Jee Myung Yang

Clinical Effect of Antioxidant Glasses Containing Extracts of Medicinal Plants in Patients with Dry Eye Disease: A Multi-Center, Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Purpose To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of wearable antioxidant glasses containing extracts of medicinal plants in patients with mild dry eye disease (DED). Methods Fifty patients with mild DED were randomly assigned to wear either extracts of antioxidant medicinal plants containing (N = 25) or placebo glasses (N = 25). Patients wore the glasses for 15 min three times daily. The ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score, tear film break up time (BUT), and Schirmer’s test were evaluated and compared within the group and between the groups at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment. Results OSDI score and tear film BUT were significantly improved in the treatment group at 4 and 8 weeks after wearing glasses (all P < 0.001). Compared to the placebo group, the OSDI scores were significantly lower in the treatment group at 8 weeks (P = 0.007). The results of the Schirmer’s test showed significant improvement in the treatment group at 4 weeks (P = 0.035), however there were no significant differences between the other groups or within the groups. No adverse events were reported during the study. Conclusions Antioxidant glasses containing extracts of medicinal plants were effective in improving in DED both subjectively and objectively. Wearing antioxidants glasses might be a safe and adjunctive therapeutic option for DED. Trial Registration ISRCTN registry 71217488

Comparison of Topical Cyclosporine and Diquafosol Treatment in Dry Eye.

Purpose To compare the treatment effects of topical cyclosporine A (CsA) and diquafosol sodium (DQS) for the treatment of moderate to severe dry eye disease (DED). Methods This prospective, nonrandomized, comparative study involved 60 eyes of 60 patients with moderate to severe DED who were treated with topical CsA 0.05% (group 1, 31 patients) or DQS 3% (group 2, 29 patients) in addition to artificial tears for 3 months. Before treatment, and at 1 and 3 months after treatment, the Ocular Surface Disease Index, tear breakup time, Schirmer score, tear clearance rate, and corneal and conjunctival staining scores were compared. Results Significant improvements in Ocular Surface Disease Index score, tear clearance rate, and corneal staining score were observed 1 month after treatment in group 2 (p = 0.014, p = 0.002, and p < 0.001, respectively), when compared with group 1. However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups 3 months after treatment (p > 0.05). Tear breakup times were significantly higher in group 2 compared with group 1 for the duration of the study (p < 0.001). Three months after treatment, Schirmer score was significantly higher and conjunctival staining score was significantly lower in group 1 compared with group 2 (p < 0.001). Conclusions Both topical CsA 0.05% and DQS 3% are effective in patients with moderate to severe DED. However, the timing and degree of therapeutic effects on tear film and ocular surface parameters, as well as symptoms, can be different between the two treatments.

The Wound Healing Effects of Adiponectin Eye Drops after Corneal Alkali Burn

ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the wound healing effect of adiponectin eye drops following corneal alkali burn. Materials and Methods: A chemical burn was induced using 0.1 M NaOH in both adenovirus 12-SV40 hybrid-transformed human corneal epithelial (HCE-2) cells and C57BL/6 mice. The injured HCE-2 and mice were then treated using either 0.1% hyaluronic acid (HA) or adiponectin at 0.0001%, 0.001%, or 0.01% concentration. The viability of the HCE-2 cells was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The wound healing rate of the HCE-2 cells was evaluated using a migration assay 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h after chemical injury. In mice, corneal epithelial defects and degree of haze were analyzed 6 h and 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 days after chemical injury. Seven days after injury, the concentrations of IL-1β and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in the cornea were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and histological analysis was also performed. Results: The viability of HCE-2 cells was not affected by adiponectin at any of the concentrations used. In HCE-2 cells treated using either 0.001% or 0.01% adiponectin, the wound healing rate after 4 h was significantly faster than in the control and HA-treated groups. With regard to mice, the 0.001% and 0.01% adiponectin-treated groups showed a significant improvement in epithelial defect parameters and haze scores at 3, 5, and 7 days after chemical injury. A significant decrease in IL-1β and TGF-β levels was observed in the 0.001% and 0.01% adiponectin-treated groups compared to the other groups. Histologically, corneal thickness and the inflammatory cells were also decreased in the adiponectin-treated groups. Conclusions: Topical adiponectin (both 0.001% and 0.01%) increased epithelial migration and improved clinical signs and inflammation on the ocular surface after alkali burn, suggesting that adiponectin can promote wound healing in the cornea.

