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Abstract Background The human lens develops age-related cataracts (ARCs) because of the complicated effects of aging and stressful conditions. Under conditions involving oxidative stress, cells form stress granules (SGs). TDRD7 has been identified as an RNA granule component and an important component of SGs. TDRD7 plays a role in the post-transcriptional expression of genes, such as the crystallin gene CRYBB3. Therefore, the present study investigated TDRD7 and CRYBB3 mRNA expressions in relation to age-related cortico-nuclear cataracts. Methods Quantitative real-time PCR was used to determine the expression levels of TDRD7 and CRYBB3 in 52 patients with ARC and 52 healthy controls. Anterior lens capsules and peripheral blood samples from patients with ARC were included in the patient group, and peripheral blood samples from healthy subjects and human lens epithelial cells (HLE-B3) were included in the control group. Gene expression levels in the different age groups were compared. Correlation analysis was used to assess the gene expression levels and age. Results The expression of TDRD7 and CRYBB3 was significantly up-regulated (P

Objectives: To evaluate the risk factors for strabismus in patients with anisometropia by comparing degree of anisometropia, depth of amblyopia, and binocular visual function in anisometropic patients with and without strabismus. Materials and Methods: Sixty-five anisometropic patients older than 5 years with amblyopia in one eye who were followed in the Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Unit between May 2009 and April 2010 were included in this study. There were 27 cases of strabismus. The depth of amblyopia, degree of anisometropia, and binocular visual function were assessed in anisometropic cases with and without strabismus. Results: The 65 patients with anisometropia were divided into two groups: 27 patients with strabismus (group 1) and 38 patients without (group 2). Depth of amblyopia was greater in patients with strabismus compared to those without (p=0.006). In patients with strabismus, there was no correlation between angle of deviation and depth of amblyopia (p=0.453). In anisometropic amblyopia patients without strabismus, there was a positive correlation between depth of anisometropia and depth of amblyopia (p=0.35, Pearson’s correlation coefficient=0.343). Comparison in terms of anisometropia showed that patients with strabismus had significantly larger spherical difference between the two eyes than in patients without strabismus (p=0.000, Mann-Whitney U test). There was no significant difference in terms of cylindrical values (p=0.146, Mann-Whitney U test). There was no statistically significant difference in the presence of fusion between anisometropic patients with and without strabismus. Conclusion: The risk of developing strabismus increased as degree of anisometropia increased in anisometropic cases. In addition, depth of amblyopia was greater in anisometropic patients with strabismus.

Purpose: We aimed to compare the demographic features, visual acuities before and after treatment, amblyopia and strabismus degrees and binocular visual functions in cases with anisometropic, strabismic and/or anisometropic amblyopia. Material and Method: The study included 50 anisometropic, 50 strabismic and 50 anisometropic and strabismic cases that were followed up with the diagnosis of amblyopia, in our clinic, between January 2007 - September 2010. Amblyopia criteria was defined as the best corrected visual acuity of ≤0.8 and at least 2 lines difference between the visual acuities of two eyes. Anisometropia was defined as ≥1D difference in the spherical and cylindrical value between two eyes. Results: The groups were statistically similar in means of age and sex distribution. Visual acuities in amblyopic eyes before and after treatment were also statistically similar. There were no significant difference between 3 groups in means of compliance to occlusion therapy. In anisometropic cases, anisometropic spherical values were found to have position correlation with amblyopia degree. In hypermetropic and myopic cases, a strong correlation was shown between anisometropia and amblyopia, especially in hypermetropic cases, amblyopia degree increased as the anisometropia increased. In all strabismus cases, a positive correlation between strabismus and amblyopia degrees was shown even though it was statistically insignificant. In strabismic cases, esotropia was significantly higher than exotropia. In anisometropia group, stereopsis and fusion was found to be preserved better in comparison to the strabismic cases. It was concluded that deviation had a more profound effect on binocular function loss than anisometropia. Discussion: We recommend to follow the hypermetropic anisometropic cases and especially cases with high degree strabismus and esotropia more closely. And also we emphasize that strabismus affects binocular function loss more than anisometropia, even though the anisometropic cases had higher degree of amblyopia they had a better prognosis than the strabismus cases. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2013; 43: 326-34)

