Development of oculomics artificial intelligence for cardiovascular risk factors: A case study in fundus oculomics for HbA1c assessment and clinically relevant considerations for clinicians.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare, notably in ophthalmology, where its ability to interpret images and data can significantly enhance disease diagnosis and patient care. Recent developments in oculomics, the integration of ophthalmic features to develop biomarkers for systemic diseases, have demonstrated the potential for providing rapid, non-invasive methods of screening leading to enhance in early detection and improve healthcare quality, particularly in underserved areas. However, the widespread adoption of such AI-based technologies faces challenges primarily related to the trustworthiness of the system.

Occupational stress and associated sources and risk factors among nurses in Gaza strip, Palestine: A cross-sectional survey.

Aim: To determine the occurrence of occupational stress among Palestinian nurses, and their associated sources and risk factors.

Design: A cross-sectional descriptive design.

Methods: A total of 250 registered nurses from eight governmental hospitals, using a convenience sampling method.

Adverse effects of anti-cancer biologics on the ocular surface.

Purpose Of Review: Cancer immunotherapy is one of the most emerging and rapidly growing fields.Ocular side effects associated with these therapies are common and can be present in up to 70% of patients.The cornea may be involved in different pathogenic mechanisms triggered by different immunotherapeutic agents, and corneal disease varies from mild symptoms to severe corneal ulceration and melting with visual loss.

Identification of Risk Factors for the Development of Diabetic Retinopathy Among Palestinian Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Although risk factors linked to diabetic retinopathy (DR) among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been extensively studied globally, the specific determinants of these factors in relation to DR in Palestine are presently not well understood.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included patients who underwent DR screening with a fundus camera (VersaCam a). The study included patients aged ≥18 with T2DM, excluding those with other types of diabetes or a history of malignancies.

Impact of COVID-19 on ophthalmic surgical procedures in sub-Saharan Africa: a multicentre study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on healthcare and ophthalmology services globally. Numerous studies amongst various medical and surgical specialties showed a reduction in patient attendance and surgical procedures performed. Prior published ophthalmic literature focused on specific types of procedures and were usually single centre.

Ocular manifestations of HIV infection at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Background: The pattern of HIV-associated eye disease has changed with ongoing advancements in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). HIV-infected individuals now live longer, enabling us to observe the long-term effects of HIV and HAART on the eye. There are few recent studies on HIV-related ocular disease in sub-Saharan Africa.

Aldose reductase (-106) C/T gene polymorphism and associated risk factors with proliferative diabetic retinopathy in Palestine: A cross sectional study.

Background And Aims: Genetic variants play a crucial role in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the relationship between aldose reductase () (C106T) polymorphism with proliferative DR and associated risk factors in Palestinian type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted at St John Eye Hospital-East Jerusalem in 2020-2021 on patients with DR.

Tubercular Uveitis in Uveitis Cases in a High TB and HIV Setting: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: The diagnosis of tubercular uveitis (TBU) is difficult. The lack of a diagnostic gold standard has contributed to challenges in determining the true prevalence and clinical predictors of TBU. We aimed to determine the proportion of TBU cases in adults with uveitis and to examine clinical features associated with TBU.

Treatment Outcome of Tubercular Uveitis in a High TB and HIV Setting: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: To determine the time to resolution of inflammation in tubercular uveitis (TBU) cases on standard anti-tubercular treatment. Sub-analysis of time to resolution according to HIV status was also performed.

Patients And Methods: A prospective cohort study of presumed idiopathic uveitis cases >18 years underwent the tuberculin skin test, QuantiFERON-TB Gold test, and ocular tuberculosis (TB) polymerase chain reaction test.

Global prevalence and clinical outcomes of tubercular uveitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Tubercular uveitis (TBU) is an inflammation/infection of the eye secondary to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. The difficulty in making the diagnosis has resulted in variable prevalence and clinical response rates. We aimed to determine the global prevalence of TBU in uveitis patients stratified by TB high-burden countries (HBCs) and non-HBCs and by geographic regions and the clinical response of TBU to antitubercular treatment We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of TBU studies published in PubMed, Scopus and EMBASE, up to June 30, 2020.

Clinical Profile of COVID-19 Patients Presenting with Uveitis - A Short Case Series.

Purpose: To present the clinical features of anterior, intermediate and posterior uveitis in patients with COVID-19 and to increase the awareness of the treating physicians to refer patients with COVID-19 who have eye symptoms for ophthalmic exam, in order to diagnose as early as possible and prevent vision-threatening complications.

Methods: Retrospective observational case reports.

Results: We report three cases of COVID-19 patients who developed uveitis during or after the course of their sickness with COVID-19.

Broadening INPP5E phenotypic spectrum: detection of rare variants in syndromic and non-syndromic IRD.

Pathogenic variants in INPP5E cause Joubert syndrome (JBTS), a ciliopathy with retinal involvement. However, despite sporadic cases in large cohort sequencing studies, a clear association with non-syndromic inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) has not been made. We validate this association by reporting 16 non-syndromic IRD patients from ten families with bi-allelic mutations in INPP5E.

