Michael Moschos

Retinal disorders in preeclampsia studied with optical coherence tomography

PURPOSE To report optical coherence tomography (OCT) of retinal disorders in preeclampsia. DESIGN Observational case report. METHODS A 24-year-old woman developed hypertension (190/100 mm Hg), proteinuria, and generalized edema in the 34th week of pregnancy. Soon after undergoing a cesarean section, she noted severe impairment of vision in both eyes. RESULTS Ten days after delivery, OCT showed a diffuse intraretinal edema that was still present but in a minor degree 2 months later. Eight months after delivery, macular edema had resolved, but the highly reflective band of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choriocapillaris was thickened with focal elevations corresponding to the Elschnig spots. CONCLUSION In the acute phase of preeclampsia, OCT revealed a diffuse increase in macular thickness. Two months after delivery, macular edema still existed but in a minor degree. Eight months after the first examination, OCT depicted restoration of the contour of the fovea. Moreover, OCT showed the characteristic RPE focal elevations and abnormalities corresponding to the Elschnig spots.

Cone properties of the light-adapted murine ERG

Purpose: Because the mouse lacks a typical Purkinje shift, we have examined its light-adapted ERG to determine whether there was other evidence in addition to tolerance to background light, that could be used to identify cone function in the ERG. Methods: Full field comeal ERGs to white flashes, double flashes and flash trains were examined in the presence of a strong full field light adaptation and compared with the human cone ERG. Results: The following cone-like properties could be identified. (1) The light-adapted murine ERG increases in amplitude gradually during the first 10 minutes of light-adaptation; (2) It is capable of responding to a 50 Hz stimulus, although its overall frequency response is slower than that of the human cone ERG; (3) A corneal positive d-wave occurs to the termination of a flash train; (4) The response increases linearly with light intensity. Conclusion: The light-adapted murine ERG has several properties of cones but it has a slower response than the human cone ERG.

Multifocal ERG changes before and after macular hole surgery.

To evaluate the visual function of 15 eyes suffering from macular hole the multifocal ERG was used pre and postoperatively. In all the cases a successful vitrectomy has been done with macular hole closure in all the eyes. The Multifocal ERG shows an improvement of retinal response density in regions 1 and 2, even in the 2 eyes with unchanged visual acuity postoperatively. Although a relationship exist between the postoperative retinal response density and the visual acuity, the retinal response density varies between eyes with the same visual acuity.

The a- and b-wave latencies as a prognostic indicator of neovascularisation in central retinal vein occlusion.

To evaluate the prognostic value of ERG in cases of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) regarding the development of neovascularisation (NV), we studied 20 patients with unilateral CRVO. Half of them were allocated in the perfused group and the other 10 finally developed NV and were allocated in the non-perfused group. Flash ERG was recorded from all patients. Our findings suggest that b-wave latency is the most reliable parameter in predicting NV, followed by the a-wave latency. The b/a wave amplitude of ERG ratio does not seem to be suitable for clinical use.

Multifocal ERG in retinal detachment surgery.

PURPOSE The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the visual function of eyes operated on for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. METHODS Fifteen patients were studied suffering from peripheral retinal detachment treated with the Lincoff-Custodis method. Visual field was tested with the Humphrey Field Analyzer and the analyzer program 30-2, which scanned a 0-30 field. The multifocal ERG was recorded with the VERIS III (Visual Evoked Imaging System, Tomey, Nagoya, Japan). RESULTS There was great loss of retinal response densities in the area of retinal detachment (1.3 0.7 nV/deg2). However, a decrease in retinal response densities was also recorded in the reattached retina (6.90 0.7 nV/deg2). CONCLUSIONS MFERG is an objective tool for monitoring the functional abnormalities affecting the vision of eyes operated for retinal detachment. (Eur J Ophthalmol 2001; 11: 296-300)NO PDF AVAILABLE!

Recurrent Vitreous Hemorrhages due to Combined Pigment Epithelial and Retinal Hamartoma: Natural Course and Indocyanine Green Angiographic Findings

We report the clinical and angiographic features as well as the natural course of an optic disk and juxtapapillary combined pigment epithelial and retinal hamartoma in a 23-year-old white girl. The patient presented 3 episodes of recurrent vitreous hemorrhages in the first 4 years of follow-up, which were spontaneously and totally absorbed. During the last 6 years, she was absolutely free of any ocular symptom. The tumor did not show any growth during the 10 years of follow-up. The digital indocyanine green angiography, which was normal in the early frames, revealed a mild, patchy hyperfluorescence corresponding to the tumor location in the late phase.

C Wave of Electroretinogram and Visual Evoked Response in Optic Neuritis due to Demyelinating Diseases

In 21 consecutive cases with unilateral optic neuritis due to demyelinating disease, ERG, C wave of ERG and VER were recorded and studied in both eyes. Also 8 cases suffering from optic atrophy due to trauma or glaucoma were included. The analysis of data shows that the C-wave is significantly diminished in both eyes, namely the affected and the sound, in the cases of optic neuritis. Also in comparison to VER, C wave has a comparative probability in diagnosing optic neuritis due to demyelinating disease. The C wave of ERG is normal in the cases of optic atrophy. The mechanism of C wave involvement during the course of demyelinating disease may be related with an abnormality of the ionic homeostasis of the subretinal space.

VER Findings in Retrobulbar Neuritis Due to Multiple Sclerosis

In this study the authors analyse the findings of VER in 25 patients suffering from retrobulbar neuritis due to multiple sclerosis.

Electroretinographic, Electrooculographic and Visually Evoked Response Findings in Adamantiadis-behçet’s Disease

The authors study the electrophysiological finding in a series of 34 patients suffering from Adamantiadis-Behcet’s disease in various stages.