[Visual outcomes of femto-LASIK after peneterating keratoplasty]

To determine the outcomes of visual correction with femto-LASIK following PK. In this prospective study, 34 eyes of 31 patient who had undergone thin - flap lasik due to high efractive error after corneal grafting were evaluated .After complete ocular examination and assessment of uncorrected and corrected distant visual acuity [UCVA and BCVA], the patients underwent femto-lasik using the Ziemer femto-LDV with 100 micron flap thickness. After 3 to 19 [10.14 +/- 4.81] months of follow-up, mean UCVA increased from 1.5 Log MAR preoperatively [5/100] to 0.3 LogMAR [5/10] postoperatively [P<0.05]. Mean BCVA also increased from 0.3 LogMAR [5/10] to 0.1 LogMAR [8/10] [P<0.05]. Mean spherical equivalent changed from -6.98 +/- 3.87 to -2.18 +/- 2.69 and mean of defocus equivalent also decreased from 10.32 +/- 3.74 preoperatively to 4.13 +/- 2.93 postoperatively [P<0.05 for both]. No significant intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred. Femto-LASIK surgery after penetrating keratoplasty is a successful procedure for correction of moderate to high refractive errors. It seems to be clinically safe, effective and predictable

[Effect of nitrogen levels on qualitative traits and seed yield of fennel [foeniculum vulgare mill.] populations]

Environmental factors have obvious effect on the growth, yield and quality of effective materials of the medicinal plants, then it is necessary to study the factors effectiveness on the medicinal plants and specially the nutrition and fertilizer are important considerably. Fennel is one of the most important medicinal plants in Iran which is applied in pharmacy and cosmetics care industries very much. Study of effectiveness nitrogen levels on qualitative and seed yield in fennel. This investigation was carried out as splite plot design with three replications and N fertilizer and fennel population factors in spring 2008. Main factor included fertilization levels [0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg/ha N] and sub factor were fennel populations [Esfahan, Tehran, Yazd and 11486]. There was significant difference among populations for essential oil% content in seed, essential oil% in aerial parts, protein%, ash% and seed yield. The effect of different N levels was significant on the essential oil% content in seed, essential oil% in aerial parts, protein%, fiber% and seed yield. The highest seed yield was belonged to Esfahan and Tehran populations at 160 kg/ha N rate, the Maximum essential oil% was in seed obtained 40 kg/ha N rate application in 11486 population. Result showed that response of different populations of fennel to Nitrogen was different and also showed the genetic had important role

[Comparison of intraocular pressure measurement with the noncontact pulsair 3000 tonometer and goldmann applanation tonometer]

To compare intraocular pressure [IOP] measurement with Pulsair non-contact tonometer and Goldmann applanation tonometer [GAT]. In this cross-sectional study, during a complete ophthalmologic examination, each patient underwent Pulsair tonometry three times at 5 minutes intervals and then Goldmann tonometry at the same intervals. Mean IOP values were measured and analyzed. We evaluated 458 eyes of 250 patients [138 males and 112 female subjects]. Mean IOP was 19.45 +/- 9.04 mmHg with GAT and 20.11 +/- 8.42 mmHg with Pulsair [P=0.075]. Correlation coefficient between the two methods was 0.96 [P= 0.004] and the mean difference [Pulsair-GAT] was 0.65 +/- 1.52 [confidence interval 95%, +3.5 to -2.29]. With IOPs between 10-25mmHg, mean difference between the two methods was 0.49 +/- 1.23 [P= 0.32] mmHg, however it was -1.75 +/- 1.91 [P= 0.06] at IOPs over than 25 mm Hg. Pulsair tonometry has acceptable accuracy in comparison with GAT, especially in IOP ranging from 10 to 25 mmHg

[Effect of intravitreal triamcinolone [IVT] injection on visual acuity in patients with ischemic CRVO]

