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Purpose: To examine the long-term effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on the corneal endothelium. Methods: This was a comparative, cross-sectional study that included subjects who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection for at least 6 months (group 1) and a group of age- and sex-matched controls with no prior symptomatology or documentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection (group 2). After full ophthalmological evaluation, specular microscopy was used to examine the endothelial cell parameters, including endothelial cell density, coefficient of variation, hexagonality, average area, and central corneal thickness. Results: Sixty-four and 53 right eyes were included in groups 1 and 2, respectively. No statistically significant differences were detected in any of the examined specular parameters between the two groups. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 infection may have no delayed sequel on the corneal endothelium. Future prospective studies with repeated examinations in the same subjects would be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Investigating the efficacy of intravitreal injection of erythropoietin (EPO) in managing indirect traumatic optic neuropathy (ITON) of different durations. Methods. A case series that included two groups of ITON patients: recent ITON group (<3 months trauma duration; 7 eyes) and old duration ITON group (3–36 months; 7 eyes). Diagnostic computerized tomography (CT) and baseline flash visual evoked response (VER) were performed at the presentation time. At the initial visit and each follow-up, all patients had undergone assessment of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), pupil reaction, and anterior and posterior segments. VER was repeated 1 and 3 months after injection. All patients received an intravitreal injection of 2000 IU EPO in 0.2 ml of commercially available sterile EPREX 4000 solution, Jansen Cilag, Zug, Switzerland. Five patients had received a second injection 3 months later. Results. Significant improvement was found in BCVA, VER amplitude, and latency (P<0.0001, 0.0154, and 0.0291, respectively). Initial values of BCVA, VER amplitude, and latency correlated significantly to the final values. Differences between recent and old trauma groups were insignificant in the three parameters. In patients who received second injection, further clinical but statistically insignificant improvement was noted in BCVA in 60% of patients, VER amplitude in 50% of patients, and in VER latency in 100% of patients. No complications were recorded. Conclusion. Intravitreal injection of EPO may be effective and safe in treatment of recent and old indirect traumatic optic neuropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To measure the prevalence of amblyopia and amblyogenic factors among primary school children and to evaluate distance visual acuity (VA) as a screening test to detect amblyopia and define its cutoff value. Subjects and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on primary school children in two schools in Central Cairo. Children underwent assessment of visual acuity using Landolt broken ring. Comprehensive ophthalmologic examination was performed for amblyopia suspects at the Ophthalmology Department of Ain Shams University Hospitals, including reassessment of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using the same chart. Results. A total of 352 children were examined. Reduced screening VA (amblyopia suspect) was detected in 47 subjects (13.35%) proved amblyopia after comprehensive examination was 1.98% (7 cases). Refractive errors (REs) were present in all suspected and proved amblyopia cases (100%) but was only present in 11.6% of nonamblyopic students (P<0.05). The prevalence of hyperopia in the whole sample was 3.6%, and was 27.6% in subjects with RE. Thirty percent of hyperopic eyes were amblyopic. The prevalence of myopia was 9.3% of the whole sample and 70% of students with RE. Only 9% of myopic eyes were amblyopic. Mild to moderate amblyopia (VA better than 0.2log MAR) was 42.9%, while severe amblyopia represented 57.1%. Conclusion. This study emphasizes the importance of school-based eye care system targeting the detection of amblyopia by application of a fast screening distance VA test with a cutoff value of high sensitivity at log MAR 0.539 (Snellen′s VA equivalent 6/18). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to detect and compare the severity and pattern of dry eye occurrence after phacoemulsification and extra capsular cataract extraction surgeries. Methods: Twenty eyes of twenty patients in two groups, ten eyes planned for Phacoemulsification(phaco) and ten eyes planned for Extra Capsular Cataract Extraction (ECCE) enrolled in a prospective comparative study. All patients underwent full history taking and full ophthalmological clinical evaluation including (tear film meniscus height, Schirmer 1 test, tear break up time). Evaluations will be done one week before cataract surgery then three and six weeks after the surgery.Also, goblet cell count is measured twice, before and 6 weeks after the operation. Results: After both Phaco, andECCE, the changes between means of pre-operative, 3 weeks and 6 weeks visits were significant in tear film meniscus height (p ¼ 0.01) and were insignificant in both Schirmer 1 and tear break up time (p > 0.05). There was a significant deterioration after 3 weeks of surgery in tear film meniscus height followed by significant increase between 3rd and 6th weeks post-operative measurements (p ¼ 0.01). There was a significant difference between the 2 groups in the total change of Schirmer 1 and tear break up time between the6th weeks and the pre-operative measure with more deterioration in group 2. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in tear film meniscus height 6 weeks post operation.The deterioration in goblet cell count was significantly worse in the ECCE group (mean difference of -22.168.5 and was -7.565.1 in the phaco group), (p ¼ 0.0005). Conclusions: Phacoemulsification surgery may aggravate the signs and symptoms of dry eye and affect dry eye test values in patients in short-term but less than ECCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]