Tissue reaction to hydrophilic intraocular lenses.

The implant of intraocular lenses (IOLs) following cataract surgery induces a foreign body reaction to the IOL and a lens epithelial cell reaction. The host response to the IOL is mainly influenced by biomaterial properties. With the increasing use of phacoemulsification and small incision cataract surgery, there is growing interest in the use of foldable IOLs made of different materials.

[A case of ophthalmomyiasis: description and diagnosis].

The authors describe a human case of ophthalmomyiasis caused by the "sheep fly" Oestrus ovis larva. They emphasize the importance of collaboration between practitioner or specialist and parasitologist for a sound, definitive aetiological diagnosis of such uncommon pathologies.

Deep sclerectomy versus punch trabeculectomy: effect of low-dosage mitomycin C.

Purpose: To compare IOP behavior after deep sclerectomy (DS) and trabeculectomy with the Crozafon-De Laage Punch (TP), using low-dosage intraoperative mitomycin C (MMC) in both techniques.

Methods: The study was a prospective randomized clinical trial. All patients met inclusion and exclusion criteria, and were scheduled for glaucoma surgery.

Computerized analysis of the effects of intraocular lens edge design on the quality of vision in pseudophakic patients.

Purpose: To study the distribution and intensity of reflected glare images from 3 intraocular lens (IOL) edge designs.

Setting: Eye Institute, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Methods: The interaction of light rays as a function of edge design was evaluated using an experimental eye model and an advanced ray-tracing program.

Capsular block syndrome associated with horizontal jerk nystagmus.

A 78-year-old cataract patient with horizontal jerk nystagmus had phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in the capsular bag with continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis. One week postoperatively, the posterior capsule ballooned posteriorly, the anterior capsule opening was sealed to the IOL optic, and a transparent liquefied substance accumulated between the lens optic and the posterior capsule. The best corrected visual acuity was 0.

Correlation between the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and the pattern electroretinogram amplitude.

Objective: To establish a correlation between the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measured by a scanning laser polarimeter (GDx) and the pattern electroretinogram (p-ERG) amplitudes in a heterogeneous population sample composed of normal subjects, ocular hypertensive and glaucomatous patients.

Methods: 112 subjects were considered: 40 glaucomatous patients, 39 ocular hypertensive and 33 normal subjects. All were examined with the GDx, and the RNFL thickness was measured.

Spontaneous resolution of congenital bilateral Brown's syndrome.

We report a case of bilateral Brown's syndrome in a 4-year-old girl. Forced duction testing confirmed the clinical diagnosis. After 7 months we observed a spontaneous resolution in the right eye.

Effect of oral losartan potassium administration on intraocular pressure in normotensive and glaucomatous human subjects.

The effects of the type 1 angiotensin II receptor antagonist Losartan potassium on intraocular pressure (IOP) were studied. Four groups of subjects were analysed: group A, ten controls; group B, ten patients with essential arterial hypertension and with IOP within the normal range; group C, ten patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), but without essential arterial hypertension; group D, ten patients with arterial hypertension and POAG. The study design was held in a randomized crossover double-blind fashion.

Axial length increase in lid-sutured rabbits.

Using eyelid sutures, we induced axial elongation in 20 15-day-old rabbits. When the eyelid sutures were opened, the eyes revealed a slight increase in their axial length. This evident axial elongation continued to evolve despite restitution of functional integrity to the previously sutured eyes.

Effect of astigmatism on multifocal intraocular lenses.

Purpose: To study the effect of astigmatism on multifocal intraocular lens (MIOL) function.

Setting: Laser Laboratory, Department of Electronics, Electrotechnics and Informatics, University of Trieste, Italy.

Methods: Using an experimental optical system, this study compared the division of a laser beam in the focal spots of 1 monofocal IOL (Pharmacia 722A), 1 bifocal IOL (Pharmacia 811E), and 2 MIOLs (AMO Array MPC25NB and Domilens Progress 1).

Prognostic factors for survival after enucleation for choroidal melanoma.

To evaluate the prognostic value of DNA content-ploidy, agoraphilic nucleolar organizing regions (AgNORs) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) for survival among patients with choroidal melanoma choroidal melanomas managed by enucleation in 55 patients with a follow-up of 5 years were studied. AgNor counts were evaluated by two examiners after sections were specifically processed. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate PCNA expression.

An ultrasonographic study of stage-5 retinopathy of prematurity.

Background: In preterm infants with severe retinopathy of prematurity, there is often a discrepancy between ophthalmic ultrasound findings and the ophthalmoscopic and/or intraoperative aspect of the eye.

Methods: Six preterm infants (8 eyes) with stage-5 retinopathy of prematurity were examined with standardized ophthalmic echography (A and B scans) shortly before undergoing open-sky vitrectomies. Sonographic findings were evaluated according to four A-scan and four B-scan criteria used to diagnose retinal detachment in adults and compared to intraoperative findings.

