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The extracellular vesicles (EVs) in a tumoral microenvironment can exert different functions by transferring their content, which has been poorly described in cervical cancer. Here, we tried to clarify the proteomic content of these EVs, comparing those derived from cancerous HPV (+) keratinocytes (HeLa) versus those derived from normal HPV (-) keratinocytes (HaCaT). We performed a quantitative proteomic analysis, using LC-MS/MS, of the EVs from HeLa and HaCaT cell lines. The up- and downregulated proteins in the EVs from the HeLa cell line were established, along with the cellular component, molecular function, biological processes, and signaling pathways in which they participate. The biological processes with the highest number of upregulated proteins are cell adhesion, proteolysis, lipid metabolic process, and immune system processes. Interestingly, three of the top five signaling pathways with more up- and downregulated proteins are part of the immune response. Due to their content, we can infer that EVs can have a significant role in migration, invasion, metastasis, and the activation or suppression of immune system cells in cancer.

Purpose: To identify the causes of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) in a cohort of families without mutations in known adRP genes and consequently to characterize a novel dominant-acting missense mutation in SAG., Methods: Patients underwent ophthalmologic testing and were screened for mutations using targeted-capture and whole-exome next-generation sequencing. Confirmation and additional screening were done by Sanger sequencing. Haplotypes segregating with the mutation were determined using short tandem repeat and single nucleotide variant polymorphisms. Genealogies were established by interviews of family members., Results: Eight families in a cohort of 300 adRP families, and four additional families, were found to have a novel heterozygous mutation in the SAG gene, c.440G>T; p.Cys147Phe. Patients exhibited symptoms of retinitis pigmentosa and none showed symptoms characteristic of Oguchi disease. All families are of Hispanic descent and most were ascertained in Texas or California. A single haplotype including the SAG mutation was identified in all families. The mutation dramatically alters a conserved amino acid, is extremely rare in global databases, and was not found in 4000+ exomes from Hispanic controls. Molecular modeling based on the crystal structure of bovine arrestin-1 predicts protein misfolding/instability., Conclusions: This is the first dominant-acting mutation identified in SAG, a founder mutation possibly originating in Mexico several centuries ago. The phenotype is clearly adRP and is distinct from the previously reported phenotypes of recessive null mutations, that is, Oguchi disease and recessive RP. The mutation accounts for 3% of the 300 families in the adRP Cohort and 36% of Hispanic families in this cohort.

Importance: Screening for splice site mutation c.828+3A>T in the peripherin 2 (PRPH2) gene should be a high priority in families with highly variable retinal dystrophies. The correction of missplicing is a potential therapeutic target., Objective: To determine the prevalence, genetic origin, and molecular mechanism of a donor c.828+3A>T mutation in the PRPH2 (peripherin 2, retinal degeneration slow) gene in individuals with retinal dystrophies., Design, Setting, and Participants: Case-control study that took place at the University of Texas Health Science Center, the University of Iowa, and the Retina Foundation of the Southwest, from January 1, 1987, to August 1, 2014, including affected individuals from 200 families with a diagnosis of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa, 35 families with unspecified macular dystrophies, and 116 families with pattern dystrophy. Participants were screened for the c.828+3A>T mutation by restriction-enzyme digest, single-strand conformational polymorphism screening, or bidirectional sequencing. Haplotypes of polymorphic markers flanking the PRPH2 locus and sequence variants within the gene were determined by denaturing gel electrophoresis or automated capillary-based cycle sequencing. The effect of the splice site mutation on the PRPH2 transcript was analyzed using NetGene2, a splice prediction program and by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction of illegitimate transcripts from peripheral white blood cells., Main Outcomes and Measures: Results of testing for splice site mutation, haplotypes, and alternate transcripts., Results: The PRPH2 mutation was found in 97 individuals of 19 independently ascertained families with a clinical diagnosis of retinitis pigmentosa, macular dystrophy, and/or pattern dystrophy. All affected individuals also shared a rare haplotype of approximately 644 kilobase pairs containing the c.828+3A>T mutation, which extends from the short tandem repeat polymorphism D6S282 to c.1013G>A (rs434102, a single-nucleotide polymorphism) in exon 3 of PRPH2, suggesting this mutation is from a common ancestor and is a founder mutation. It has a prevalence of 2% in families diagnosed as having autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa and 10% in families with variable clinical diagnosis of pattern, macular, and retinal dystrophies. Individuals with the c.828+3A>T mutation expressed a PRPH2 transcript not found in control participants and that was consistent with abnormal splicing., Conclusions and Relevance: The PRPH2 c.828+3A>T splice site mutation is a frequent cause of inherited retinal dystrophies and is owing to the founder effect. The likely cause of disease is the missplicing of the PRPH2 message that results in a truncated protein product. Identifying the genetic etiology assists in more accurate management and possible future therapeutic options.

