Drug Attitude and Adherence to Anti-Glaucoma Medication

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess patient attitudes towards anti-glaucoma medication and their association with adherence, visual quality of life, and personality traits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and forty-seven glaucoma patients were enrolled this study. The participants were divided into 'pharmacophobic' and 'pharmacophilic' groups according to their scores on the Modified Glaucoma Drug Attitude Inventory (MG-DAI). To establish a correlation with patient drug attitude, each group had their subjective drug adherence, visual quality of life, and personality traits examined. For personality traits, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was used to sub-classify each group. RESULTS: Among the patients analyzed, 91 (72.80%) patients showed a 'pharmacophobic' attitude and 34 (27.20%) patients showed a 'pharmacophilic' attitude. The pharmacophobic group tended to have worse adherence than the pharmacophilic group. Personality dichotomies from the MBTI also showed different patterns for each group. CONCLUSION: In glaucoma patients, pharmacological adherence was influenced by their attitude towards drugs; an association might exist between drug attitude and underlying personality traits.

Comparison of Wavefront Analysis and Visual Function Between Monofocal and Multifocal Aspheric Intraocular Lenses

PURPOSE: To compare postoperative vision, high-order aberrations, contrast sensitivity, power of accommodation, and depth of focus of monofocal aspheric (TECNIS ZA9003) and multifocal aspheric (TECNIS ZM900) intraocular lenses (IOL). METHODS: Thirty-four eyes which received intraocular lens implantation in the posterior chamber were equally divided into two groups: TECNIS ZA9003 (17 eyes) and TECNIS ZM900 (17 eyes). Before and three months after surgery, visual acuities at near, intermediate, and far distances, and depth of focus were recorded. High order aberrations, spherical aberrations and accommodation power were measured with iTrace, and contrast sensitivity was evaluated using Optec 6500. An independent T-test analysis was used to compare the two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences of high order aberrations, spherical aberrations, accommodation power, or distance vision between the two groups at three months postoperatively. The multifocal IOL (TECNIS ZM900) group revealed better intermediate and near vision (p<0.01) and deeper depth of focus, and lower contrast sensitivities (p=0.03) than the monofocal IOL group. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in accommodation power between the two groups, but multifocal TECNIS ZM900 IOL exceeds monofocal TECNIS ZA9003 IOL in intermediate and near vision due to diffractive lens design and less spherical aberration by its asphericity.

A Case of Fungal Keratitis Treated with Voriconazole

PURPOSE: To report drug-resistant fungal keratitis that was treated with voriconazole. CASE SUMMARY: A 31-year-old man was admitted to hospital because of ocular pain, conjunctival injection, and visual weakness 7 days after LASIK surgery. At that time, his vision was counting finger at 30 cm and he presented with corneal epithelial defects, stromal infiltration, and inflammation in the anterior chamber of his eye. He was transferred to our hospital because his infection was resistant to gatifloxacin, tobramycin, amphotericin B, and natamycin eyedrops. At the time of transfer, his vision was counting finger at 30 cm and he presented with corneal epithelial defects, stromal infiltration, and hypopyon. He was treated with topical 2% voriconazole every 2 hours and the lesion improved. However, the hypopyon recurred after 12 days. He was then treated with intracameral voriconazole injection (50 microgram/0.1 cc) and topical 5% voriconazole every hour causing the hypopyon to disappear. His vision improved from counting finger to 20/40 six months after this treatment.