Epithelial Defects (epithelial + defect)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


1212: Herpes simplex and zoster keratitis

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2010
M LABETOULLE
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are two leading causes of corneal infection with potential severely impaired visual acuity. These two viruses share multiple characteristics, including the ability to become latent in the trigeminal ganglia, before reactivation and migration along the trigeminal fibers innervating the cornea. The clinical settings of keratitis may vary from an epithelial defect (dendritic of geographic) to a more severe disease involving the stroma and/or the endothelium. Classically, HSV keratitis occurs from the second decade of life, and associated skin disease is not frequent and only involves the eyelids. In contrast, VZV keratitis mostly occurs after the sixth decade, as an associated finding of herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO). However, several studies recently highlighted that the rate of HSV keratitis increases with age, even in elderly, and some other studies reported VZV keratitis in children, either isolated or associated with HZO. Antiviral drugs currently available are highly efficient to reduce the severity on ongoing HSV- or VZV keratitis, but preventive treatments still have to be optimized. For HSV keratitis, the usual preventive treatment, as defined by the HEDS study, only reduces the rate of relapses in a two-fold manner, and the optimal dosage has not been settled for patient with severe herpetic disease. For VZV, the two vaccines against chickenpox and HZO probably will lead in the future to a reduction of the incidence of keratitis, but they are not widely used, even in most of developed countries. [source]


Effect of topical steroids on corneal epithelial healing after vitreoretinal surgery

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 3 2006
Fatma Yülek
Abstract. Purpose:,Topical steroid use is usually avoided in cases of corneal epithelial defect. We evaluated the effect of topical steroid treatment on corneal epithelial healing after epithelial debridement in vitreoretinal surgery. Methods:,Our study population included 85 eyes undergoing vitreoretinal surgeries in our clinic. We prospectively compared the duration of corneal epithelial wound healing in 43 eyes in which topical dexamethasone was used with that in 42 eyes in which topical dexamethasone was not used in the early postoperative period after epithelial debridement. Factors that may retard corneal epithelial healing, including pre- and intraoperative topical solutions, median operative time, the presence of diabetes mellitus, prior ocular surgeries, pseudophakia, aphakia and the presence of intraocular gas or silicone oil in aphakic patients, were not significantly different between the two groups. Results:,The mean corneal epithelial defect closure time was 59.7 ± 2.6 hours (mean ± SEM) in the group receiving topical steroid treatment, and 61.9 ± 2.6 hours in the group that did not receive steroids. Conclusion:,Topical dexamethasone administered five times/day did not significantly retard corneal epithelial healing in subjects undergoing vitreoretinal surgery with postoperative topical steroid treatment, compared with subjects who did not receive steroid treatment. [source]


In vivo effects of fluoroquinolones on rabbit corneas

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY, Issue 6 2003
Graeme A Pollock PhD
Abstract Purpose: The use of topical fluoroquinolones to treat microbial keratitis is associated with an increased incidence of corneal perforation compared to other standard treatments. This study examined the effects of topical fluoro­quinolones on corneal collagen and keratocytes in intact rabbit corneas and corneas with an epithelial defect. Methods: Studies consisted of one group of intact corneas and one group of corneas where a 6-mm epithelial defect was created with a surgical scrape. Within each group, eyes were randomly assigned to one of four topical medications (0.3% ciprofloxacin, 0.3% ofloxacin, fortified antibiotics (1.36% tobramycin, 5% cefrazolin) or Tears Naturale (Alcon Laboratories, Frenchs Forest, NSW, Australia). Two drops were instilled hourly for 48 h and then 2-hourly for an additional 48 h. At 96 h the corneas were removed and processed for light microscopy, immunohistology for collagen IV, V and VI, and apoptosis staining. Results: In intact rabbit corneas there was no demonstrable difference between treatment groups. In corneas with an epithelial defect, both fluoroquinolones delayed epithelial healing when compared to fortified antibiotics or tears. Keratocyte loss was seen in all groups and was greatest in the ofloxacin group. Median stromal thickness with keratocyte loss were: ofloxacin 30%; ciprofloxacin 10%; fortified antibiotics 7.5%; and tears 15% (ofloxacin vs tears, Mann,Whitney = 16.0, P = 0.09). Keratocyte loss did not correlate with the amount of demonstrable apoptosis. Collagens IV, V and VI showed no differences between treatments. Conclusions: These results suggest that ofloxacin is potentially cytotoxic to corneal keratocytes. Such an effect could lead to the observed increased incidence of corneal per­foration in microbial keratitis. [source]


Longterm results after phacovitrectomy and foldable intraocular lens implantation

