Results of early probing in cases of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction

To evaluate the efficacy of early intervention in cases of congenital NasoLacrimal Duct Obstruction [NLDO]. Also, to find the possibility of occurrence of additional side effects. The study involved thirty-three patients diagnosed as nasolacrimal duct obstruction of congenital origin between 2003 to 2005. These patients were submitted to early intervention by probing and irrigation under general anaesthesia between the age of 6 to 9 months. The success of the procedure was defined as complete resolution of signs and symptoms. The follow up period ranged from six to 18 months postoperatively. The success rate was 90.48%, out of thirty-three patients, thirty patients showed complete cure after first attempt of probing and did not need any further interference or additional treatment. No serious complications were noticed to occur in this age group. Probing is highly successful in the younger age group and proved to be a safe procedure. This encourages us to use probing as first line of treatment starting from six months of age in cases of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction

role of peripheral iridectomy in prevention of secondary glaucoma after paediatric cataract surgery

To evaluate the role of peripheral iridectomy [PI] alter irrigation/aspiration [I/A] and posterior chamber intraocular lens [PCIOL] implantation in paediatric cataract and its efficiency as a preventive measure against secondary glaucoma occurring post-operatively. The study was conducted as retrospective review for sixty four eyes of forty four patients operated for paediatric cataract at the Research Institute of Ophthalmology, Cairo, during the period from 2004-2006. All patients were selected as isolated congenital or traumatic cataract. After initial detailed evaluation including IOP measurement and surgery performancc, postoperative follow-up was done for a period of 1-3 years. Results retrieved during the early postoperative period [up to one month] showed significant difference of IOP rise in cases without PI rather than when PI was performed. The long-term follow-up showed that after one month from the surgery, there were no difference in the rate of occurrence of IOP rise between those who performed PI and those who did not. Peripheral iridectomy was found to be effective in prevention of early onset glaucoma, which is usually of the pupillary block type. In late onset glaucoma, peripheral iridectomy did not prove to be effective as the pathology of this type of glaucoma is usually of the open angle type

Retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer thickness in normal Egyptians by fourier domain optical coherence tomography

To determine retinal nerve fiber layer thickness [RNFLT] and ganglion cell layer thickness [GCLT] among different normal Egyptian age groups using the Fourier domain optical coherence tomography [Optovue RTVue 2006]. Eighty two eyes of 82 normal subjects [36 males and 46 females: age range: 20 to 78 years; mean: 47.29 +/- 14.54 years] who satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included. The subjects were defined as normal if they had best corrected visual acuity of 6/9 or better, intra-ocular pressure less than 22 mmhg with normal optic disc and no ocular abnormality. All patients underwent optical coherence tomography [OCT] imaging with the Opto-Vue RTVue 2006. The results were evaluated and compared to determine normal variations in nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer thickness among different age groups. Mean RNFLT was 110.27 +/- 7.54 micro m [range: 97 to 131 micro m] and mean GCLT was 100.59 +/- 4.47 micro m [range: 89 to 110 micro m] with no significant difference between males and females. Thickest NFL was found among the youngest group between 20 and 30 years old [115.43 +/- 11.41 micro m; range: 102 to 131 micro m] and thinnest in the over 60 years group [105.67 +/- 5.4 micro m; range: 98 to 118microm]. Regarding the ganglion cell layr thickness, the least was in the oldest age group above 60 [95.83 +/- 4.56 micro m; range: 89 to 103 micro m]. Younger age groups had very little difference in between. Mean RNFLT in the superior quadrant was 140.46 +/- 11.08 micro m [range: 112 to 168 micro m], nasal was 78.12 +/- 7.49 micro m [range: 60 to 93 micro m], inferior 137.61 +/- 12.3 micro m [range: 120 to 171 micro m] and temporal quadrant was 84.9 +/- 11.12 micro m [range: 65 to 120 micro m]. Our results provide normal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer thickness in normal Egyptians. RNFLT and GCLT decrease in old age