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Purpose: To assess tolerability and efficacy following a switch from benzalkonium chloride–latanoprost to preservative-free latanoprost in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension.Methods: A total of 140 patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension controlled with benzalkonium chloride-latanoprost for at least 3 months were switched to treatment with preservative-free latanoprost. Assessments were made on days 15, 45, and 90 (D15, D45, and D90) and included best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, slit lamp examination, fluorescein staining, tear film break-up time, patient symptom evaluation, and subjective estimation of tolerability.Results: Mean best-corrected visual acuity remained unchanged during the study. Mean intraocular pressure compared with baseline (D0) remained stable throughout the study (D0, 15.9 mmHg (standard deviation = 2.6); D90, 15.3 mmHg (standard deviation = 2.4); p < 0.006). Tear film break-up time improved or remained unchanged relative to baseline in 92% of patients at D45 and in 93% at D90. Moderate-to-severe conjunctival hyperemia was seen in 56.8% of patients at D0, but this figure decreased to 13.7%, 2.2%, and 1.6% at D15, D45, and D90, respectively. Subjective assessment of tolerability (0–10 scale) indicated improvement with change of therapy (mean score: 5.3 (standard deviation = 2.2) at D0 versus 1.9 (standard deviation = 1.7) at D90; p < 0.0001).Conclusion: Preservative-free latanoprost has at least the same intraocular pressure-lowering efficacy as benzalkonium chloride–latanoprost, with a better tolerability profile. This may translate into greater control of treatment and improved quality of life.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with axonal degeneration as major determinant of neurological disability. Assessment of unmyelinated retinal nerve fibers using optical coherence tomography (OCT) may be useful for diagnosing the onset and rate of progression of neurodegeneration.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the study programme in family medicine in Poland, analysing the trainees achievements as well as the currently used educational objectives, required competencies, learning methods and evaluation procedures in respect of the recommendations in EU countries, particularly in the UK, regarding the country's prospective integration with the European Union.Methods and materials: Two sets of data were used for comparative assessment, namely descriptions of educational objectives, required competencies, teaching/learning methods and evaluation procedures currently used in Poland and in the UK, and certifying examination results in the years 1994, 1996 and 1999, analysed regarding general trainees' achievements and the two educational tracks available in Poland in family medicine: residency or non-residency training programmes.Results: Comparative analysis of training requirements and of educational objectives and expected competencies revealed significant similarities between Poland and the UK-except that some interactive methods of training were lacking in the Polish programmes. It was found that in other countries there is no non-residency training similar to that available in Poland. Analysis of the State Board certifying examinations in the years of 1994,1996 and 1999 revealed a substantial difference between candidates' achievements in 1994 and in 1999, with the best results in the latter. Significantly lower scores were seen for candidates trained within the non-resident, complementary programme that is available to doctors already practising.Conclusions: Results of the State Board examinations in three consecutive years revealed a successive increase in the average score of all examinees, which may result from both better training and from increasing validity of examination content. Trainees who completed regular three-year residency training performed significantly better in MCQ examinations than those who completed the optional non-residency complementary training for physicians already practising. The study results also suggest that the training programme for family doctors in Poland matches the standards set in EU countries in terms of educational objectives and required competencies, which indicated significant similarity to those in working in the UK and other EU countries. However, introducing more interactive methods of training and some form of structured oral examination in Poland is recommended to complement the educational methods now offered and make the final evaluation procedures better aligned to the programme objectives.