PURPOSE:

: To determine the effect of rebamipide ophthalmic suspension on optical quality in patients with dry eye with short break-up time (BUT) of the tear film.

METHODS::

Twenty-six eyes of 16 patients with the short BUT type of dry eye were enrolled and treated with 2% rebamipide ophthalmic suspension. At baseline and at 2 and 4 weeks after initiating the treatment, the serial corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs), BUT, fluorescein staining, and Schirmer test were measured. Patients were asked to complete questionnaires about the changes in dry eye-related ocular symptoms after the treatment.

RESULTS::

Before the treatment, the pattern of postblink corneal HOAs for 10 seconds showed a sawtooth pattern, with a marked upward curve that increased after blinking. Treatment with rebamipide for 4 weeks significantly (P < 0.05) improved the postblink corneal HOAs and stabilized the pattern of the corneal HOAs. Significant increases in the tear film BUT were seen 2 and 4 weeks after the treatment (P < 0.001 for both comparisons).

CONCLUSIONS::

Rebamipide administered to treat the short BUT type of dry eye significantly improved optical quality because of the improvement in tear stability.

PURPOSE:

: To demonstrate the value of a diagnostic biopsy of a fixed episcleral nodule overlying a uveal mass.

METHOD:

: Clinicopathologic report with immunohistochemical investigations.

RESULTS::

B-scan ultrasonographic biomicroscopy disclosed in a 67-year-old man an asymptomatic placoid ciliary body tumor measuring 1.28 mm in thickness underlying a poorly pigmented, fixed episcleral nodule 0.56 mm in thickness. Biopsy of the episcleral nodule displayed benign nevus-type spindle cells with small nuclei, punctate nucleoli, no mitoses, and scattered melanophages. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the tumor cells were Ki67 negative (proliferation index, 0) and MART-1, HMB-45, and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor positive, all melanocytic markers. The melanophages but not the tumor cells were CD68 positive, a histiocytic marker.

CONCLUSIONS::

The results from biopsying an episcleral nodule can help to select among therapeutic options in managing an associated ciliary body tumor. A 1-year follow-up study and 3 sequential ultrasonographic studies in the current patient have failed to document the growth of the intraocular tumor, further confirming that it is a nevus. The excised epibulbar tumor has not recurred.

PURPOSE:

: To determine whether oral folic acid can ameliorate an iatrogenic, visually significant corneal epitheliopathy, which commonly occurs with intravitreal injections of methotrexate for the treatment of intraocular lymphoma.

METHODS::

We report 2 cases of visually significant corneal epitheliopathy occurring after intravitreal injections of methotrexate for intraocular lymphoma. The first patient did not receive any treatment for the corneal disease, and the second patient with bilateral intraocular lymphoma received 1 mg of oral folic acid daily, a commonly used dosage for patients on systemic methotrexate.

RESULTS::

In the first patient without treatment, there was a complete regression of the corneal epithelial disease only when the frequency of intravitreal methotrexate was reduced from weekly to monthly as per a commonly used dosage regimen for methotrexate. In the second patient, the corneal disease improved 80% within 1 week of initiating oral folic acid for her eye already experiencing severe epitheliopathy during her weekly dosing regimen of methotrexate and also had significantly decreased epithelial disease in her second eye that started weekly intravitreal methotrexate several weeks after beginning oral folic acid.

CONCLUSIONS::

Currently, oral folic acid supplements are recommended for patients using systemic methotrexate to minimize drug toxicity. We suggest a similar use in patients undergoing intravitreal methotrexate injections to decrease toxic effects on the corneal epithelium.

PURPOSE:

: The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of topical 0.05% cyclosporine A on clinical signs and symptoms of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) and to examine its effect on tear cytokine levels.

METHODS::

Twenty-one patients with active VKC and 15 healthy volunteers were included. Patients were treated with topical 0.05% cyclosporine A. Symptoms and signs were scored on the day of enrollment and at the end of month 1 and month 3. Tear and serum samples were collected before and on the third month of treatment. Interleukin (IL)-2, soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R), IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-13, IL-17, eotaxin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in cell-free tear and serum supernatants were measured by multiplex bead analysis.

RESULTS::

At the end of month 1 and month 3 with topical 0.05% cyclosporine A treatment, statistically a significant decrease was observed in sign and symptom scores of the patients (P < 0.0001). Tear IL-2, sIL-2R, IL-9, IL-17, IFN-γ, and eotaxin levels in VKC patients were significantly higher than those in controls (P < 0.05). IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, and TNFα levels tended to be higher in VKC patients. There was also statistically significant reduction from before 0.05% cyclosporine A treatment to after treatment in tear levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-17A, TNFα, IFN-γ, and eotaxin (P < 0.05). IL-2 and sIL-2R levels tended to be lower than pretreatment levels.

CONCLUSIONS::

Topical 0.05% cyclosporine A is effective in alleviating signs and symptoms of VKC patients and shows its effect probably by decreasing the local production of some inflammatory mediators in tears.

PURPOSE:

: Evidence of the transmission of disease via donor ocular tissue has been demonstrated for adenocarcincoma, rabies, hepatitis B virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and a variety of bacterial and fungal infections.