Pur po se: To evaluate the changes in central corneal thickness (CCT) in patients with different values before cataract surgery. Ma te ri al and Met hod: 90 eyes of 70 patients who had undergone uneventful cataract surgery because of senile cataract were included in this prospective study. The CCT was measured by ultrasound pachymetry. The patients were evaluated in 4 groups according to preoperative CCT values (group 1: 450-500 μm, group 2: 501-550μm, group 3: 551-600μm, and group 4: 601-650μm). The CCT was measured preoperatively and at 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 8th weeks postoperatively. The chi-square test and one-way analysis of variance test were used for statistical analysis. Re sults: The increase in CCT was highest in group 1 determined as 71.3 μm. The increase in group 2 was 43.4, 35.1 in group 3, and 16.6 μm in group 4. The increase in CCT was significant in all groups at week 1 ( p

Pur po se: To evaluate the patients with intraocular tumors who underwent diagnostic fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Ma te ri al and Met hod: Between May 2003 and June 2009, fine-needle aspiration biopsy was performed in 14 patients with an intraocular tumor. For 6 cases with iris, iridocorneal angle or iridociliary pathology, aspiration was done with a 26-gauge needle under the surgical microscope. For 6 of the 8 cases with vitreous, retinal, optic disc or choroid pathology, aspiration was done with 20 D lens, indirect ophthalmoscope and 22-gauge needle. For the remaining 2 cases, aspiration biopsy was done by using 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy and 22-gauge needle. A histopathologist examined the aspiration material in the operating room during the procedure. Re sults: Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of 14 patients showed that 3 had optic nerve melanocytoma, 2 had chorodial melanoma, 1 had iridociliary medulloepithelioma, 1 had iris melanoma, 1 had trabecular meshwork melanoma, 1 had iris nevus, 1 had leukemic infiltration, 1 had lymphoma, 1 had neuroendocrine carcinoma,1 had xanthogranuloma, and 1 patient had normal fine-needle aspiration biopsy findings. Dis cus si on: Fine-needle aspiration biopsy and cytopathology have an important role in the diagnosis of intraocular tumors that can not be reliably diagnosed by clinical examination. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2012; 42: 408-11)

Dacryops is a lacrimal ductal cyst. It is known that it can cause globe displacement, motility restriction, and proptosis because of the mass effect. Diplopia due to dacryops has not been reported previously. Here, we present a 57-year-old man with binocular horizontal diplopia that occurred during left direction gaze due to dacryops.

INTRODUCTION[|]This study was an analysis of the retinal layer thickness in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).[¤]METHODS[|]A total of 42 patients diagnosed in the neurology clinic with MS according to the McDonald Criteria and 21 healthy individuals were included in the study and 4 groups were created. The first group comprised 21 eyes of 21 MS patients without eye involvement, the second group was made up of 21 eyes of 21 MS patients with a history of optic neuritis, the third group included the other eye of patients in the second group without a history of optic neuritis, and the fourth group was a control group of 21 eyes of 21 healthy individuals. SD-OCT was used to visualize and measure the retinal layers and the thickness was analyzed using the device software.[¤]RESULTS[|]The mean age of the patient groups was 35.39+-7.52 years, while it was 32.86+-2.60 years in the control group. The mean duration of the disease was 9.81+-6.65 years with a mean of 4.84+-2.38 attacks. The ganglion cell layer (GCL) and the inner plexiform layer (IPL) of all of the patients were thinner compared with the control group in the parafoveal and perifoveal areas. All regions of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) of patients in the second group were thinner than those of the control group. The RNFL, GCL, and IPL in the central, parafoveal and perifoveal macular rings in group 3 were thinner than the group 1 measurements; however, this difference was not statistically significant. Although the RNFL, GCL, and IPL layer thicknesses were lower in group 2 than group 3, only the difference in the parafoveal GCL thickness was statistically significant.[¤]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION[|]This study demonstrated that MS affects retinal layer thickness, and particularly the inner retinal layers.[¤]

