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Conventional detachment surgery produces scleral indentation and can therefore lead to changes in the geometry of the bulbus. The aim of this research was to analyze the influence of scleral buckling (group A) and encircling elements (group B) on corneal topography, surgical induced astigmatism and axial length. In 19 cases with peripherally detached retinas we performed keratometry, videokeratoscopy and measured axial length preoperatively in the first week as well as 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Total preoperative astigmatism in group A was 0.49 D and in Group B 0.84 D. The surgically induced astigmatism calculated by vectoral analysis was in the first postoperative week 0.98 D and 1.92 D. 1 month postoperatively it was 0.74 D and 1.26 D, and after 3 months 0.89 D and 1.31 D. There was minimal change in the average axial length: 0.09 mm reduction in group A and 0.21 mm increase in group B after 3 months. Computerized videokeratoscopy was very effective in determining this slight, surgically induced astigmatism.

In this study we examined 85 patients in the range of 25 to 60 years with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and a control group of 35 persons without any systemic diseases. The 85 patients with RA were split into two groups: first group was made up of 32 patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) and the second of 53 patients without KCS. The aim was to decide whether the simple ocular ferning test has more diagnostic value than the "classical" tests: break-up time (BUT), Schirmer-1-test and concentration of lysozyme in the tear fluid. Therefore, we compared the tests with reference to sensitivity, specificity and prognostic value in the three groups. The results of the ocular ferning test are markedly better than the results of the other tests: sensitivity is 82.2%, specificity 92.5% and prognostic value 86.6%. The corresponding values are: BUT: 51.6%-77.8%-63.1%; Schirmer-1-test: 34.4%-90.8%-73.5%, lysozyme concentration: 73.4%-51.0%-52.7%. The ocular ferning test is an easy, practical, cheap, and reliable completion to the conventional tests; it is also easy on the patients.