Role of impression cytology during hypovitaminosis A.

Aims: Evaluation of the morphological damage to the ocular surface of patients operated for biliopancreatic diversion for pathological obesity and the correlation of impression cytology with vitamin A plasma levels, adaptometry, and other general variables.

Methods: 48 patients (15 males, 33 females, age range 21-73) and 34 normal subjects were examined with fluorescein and rose bengal, a plasma dose of vitamin A, and adaptometry. The results of the various tests were subdivided into three levels (0 = normal, 1 = moderately altered, 2 = seriously altered).

Spatial resolution threshold in pseudophakic patients with monofocal and multifocal intraocular lenses.

Purpose: To compare the spatial resolution threshold in the central visual field of pseudophakic patients with monofocal and multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs).

Setting: Eye Clinic, University of Trieste, Italy.

Methods: Twenty phakic normal subjects and four groups of 20 pseudophakic patients each, implanted with refractive and diffractive multifocal IOLs (Domilens Progress 1, AMO Array MPC25NB, or Pharmacia 811X) or with monofocal IOLs (Allergan PC43NB), were studied.

Corneal endothelial function after extracapsular cataract extraction and phacoemulsification.

Purpose: To compare the morphology and function of the corneal endothelium in the early postoperative period after extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and phacoemulsification.

Setting: University Eye Clinic of Trieste, Italy.

Methods: In this prospective, randomized study of patients scheduled for cataract surgery, 40 patients were divided into two groups of 20 patients each.

[The ocular fundus in ischemic cardiopathy].

Background: This work aims to correlate retina vessel alteration with the possible presence of coronary alteration in the same patient.

Methods: For this purpose 103 patients have been studied. Of these, 63 had symptoms of coronary heart disease while the remaining 40 were used as a control.

Corneal endothelial protection by different viscoelastics during phacoemulsification.

Purpose: To evaluate corneal endothelium morphology and function after phacoemulsification using different viscoelastics.

Setting: Eye Clinic, University of Trieste, Italy.

Methods: This prospective, randomized study included results of preoperative and postoperative (7, 30, and 90 days) examinations of 66 patients scheduled for phacoemulsification without ocular pathology; 8 patients were excluded.

[Color Doppler ultrasonography in retinitis pigmentosa. Preliminary study].

Purpose: Retinitis pigmentosa is a bilateral retinal degeneration. The primary disorder is still debated.

Methods: We performed a prospective investigation of the ocular circulation directly by color Doppler imaging (CDI).

The ability of bacteria to use Na-hyaluronate as a nutrient.

The objective of this study was to test bacteria ability to use Na-hyaluronate as a nutrient in vitro. Thirteen bacteria strains were tested in three different media: specific culture medium, agar-Healon medium and agar-Healon GV medium. The bacterial growth criteria were determined by counting the number of new colonies appearing at each observation time (0, 24, 48 and 72 h).

Age-related ocular blood flow changes.

Purpose: Pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF is influenced by well-known parameters, such as intraocular pressure (IOP), heart rate, scleral rigidity, blood pressure, and posture. Age is also likely to influence POBF strongly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate POBF in relation to age in normal subjects.

Immunohistochemical analysis of c-Fos and c-Jun in retinoblastoma.

The c-fos promoter is negatively regulated by the retinoblastoma (Rb)-susceptibility-gene-encoded protein as well as by other genes involved in the control of transcription, cell cycle regulation and neoplastic transformation. We have examined by immunohistochemistry the c-Fos and c-Jun proteins in five cases of retinoblastoma in order to evaluate eventual alterations in their expression in vivo, possibly related to a gene mutation or to loss of Rb negative control.

Capsulorhexis size and posterior capsule opacification.

Purpose: Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after intraocular lens (IOL) implantation has a multifactored pathogenesis. Capsulorhexis and capsular bag implantation of a one-piece, biconvex poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) IOL are likely to reduce the PCO incidence. This study was performed to determine whether an ideal capsulorhexis size able to reduce PCO incidence exists.

Congenital mono-ophthalmia syndrome.

Three patients affected by the congenital mono-ophthalmia syndrome were submitted to horizontal eye movements recording. The aim was to study the nystagmus and its characteristics, in order to give information that could explain signs and symptoms of the syndrome. Eye movements recording and analysis displayed a jerk nystagmus with a decreasing-velocity exponential slow phase, characteristic of a latent/manifest-latent nystagmus.

Uveal effusion syndrome complicated by anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

We report on a case of idiopathic uveal effusion syndrome complicated by AION. To our knowledge such an association hasn't been previously described. We suggest that scleral thickening caused obstruction of vortex veins followed by uveal effusion and compression of posterior ciliary arteries within their intrascleral tract, leading to AION.