The aim of this present study was to investigate the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in aqueous solution under the influence of ultrasound irradiation. An ultrasonic reactor was used to investigate the effect of different operational parameters such as dye initial concentration, ultrasound power, pH and electrical conductivity. The results showed an increase in decolourization rate with decreasing pH, but colour removal efficiency decreased with increasing initial dye concentration. It was found that an optimum electrical conductivity of the solution exists on enhancing the degree of RhB degradation. Sonolytic degradation data from the present and other works in the literature were analysed by Langmuir-type kinetics. The apparent reaction rate constant was strongly influenced by both irradiation power density and frequency, and based on the experimental data a mathematical correlation between them was obtained.

Purpose: To survey families with clinical evidence of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) for mutations in genes known to cause adRP., Methods: Two hundred adRP families, drawn from a cohort of more than 400 potential families, were selected by analysis of pedigrees. Minimum criteria for inclusion in the adRP cohort included either evidence of at least three generations of affected individuals or two generations with evidence of male-to-male transmission. Probands from each family were screened for mutations in 13 genes known to cause adRP: CA4, CRX, FSCN2, IMPDH1, NRL, PRPF3 (RP18), PRPF8 (RP13), PRPF31 (RP11), RDS, RHO, ROM1, RP1, and RP9. Families without mutations in autosomal genes and in which an X-linked mode of inheritance could not be excluded were tested for mutations in ORF 15 of X-linked RPGR. Potentially pathogenic variants were evaluated based on a variety of genetic and computational criteria, to confirm or exclude pathogenicity., Results: A total of 82 distinct, rare (nonpolymorphic) variants were detected among the genes tested. Of these, 57 are clearly pathogenic based on multiple criteria, 10 are probably pathogenic, and 15 are probably benign. In the cohort of 200 families, 94 (47%) have one of the clearly pathogenic variants and 10 (5%) have one of the probably pathogenic variants. One family (0.5%) has digenic RDS-ROM1 mutations. Two families (1%) have a pathogenic RPGR mutation, indicating that families with apparent autosomal transmission of RP may actually have X-linked genetic disease. Thus, 107 families (53.5%) have mutations in known genes, leaving 93 whose underlying cause is still unknown., Conclusions: Together, the known adRP genes account for retinal disease in approximately half of the families in this survey, mostly Americans of European origin. Among the adRP genes, IMPDH1, PRPF8, PRPF31, RDS, RHO, and RP1 each accounts for more than 2% of the total; CRX, PRPF3, and RPGR each accounts for roughly 1%. Disease-causing mutations were not found in CA4, FSCN2, NRL, or RP9. Because some mutations are frequent and some regions are more likely to harbor mutations than others, more than two thirds of the detected mutations can be found by screening less than 10% of the total gene sequences. Among the remaining families, mutations may lie in regions of known genes that were not tested, mutations may not be detectable by PCR-based sequencing, or other loci may be involved.

Objective: To assess the effect of age and pupillary dilation on aqueous flare., Methods: In this study, 100 eyes of 100 patients ranging in ages from 23 to 84 years were examined. Anterior chamber flare was measured before and after pupillary dilation using the Kowa laser flare meter (FM-500). Predilation and postdilation flare counts were compared by paired t-test. Stepwise regression analysis was then used to determine the effect of demographic variables on pre- and postdilation flare as well as the difference between pre-and postdilation flare counts., Results: The predilation and postdilation flare counts correlated with age (P < 0.0001 for both pre-and postdilation flare counts). Correlation coefficient between age and flare measurements was R2 = 0.58 predilation and 0.63 postdilation. Flare intensity significantly decreased after pupillary dilation (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Anterior chamber flare increases with age. It might be related to blood-aqueous barrier instability. Pupillary dilation significantly decreases flare counts suggesting that aqueous protein concentration is dependent on aqueous flow rates.

