The Changes in Tear Film After Dacryocystorhinostomy

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the changes in tear film and ocular surface after dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) in patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction. METHODS: Forty subjects who showed successful results at three months after endoscopic DCR were investigated. The changes in tear breakup time (BUT), basal secretion test (BST), corneal sensitivity test (CST), tear clearance rate (TCR) and keratoepitheliopathy (KEP) were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age was 57.4+/-13.2 years (29~77 years). Preoperative BST and BUT in eyes which underwent DCR were 13.21+/-3.79 mm and 8.20+/-2.30 seconds, respectively. Three months after the operation, the respective values were 9.13+/-3.77 mm (p=0.01) and 6.27+/-2.20 seconds (p=0.03). Preoperative CST, TCR and KEP in eyes which underwent DCR were 57.89+/-4.18 mm, 3.26+/-0.91 and 0.12+/-0.53, respectively. Three months after the operation, the respective values were 57.75+/-3.55 mm (p=0.32), 3.04+/-0.87 (p=0.08) and 0.13+/-0.54 (p=0.08). No changes were observed between the preoperative and postoperative tear parameters in fellow eyes. CONCLUSIONS: The changes in tear film parameters including BST and BUT should be considered in patients who receive endoscopic DCR.

Anomalous Scleral Insertion of Superior Oblique in Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome

Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS) is associated with ocular and systemic anomalies. PITX2 is known to be a major controlling gene in the pathogenesis of ARS and is associated with differentiation in both the neural crest and mesoderm during eye development. A 4-year-old girl with bilateral ARS had 20 prism diopters (PD) of exotropia with 30PD of A- pattern deviation, more than 20PD of dissociated vertical deviation (DVD), and severe superior oblique overaction (SOOA). During surgery we observed that the SO inserted more posteriorly than normal. We believe this finding is one of the abnormal manifestations of the development of the extraocular muscles in ARS.

I-TAC Concentration in Tears of Dry Eye Patients and Its Correlation with Tear Surface Parameters

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the level of I-TAC in tears of patients with dry eye syndrome and its correlation with the tear surface parameters. METHODS: I-TAC levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in tear samples collected from 33 dry eye patients (16 patients with Sjogren syndrome and 17 patients with non-Sjogren syndrome) and 15 control subjects. The correlations between I-TAC levels and tear surface parameters including tear film break-up time (BUT), basal tear secretion, tear clearance rate (TCR), corneal sensation, keratoepitheliopathy and conjunctival goblet cell density were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean levels of I-TAC were 717+/-377 pg/ml in patients with dry eye and 444+/-119 pg/ml in control subjects (P=0.003). The mean levels in Sjogren syndrome patients (1261+/-324 pg/ml) were significantly higher than those of non-Sjogren syndrome patients (614+/-131 pg/ml, P=0.003). I-TAC levels correlated significantly with basal tear secretion (P=0.006), TCR (P=0.007), keratoepitheliopathy (P=0.022) and goblet cell density (P<0.001), but did not correlate with BUT (P=0.110) and corneal sensation (P=0.090). CONCLUSIONS: The level of I-TAC is elevated in tears of patients with dry eye syndrome including Sjogren syndrome. The level correlates with disease severity and tear surface parameters.

Comparison of Long-Term Results between One-piece and Three-piece Acrylate Intraocular Lens

PURPOSE: To compare the long-term clinical results of one-piece Acrysof(R) (SA60AT) hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) implantation compared with implantation of three-piece Acrysof(R) (MA60BM) hydrophobic acrylic IOL. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed each 50 eyes of 50 patients underwent MA60BM or SA60AT IOL implantation and followed for at least 6 months. RESULTS: Final visual acuity of 0.5 or better was 38 eyes (76%) and 0.8 or better was 20 eyes (40%) in the SA60AT group. In the MA60BM group, it was 41 eyes (82%) and 23 eyes (46%) respectively. There were no significantly differences in predictability, intraocular pressure, endothelial cell density, astigmatism, and incidence of posterior capsule opacification between the two groups. Spherical equivalent at postoperative 1 week was -0.50+/-0.95D in SA60AT group and was -0.31+/-0.88D in MA60BM group (P=0.04). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups during follow up period. In MA60BM group, anterior chamber depth (P=0.02) and distance between iris and IOL (P=0.04) reduced significantly during the first postoperative month. CONCLUSIONS: Early postoperative axial displacement and changes in spherical equivalent can be occurred in MA60BM group. However there was no difference in long-term clinical results between SA60AT and MA60BM groups.