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In March 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2 respiratory virus. The high spread rate of the virus and the severity of the course of the disease are of great clinical and epidemiological significance, making it relevant for ophthalmologists to study the mechanisms of how SARS-CoV-2 infects ocular structures, as well as possible clinical manifestations of the infection in the organ of vision. This review contains analysis, systematization, and generalization of epidemiological and clinical data on SARS-CoV-2 ocular lesions and was carried out with the data found in scientific abstract databases. The article presents main clinical ophthalmic manifestations of COVID-19, lists the utilized schemes of etiotropic and symptomatic therapy, recommended preventive measures, and considers the possible ophthalmic complications after vaccination against COVID-19.

Primary open-angle glaucoma is a major cause of irreversible blindness in all countries of the world. The pathogenesis of primary open-angle glaucoma has not been resolved. In addition to increased intraocular pressure, pathogenetic factors of this disease such as reduced systemic blood pressure, deterioration of ocular blood flow, as well as vascular dysregulation, reperfusion damage and oxidative stress of ocular tissues are now generally recognized. The role of α1-adrenoreceptors in regulation of, for example, ocular blood flow, blood flow in the retina, permeability of the vascular wall etc has already been described., Purpose: To identify the effects of different subtypes of α1-adrenoreceptors on the level of systemic blood pressure in laboratory mice., Material and Methods: Features of blood pressure of 36 laboratory mice older than 18 months having a genetic defect (lines ADRA-1A, ADRA-1D and ADRA-1D) of one of the subtypes of α1-adrenoreceptors (α1a, α1b, α1d) were studied. The control group included ten healthy laboratory mice of the same age. The blood pressure of mice was measured with modern high-precision and noninvasive method using the Coda TM Standard system (Kent Scientific Corporation, U.S.A.)., Results: The mice of the ADRA-1A line were revealed to have reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure and maximum level of pulse pressure, as well as the greatest fluctuations of pulse pressure; for the ADRA-1B line - the highest levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure; for the ADRA-1D line - the smallest systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the minimum values of pulse pressure., Conclusion: The obtained results show the specific contribution of α1a, α1b and α1d subtypes of the adrenoreceptors in the maintenance of normal hemodynamic of an organism, which should be considered when studying pathogenesis of primary open-angle glaucoma.

The search for new information on the pathogenesis of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is relevant to the whole world, because population aging affects all countries. Also according to the UN prediction by 2030 more than 210 million patients with glaucoma will be officially registered and the same amount of people will not know if they have the disease. Considering the global fundamental problem of aging as a medical and social problem of national importance, it is necessary to make every effort to improve the effectiveness of prevention and pathogenetically-based regenerative therapy of POAG - the world's leading cause of irreversible loss of vision that by saving labor activity of the elderly person will reduce the burden on the state budget. The publication purpose - to consider the main theories of an etiopathogenesis of POAG in close interrelation.

The aim of the research was to investigate the general somatic status and to investigate the influence of dominating part of vegetative nervous system, following the different types of senile cataract formation in human. Thus, the domination а sympathetic nervous system and correlated systemic dystrophic changes of the tissues in patients with cortical cataract have been found for the first time. Moreover, patients with nuclear cataract had the domination of parasympathetic nervous system and another character of dystrophic changes. Therefore, the type of a forming age-related cataract can be offered as an available clinical marker of character of neurodystrophic process occurring in an organism.

The data on inhibition of the growth of microorganisms of a characteristic spectrum and antibiotic resistance isolated from long-term healing wounds by light of various wave ranges are presented. The growing cultures on blood agar were exposed to polarized light, red and infrared, ultraviolet of medium- and short-wave continuous modes accustomed in physiotherapy of wounds.The effect of light in some way induced inhibition of the growth, but complete recovery was stated only after the use of ultraviolet light when confirmed quantitatively in terms of the CFU.

Using immunohistochemical methods, the immune reactivity of human lens epithelium and fibers to NSE, S-100 protein, Vim, alpha-SMA and EMA was studied in 10 normal persons and in 25 patients with its age-related cortical and secondary cataract. It was demonstrated that in age-related cortical and secondary cataract lens epithelium and fibers became more reactive to antibodies against NSE, S-100 protein and Vim, but showed no immunopositivity to alpha-SMA and EMA. Thus, the data obtained suggest some common pathogenetic mechanisms of age-related cortical and secondary cataract development with the formation of Adamyuk-Elschnig pearls.

A new method for the demonstration of the lens epithelial cells and fibers in the eye of the experimental animals (rats) is described. The method proposed is not laborious and is simple in utilization. It is based on the intravital administration of methylene blue solution to the animal with the subsequent supravital crystalline lens staining at 37 degreesC. The material was then embedded into paraffin, and the sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The sections obtained using the proposed method, give an opportunity for the detailed demonstration of the morphological features of the lens cells.