Inherited retinopathies are a genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous group of diseases affecting approximately one in 2000 individuals worldwide. For the past 10 years, the Laboratory for Molecular Diagnosis of Inherited Eye Diseases (LMDIED) at the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center has screened subjects ascertained in the United States and Canada for mutations in genes causing dominant and recessive autosomal retinopathies. A combination of single strand conformational analysis (SSCA) and direct sequencing of five genes (rhodopsin, peripherin/RDS, RP1, CRX, and AIPL1) identified the disease-causing mutation in approximately one-third of subjects with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) or with autosomal dominant cone-rod dystrophy (adCORD). In addition, the causative mutation was identified in 15% of subjects with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). Overall, we report identification of the causative mutation in 105 of 506 (21%) of unrelated subjects (probands) tested; we report five previously unreported mutations in rhodopsin, two in peripherin/RDS, and one previously unreported mutation in the cone-rod homeobox gene, CRX. Based on this large survey, the prevalence of disease-causing mutations in each of these genes within specific disease categories is estimated. These data are useful in estimating the frequency of specific mutations and in selecting individuals and families for mutation-specific studies., (Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of 30 minute preoperative versus 1 day postoperative administration of ketorolac tromethamine 0.5% ophthalmic solution (Acular) in reducing anterior chamber inflammation after cataract surgery., Setting: The Hermann Eye Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston, Texas, USA., Methods: Fifty eyes of 48 consecutive patients scheduled for phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation were included. Before surgery, patients were randomly assigned to start the study drug 30 minutes preoperatively or 1 day postoperatively. No other antiinflammatory agents were used intraoperatively or postoperatively. Main outcome measures were flare and cell counts., Results: Preoperative and postoperative flare and cell counts did not differ significantly between the 2 treatment groups at any time. Both groups showed significant increases in flare (P =.0001) and cells (P =.0001) 1 day postoperatively. Flare and cells returned to baseline levels by day 28 in both groups. There was no significant difference at any time between the 2 groups in the change from the preoperative level of inflammation., Conclusions: There was no difference between administering ketorolac 30 minutes preoperatively versus 1 day postoperatively in reducing inflammation.

Purpose: Cataract surgery is one of the most successful procedures in medicine, and outcome is typically measured by a single factor - improvement in visual acuity. Health-related functional outcome testing, which quantifies the patient's self-reported perception of impairment, can be integrated with objective clinical findings. Based on the patient's self-assessed lifestyle impairment, the physician and patient together can make an informed decision on the treatment that is most likely to benefit the patient., Method: A functional outcome test (the Houston Vision Assessment Test - HVAT, copyrighted 1990, 1992) was evaluated in a cataract population of 149 patients from seven study centers. Test results were correlated with objective ophthalmic endpoints. The HVAT divides an estimated total impairment into subcomponents of Visual Impairment (correctable by cataract surgery) and non-visual Physical Impairments (co-morbidities not affected by cataract surgery)., Results: In this prospective study, the average Visual Impairment score improved by 19 points (65%) following cataract extraction (the mean HVAT Visual Impairment score was 29 points before surgery and 10 points at 5 months post-surgery, a change of 65%). Physical Impairment remained unchanged by surgery. Visual acuity was a poor predictor of Visual Impairment., Conclusions: The HVAT has 11 simple questions. It may be self-administered and is available on the Internet: http://www.DHAC.com. The physician may err if his decision in favor of cataract surgery is based only on visual acuity. The HVAT has the potential to guide the decision-making process between patient and physician.

Purpose: To determine whether a consensual inflammatory response occurs following unilateral phacoemulsification or trabeculectomy in humans., Methods: Sixty patients undergoing phacoemulsification or primary trabeculectomy were included in the study. Some patients were randomly assigned to have a shield placed on the non-operated eye during surgery. The Kowa laser flare meter (FM-500) and laser cell counter (LC-500) (Kowa Electronics and Optics, Tokyo, Japan) were used to assess the inflammatory response in both eyes. Measurements were taken preoperatively and on postoperative days 1, 7 and 28. The regression analysis with random model effect was used to identify factors which may affect the change of flare and cells in the non-operated eye after surgery. Correlation was evaluated between the inflammatory responses of the paired eyes. A P<0.05 was considered statistically significant for all analyses., Results: The flare and cells in the non-operated eye showed a small, but significant, increase on day 1 (mean flare increased 2.68 photons/ms from preoperative level with P<0.001 and mean cells increased 2.49 cells/0.5 mm3 from preoperative level with P<0.0001). At day 7 the amount of inflammation was still elevated (mean flare increased 0.41 photons/ms from preoperative level with P<0.001 and mean cells increased 0.63 cells/0.5 mm3 from preoperative level with P<0.001). By day 28, the amount of inflammation in the nonoperated eyes returned to preoperative levels., Conclusions: Subclinical inflammation occurs in the non-operated eye following phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy. The etiology of this finding has yet to be elucidated.