To determine the effect of intravitreal triamcinolone [IVT] injection on visual acuity in patients with ischemic central retinal occlusion [CRVO]. This randomized clinical trial was performed on patients with ischemic CRVO referred to the retina clinic at Feiz Hospital in 2007-2008. Inclusion criteria were: duration of CRVO less than one month, normal IOP, no sign of diabetic retinopathy or hypertensive retinopathy, no history of laser therapy and ocular surgery and vascular diseases. Patients were randomly allocated to two groups: intervention group [injection of 0.1cc IVT] and control group [no injection]. Follow up examinations for all patients were scheduled 1, 2, 3 and 6 months after injection. The results were analyzed by SPSS13 and t-test. Overall, 52 patients [22 male and 30 female] entered the study. Mean age was 60.5 +/- 9.7 [range: 30-80] years. Duration of signs was 21 +/- 5.5 days in the control group and 19 +/- 6 days in the IVT group [P= 0.66]. All patients had signs of ischemic CRVO. Mean baseline visual acuity was 1.75 +/- 0.20 logMAR in the IVT group and 1.91 +/- 0.08 logMAR in the control group [P= 0.1]. VA improvement in the IVT group was greater in comparison with the control group at one month [P= 0.019] however this difference was not significant at other follow-up examinations. In addition, the difference in IOP between before and after the injection was not significant [P= 0.802]. This study showed that in patients with CRVO, intravitreal injection of triamcinolone, has no significant long-term effect on visual acuity

[Stereoacuity after LASIK]

To evaluate the effect of laser in situ keratomileusis [LASIK] on stereoacuity [SA]. In this prospective study, 200 patients scheduled for LASIK were evaluated for SA preoperatively and one week and one and three months postoperatively by Random Dot test. Patients with preoperative SA worse than 480 sec/arc were excluded. Patients included 138 female [69%] and 62 male [31%] subjects. Spherical equivalent was between -0.5 and -12.0 D. Mean preoperative SA was 124.80 +/- 124.64 [range 480-15] sec/arc which deteriorated to 138.30 +/- 126.48 sec/arc one week after surgery [P= 0.158] and improved to 111.30 +/- 112.15 sec/arc [P=0.002] one month and 103.65+112.20 sec/arc [P=0.001] three months postoperatively. Patients with anisometropia had lower SA. Eventually, SA increased in 5 nonamblyopic anisometropic patients. Overall, stereoacuity decreased in 9.5%, increased in 32.5% and remained unchanged in 58% of patients [P=0.007]. Despite the overall improvement in mean SA after LASIK, a considerable number of patients experienced decreased SA. It seems that anisometropic patients without amblyopia have a higher chance for improvement in SA

Ferrara intrastromal corneal ring segments in keratoconus

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Ferrara intra-stromal corneal ring [FISCR] segments for keratoconus. The study was performed on 57 eyes of 44 patients with keratoconus and clear cornea who were contact lens intolerant. Subjects underwent complete ophthalmic examination before surgery. Objective and subjective refraction achieving the best visual acuity was used to determine the refractive error and Orbscan II corneal topography system provided the corneal data on pre- and post-operative visits. FISCR segments were implanted according to the manufacturers monograms and standard surgical method. Mean patients age was 26.7 +/- 6.8 years. Patients were followed for 2-14 months [mean, 9 months]. At last follow-up visit, mean +/- standard deviation improvement in main outcome measures were as follows: 5.4 +/- 3.65 D for spherical equivalent [P<0.001]. 1.89 +/- 2.25 D for magnitude of cylindrical error [P<0.001], 0.61 +/- 0.46 LogMAR for best corrected visual acuity [P<0.001], and 0.18 +/- 0.36 LogMAR for uncorrected visual acuity [P=0.002]. The rings were removed and reimplanted in 3 cases due to inadequate depth and in one case because of suspected infectious keratitis. Implantation of FISCR segments is a safe and reversible procedure, particularly in contact-lens-intolerant patients with keratoconus whose only option is corneal transplantation