Recurrence Rates of Conjunctival Autograft Transplantation With Aminiotic Membrane Transplantation in Primary Pterygium Surgery

PURPOSE: To compare postoperative recurrence rates between conjunctival autograft transplantation alone and conjunctival autograft transplantation with amniotic membrane transplantation in primary pterygium surgery. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of 66 eyes from 62 patients who underwent primary pterygium surgery from January 2001 to May 2009. Twenty three eyes underwent conjunctival autograft transplantation alone, 43 eyes underwent conjunctival autograft transplantation with amniotic membrane transplantation. RESULTS: Recurrence of pterygium was observed in 5 of 23 eyes that received conjunctival autograft transplantation alone. There were 2 cases of recurrence of 43 eyes that received conjunctival autograft transplantation and amniotic membrane transplantation. No major complications such as necrotizing scleritis, sclera ulcer, or corneal perforation were observed in either group after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that receiving both conjunctival autograft transplantation and amniotic membrane transplantation in pterygium surgery has a lower recurrence rate than conjunctival autograft transplantation alone.

The Assessment of Stereoacuity in Patients with Strabismus

PURPOSE: To analyze stereoacuity in patients with strabismus using various stereotests. METHODS: Stereoacuity was assessed in children who were diagnosed with intermittent exotropia or refractive accommodative esotropia using the Titmus stereotest, TNO stereotest, and the Lang II stereotest. Patients with amblyopia or previous ocular surgery were excluded. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients with intermittent exotropia and 36 patients with refractive accommodative esotropia were included; the mean age was 7.2 years. The mean stereoacuity in intermittent exotropia was 143.1+/-207.9 seconds of arc with the Titmus stereotest, 130.2+/-103.7 seconds of arc with the TNO stereotest, and 200.0+/-0.0 seconds of arc with the Lang II stereotest. The mean stereoacuity in refractive accommodative esotropia was 430.3+/-288.6 seconds of arc, 232.5+/-90.0 seconds of arc, and 230.0+/-97.9 seconds of arc, respectively. The absence of stereoacuity was more frequent in patients with refractive accommodative esotropia than in patients with intermittent exotropia, and both groups of patients showed the largest proportion of absent stereopsis with the TNO stereotest. No factor was significant for stereopsis in patients with intermittent exotropia and patients with refractive accommodative esotropia. CONCLUSIONS: Stereoacuity showed various seconds of arc according to the type of stereotest in the same patient. Patients with refractive accommodative esotropia showed lower stereoacuity in all stereotests than patients with intermittent exotropia. TNO stereotests are sensitive enough to detect the absence of stereopsis in patients with strabismus.

Factor Influencing Anatomical Failure of Simple Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment

PURPOSE: This study analyzes the factors influencing anatomical failure of the primary operation for simple rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. METHODS: The patients in this study were diagnosed with simple rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and operated on by a single physician. The success group comprised 251 eyes and the failure group comprised 29 eyes. The factors analyzed between the two groups were the type of primary procedure, the type of retinal defect; the numbers of retinal defects; the extent of retinal detachment; the duration of retinal detachment; the existence of peripheral degeneration; carrying out of subretinal fluid drainage; the type of tamponade material used and the position of retinal defects. RESULTS: The anatomical success rate of the primary operation for simple rhegmatogenous retinal detachment was 89.64%. Patient sex, the type of tamponade material used and the position of the retinal defect showed significant differences between the success and failure groups. There was a higher percentage of male patients in the failure group than in success group (p=0.034). Silicone oil used as the tamponade material resulted in a greater chance of failure than success (p=0.017). Analysis of the position of the retinal defect showed that, defects distributed in the inferior retina or through multiple area led to a greater likelihood of anatomical failure (p=0.036). CONCLUSIONS: Due ti the greater possibility of anatomical failure of the primary operation when retinal defects are distributed in the inferior retina or through multiple area, clinicians should consider intensive treatment for such cases.