Purpose: To report a case of Lyme disease that presented with a single nummular unilateral interstitial keratitis., Methods: Case report and review of the literature., Results: A 57-year-old black man who had contact with freshly killed deer had a chief complaint of foreign-body sensation in his right eye (OD) that had been diagnosed and treated for herpes simplex stromal keratitis. The patient underwent a systemic workup for interstitial keratitis. All results including RPR and MHA-TP were negative except for Lyme antibody titer (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) 178 U/ml (normal, <159 U/ml)., Conclusion: Interstitial keratitis from Lyme disease has been regarded as a bilateral disease in the literature. We present this infrequent ocular manifestation of Lyme disease as a rare single nummular unilateral presentation.

Background and Objective: To compare the efficacy of ketorolac tromethamine 0.5%, diclofenac sodium 0.1%, and prednisolone acetate 1% in reducing flare and cells following cataract surgery., Patients and Methods: Fifty-eight patients undergoing phacoemulsification with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation were randomly selected to receive either ketorolac tromethamine 0.5%, diclofenac sodium 0.1%, or prednisolone acetate 1% following surgery. The treatment regimen was 1 drop 4 times a day for 1 week, then twice a day for the next 3 weeks. Flare, cells, and intraocular pressures (IOPs) were measured preoperatively and on postoperative days 1, 7, and 28., Results: No statistically significant differences in either actual flare or cell counts or in change in flare or cell counts from baseline were detected among the three groups. No statistically significant differences in IOP or in change of IOP from preoperative measurements were detected. No medication-related complications were noted at any time., Conclusion: Ketorolac tromethamine 0.5% and diclofenac sodium 0.1% may be as effective and as safe as prednisolone acetate 1% in controlling inflammation following cataract extraction.

Background and Objectives: To determine the interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility of the laser flare meter and laser cell counter in assessing anterior chamber inflammation following cataract surgery., Patients and Methods: Thirty-nine eyes with varied degrees of inflammation and 9 normal eyes were included in the study. Anterior chamber flare and cells were evaluated with the slit lamp and graded on a scale of 0 to 4+. The flare and cells were then measured three times each using the flare meter and cell counter by two different, experienced observers. The intraobserver reproducibilities were computed to evaluate repeatability of the instruments operated by the same observer. The first measurement taken by each observer was used to assess reproducibility between the two observers., Results: The intraobserver reproducibility for overall flare was 0.995 for both observers. The intraobserver reproducibility for overall cells was 0.996 for observer 1 and 0.991 for observer 2. The overall interobserver reproducibility was 0.994 for flare and 0.988 for cells. The correlation between measurements and slit-lamp ratings was 0.78 for flare and 0.56 for cells., Conclusions: The intraobserver and interobserver reproducibilities were excellent, with good correlation to slit-lamp measurements. Reproducible results can be obtained using the laser flare meter and the laser cell counter. It is not known whether these results are applicable to other inflammatory processes with higher grades of flare and cells and with different protein and cell types.

We examined a 73-year-old woman with bilateral malignant melanoma of the choroid associated with multiple nonocular malignancies. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy was performed in the left eye to provide a tissue diagnosis. Cytologic examination of the lesion in the left eye confirmed the diagnosis of primary malignant choroidal melanoma. This case demonstrates that bilateral malignant melanoma of the choroid occurs more frequently than expected, and may be associated with nonocular malignancies.

The retinopathy caused by antimalarials is well known. The differences between antimalarials and daily and cumulative doses are important factors in predicting the development of retinopathy. None of the commonly used tests alone are satisfactory for detecting early retinal changes. We recommend baseline color fundus photographs and automated central visual fields to follow these patients every nine to 12 months. Between these examinations, Amsler grid testing is adequate for screening for early defects.

