: To highlight recent innovations in the medical and surgical treatment of retinal disease.

Design: Retrospective literature review.

Methods: The peer-reviewed, published (during 2012) English literature was searched using the Medline database.

Intraocular pressure outcomes after endophthalmitis associated with glaucoma surgery.

Purpose: To determine long-term intraocular pressure (IOP) outcomes and risk factors for failure of IOP control in patients with previous glaucoma surgery that was complicated with infectious endophthalmitis.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective case series of 12 patients with previous glaucoma surgery that presented with infectious endophthalmitis to the University Hospital, Newark, NJ between 1995 and 2006. IOP control failure was stratified into 2 groups: IOP of ≥22 mm Hg and IOP ≥16 mm Hg at 3 consecutive follow-up visits.

Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty in a patient with keratoglobus and chronic hydrops secondary to a spontaneous descemet membrane tear.

Purpose. To report the use of Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) in a patient with keratoglobus and chronic hydrops. Case Report.

Characteristics, outcomes, and prognostic indicators of fall-related open globe injuries.

Purpose: To describe characteristics and outcomes of fall-related open globe (OG) injuries.

Methods: A total of 602 patients (603 eyes) presenting with OG injuries were included. Among them, 85 wounds (85 patients) were fall-related, which were compared with the nonfall-related OG injuries (control group).

Accelerated in vitro degradation of optically clear low-β sheet silk films by enzyme-mediated pretreatment.

Purpose: To design patterned, transparent silk films with fast degradation rates for the purpose of tissue engineering corneal stroma,

Methods: β-sheet (crystalline) content of silk films was decreased significantly by using a short water annealing time. Additionally, a protocol combining short water annealing time with enzymatic pretreatment of silk films with protease XIV was developed.

Results: Low β-sheet content (17–18%) and enzymatic pre-treatment provided film stability in aqueous environments and accelerated degradation of the silk films in the presence of human corneal fibroblasts The results demonstrate a direct relationship between reduced β-sheet content and enzymatic pre-treatment and overall degradation rate of the protein films.

Characterization of the effects of retinal pigment epithelium-conditioned media on porcine and aged human retina.

Background: Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells produce neurotrophic factors that rescue photoreceptors from degeneration. Previously, we showed that conditioned medium (CM) from fetal vs adult RPE cells resulted in significantly better porcine retinal preservation, and possessed significantly higher levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF). This study aimed to further describe the effects of human fetal RPE-CM on porcine and aged human retina, and to characterize its effects biochemically.

Unilateral acute idiopathic maculopathy in a 14-year-old Hispanic girl.

Introduction: The authors discuss a case of unilateral diminished vision in a 14-year-old Hispanic girl.

Methods: Retrospective chart review.

Results: The patient was referred to University Hospital (UH) at New Jersey Medical School with a complaint of blurry vision in the right eye for approximately 1 month.

Ranibizumab in patients with dense cataract and proliferative diabetic retinopathy with rubeosis.

Background: To evaluate the safety of ranibizumab as a surgical adjunct during cataract surgery in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) with rubeosis, and to evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of ranibizumab in treating PDR with rubeosis.

Materials And Methods: Three intravitreal injections of 0.5 mg ranibizumab were administered on day-1, months-1 and -2 with cataract surgery 6-16 days after first injection.

Fundus autofluorescence imaging in an ocular screening program.

Purpose. To describe integration of fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging into an ocular screening program. Methods.

Software-assisted analysis during ocular health screening.

Objective: To describe the use of software-assisted analysis of non-mydriatic 45° color fundus images during comprehensive ocular screening.

Materials And Methods: Software-driven filters (blue [490 nm; nerve fiber layer], green [550 nm; neural retina], and red [610 nm; pigmented retina/choroid]) and an "emboss" (topographic changes) digital filter were used to enhance image analysis during ocular health screening performed using a Canon (Tokyo, Japan) 8.2-megapixel non-mydriatic retinal camera.

Nanomedicine for the treatment of retinal and optic nerve diseases.

The earliest impact of nanomedicine in ophthalmology is likely to involve the areas of biopharmaceuticals, implantable materials (e.g. tissue regeneration scaffolds, bioresorbable materials), implantable devices (e.

Visual field and ocular safety during short-term vigabatrin treatment in cocaine abusers.

Purpose: To evaluate the ocular safety of short-term vigabatrin treatment of cocaine abuse.

Design: Multicenter, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked, parallel assignment study.

Methods: Cocaine addicts were randomized to receive vigabatrin 3000 mg/day, cumulative dose 218 g (n = 92), or placebo (n = 94) for 12 weeks.

Placement of ProKera in the management of ocular manifestations of acute Stevens-Johnson syndrome in an outpatient.

Purpose: To report the clinical use of ProKera (Bio-Tissue, Inc., Miami, FL) under topical anesthesia in an outpatient for the management of ocular manifestations of acute Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS).

Methods: Interventional case report.

Relationship of retinal vessel caliber to cardiovascular disease and mortality in African Americans with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To examine the relationship between retinal arteriolar and venular diameter and the 6-year incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortality among African Americans with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Included were 468 African Americans with type 1 diabetes mellitus who participated in the New Jersey 725 and who had undergone a 6-year follow-up examination. At both baseline and 6-year follow-up, hypertension and presence of heart disease, stroke, or lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) were documented and confirmed by review of hospital admission and medical records.