Hyun-Sub Oh

Incidence and clinical patterns of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in Korean patients.

PurposeTo determine the incidence, demographic features, and clinical characteristics of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in Korean patients.MethodsA retrospective review was undertaken of 392 eyes of 321 symptomatic patients suspected of having exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) after their first visit to a tertiary hospital between February 2002 and May 2006. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination, including fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA).ResultsOf the 321 patients (392 eyes), 79 (98 eyes, 24.6%) were diagnosed with PCV. The mean PCV patient age was 64.6 ± 7.6 years. PCV was more common in men (78.5%), and was usually unilateral (75.9%). In terms of PCV clinical manifestation, 52% of patients showed an exudative pattern, 34.7%, a hemorrhagic pattern, and 13.3%, an extensive hemorrhagic pattern. The mean visual acuity at presentation was 0.231 ± 0.256. Classification was based on ICGA findings; 52% of patients showed relatively large aneurismal dilations, 25.5% showed atypical vessel deformations, and 22.5% showed dense clusters of numerous small hyperfluorescent dots.ConclusionsThe incidence of PCV in Korean exudative AMD patients was relatively high compared with that in other ethnic groups. As in other Asian patient populations, PCV occurred more commonly in men and was predominantly unilateral.

Surgical technique for suture fixation of a single-piece hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens in the absence of capsule support

&NA; We present a new intraocular lens (IOL) fixation technique that reduces the presence of intraocular knots and eliminates the need for scleral flaps while attaining excellent central positioning of the IOL. It also provides rapid visual rehabilitation from the insertion of a foldable IOL through a small corneal incision. This single‐loop suture technique is an easy, convenient, and practical procedure, with minimum complications in the treatment of aphakia and the management of cataract surgery in eyes without capsular support.

Retinal Toxicity of Commercial Tissue Plasminogen Activator Is Mediated by the Induction of Nitric Oxide in the Mouse Retinal Primary Cells

Purpose: Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is an efficient thrombolytic agent, but the dose-dependent retinal toxicity of intravitreal injection of commercial tPA (containing l-arginine) has been reported. Here, we sought to investigate the mechanism of tPA-induced cell death in mouse retinal cell cultures and the role of nitric oxide (NO). Methods: Primary retinal cell cultures were maintained using glial conditioned medium (GCM) solution. Mouse retinal cell death was observed by using Hoechst-propidium iodide staining. Mouse retinal cell death was also measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. The formation of NO was measured using Griess reagent. Results: tPA-induced cell death was detected in mouse retinal cell cultures by Hoechst-propidium iodide staining or LDH assay. l-Arginine seems to be the major factor in retinal toxicity of commercial tPA (containing l-arginine). The formation of NO was markedly increased in mouse retinal cell cultures treated with tPA (containing l-arginine) or l-arginine. NO inhibitor reduced the cell death induced by commercially available tPA or l-arginine. Conclusions: This study suggests that l-arginine from commercial tPA (containing l-arginine) induces the majority of cell death in mouse retinal cell cultures and that its cytotoxicity may depend on the induction of NO.