Thirty-nine eyes with clinical cystoid macular edema (CME) following extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation were reviewed retrospectively. Chronic CME, defined as clinically symptomatic CME persisting more than 6 months, developed in 14 of the 39 eyes (36%): in 5 of the 7 (71%) eyes in which vitreous loss occurred and anterior chamber IOLs were implanted; and in 9 of 32 (28%) eyes in which no complications occurred and posterior chamber IOLs were implanted. The mean duration between diagnosis and last follow-up visit was 34 months. Only 4 of the 14 eyes (29%) with chronic CME achieved a visual acuity better than 20/40. Vitreous loss did not affect long-term visual prognosis.

We reviewed the records of 2,100 consecutive eyes that had undergone extracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation between January 1981 and December 1989. Of these eyes, 21 had inactive and four had active proliferative diabetic retinopathy at the time of cataract extraction. Twenty-one eyes with inactive proliferative diabetic retinopathy received extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation, and four eyes with active proliferative diabetic retinopathy had both extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation and pars plana vitrectomy with endophotocoagulation. The mean follow-up period was 27 months. Final visual acuity was 20/40 or better in 12 of 25 eyes (48%). Of 25 eyes, five (20%) showed progression of the retinopathy after the operation, and two (8%) developed macular edema. Extracapsular cataract extraction and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation was well tolerated in most eyes.

We reviewed the records of 28 patients who had undergone successful scleral buckling surgery followed by extracapsular cataract extraction with implantation of an intraocular lens. Posterior chamber intraocular lenses were inserted in 27 eyes, and anterior chamber intraocular lenses were inserted in two eyes with posterior capsule rupture at the time of surgery. The mean follow-up period was 44 months. Final visual acuity was 20/40 or better in 15 of 29 eyes (52%). One eye (3.4%) developed a recurrent retinal detachment 15 months after cataract surgery. Two eyes (6.9%) developed angiographically proven cystoid macular edema. The outcome for extracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation in eyes that had previously undergone successful scleral buckling for retinal detachment is favorable.

We reviewed the intraocular lens power calculations on 512 posterior chamber lens implantations and determined four ways to reduce the estimated 5% incidence of large postoperative refractive "surprises" (greater than 2 diopters [D]): First, preoperatively identify those patients who have greater than a 1-D difference between the theoretical and linear regression formulas. Second, repeat axial length and corneal power measurements in these patients to eliminate random error. Third, develop an individualized theoretical formula that accounts for constant bias. Fourth, encourage manufacturers to improve instrumentation for measuring corneal power and axial length. We also examined the disparity between the linear regression formula and the curvilinear theoretical formula.

We compared the effect of carbachol and acetylcholine on intraocular pressure 24 hours after extracapsular cataract extraction. All agents were administered intracamerally at the time of surgery. Sixty patients scheduled for routine extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation were randomly assigned into one of three treatment groups: (1) carbachol, (2) acetylcholine, or (3) 0.5% balanced salt solution (placebo). Baseline intraocular pressures were determined the day before surgery, and postoperative pressures were measured approximately 24 hours after surgery. The group intraocular pressures averaged over preoperative and postoperative values were 21.06 mm Hg in the acetylcholine group, 19.36 mm Hg in the control group, and 17.30 mm Hg in the carbachol group. The average difference between preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressure measurements for the three groups were 7.33 mm Hg for the acetylcholine group, 8.73 mm Hg for the control group, and 2.20 mm Hg for the carbachol group. Only carbachol was significantly different from placebo on statistical subsequent testing. Carbachol is suggested as the agent of choice both for achieving intrasurgical miosis and prophylaxis of increasing intraocular pressure after cataract surgery.

Pterygia often induce with-the-rule astigmatism as they invade the cornea. Significant amounts of astigmatism occur long before a pterygium encroaches on the visual axis. We present an example in which a 3.3-mm pterygium resulted in 9 diopters (D) of with-the-rule astigmatism. Six weeks after the pterygium removal, the patient's cornea became spherical, but by three months the pterygium had recurred 2.2 mm onto the cornea and induced 4 D of with-the-rule astigmatism. Since the second removal and the application of beta irradiation, there has been no recurrence. The final correction was -1.00 + 1.00 X 127 degrees with a visual acuity of 20/20 +3. Characteristic keratoscopic photographs are shown and contrasted with surgically induced with-the-rule astigmatism.