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 8 2009
Wensheng Li
Abstract. Purpose:, This study aimed to evaluate the longterm results of phacovitrectomy and foldable intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in eyes with significant cataract and co-existing vitreoretinal diseases. Methods:, We carried out a retrospective study of 186 eyes of 149 patients with various vitreoretinal abnormalities and visually significant cataracts. Vitreoretinal surgery was combined with phacoemulsification and foldable IOL implantation. Main outcome measures were visual acuity (VA), preoperative data, and intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results:, The most common indications for surgery were non-diabetic vitreous haemorrhage and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Preoperative vision ranged from 0.6 to light perception; postoperative vision ranged from 1.2 to no light perception. Postoperatively, in 162 eyes (87.1%) VA improved by , 3 lines on the decimal chart. In 14 eyes (7.5%), vision remained within 3 lines of preoperative levels and in 10 eyes (5.3%), vision had decreased by the last follow-up. Postoperative complications included elevated intraocular pressure and posterior capsule opacification, corneal edema, macular edema, fibrinous reaction, vitreous hemorrhage, corneal epithelial defects, anterior chamber hyphema, choroidal detachment, persistent macular hole, posterior synechiae, recurrent retinal detachment, rubeosis iridis, neovascular glaucoma. Conclusions:, Combined vitreoretinal surgery and phacoemulsification with foldable IOL implantation is safe and effective in treating vitreoretinal abnormalities co-existing with cataract. Based on extensive experience with the combined procedure, we suggest that combined surgery is recommended in selected patients with simultaneous vitreoretinal pathological changes and cataract. [source]


Intracorneal bevacizumab for treating corneal neovascularization in an experimental rabbit model

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2007
C PERIS-MARTINEZ
Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intracorneal and subconjunctival bevacizumab in treating corneal neovascularization in an experimental rabbit model. Methods: Eighteen eyes of 9 animals (New Zealand-female rabbits) participated in this study. For assessment of corneal neovascularization we use an alkali solution (NaOH 1 M). All rabbit eyes developed features of limbal stem cell deficiency like corneal neovascularization, pesistent epithelial defects, etc...The right eye of the animal received 2 injections of bevacizumab (one under conjunctiva and another intracorneal) and left eye will receive two injections of a placebo solution (made of physiological serum) as a control group. Results: One month of follow-up. All control corneas were revascularized to the center. Partial regression of newvessels was observed in 7 out of nine rabbit eyes treated with bevacizumab. Conclusions: On the basis of the results, we suggest that bevacizumab can be effective in reducing corneal neovascularization in this experimental model. [source]


Limbal anaesthesia versus topical anaesthesia for clear corneal phacoemulsification

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 1 2006
Carlo Cagini
Abstract. Purpose:,To compare the safety and clinical efficacy provided by limbal anaesthesia with topical anaesthesia in cataract surgery. Methods:,A total of 117 consecutive patients undergoing routine cataract surgery were randomly assigned to receive limbal or topical anaesthesia. Limbal anaesthesia was administered with a cellulose ophthalmic sponge soaked in preservative-free lidocaine hydrochloride 4% applied to the temporal perilimbal area for 45 seconds immediately before surgery. For topical anaesthesia lidocaine 4% was instilled in each patient at 10-min intervals four times before surgery. We studied phaco time, perioperative pain, visual outcome and intraoperative complications. The level of intraoperative pain was scored on a scale of 1,10, where 1 = no pain and 10 = severe pain. Results:,55 patients (91.6%) in the topical group and 54 patients (94.7%) in the limbal group tolerated the procedure well, giving pain scores of 1,3, with no statistical difference. No patients in either group required supplemental anaesthesia and no intraoperative complications were recorded. No eyes had epithelial defects at the end of surgery or at postoperative check-ups. Conclusion:,Limbal anaesthesia in cataract surgery is safe and the two anaesthesia techniques do not present differences in the degree of analgesia achieved. [source]


Delayed ocular complications of mustard gas poisoning and the relationship with respiratory and cutaneous complications

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY, Issue 4 2006
Mohammad Etezad-Razavi MD
Abstract Background:, This study was aimed to determine the correlation between ocular complications and respiratory or cutaneous complications in a group of 40 Iranian veterans with late complications of sulphur mustard (SM) poisoning. Methods:, Thorough ophthalmologic examination was performed on all severely SM-poisoned veterans in the province of Khorasan, Iran. Spirometric evaluation of pulmonary function, as well as estimation of the burned skin area, was performed for all the patients. The severities of ocular, respiratory and cutaneous complications were classified into four grades in each patient and were compared with each other, using Spearman's rank correlation test. Results:, Forty male patients (aged 43.8 ± 9.8 years) with confirmed SM poisoning were studied 16,20 years after their initial exposure. Common symptoms were recorded as itching (42.5%), burning sensation (37.5%), photophobia (30%) and tearing (27.5%). Abnormal conjunctival and limbal findings were chronic conjunctivitis (17.5%), perilimbal hyperpigmentation (17.5%), vascular tortuosity (15%) and limbal ischaemia (12.5%). Abnormal corneal findings were subepithelial opacity (15%), corneal thinning (15%), diffuse corneal opacity (10%), neovascularization (7.5%) and epithelial defects (5%). A significant positive correlation was found between the severity of ocular and respiratory complications (r = 0.322, P = 0.043). Cutaneous complications revealed no significant correlation with either ocular or respiratory complications. Conclusions:, SM causes delayed destructive lesions in the ocular surface and cornea, leading to progressive visual deterioration and ocular irritation. Late complications of SM poisoning in the eyes, respiratory system and skin are mainly due to SM's local irritant effects. [source]