Comparison of central corneal thickness in pseudoexfoliation glaucoma patients with healthy adults

Objective: To compare the central corneal thickness [CCT] in pseudoexfoliation glaucoma [PXG] patients with healthy adults

Study Design: Cross-sectional comparative study

Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology Rawalpindi, from Dec 2009 to Feb 2011

Material and Methods: 30 patients having PXG [Group A] and 30 healthy adults having normal intraocular pressure [Group B] were included in the study. Intraocular pressure [IOP] in both groups was measured using gauged Goldmann applanation tonometer [GAT].Central corneal thickness [CCT] was measured with an ultrasonic pachymeter

Results: The comparison of Mean CCT in both Groups showed that Mean CCT was significantly lesser [17-value <0.05] in PXG Group [519.73 tim] as compared to healthy adults Group [567.48 fim]

Conclusion: CCT in PXG patients group was found to be statistically significantly thinner as compared to healthy adults Group. CCT must be assessed in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome [PXF] in order to avoid the underestimation of IOP

Post mydriasis rise in intraoccular pressure with tropicamide in normal individuals, glaucoma cases with and without rapid progression

Background: Rise in intraoccular pressure [IOP] may have significant effects on optic disc

Objective: To compare postmydriasis rise in intraoccular pressure with tropicamide in normal individuals and glaucoma cases with or without rapid progression

Subjects and Methods: Study design: Quasi-experimental. Sampling Technique: Non-Randomized, consecutive sampling. This study was performed on 116 eyes of 116 patients reporting at Eye Department, Combined Military Hospital [CMH], Lahore from 1[st] August 2012 to 30[th] April 2013. They were assigned to three groups based on their glaucoma profile: Group A: Normal subjects without raised IOP or glaucomatous visual field loss. Group B: Diagnosed cases of glaucoma without significant visual field defect progression. Group C: Diagnosed cases of glaucoma with significant visual field defect progression over last two years. SPSS version 16 Software was used for statistical analysis to compare intra-ocular pressure changes postmydriasis in the three groups

Results: IOP rise post-mydriasis was low [1.89 mmhg] in normal individuals whereas the spike was statistically significant in glaucoma patients [5.88 mmHg]. Diagnosed cases of glaucoma with worst prognosis has a relatively higher IOP spike [10.6 mmhg] as compared to those with slower visual field defects [5.88 mmhg] progression.[p<0.05]

Conclusion: Our study showed a significant rise in IOP in glaucoma patients with and without rapid progression as compared to normal subjects. Post-mydriasis IOP spike is a reliable diagnostic and prognostic provocative test for glaucoma suspects and diagnosed cases. However, the negative effects of raised IOP on an already compromised optic nerve head must be kept in mind

Teaching methodologies; What is the students' perspective?

To determine preferences of medical students for modes of teaching, qualities of a good teacher and assessment techniques in medical education. A descriptive cross-sectional study. Lahore Medical and Dental College, Lahore. January 2011. All students of third and fourth year MBBS classes were included in the study [n=127]. A pre-tested questionnaire was used for data collection. A 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1[strongly disagree] to 7[strongly agree] was used to determine student's preferences of teaching styles. The data was recorded using SPSS version 16.0. Descriptive statistics were computed. The preferred teaching methods for basic science subjects were skills laboratory 88[70%], followed by problem based learning 70[55%] and interactive lectures 65[51%]. The same teaching methods i.e. skills laboratory 101[80%], problem based learning 89[70%] and interactive lectures 79[62%] were also popular for the teaching of clinical science subjects. The least preferred teaching method for both basic 51[40%] and clinical 58[46%] sciences was didactic lectures. The desirable quality of a good teacher was reported as teaching skills 111[87%] and the preferred assessment technique was found to be multiple choice questions 90[71%]. Students prefer the student centred teaching styles as opposed to the traditional approach. Good teaching skill is the most desirable quality of a teacher and most students like to be assessed by multiple choice questions