Massive serous choroidal effusion may occur as an expulsive complication of intraocular surgery. The pathophysiology of expulsive hemorrhage involves rupture of the short posterior ciliary arteries, while that of effusion involves massive exudation through the walls of the choroidal vessels. Many of the predisposing factors may be shared including atherosclerosis, hypertension, and sudden surgical decompression. The treatment of both entities is the same--swift closure of the wound, drainage of suprachoriodal blood or effusion through a posterior sclerotomy site, and injection of a physiologic solution into the anterior chamber to tamponade the leaking vessels and restore normal intraocular anatomic relationships. The visual prognosis following expulsive choroidal effusion is much more favorable than that of expulsive hemorrhage.

A three-part system that determines the correct power for an intraocular lens (IOL) to achieve a desired postoperative refraction is presented. The three components are (1) data screening criteria to identify improbable axial length and keratometry measurements, (2) a new IOL calculation formula that exceeds the current accuracy of other formulas for short, medium, and long eyes, and (3) a personalized "surgeon factor" that adjusts for any consistent bias in the surgeon's results, from any source, based on a reverse solution of the new formula; the reverse solution uses the postoperative stabilized refraction, the dioptric power of the implanted IOL, and the preoperative corneal and axial length measurements to calculate the personalized surgeon factor. The improved accuracy of the new formula was proven by performing IOL power calculations on 2,000 eyes from 12 surgeons and comparing the results to seven other currently used formulas.

The effects of neurolept and enflurane anesthesia on intraocular pressure (IOP) were studied in 20 patients undergoing elective ophthalmic surgery. Ten received neurolept and ten enflurane anesthesia. Continuous EEG tracings recorded the level of anesthesia. IOP was measured before and at intervals during anesthesia at varying concentrations of enflurane and incremental doses of fentanyl. During level I neurolept anesthesia IOP increased from control values of 18.10 +/- 0.93 mm Hg (mean +/- SEM) to 19.50 +/- 1.65 mm Hg, but decreased to 14.55 +/- 0.84 mm Hg during level II and to 12.29 +/- 1.13 mm Hg during level III anesthesia. During enflurane anesthesia IOP decreased from control values of 19.00 +/- 1.44 mm Hg (mean +/- SEM) to 14.50 +/- 1.60 mm Hg during level, I, 14.10 +/- 1.04 mm Hg during level II, and 11.60 +/- 1.46 mm Hg during level III anesthesia. The increase in IOP during neurolept level I anesthesia was not statistically significant but the decreases in IOP from control values during levels II and III anesthesia were statistically significant. Decreases in IOP from control values were statistically significant at all levels of enflurance anesthesia. There was, however, no statistical significance between the differences in IOP values during levels II and III neurolept anesthesia, nor between levels I, II, and III enflurane anesthesia. The differences in the mean IOP values between neurolept and enflurane anesthesia were statistically significant only during EEG level I anesthesia.

We measured the change in intraocular pressure prospectively after extracapsular cataract extraction in 80 eyes after treatment with either pilocarpine gel, pilocarpine 4% solution, timolol 0.5% solution, or placebo. Intraocular pressure, pupil size, and anterior chamber cellular reaction were measured in a masked fashion on the first day after surgery. A significant increase in intraocular pressure was found in all groups postoperatively when compared with baseline values (P less than .001). Eyes treated with pilocarpine gel had an average intraocular pressure increase of 4.2 +/- 2.1 mm Hg (mean +/- 1 S.E.), eyes treated with pilocarpine 4% eyedrops had an average increase of 9.8 +/- 2.8 mm Hg, and eyes treated with timolol demonstrated an intraocular pressure increase of 8.25 +/- 3.19. The intraocular pressure in untreated eyes (controls) increased by an average of 12.9 +/- 2.7 mm Hg. Only the difference in intraocular pressure change between the eyes treated with pilocarpine gel and control eyes was statistically significant (P = .025). Postsurgical intraocular pressure exceeding 25 mm Hg was observed in three of 20 pilocarpine gel treated eyes (15%) and 11 of 20 control eyes (55%). Pilocarpine treatment was not associated with noticeable changes in intraocular inflammatory response, nor were significant ocular or systemic adverse reactions observed. A single administration of pilocarpine gel is effective in reducing increased intraocular pressure for the first 24 hours after extracapsular cataract extraction.

Seventy-five patients under 40 years of age with no history of ocular, cardiovascular, or cerebrovascular disease were examined with four commonly used ophthalmodynamometers. There was a significant difference in the absolute values measured with each instrument and the ophthalmic to brachial artery pressure ratio. The standard deviations were comparable between 8.1 and 10.2%. The absolute value of the average percent difference between the right and the left eye ranged from 3.6% with the Galin unit to 6.7% with the Sisler unit. Limits of +/- 15% for ophthalmic artery to brachial artery pressure ratio and 10% for right to left pressure difference should be used for 95% confidence levels. There was a small but definite correlation between the ocular coefficient of rigidity and pressure differences between direct and indirect instruments.