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Exudative age-related macular degeneration (e-AMD) may cause severe central vision loss. Patients with e-AMD can experience difficulties in daily basic activities and suffer from psychological problems. Our aim was to assess quality of life (QoL) and anxiety and depression status among patients with e-AMD. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study in a state university. METHODS: We included 200 e-AMD patients and 120 age and gender-matched controls. We assessed QoL using the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (NEI-VFQ-25) and the Short Form (SF)-36 test; and anxiety and depression status using the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scales A and D (HADS-A and HADS-D). RESULTS: The mean ages in the e-AMD and control groups were 68.40 ± 9.8 and 66.31 ± 8.98, respectively. Visual acuity among e-AMD patients was 0.37 ± 0.31 and 0.39 ± 0.32 in the right and left eyes, respectively. The e-AMD patients performed significantly worse than the controls in NEI-VFQ-25 (P < 0.05 for all items). The proportions of e-AMD patients scoring higher than the cutoffs in HADS-A and HADS-D were significantly higher than among the controls (41.5% versus 12.5% and 63.5% versus 27.5%; P < 0.001). The e-AMD patients had significantly lower mean scores than the controls for each of the SF-36 QoL items (P < 0.001). The NEI-VFQ-25 scores were significantly lower among patients with bilateral e-AMD than among those with unilateral disease (P < 0.05 for all). The HADS scores were positively correlated with duration of e-AMD and patient age, but negatively with vision levels (P < 0.05 for all items). CONCLUSION: The e-AMD patients had higher depression and anxiety scores and lower QoL scores.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to present an experimental optical coherence tomography (OCT)–guided anterior segment (AS) imaging chick embryo model. Through this model, we aimed to reveal similarities and differences between human cornea, AS tissues, and chick embryo tissues by quantitative image analysis. Methods: Ex vivo, the chick embryos' globes were determined by detailed AS camera of spectral-domain (SD)-OCT in 10 fertilized specific pathogen-free eggs on the 20th day. Quantitative image analysis of anterior chamber tissues was performed with SD-OCT in detail. After imaging, cross sections of the chick embryo globes containing cornea with anterior chamber were histologically examined and compared with human tissues. The similarities of our model with data in the human cornea and AS studies in the literature were compared. Results: SD-OCT imaging was able to successfully delineate the AS tissues of chick embryos such as the cornea, iris, lens, pupil, conjunctiva, ciliary body, anterior chamber, and lens. Quantitative semi-automated measurements showed the following: mean central corneal thickness: 213.4 ± 7.05 μm (197–223 μm), mean anterior chamber depth: 878.9 ± 41.74 (804–919 μm), mean anterior chamber area: 2.43 ± 0.16 mm2 (2.17–2.73 mm2), mean corneoscleral junction (limbal) thickness: 322.8 ± 20.05 μm (289–360 μm), and mean iris thickness: 230.4 ± 13.27 μm (203–245 μm). In addition, detailed histological comparisons of the AS tissues with human tissues were evaluated to be very similar. Conclusion: In conclusion, this chick embryo model mimics human tissues and it can be considered as a platform for the study of teratogen-induced malformations and AS dysgenesis during gestation of AS tissues. In addition, this study demonstrates the feasibility of SD-OCT in the quantitative assessment of AS structures in chick embryo model.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate anterior segment measurements obtained using CSO Sirius Topographer® (CSO, Firenze, Italy) and Nidek Axial Length (AL)-Scan® (Nidek CO., Gamagori, Japan). Methods: A total of 43 eyes of 43 patients were included in this prospective study. The central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), white-to-white distance (WTW), flat keratometry (K1), steep keratometry (K2), and mean keratometry (K) values were randomly measured three times with each device by the same examiner. The intraclass correlation coefficient of repeatability was analyzed. The compatibility of both devices was evaluated using the 95% limits of the agreement proposed by Bland and Altman. Results: Examiner achieved high repeatability for all parameters on each device except the WTW measured by Sirius. All measurements except WTW and K1 taken with the Sirius were higher than that taken with the Nidek AL-Scan®. The difference in CCT, ACD, and WTW values was statistically significant. Conclusion: High repeatability of the measurements was achieved on both devices. Although Km, K1, and K2 measurements of the Sirius and the AL-Scan® showed good agreement, WTW, CCT, and ACD measurements significantly differed between two devices. Thus, anterior segment measurements except for Km, K1, and K2 cannot be used interchangeably between Sirius and Nidek AL-Scan® devices.

Anterior chamber dislocation of an Ozurdex (Allergan plc, Dublin, Ireland) implant from the vitreous cavity is unusual. The risk factors for dexamethasone implant migration into the anterior chamber include a defective posterior lens capsule, aphakia, and a prior history of pars plana vitrectomy. Presently described is a case of corneal toxicity occurring after the migration of a dexamethasone implant into the anterior chamber.