Incidence of Demodex Folliculorum in Chronic Blepharitis

Demodex is a common ectoparasite in human eyelash. However the occurrence rate and pathogencity are still controversial. The purpose of this study were to investigate the occurrence rate and classification of Demodex from eyelashes and its relationship with blepharitis. We selected 28 blepharitis patients and 132 patients without blepharitis(control group) who vistied St. Family's Hostital from March 1992 to July 1992. The following results were obtained. Demodex was observed in 17 out of 28 blepharitis patients(60.7%) and in 32 out of 132 control group(24.2%). This difference was stastically significant(p<0.05). In blepharitis patients. Demodex index was 19.6 and lash index was 12.2. In control group. Democlex index 7.4 and lash index 5.3.

Effect of Plasma Coagulation Factor XIII Deficiency on the Healing Following Trabeculectomy in Rabbits

Conjunctival fibroblastic proliferation with contracting scar formation has been implicated as a possible cause of glaucoma filtering surgery failure. The inhibitory effect of plasma coagulation factor XIII deficiency on the healing following trabeculectomy of the eyes in rabbits was studied. The plasma coagulation factor XIII deficiency was induced by two successive intravenous injections of anti-rabbit plasma coagulation factor XIII-goat immunoglobulin. Grossly, artificially prepared filtering bleb was well preserved on plasma coagulation factor XIII ddicient groups compared with control groups. Histologically. wound healing following trabeculectomy was delayed and the size of the scar was reduced on plasma coagulation factor XIII deficient groups compared with control groups. The above findings suggest that plasma coagulation factor XIII deficiency inhibit the healing precess following traheculectomy.

Normal Conjunctival Goblet Cell Density in Korean Measured by Impression Cytology

Conjunctival goblet cells are thought to be the main source of tear mucin, and it is believed that this mucin plays an important role on increasing the tear film stability and the wettability of the ocular surface. The measurement of the conjunctival goblet cell density is useful for the differential diagnosis among the various ocular surface diseases, and for the evaluation of the efficacy of the treatment. This method can be checked simply and rapidly, but the normal conjunctival goblet cell density in Korean has not been reported. We examined the goblet cell density in the 68 eyes (57 patients) of normal subjects using an impression cytological technique on the palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva. The results were as follows: 1. Normal goblet cell density was 1316.9 +/- 491.7 cells/mm2 in the inferior palpebral conjunctiva, 57.9 +/- 67.9 cells/mm2 in the superor bulbar conjunctiva. 2. There was no significant difference in goblet cell density according to sex and age ( p>0.05, t-test). 3. The goblet cell density was increased as a rise of break-up time(BUT), but was not correlated with BUT(r=0.24, 0.05). Also there was no correlation between the goblet cell density and Schirmer test value (r=-0.10, 0.09), (r=regression coefficient). It is suggested that the above findings would aid in the diagnosis of the dry eye syndrome and allow differential diagnosis among the various ocular surface diseases.