Congenital toxoplasmosis: ocular presentation

Ten cases with toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis, probably congenital, were studied. They were 7 males and 3 females with an average age of 20.4 years. The condition was unilateral in 8 patients and bilateral in 2. The fundus lesions were mainly macular in most of them showing sings of activity in 8 eyes, while in 4 eyes it was inactive. This was proved by fluorescein fundus angiography and correlated with the results of ELISA test for toxoplasmosis. All patients except one [a child] with active lesions were improved with systemic steroids [oral] combined with antitoxoplasmic drugs

Behavior of intraocular pressure following different methods of cataract extraction

In this prospective study of 100 eyes of 97 consecutive patients, we attempted to detect differences in the course of intraocular pressure [IOP] after two main types of non-enzymatic cataract extraction: intracapsular extraction without alphachymotrypsin [30 eyes], and planned extracapsular extraction [70 eyes] with insertion of a posterior chamber intraocular lens without sodium hyaluronate [21 eyes]. IOP was measured with a non-contact applanation tonometer preoperatively and at specified intervals up to 3 months after surgery. No significant difference in IOP could be detected according to the types of cataract surgery. Transient ocular hypertension occurring within the first few postoperative days was seen in 59% of all eyes; there was no significant association with any parameter of the surgery. In contrast, a cause could often be found for the ocular hypotension that occurred in 11% of eyes in the first seven postoperative days. Late postoperative hypotension was recorded after the seventh postoperative day in 75% of all cases and persisted for an a verage of 4 weeks, a cause for this was rarely found. In 22% of all cases, IOP remained within normal limits [10 to 20 mmHg] throughout the postoperative period

Clinical and laboratory evaluation of acute, presumed-viral keratoconjunctivitis

This study was conducted on 87 persons of differing nationalities, suffering from an acute follicular conjunctivitis with punctate keratitis, attending the out-patient eye clinic of the Royal Commission Hospital in Yanbu, El-Sinayeia, Saudi Arabia. The study was carried out over slightly more than one year, from January 1990 to March 1989. All patients were subjected to both ocular and general medical examinations, including viral antibody screening tests. Just over half of all patients included in the study showed significant antibody titres against members of the adenovirus group, either alone, or in combination with herpes simplex virus antibodies. Herpes simplex were serologically found to be involved in a total of 14 patients, either alone or in combination with other viruses, without there being any clinical evidence of herpetic disease, stressing the possible hazards of corticosteroid therapy in cases of presumed viral keratoconjunctivitis

Retinoblastoma in Upper Egypt [1981-1991]

We conducted a retrospective study on 78 children with retinoblastoma who were admitted, diagnosed and treated at the Ophthalmology Department of Assiut University Hospital [AUH] in the period between October 1981 and November 1991. Forty-seven children were male and 31 female, forming a male/female ratio of 3:2. The tumor was unilateral in 68 [87%] and bilateral in 10 children [13%]. Retinoblastoma was primary in 67 [86%] and recurrent in 11 cases [14%]. The mean age at diagnosis in males with unilateral and bilateral retinoblastoma was 36 months and 17 months respectively, while it was 33 months in females with unilateral tumors. Bilateral retinoblastoma was seen in only two females, aged 3 and 4 years. The first presenting symptoms were leukokoria [44.9%] and proptosis [39.7%]. Echography showed a solid mass, with moderate to high refractile echoes, an orbital shadowing, and normal axial length of the globe. Retinoblastoma was treated by primary enucleation [50.0%], exenteration [16.7%], irradiation [3.8%], and chemotherapy [2.6%]; in 25.6% of cases the parents refused treatment. The late presentation by the patients, and the deficiency in specialized centers for the management of retinoblastoma in our region of the world worsen the prognosis, both for life and for vision

Behcet's disease: treatment and visual prognosis

We carried out a controlled study to compare the effect of the immunosuppressant drug chlorambucil with that of corticosteroids on the ocular type of Behcet's disease. Of our 26 patients, 20 were male and 6 female; all except 9 had suffered from previous episodes and had received systemic steroid therapy at those times. Follow-up varied from 8 to 48 months [average 2 ' years]. Chlorambucil treatment was found to induce remission in 11 of the 13 patients in that group, in two of these for 4 years; this drug was thus found to be effective in about 85% of cases, considerably reducing the intensity of the ocular inflammation and often producing long periods of remission. Steroid treatment alone, on the other hand, was found to be initially effective in about 54% of cases, about half of the eyes in this group suffering repeated exacerbations under maintenance therapy. In the long term, however, visual acuity had decreased about equally in both groups, and the visual prognosis remains poor regardless of the type of therapy: despite intensive treatment, loss of useful vision had occurred in 78.6% of all eyes that were followed for 3 to 4 years after initial diagnosis

Clinical and laboratory evaluation of acute presumed viral keratoconjunctivitis

This study was conducted on 87 patients suffering from acute follicular conjunctivitis with punctate keratitis attending to the out-patient eye clinic in Royal Commission Hospital in Yanbu El- Sinayia, Saudi Arabia. They were of different nationalities. The study was carried out over a period of one year from January 1989 to March 1990. They were subjected to both ocular and general examinations including the viral antibody screen tests. Their clinical ocular and general as well as their laboratory data were presented

Ocular injuries in children

This is a study of 170 children admitted to the Ophthalmology Department of Assiut University Hospital [Egypt] for ocular trauma between January 1987 and December 1990. Results of this study showed that ocular injuries among children were a relatively common occurrence in this locality forming 2.5% of all admitted ophthalmic patients and 46.7% of all admitted ocular injuries. Boys were affected more than girls. The age group 5-12 years included the largest number of such cases. The most common objects involved were of botanic origin i. e. sticks, twigs, stems, etc

Keratometric changes after cataract extraction

This study includes 74 patients with senile cataract admitted to the ophthalmic department in Assiut University Hospital for cataract surgery. Preoperative evaluation of the patients were done with special attention to the cornea. Preoperative and postoperative keratometric readings were taken and the amount of the astigmatism was calculated and the axis of the astigmatism was determined by the Javal-Schiotz keratometer at one month, 2 months and 3 months after the operation. The keratometric changes in these cases were compared with the findings of other authors

Incidence of refractive errors in 600 patients as determined by computerized refractometry

This study was carried out in 600 patients [1200 eyes], 434 were males [868 eyes], and 166 were females [332 eyes]. They were of different nationalities attending the out patient eye clinic in the Royal Commission Hospital in Yanbu El-Sinayeia Saudi Arabia complaining subjected to automated refractometry using "Topcon Rm-A6000" computerized refractometer. In about 97% of cases a visual acuity of 6/6 was obtained in our patients. The results of different types of refractive errors were tabulated and compared with similar findings done by various authors using the computerized technique

Combined trabeculectomy and cataract extract operation

This is a retrospective and prospective study of combined trabeculectomy and cataract extraction operations done in 62 eyes of 61 patients in the period between January 1983 and September 1985. The results were analysed and compared with those of other authors