Molecular Epidemiology of Viral Conjunctivitis in the Southern Region of South Korea, 2012–2016

Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) and acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) are common diseases caused by human adenoviruses (HAdV) and enteroviruses, respectively, in South Korea. However, there are limited studies on the molecular epidemiology of viral conjunctivitis in South Korea. The main objective of this study was to characterize the genotypes of adenoviruses and enteroviruses causing viral conjunctivitis in the southwest region of South Korea. We collected conjunctival swabs from 492 patients with suspected cases of viral conjunctivitis from 6 ophthalmic hospitals in Gwangju Metropolitan City, in South Korea, between 2012 and 2016. Of the 492 samples tested, HAdVs and enteroviruses were detected in 249 samples (50.6%) and 19 samples (3.9%), respectively. The genotype analysis detected HAdV-8 in 183 samples (73.5%), HAdV-37 in 14 samples (5.6%), and HAdV-3, and HAdV-4 in 9 samples (3.6%) each. We detected coxsackievirus A24 (CVA24) and coxsackievirus B1 (CVB1) in 8 samples (42.0%) and 4 samples (21.0%), respectively. We also reported for the first time HAdV-56-infected cases of EKC in South Korea. Furthermore, we found three cases of coinfection with HAdV and enterovirus genotypes in our samples. HAdV-8 and CVA24, the main causes of EKC and AHC, respectively, worldwide, were also found to be the predominant genotypes in our study.

A Clinical study on Therapeutic Effect of the Argon Laser Photocoagulation for Prevention of Vitreous Hemorrhage in BRVO

Branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO) is the most frequent entity of retinal vascular abnormality following diabetic retinopathy; a review of diagnosis for all our new outpatients verifies this, Sudden loss of visual acuity occur in the vast majority of BRVO patients. Other complications are macular edema, capillary nonperfusion, neovascularization, vitreous hemorrhage and so on. We did a clinical analysis of 71 patients with BRVO(71 eyes), who were considered to be treated with laser photocoagulation to prevent vitreous hemorrhage. We confirmed the fact that laser photocoagulation could prevent vitreous hemorrhage to a significant degree, but we were unable to demonstrate any statistical correlation between the occurrence of vitreous hemorrhage and the time of laser photocoagulation.

An Ultrastructural Study of Recovery of Photoreceptor Layer from Visible Light-Induced Damage

Visible light can induce damage to the susceptible retina and its injurious effect has been studied morphologically and functionally in detail. In order to evaluate the regenerative processes of the retina damaged by visible light in correlation with the degree of the cellular damage, the rat retina was exposed to blue visible light (400-500nm) for 30, 60 and 120 minutes, and examined electron microscopically, immediately and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 weeks after the exposure. The results were as follows. The more increased time of exposure by visible light, the more damage to the photoreceptor, and the more delay in the recovery. We observed the recovery of damage was generally slow, and the pigment epithelium necessary for regeneration of discs was not destroyed in spite of long term exposure of visible light.

A Study on Arteriovenous Crossing Sites in Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

Retinal arteriovenous crossing sites are important because they are generally the points at which. in branch retinal obstruction, a blockage of venous blood flow occurs. We evaluated retrospectively the cases of 54 patiens wIth a recent temporal branch retinal vein occlusion to determine the relative anatomic position of the obstructed vein in relation to its crossing artery. In 54 (100%) of 54 eyes, the artery lay antenor to the vein, toward the vitreous cavity. In the control corssing site, the artery lay anterior to the vein 41.3% (J9/46) of the time (p<0.01) The second control group, which was obtained by examining all of the first-and second-order, without BRVO, consisted of 103 crossing sites. In this second control group's artenovenous crossmgs, the arteries were situated anteriorly in 83 (80.6%) of 103 crossing sites (p<0.005). Our observation that the artery lies anterior to the vein at the all of BRVO crossing sites contributes further evidence that mechanical factors play a prominent role in the causing BRVO.

Spontaneous Disappearance of A Traumatic Macular Hole

A Macular hole may change in size of the hole; may increase in size with time and an epiretinal membrane may form. Rarely, a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment may occur with time and long term visual acuity usually remains stable or progressively worse. But to our knowledge spontaneous disappearance of a macular hole caused by development of an epiretinal membrane with improvement in vision rarely occurs. The traumatic, full-thickness macular hole in a 15-year-old man during 3 month follow-up period, changed its biomicroscopic appearance and fluorescein angiographic finding. Furthermore, visual acuity showed some improvement. The authors believe this spontaneous disappearance of macular hole is probably occured as a result of epiretinal membrane formation.

Bilateral Complicated Microphthalmia in a Family

Complicated microphthalmos can be diagnosed when a reduction in global dimension is combined with other structural anomalies. These include corneal opacity or staphyloma, cataract, aniridia, corectopia, persistence of pupillary membrane or the tunica vasculosa lentis and hyaloid vessel, thickening or ossification of the choroid and various retinal anomalies. Complicated microphthalmos is frequently hereditary and the transmission may be either as an autosomal dominant or recessive or as a sex linked recessive trait. Four cases of bilateral complicated microphthalmos with cataract were found in a family.

A Clinical Evaluation of Combined Trabeculectomy and Intracapsular or Extracapsular Cataract Extraction

Trabeculectomy with intracapsular cataract extraction(Group I) on 14 eyes of 14 patients, and trabeculectomy with extracapsular cataract extraction(Group II) on 17 eyes of 17 patients were perfonned during the period of March 1986 to March 1988. The follow-up periods ranged from 3 monthes to 5 monthes. The mean intraocular pressure was reduced by approximately 54%, from 35 mmHg preoperatively to 16 mmHg postoperatively Group I, and was reduced by approximately 50%, from 34 mmHg preoperatively to 17 mmHg postoperatively in Group II. The visual acuity improved in all cases of both groups. The mean intraocular pressure reduction, operative and postoperative complications, and failure rates were not significantly different between Group I and Group II.

The Effect of Preoperative Subconjunctival Triamcinolone Administration on Glaucoma Filtration

The trabeculectcmies were performed on 12 eyes with uncontrolled glaucoma which had not been treated by the maximum use of tolerated antiglaucoma medication. We assumed that all of these eyes would be at increased risk by episcleral cicatricial closure in the patient with one of the following cases; congenital glaucoma, age of 40 year or less, previously failed glaucoma filtration surgery, aphakia and uveitis. A standard operation was performed except tbat triamcinolone acetonide(4mg) was injected subconjunctivally at the intended trabeculectcmy site one week before surgery in 10 eyes, and cn the day of surgery in 2 eyes. During the followup period of 5 months or more, 11 of 12 eyes had an intraocular pressre(IOP) of 19mmHg or less. The average IOP for these 11 eyes was 14.5 +/- 3.4mmHg(mean +/- SD), and only 2 of the 11 eyes required antiglaucoma medication. One eye was a surgical failure. All eyes with controlled IOP showed micro cystic filtration blebs on slit lamp examination. The postoperative visual acuity was within one line of the preoperative level in all eyes, except for the one surgical failure. The use of triamcinolone acetonide does not seem to have added any additional risks to the postoperative period.