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Cornea is the anterior transparent tissue of the eye. Loss of vision due to corneal disease is one of the leading causes of blindness. Some corneal conditions may be treated by replacing the cornea with a donor implant. The success rates for vision rehabilitation following corneal grafting are rather good generally, depending on the indication and the technique of the transplantation. Corneal transplantation surgery has been around for over 100 years, but in the last two decades there has been significant development in surgical methods, with the possibility of replacing only the damaged layer of the cornea. Along with donor corneal transplantation, various methods of artificial corneal transplantation have been developed. Extensive research continues in order to find artificial solutions for patients who need to undergo corneal transplantation.

To assess the prevalence of corneal astigmatism among patients before routine cataract surgery and overall ocular difference between Jewish and Bedouin population in the south of Israel.Retrospective research collecting biometric information from IOLMaster (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Germany) in patients attending cataract surgery at Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel between the years 2015 -2016.Mean corneal astigmatism among all cohorts was 1.20D ± 0.83, with 1.26D ± 0.84 in Bedouins patients vs 1.17D ± 0.82 in Jews patients (p-value=0.08). Corneal astigmatism lower than 0.5D was seen in 20% of the population, 28% of the population had corneal astigmatism above 1.5D and 9% showed corneal astigmatism higher than 2.5D. When comparing axial length and keratometric characteristics between the two populations, Bedouins had shorter axial length (23.41mm± 1.62 vs. 23.67mm ± 1.55, p=0.01), and flatter corneas on both axes (flat - 43.18D ± 1.76 vs. 43.62D ± 1.79, p0.01); (steep - 44.44D ± 1.84 vs. 44.77D± 1.89, p0.01). Higher astigmatism was found in men than in women (1.24D vs.1.15D p- value=0.04) of study group.In our study we found more than 25% of patients had astigmatism more than 1.5D. Patients attending cataract surgery may therefore benefit the use of advanced IOL types and surgical techniques. In addition, a statistically significant difference between the Bedouin and Jewish populations biometric measurements in patients attending cataract surgery found.

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common worldwide nutritional deficiency contributing to childhood morbidity and mortality. According to the official health policy in Israel, providing iron for all babies from the age of 4 months to the age of one year old is recommended. This policy also recommends providing iron supplementation for an additional 6 months for toddlers (who are one year old) with anemia (hemoglobin11mg/dl). Despite this policy, there is still a high rate of anemia in the Negev's two year old children, especially in the Bedouin population.Assessment of the intervention program to reduce iron deficiency anemia rates, that provides iron supplementation to Bedouin toddlers with no anemia, from the age of 1 year to 18 months and maternal knowledge about the prevention of anemia.Type of Research: Community intervention trial study. Population study: A total of 251 toddlers aged one year old with no anemia from 6 recognized and unrecognized Bedouin villages. Intervention group: 250 toddlers who received iron supplementation; Prophylactic dosage (15 mg per day) for 6 months from the age of 1 year. Control group: 101 toddlers who did not receive iron supplementation. The hemoglobin (Hb) level was measured before and after the intervention for both groups.At the beginning of the study, at the age of one year there was no difference between the two groups in the average Hb level (11.8±0.5mg/dl). After the intervention of 6 months, an Hb decrease was observed in both groups: 11.5±0.8 mg/dl compared to 11.0±1.0 mg/dl in the intervention group and in the control group (p0.001), respectively. At the study endpoint the rates of anemia in the intervention group were lower compared to the control group: 40.6% and 15.3% (p0.001), respectively. A positive correlation was found between the toddlers Hb level and the amount of iron supplementation received through the study.Providing iron supplementation, from the age of 1 year for 6 months reduces the anemia risk during the second year of life. We suggest changing the recommendation to continue iron supplementation for toddlers (beyond one year old) only for children with anemia to a new policy and propose continuing iron supplementation beyond one year old to all toddlers at this age.

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes. In recent years, there is a dramatic increase in the number of diabetic patients in the Bedouin population in the Negev region.To analyze the clinical features and find out the incidence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy of type 2 diabetes patients in the Jewish and Bedouin populations.Data was collected from the files of 523 patients, who were examined by ophthalmologists at different clinics in southern Israel, and who were not previously diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy until that examination. All the data was analyzed by univariate analysis, and a multivariate model was built to predict the risk to develop diabetic retinopathy, separately for the Jewish and Bedouin population in the Negev.The average age was 64 +/- 10.3 years in the Jewish population and 58.6 +/- 12 years in the Bedouin population (P0.001). Treatment with insulin was administered to 14.5% of the Bedouin population, compared to 5.7% of the Jewish population (P0.001). Eye complications (diabetic retinopathy and/or maculopathy) were found in 13.4% of Jews, compared to 22% of Bedouins (P0.01). In the multivariate analysis we found 6 predicting factors for the development of diabetic retinopathy in the Jewish population: long duration of diabetes, older age, high HbA1c, insulin treatment, high levels of LDL and creatinine; and 4 predicting factors in the Bedouin population: long duration of diabetes, high HbA1c, insulin treatment and smoking.The Bedouin population in southern Israel suffers more from retinal diabetic complications compared to Jewish patients. Common risk factors for both populations are long duration of diabetes, high HbA1c and insulin treatment.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains a common problem after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). AF increases the risk for stroke and is associated with increased length of hospitalization and mortality.This study aimed to determine incidence, timing and predictors of post CABG AF in a prospectively evaluated cohort of patients undergoing CABG in the Negev.Preoperative clinical data, intraoperative, intensive care and postoperative events including AF episodes were prospectively evaluated in 156 consecutive patients undergoing CABG during a nine month period ending on July 2003.Mean age was 64.9 years (SD = 9.7, range 41 - 84 years); 76.3% (119) were male. The in-hospital mortality was 1.2% (2 patients). The incidence of AF was 32.1% (50), with 40% of the AF episodes occurring on the second postoperative day (range 1-6 days). Univariate analyses identified the following variables as risk factors for AF: female gender, older age, ethnic origin, BMI30, hypertension, dyslipidemia, pre CABG nitrate, Ca blockers and furosemide treatment, left atrial diameter, renal failure and post CABG respiratory complications (p0.05). By multivariate analysis, three variables were identified as independent predictors: BMI30 (odds ratio 2.4; 95% CI 1.2-4.8); Sephardic Jews (OR 11.2; CI 1.0-114); enlarged left atrium (OR 4.6; CI 1.5-14.1).Consistent with previous studies, enlarged left atrium was a predictor of post CABG AF. In addition ethnic origin (Sephardic Jews) and BMI30 were also found to be important predictors of post CABG AF. In comparison with other studies, we not found moderate differences in outcomes and mortality in population that underwent CABG in the Negev in comparison to studies of the world.