Luminescence microscopy of cryostat sections of lenses and spectrofluorometry were used to study the lens in health and in different types of human age-related cataract. The cortical type of age-related cataract occurs with the considerably increased concentrations of histamine, catecholamines and serotonin. Examination of the bioamine profile of age-related nuclear cataract revealed a significant increase in the level of serotonin and a moderate rise in the concentration of catecholamines. At the same time, the values of histamine did not practically differ from those in the intact lens. Thus, principal differences were found in the bioamine provision of the development of age-related cortical and nuclear cataract, suggesting that it is necessary to elaborate a differential approach to studying the pathogenetic mechanisms and treatments for human age-related cataract depending on its specific type.

The aim of the present work was to perform a comparative immunohistochemical study of the ocular lens in normal conditions and after formation of various type of age-related cataract in humans. The control group consisted of lenses from young men dying from accidents and serving as corneal donors (n = 10, not more than one hour after death). Lenses from patients (aged 60-70 years) undergoing surgery for cortical (n = 20) and nuclear (n = 20) cataracts were studied. The investigations demonstrated plasticity in the phenotype of lens cells in age-related cataract. Changes in the phenotype of lens cells were found to depend on the type of age-related cataract. Development of the cortical variant of age-related cataract was associated with positive reactions with monoclonal antibodies to neuron-specific enolase, S-100 protein, and vimentin only within the lens cortex. Formation of age-related nuclear cataract was associated with positive reactions with antibodies to alpha-smooth muscle actin and pancytokeratin, which were detected only in the lens nucleus. This provides evidence of the need to develop a differential approach to the treatment of different types of age-related cataract.

The objective of this investigation was a comparative immunohistochemical study of the crystalline eye lens under normal conditions and in different types of age-associated cataract in man. Control group included the lenses of young men, who died in the accidents and served as lens donors (n = 10, material collected within 1 hr since death). The lens was taken from the patients (age: 60-70 years) during the operation on the occasion of cortical (n = 20) and nuclear (n = 20) cataract. The study has demonstrated phenotype plasticity of lens cells in different types of age-associated cataract. The changes of cell phenotype were shown to depend on cataract type. During the development of cortical age-associated cataract, positive reaction with the monoclonal antibodies against neuron-specific enolase, S-100 protein and vimentin was detected only within the lens cortex. During the formation of nuclear age-associated cataract, positive reaction with the antibodies against alpha-smooth muscle actin, pancytokeratin was found only within the lens nucleus. These data suggest that the differentiated approach to the treatment of different types of age-associated cataract should be worked out.

This study was undertaken to detect and study the distribution, localization, and morphological features of the histamine-positive structures of the lens in intact animals. The paper presents a detailed account of fluorescent and morphological differences between the nuclei of different portions of the lens.

The objective of this study was to analyze the distribution, localization and morphological features of lens histamine-containing structures. Studies were performed using the lenses of 37 intact outbred male rats sacrificed at the same time of the day. The methods of light and luminescent microscopy and cytospectofluorometry were applied to obtain the quantitative characteristics and detailed morphological description of histamine-containing structures in the different parts of lens. It was shown that all the epithelial cells and cells-fibers of the lens contain histamine. Depending upon the degree of condensation of nuclear chromatin and their histamine content, the nuclei of lens cells could be subdivided into two types: type A nuclei with high histamine content and high degree of chromatin condensation; type B nuclei with low histamine concentration and slight chromatin condensation.

The purpose of the present study was to determine, using the methods of light, fluorescence microscopy and cytospectrofluorometry, the morpho-functional changes in histaminergic structures of the lens as influenced by extrinsic chemical irritation of the eye (exposure to ether vapors). The experiments were conducted on 74 outbred male albino rats. Extremely fast simultaneous changes (demonstrated in all lens structures already 3 minutes after an irritation) were found in histamine content of the lens cells. According to the results of luminescence analysis, maximal increase in histamine content (by 53.3%) took place in the area of lens nucleus. In the cytoplasm of lens epitheliocytes, histamine content was increased by 22%, while in the cytoplasm of equatorial epithelial cells it was increased by 36.1%, and in the nuclei of central epithelial cells--by 26.4%. The data obtained suggests an existence of diffuse neurotransmission in the lens, that is not associated with neurons.

500 patients with chronic tonsillitis (450 patients with toxicoallergic form I and 50 patients with toxico-allergic form II according to Palchun and Preobrazhensky) have been exposed to low-frequency ultrasound. Content of the tonsillar lacunae was extracted under vacuum, the lacunae were washed with antiseptic under the effect of ultrasound followed by introduction of the drugs into the tonsillar tissue (phonophoresis). The above method proved effective: 64% responded immediately, 56% of the patients sustained the effect at follow-up. Low-frequency ultrasound treatment should be supported with therapeutic measures to prevent development of autoimmune processes capable of provoking systemic complications. For patients who failed 3-4 courses of the ultrasound treatment surgery is indicated. Contraindications concern subjects suffering from toxico-allergic form II of chronic tonsillitis.