Radioactive phosphorus uptake (32P) testing was performed on implanted uveal melanomas in the rabbit to determine how the percentage uptake value was affected by the dose of 32P and by the interval of time between 32P administration and 32P counting. There was no difference in percentage uptake comparing doses of 50, 100, and 200 muCi/kg, but these were relatively high doses. There was no difference in the mean percentage uptake value at two, five, or nine days after 32P administration. The range of percentage uptake values widened with successive days.

Three cases of acute retinal necrosis are presented. Acute retinal necrosis is an unusual syndrome which is the result of severe contusion to the globe. It is characterized by large irregular retinal holes with pieces of necrotic retina in the adjacent vitreous, retinal edema and hemorrhage surrounding the holes, underlying choroidal disruption, and vitreous hemorrhage. The incidence of acute retinal necrosis is difficult to determine but it does not appear to be common entity. Although acute retinal necrosis may be associated with a retinal detachment, other retinal breaks are usually responsible for the detachment. The necrosis results from the direct force of the injury striking the globe although a contrecoup mechanism may explain cases of nasal necrosis. Treatment is necessary for associated retinal detachments and acute lesions but may not be necessary if adequate fibrosis is present when the lesion is first seen.

We studied eight cases of massive, spontaneous subretinal hemorrhage which was characterized by the sudden appearance of one or more large, dark, elevated hematomas under the retina. The initial location of the hemorrhage may have been in the choroid or under the pigment epithelium, or both, but further extravasation of the blood anteriorly frequently resulted in hemorrhage under the neurosensory retina and in the vitreous. Although the lesion can initially be mistaken for a melanoma, the diagnosis is confirmed by the formation of a typical, elevated scar in the involved area. Frequent fundus examinations are essential, and ultrasound, radioactive phosphorus uptake testing, and bilateral patching are helpful in establishing the diagnosis. The hemorrhage is usually the result of a ruptured vessel from a subretinal neovascular network or arterioclerotic degeneration and may be precipitated by the use of anticoagulants.

Physician distribution continues to be important in health manpower planning. In 1980 the GMENAC Committee reported uneven geographic distribution of physicians and uneven rates of use of health services in the United States. This study uses zip code sectional areas as the geographical units to describe the geographic distribution of ophthalmologists. Ophthalmologists to population ratio was calculated for each of 532 zip code sectional areas in the US. Results indicate considerable variation in availability of ophthalmologic services. However, this variation is not necessarily indicative of a serious maldistribution problem since there are regional differences in need and supply. This study found that less than 1% of the population did not have convenient access to an ophthalmologist. Resulting data should be helpful to both ophthalmologists considering relocating and residents seeking practice opportunities. Ratios should be used in conjunction with other demographic information available for the sectional areas.

The disparity between functional outdoor vision and the acuity measured in the standard refracting lane is well known among clinicians. A simple device, the brightness acuity tester (B.A.T.), was developed to predict a patient's functional outdoor acuity. The B.A.T. has an illuminated hemispheric bowl, 60 mm in diameter, with a 12-mm aperture. Fourteen normals and 50 patients with cataracts were tested using the B.A.T. and then tested outside in bright sunlight. The B.A.T. correlated extremely well (r = +0.84, P less than .0001) with the acuities measured outside. There was no decrease in visual acuity in the 14 normal patients, but there was a one to ten line decrease in vision among the cataract patients. Upon retesting, the B.A.T. scores did not vary, while outside testing scores did change due to variable outdoor ambient light levels on sunny days. The B.A.T. is a simple, repeatable, useful test for predicting functional outdoor acuity.

A 48-year-old black woman developed severe bilateral hypoxic proliferative retinopathy without other clinical manifestations. The hemoglobin level was 10.6 to 11.5 g/100 ml, reticulocyte level was 2.2%, targeted and sickled red blood cells were seen on blood smears, and hemoglobins S and C were demonstrated by electrophoresis. Glucose tolerance test was normal. The development of neovascular proliferation, vitreous hemorrhage, and retinal detachment unassociated with other clinical symptoms is unusual in sickle cell hemoglobin C disease.