The Effect of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor on the Vascularization of Porous Polyethylene Orbital Implant(Medpor(R))

PURPOSE: We investigated the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the vascularization rate of Medpor(R), a synthetic polyethylene orbital implant. METHODS: Medpor(R), pretreated or untreated with bFGF (25 ng/ml), was inserted into one eye of 18 New Zealand white rabbits and removed at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after implantation, and stained with hematoxylineosin and Masson's trichrome. Degree of vascularization was classified into zone 1 (or=4.6 mm ingrowth). RESULTS: One and two weeks after implantation, the percentage of the vascularization area were 56.25% and 68.75% in bFGF-untreated group, while those of bGFG-treated group were 75% and 80.56% respectively, but there were no statistical difference between bFGF-untreated and treated group. However, four weeks after implantation it was significantly higher in bFGF-treated group (84.38%) than in bFGFuntreated group (66.25%) (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: BFGF enhanced more and early fibrovascular ingrowth of Medpor(R).

A Case of Spontaneous Regression of Schnyder's Crystalline Corneal Dystrophy

Schnyder's crystalline corneal dystrophy is a hereditary disease of unknown etiology and characterized by bilateral subepithelial corneal opacity with diffuse crystalline deposits of cholesterol or other lipid. The authors experienced a case of Schnyder's crystalline corneal dystrophy whose corneal opacity of left eye regressed gradually without treatment. This 40-year-old man had undergone keratoplasty on the right eye and adiagnosis of Schnyder's crystalline corneal dystrophy was made histopatho-logically. In this report, the authors describe a case of regression of Schnyder's crystalline corneal dystrophy without treatment.

Comparison of Clinical Results between 0 Diopter Pseudophakia and Aphakia in High Myopia

We have evaluated the outcome of the high myopic patients who had been underwent cataract extraction with 0 diopter posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC IOL)implantation (15 eyes)and without PC IOL implantation (11 eyes), retrospectively.The average axial length was 31.1 mm and the average calculated diopter of PC IOL was +0.48 diopter.The preoperative corrected visual acuity (VA)had no statistically difference between the two groups.But the numbers of eyes that had postoperative corrected VA above 20/40 were 1 of 11 aphakic eyes and 7 of 15 pseudophakic eyes, and had significant difference (p<0.05).The after cataracts were found in 4 eyes of aphakic eyes and 1 eye of 0 diopter pseudophakic eyes.Among of them, 4 eyes of aphakic eyes underwent Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy and not revealed the retinal detachment.So we thought that PC IOL implantation after cataract extraction in high myopic eyes could improve the visualacuity, decrease the incidence of after cataract and retinal detachment.

Corneal Opacity after Repeated Photorefractive Keratectomy

To study the histopathologic effects and possible collagen fiber alterations in corneal opacification after repeated photorefractive keratectomy(PRK) in human. PRK had been performed five times for 2 and 2/3 years using excimer laser. One year and ten months after last PRK, partial penetrating keratoplasty was performed. The cornea was stained with PAS, Alcian blue, Masson`s trichrome, Congo red. Oil red. O and stained immunohistochemically for collagens type III, IV, VI, VII. It was observed under light microscope(LM) and transmission electron microscope(TEM). LM findings showed thickening of epithelial layers, proliferation of subepithelial fibroblasts and absence of Bowman`s membrane. By TEM, disarray of collagen lamellae and electron dense deposits to adjacent keratocyte were observed. Histochemically, positive staining in Alcian blue, while negative in others. In immunohistochemistry, positive staining for type IV and VI collagens were noted. Corneal opacity after repeated PRK is due to deposits of type IV and VI collagens and acidic mucoprotein in extracelluar matrix, which is positive in Alcian blue stain.