Quality of life of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate-Palestine: a part of the Palestinian diabetes complications and control study (PDCCS).

Purpose: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a considerable impact on physical health as well as on emotional and social wellbeing. This study aimed to investigate the quality of life and its associated factors among Palestinians with T2DM.

Methods: A cross-sectional study including 517 patients (68% female) was conducted in eleven primary health care clinics located in Ramallah and al-Bireh governorate of the West Bank.

Endogenous fungal endophthalmitis: risk factors, clinical course, and visual outcome in 13 patients.

Aim: To analyze the risk factors, ophthalmological features, treatment modalities and their effect on the visual outcome in patients with endogenous fungal endophthalmitis (EFE).

Methods: Data retrieved from the medical files included age at presentation to the uveitis clinic, gender, ocular symptoms and their duration before presentation, history of fever, eye affected, anatomical diagnosis and laboratory evidence of fungal infection. Medical therapy recorded included systemic antifungal therapy and its duration, use of intravitreal antifungal agents and use of oral/intravitreal steroids.

Herpes Simplex Virus-Related Conjunctivitis Resistant to Aciclovir: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Purpose: To report a rare case of herpes virus type 2-related conjunctivitis, resistant to aciclovir (ACV).

Methods: Case report and review of literature.

Results: A 28-year-old human immunodeficiency virus-positive man presented with chronic, recurrent follicular conjunctivitis.

The combination of whole-exome sequencing and clinical analysis allows better diagnosis of rare syndromic retinal dystrophies.

Purpose: To identify the accurate clinical diagnosis of rare syndromic inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) based on the combination of clinical and genetic analyses.

Methods: Four unrelated families with various autosomal recessive syndromic inherited retinal diseases were genetically investigated using whole-exome sequencing (WES).

Results: Two affected subjects in family MOL0760 presented with a distinctive combination of short stature, developmental delay, congenital mental retardation, microcephaly, facial dysmorphism and retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

Modified transscleral external drainage of subretinal fluid in high bullous exudative retinal detachment due to Coats' disease.

Surgical management of advanced coats' disease has always been a challenge to a surgeon. Various different techniques have been tried. With the advancement in surgical instruments and machines, surgeons are now modifying older surgical techniques.

The Genetics of Usher Syndrome in the Israeli and Palestinian Populations.

Purpose: Usher syndrome (USH) is the most common cause for deaf-blindness. It is genetically and clinically heterogeneous and prevalent in populations with high consanguinity rate. We aim to characterize the set of genes and mutations that cause USH in the Israeli and Palestinian populations.

The efficacy of intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor as primary treatment of retinopathy of prematurity: Experience from a tertiary hospital.

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vasoproliferative disease affecting premature babies and a major cause of blindness in childhood. Appropriate screening and treatment can prevent blindness.

Objective: To report on the efficacy of using antivascular endothelial growth factor (bevacizumab) as first-line therapy in ROP.

A retrospective analysis of eye conditions among children attending St. John Eye Hospital, Hebron, Palestine.

Background: Eye diseases are important causes of medical consultations, with the spectrum varying in different regions. This hospital-based descriptive study aimed to determine the profile of childhood eye conditions at St. John tertiary Eye hospital serving in Hebron, Palestine.

Health-care providers' perception of knowledge, skills and preparedness for disaster management in primary health-care centres in Jordan.

This survey in primary health-care centres in north Jordan aimed to assess health-care providers' perceptions of their knowledge, skills and preparedness for disaster management. A multistage random sample was used to recruit nurses and physicians from 57 health centres. A total of 207 participants completed the Arabic version of the Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool.

Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Background: There are no recent data on the prevalence and causes of blindness in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairment in the population aged 50 years and above in the Occupied Palestinian Territories using the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) survey method.

Methods And Findings: Clusters of 40 people who were 50 years and above were selected with probability proportionate to size using a multistage cluster random sampling method.

[The role of cytokines for the diagnosis of uveitis].

Non-infectious uveitis is characterised by a breakdown of immunological tolerance. Several cytokines could be identified as important regulators of the immune system during induction, progression and remission of ocular inflammation in animal models. This review analyses the current knowledge on cytokines in uveitis and their relevance for diagnostic purposes.

Ocular rubber bullet injuries.

Purpose: To report the type and severity of ocular and orbital injuries caused by rubber bullets.

Methods: A total of 42 consecutive patients seen over a 3-month period with ocular and orbital rubber bullet injuries were assessed clinically and radiographically within 1 day of injury, and the findings were recorded. Clinical outcomes following treatment were also recorded up to 6 months postinjury.

Nonpenetrating filtration surgery for glaucoma: control by surgery only.

Purpose: To report on intraocular pressure (IOP) control by nonpenetrating filtration surgery without medical treatment in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Setting: Oxford Eye Center and St. John Eye Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa.