Mitchell H. Friedlaender

Effects of Topically Applied Ocular Decongestant and Antihistamine

In two independent studies including 25 subjects each, naphazoline caused significant whitening (but did not prevent itching) in the histamine-induced red, itchy eye. Antazoline inhibited itching (but not redness) to a significant degree in the same model. The combination of naphazoline and antazoline produced significant whitening and inhibition of itching in all eyes challenged by histamine. The combination of the two drugs was more effective than either component alone in preventing redness. The antihistamine and combination of antihistamine/vasoconstrictor were equally effective in arresting itching.

Mycobacterium Chelonei Keratitis

A 35-year-old man developed an indolent corneal ulcer after removal of a metallic foreign body. Acid-fast bacteria were found on corneal scrapings and Mycobacterium chelonei was isolated on culture. Although initially responding to treatment with subconjunctival and topical amikacin, the patient had a relapse that necessitated a penetrating keratoplasty. Pathologic studies disclosed acid-fast organisms in the midcorneal stroma with an intact overlying epithelium.

A new morphologic manifestation of Langerhans cells in guinea pig corneal transplants

Langerhans cells are virtually never seen in the normal undisturbed corneal epithelium. They may be stimulated to migrate into the corneal epithelium by a variety of chemical and mechanical stimulation, including penetrating keratoplasty. We have found a previously undescribed morphologic manifestation of the Langerhans cell in guinea pig eyes undergoing corneal transplantation. These cells are found around the graft, and in high concentration around sutures. They may be a motile form of the typical Langerhans cell or a specialized form which captures or distributes antigen.

Contact sensitivity in the guinea pig eye

Guinea pigs were sensitized systemically with the contact sensitizer oxazolone and challenged by topical application of the chemical to the eye and the skin. Inflammatory reactions of the conjunctiva, cornea and skin were uniformly elicited, but these were most intense clinically following intradermal sensitization with mycobacterial adjuvants. Mononuclear, neutrophilic and eosinophilic leukocytes infiltrated the ocular tissues and skin 24 hours after challenge. Basophils, which were prominent in the cutaneous reactions, were virtually absent from ocular tissues.

Ocular allergy and immunology

Abstract The eye may be the target of allergic inflammation in a large number of systemic immunologic conditions. Ocular signs and symptoms can often be the most striking and disabling aspects of such diseases. The eye is also affected by several local conditions in which immunologic mechanisms are thought to play a significant role. Certain anatomic and physiologic features appear to endow the eye with a unique immunologic reactivity which has made this organ of special interest to allergists and immunologists.

Idoxuridine and Bacterial Corneal Infection

Corneas of 20 rabbits were treated with idoxuridine or a bland ointment before and after their inoculation with Staphylococcus aureus. The rabbit corneas treated with idoxuridine had a significantly more severe keratitis and yielded significantly greater numbers of S. aureus on culture than the rabbit corneas treated with the bland ointment.

The treatment of herpetic reinfection with levamisole.

The effect of levamisole on both clinical disease and virus recovery was studied in rabbits that were first infected with herpes simplex virus in one eye and then reinfected 14 days later by inoculation of the second eye. Reinfected rabbits treated with levamisole before reinfection developed significantly milder and smaller lesions than untreated controls. Virus recovery from the corneas was also less in the levamisole-treated animals than in the untreated controls.