Maciej Czepita

The Influence of Environmental Factors on the Prevalence of Myopia in Poland

Purpose In the paper, we describe and discuss the results of epidemiological studies concerning myopia carried out in Poland. Materials and Methods Results from the examination of 5601 Polish school children and students (2688 boys and 2913 girls) aged 6 to 18 years were analyzed. The mean age was 11.9 ± 3.2 years. Every examined student had undergone the following examinations: distance visual acuity testing, cover test, anterior segment evaluation, and cycloplegic retinoscopy after instillation of 1% tropicamide, and a questionnaire was taken. Results We have found that (1) intensive near work (writing, reading, and working on a computer) leads to a higher prevalence of myopia, (2) watching television does not influence the prevalence of myopia, and (3) being outdoors decreases the prevalence of myopia. Conclusions The results of our study point to insufficiency of accommodation contributing to the pathogenesis of myopia.

Blepharitis and Demodex spp. infection

According to the latest reports Demodex mites appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic blepharitis. Demodex mites are cosmopolitan and are present in many species of mammals. In this paper we describe two species that are found in humans: Demodex folliculorum and D. brevis . Infection occurs during direct contact with an affected person and also through contact with dust containing eggs of the parasite, through contact with bed linen, as well as cosmetics used together with an affected person. Treatment of chronic blepharitis caused by D. folliculorum and D. brevis is difficult and time consuming. Some improvement can be achieved after topical application of yellow mercury ointment, sulphuric ointment, camphor oil, crotamiton, cholinesterase inhibitors, sulfacetamide, steroids, antibiotics and antifungal drugs. Good results have been achieved with oral ivermectin and permethrin cream. However, the best results were observed after treatment with metronidazole.

Macular outer plexiform layer and outer nuclear layer thickness on spectral domain optical coherence tomography in central serous chorioretinopathy — a case of two patients

Increased thickness of the outer plexiform layer (OPL) of the fovea in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) has been previously reported. However, to our knowledge only one paper has given a concrete value of the thickness of the outer plexiform layer (OPL) of the macula in a patient with unilateral CSC. Here we report the outer plexiform and outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness as measured with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in a patient with acute central serous chorioretinopathy in the left eye, and in a second patient with recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy in both eyes. Both patients received oral eplerenone treatment.

The role of reading, writing, using a computer, or watching television in the development of myopia

INTRODUCTION. The purpose of our investigation was to evaluate in a Polish population the role of reading, writing, using a computer, or watching television in the development of myopia. MATERIALS AND METHODS. In total 5601 students (2688 boys and 2913 girls, 6–18 years of age, mean 11.9 + 3.2 years) were examined. The children examined were Polish students of elementary and secondary schools. In every student cycloplegia after 1% tropicamide was performed. Non-parametric tests were used due to the SE distribution being significantly different from normal distribution in Kolmogorow-Smirnov test. Spearman rank correlation coefficient (Rs) was used to evaluate the strength of correlation between these variables. General linear model was used for multivariate analysis. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS. It has been established that with the increase in time spent on reading and writing, the spherical equivalent (SE) of the examined students decreases (Rs = –0.16, p < 0.000001). It was observed that an increase in the time spent working on a computer correlates with the decrease of the SE (Rs = –0.11, p < 0.000001). No relationship between watching television and the spherical equivalent of the examined schoolchildren was found (Rs = +0.01, p = 0.31). CONCLUSIONS. Reading, writing, or using a computer may lead to the development of myopia. Watching television has no influence on the incidence of myopia.

Macular Pigment Optical Density and Ocular Pulse Amplitude in Subjects with Different Axial Lengths and Refractive Errors

Background The purpose of our study was to: (1) investigate the macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) in subjects with different axial lengths (AL) and refractive errors (RE); (2) determine if there is a correlation between MPOD and OPA; and (3) evaluate whether MPOD and OPA depend on intraocular pressure (IOP). Material/Methods This study included 140 eyes of 70 subjects – 17 men and 53 women, aged 18 to 29 years (mean: 22.5 years; SD=2.8). Every examined person underwent a thorough eye examination including: visual acuity, anterior segment and fundus examination, keratometry, auto-refractometry, and MPOD, OPA, AL, and IOP measurements. The obtained results were analyzed statistically using Statistica 10 software. P values of <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results The following refractive errors were selected: emmetropia (34 eyes), hyperopia (18 eyes), low myopia (60 eyes), medium myopia (19 eyes), and high myopia (9 eyes). It has been established that the OPA increases with the rise in the spherical equivalents (SE) (Rs=+0.38, P<0.001), while the increase in AL correlates with the decrease of OPA (Rs=–0.40, P<0.001). The increase in IOP correlates with the rise in the OPA (Rs=+0.20, P<0.05). There were no significant correlations between IOP and SE or AL. Conclusions (1) MPOD is not correlated with the OPA in subjects with different AL and RE; (2) OPA decreases with the rise of AL; (3) OPA decreases with the fall of the SE; and (4) OPA increases with the rise in IOP.

WPŁYW CZYTANIA I PISANIA NA CZĘSTOŚĆ WYSTĘPOWANIA KRÓTKOWZROCZNOŚCI

Purpose: In this study we decided to answer the question of whether spending more time on reading and writing leads to higher prevalence of myopia. Material and methods: A total of 70 people (140 eyes) – 17 men and 53 women aged 18–29 years (mean 22.5 ±2.8) were examined. A questionnaire concerning the amount of time spent each day on reading and writing, as well as ophthalmic examination involving: visual acuity, anterior segment and fundus examination, keratometry, auto‍‑refractometry and axial length of the eyeball measurement (using IOL Master) were carried out in all participants. The refractive errors were described as spherical equivalents (SE). Hyperopia was defined to be SE higher than +0.5 Dsph, and emmetropia to be higher than –0.5 and lower than +0.5 Dsph. Myopia was defined to be with a SE lower than –0.5 Dsph. High myopia was defined as SE lower than –8, medium myopia in the range between –8 and –4, and low myopia lower than –0.5 and higher than –4 Dsph. The obtained results were typed into an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed statistically using Statistica 10 software. P values of 0.05). Conclusion: Near visual work leads to higher prevalence of low myopia.

Does the month of birth influence the prevalence of refractive errors

PURPOSE The aim of our study was to examine whether the month of birth influences the prevalence of refractive errors. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 5,601 schoolchildren were examined (2,688 boys and 2,913 girls, aged 6-18 years, mean age 11.9, SD 3.2 years). The children examined, students of elementary and secondary schools, were Polish and resided in and around Szczecin, Poland. Every examined subject underwent retinoscopy under cycloplegia using 1% tropicamide. Data analysis was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the Siegel and Castellan post-hoc test or the Mann-Whitney U-test. P values of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS Students born in June had significantly higher spherical equivalents than schoolchildren born in May (0.66 ± 1.17 and 0.39 ± 1.17 respectively, p = 0.0058). The Mann-Whitney U-test showed that students born in June had significantly higher spherical equivalents than schoolchildren born in any other month (0.66 ± 1.17 and 0.50 ± 1.17 respectively, p = 0.0033). Besides that, we did not observe any other association between refractive errors and the month of birth. CONCLUSION Children born in Poland in June may have a higher spherical equivalent.