The Effect of Laser Trabeculoplasty on Posture-Induced Intraocular Pressure Changes in Patients with Open Angle Glaucoma

Purpose To investigate the effect of argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) on posture-induced intraocular pressure (IOP) changes in patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG). Methods Thirty eyes of 30 consecutive patients with OAG who underwent ALT were prospectively analyzed. The IOP was measured using Icare PRO in the sitting position, supine position, and dependent lateral decubitus position (DLDP) before ALT and at 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months after ALT. Results Compared to the baseline values, the IOP in each position was significantly decreased after ALT (all P < 0.001). During follow-up, the mean percentage of IOP reduction was similar in the sitting and supine positions, but was significantly lower in DLDP than in the sitting or supine positions (all P < 0.05). In terms of postural IOP changes, the IOP in the supine position and DLDP was significantly higher than that in the sitting position at the same time points during the follow-up period (all P < 0.001). The difference between the IOP in the supine position and DLDP during follow-up was significant (all P < 0.001). The extent of IOP differences between any positions did not show significant changes during the follow-up period (all P > 0.05). Conclusions ALT appears to be effective in lowering the IOP in various body positions, but the degree of this effect was significantly lower in DLDP. In addition, ALT seemed to have limited effects on posture-induced IOP changes.

Early resolved acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis.

Purpose Acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis (ASPPC) is a rare ocular manifestation of syphilis, and its natural course is not well understood. We herein present two unusual cases of ASPPC in which there was almost total resolution of the fundus and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings during the early presentation before treatment was initiated. Case Reports Patient 1: A 44-year-old man presented with a 4-day history of decreased visual acuity in his left eye. Dilated fundus examination revealed a yellowish subretinal placoid lesion in the posterior pole, and OCT images showed subretinal fluid and irregular or granular hyperreflectivity of the retinal pigment epithelium. Ten days later, the yellowish placoid lesion had dramatically improved and the OCT findings showed absence of the subretinal fluid and hyperreflective lesion without any treatment. Patient 2: A 35-year-old man presented with a 3-day history of decreased visual acuity in his right eye. Dilated fundus examination showed a yellow submacular placoid lesion, and OCT images showed a small amount of subretinal fluid with disruption of the inner segment/outer segment junction. Four days after presentation, the fundus and OCT findings had markedly resolved without definitive treatment. In both cases, serologic test results confirmed the diagnosis of syphilis, and the patients were referred to the Department of Infectious Disease for systemic antibiotic treatment. After treatment, the patients’ visual acuities were improved, but the disruption of the inner segment/outer segment junction on OCT images remained. Conclusions In patients with ASPPC, fundus and OCT findings can spontaneously recover during the early clinical course before treatment.

Transscleral fixation of single-piece foldable acrylic lens with eyelets at the optic-haptic junction

OBJECTIVE To report the clinical outcomes of transscleral fixation using a single-piece foldable acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) with eyelets at the optic-haptic junction (enVista; Bausch & Lomb). DESIGN Retrospective, noncomparative case series. PARTICIPANTS Sixty eyes of 60 patients who underwent transscleral fixation with an enVista IOL were reviewed. METHODS Preoperative patient status, postoperative visual and refractive outcomes, and postoperative complications were analyzed. RESULTS The study included 60 eyes of 60 patients (52 males, 8 females) with a mean age of 56.65 ± 15.57 years. At final follow-up visit, the mean follow-up was 11.40 ± 4.24 months. The mean uncorrected visual acuity (logMAR) improved from 1.95 ± 0.90 to 0.85 ± 0.77 (p < 0.001), and best corrected visual acuity (logMAR) improved from 1.11 ± 1.13 to 0.64 ± 0.70 (p = 0.006). The mean spherical equivalent improved significantly from 6.90 ± 6.10 to 0.21 ± 2.10 D postoperatively (p < 0.001). Complications included transient ocular hypertension (15%), transient hypotony (7%), and hyphema (5%), but no serious complications were observed. In all cases, the IOL remained stable and well centred. CONCLUSIONS Transscleral fixation using a foldable acrylic IOL with eyelets at the optic-haptic junction can be a safe and effective alternative technique to manage cases with broken capsular bag or weak zonular support.