Search

Late-life schizophrenia is not entirely a homogenous entity and comprises of early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) and late-onset schizophrenia (LOS). The similarities between these two subtypes tend to outweigh the differences. Numerous risk factors have been identified related to their outcome. Structural and functional outcome tends to be relatively better for EOS than for LOS. Nevertheless, these should be viewed as tentative statements, as the amount of longitudinal evidence and literature available in this particular aspect of late-life schizophrenia is not robust enough to draw definitive conclusions.

Extemporaneously compounded formulations are often used in regular ophthalmic practice. Dispensing drug for ophthalmic purposes require adequate skills and experience to customize formulations for individuals. Compounding ophthalmic formulations is a precise task requiring strict control over pH, osmolarity, sterility and knowledge about their stability. This chapter covers benefits of extemporaneously compounded formulations, regulatory requirements of compounding pharmacy, components of ophthalmic formulations, requirements for active/auxiliary ingredients, sterilization procedures, packaging, cost effectiveness, related risk factors and stability of compounded formulations etc.

In the practice of ophthalmology and optometry, several agents are important for therapeutic, cosmetic and diagnostic purposes and cannot be grouped into a single category. They are governed by pharmacopeia or abide by regulatory requirements which are commercially available except few of the customized formulations compounded by hospital pharmacies. This chapter includes most of the formulations extensively used in routine ophthalmic practices like corneal preservative media used to store cornea for transplantation, tattooing solutions for cosmetic use in corneal opacity, agents used in acid or alkali burn, vitreous substitutes, vitreolytic agents, viscoelastic substances, topical immunosuppressants, local anesthetics, botulinum toxin, protease inhibitors, chelators, contact lens solutions and irritation solutions.