METHODS::

Although there is no evidence to date of disease transmission for HIV infection, syphilis, hepatitis C, hepatitis A, tuberculosis, HTLV-1 and -2 infection, active leprosy, active typhoid, smallpox, and active malaria, these entities remain contraindications for transplantation for all eye banks nationally and internationally. The potential sources of contamination include infected donors, during the process of removing tissue from cadaveric donors, the processing environment, and contaminated supplies and reagents used during processing. The transmissions of Herpes simplex virus and HSV via corneal graft have been shown to be responsible for primary graft failure. HSV-1 may also be an important cause of PFG.

RESULTS::

The long latency period of some diseases, the emergence of new infectious disease, and the reemergence of others emphasize the need for long-term record maintenance and effective tracing capabilities.

CONCLUSIONS::

The standardization of definitions for adverse events and reactions will be necessary to support the prevention and transmission of disease. International classification of a unique identification system for donors will be increasingly important for vigilance and traceability in cross-national exportation of human cells, tissues, and cellular- and tissue-based products. Opportunities for continuous improvement exist as does the need for constant vigilance and surveillance.

PURPOSE:

: To investigate the relation between the severity of conjunctivochalasis and the axial length (AL) of the eyeball.

METHODS::

A prospective nonrandomized study was performed on 165 patients aged 51 to 88 years. The age, gender, medical history, ocular history, grade and other parameters of inferior conjunctivochalasis (classified as nasal, middle, and temporal), and AL were determined in all patients. Patients were divided into a short AL group (≤22.0 mm), a medium AL group (>22.0 to ≤24.0 mm), and a long AL group (>24.0 mm).

RESULTS::

The short AL group tended to have higher grades of temporal and nasal conjunctivochalasis compared with the medium and long AL groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the total conjunctivochalasis score (the sum of the scores for the temporal, middle, and nasal regions) was significantly associated with the age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.32, P = 0.001] and the AL (OR = 0.81, P = 0.029). In addition, the AL was independently associated with the grade of conjunctivochalasis after adjustment for age (OR = 0.80, P = 0.020).

CONCLUSIONS::

This was the first assessment of the relationship between the AL and the grade of conjunctivochalasis. Our findings suggest that the severity of conjunctivochalasis is dependent on the AL, with a short AL contributing to the pathogenesis of conjunctivochalasis.

PURPOSES:

: To quantify the changes in corneal temperature resulting from intensive warm compress (WC) application with minimal pressure and to review the significance of these changes within the context of the peer-reviewed literature.

METHODS::

WC were applied intensively and unilaterally at 45 ± 0.5°C for 30 minutes with the contralateral eye serving as a control. Outer upper eyelid and central corneal surface temperatures were measured using an Infrared pyrometer at baseline. The WC were removed for repeat measurements of the outer upper eyelid surface and central corneal temperatures every 2 minutes and replaced with a new WC heated to 45 ± 0.5°C. Lid and corneal temperatures were monitored for 10 minutes after the final WC application.

RESULTS::

The mean age of the subjects was 37.1 ± 15.0 years (n = 12). The mean maximum outer upper lid temperature of 42.2 ± 1.3°C was reached after 6 minutes. The mean maximum corneal temperature of 39.4 ± 0.7°C was reached after 8 minutes of heating. The control eye showed no significant change in temperature from baseline throughout the experimental period.

CONCLUSIONS::

These data show that WC use for lid warming, even when only minimal contact pressure is applied, also transfers significant heat to the cornea. Corneal temperatures reach peak temperature after about 8 minutes of WC application. Recent reports discussing the increased potential for transient and long-term corneal molding subsequent to the heat and pressure of WC application are briefly reviewed.

PURPOSE:

: To compare the efficacy of topical linezolid (LZD) 1 mg/mL or 2 mg/mL to vancomycin (VA) 50 mg/mL for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) keratitis in rabbits.

METHODS::

One hundred colony-forming unit (CFU) MRSA bacteria were injected intrastromally into rabbit corneas. Sixteen hours after the injection, 24 rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups. Rabbit eyes were treated with 1 drop of topical LZD 1 mg/mL, LZD 2 mg/mL, VA 50 mg/mL, or isotonic saline every 15 minutes for 5 doses and then every 30 minutes for 14 doses. Eyes were examined before and after the treatment using slit-lamp biomicroscopy by 2 observers blinded to the study for the determination of clinical severity. Then, corneas were harvested for the quantification of bacteria and histopathology.

RESULTS::

There were no differences in clinical severity among the groups before and after the treatment in each eye. The mean CFU × 10 of MRSA recovered from the LZD 1 mg/mL, LZD 2 mg/mL, and VA 50 mg/mL groups were significantly lower than that recovered from corneas treated with isotonic saline. There was no statistically significant difference among the treatment groups in terms of CFU × 10. Epithelial erosion in the VA 50 mg/mL group was significantly worse than that in the other groups. LZD 2 mg/mL group had the lowest mean epithelial erosion values.

CONCLUSIONS::

Topical LZD showed activity against MRSA that was comparable to fortified VA in this experimental keratitis model.