The Effects of Recombinant Human alpha-Interferon on Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis

We investigated the clinical effects and drug toxicities of high concentrated recombinant human alpha-interferon eyedrops in acute epidemic keratoconjunctivitis(ARK). We examined the side effects of alpha-interferon eyedrops after instillation to the 34 general healthy patients, and compared the clinical effects after randomized blind administration of the different concentration eyedrops or placebo in 117 AEK. No significant ocular complications in the 34 general healthy patients was observed. In AEK, improvement of symptoms and signs were observed at the mean 3.2 days of 10.000 IU/ml group, 3.1 days of 100,000 IU/ml group, and 3.2 days of 500,000 IU/ml group after instillation of alpha-interferon. comparing 4.4 days of placebo(P<0.01). We have also observed early absorption of conjunctival pseudomembrane, and the decreased incidence of keratitis. We suggest that the topical application of alpha-interferon might be clinically useful to help early recovery and decrease the incidence of ocular complications of AEK.

Biometric analysis of anterior segments of the eye with Scheimpflug Camera according to the type of cataract

We measured the lens thickness and anterior chamber depth on 214 eyes (162 cataract eyes, 52 normal control eyes) using the EAS-1000 Scheimpflug camera. And the results was compared with measurement of A-scan ultrasonography in 49 cataract eyes. The thickness of cataract lens, especially in anterior subcapsular opacities in over 61 years old was significantly thin rather than control lens (p0.05). Lens thickness was increased with age by an annual rate of 0.0l5mm in monnal eyes (p

An Experimental Study of Noncontact Transscleral Diode Laser Cyclophotocoagulation in Rabbits

Acute and long-term effects of the noncontact transscleral diode laser cyclophotocoagulation were studied in 6 pigmented rabbits used laser power level was 0.15J, 0.25J, 0.5J and 0.75J. Each eyeballs was enuleated 1.7 and 21 days after cyclophotocoagulation for histopathologic examination. The findings with diode laser were coagulation necrosis of pigmented epitihelium, nonpigmented epitihelium and stroma, congestion of vessel, pigment dispersion and detachment of pigment epithelium. Twenty one days after laser treatment, the light microscopic examination revealed atrophy of nonpigmented epithelium and pigmented epithelium, fibrosls, pigment laden macrophages. These changes were obvious in rabbits treated with a power more than 0.5J. It is suggested that noncontact trasnscleral cyclophotocoagulation with diode laser is useful in lowering intraocular pressure.

Inhibitory Effect of Topical Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents to Prostaglandin before and after Anterior Chamber Paracentesis in Rabbits

It is known that inflammatory processes result from intraocular surgery or ocular trauma mediated by prostaglandin, which cause the protein amounts to increase in anterior chmaber, congestion of vessels, miosis and intraocular pressure to increase. In order to compare the anti-inflammatory effects of antiprostaglandin agents such as Aspegic(R), Profenal(R) and Ocufen(R) in 40 eyes of 20 rabbits, we measured the pupil diameter and amounts of PG E2 and total protein before and after paracentesis. The inhibitory effects of Aspegiz(R), Profenal(R) and Ocufen(R) to pupillary constnztion were significantly greater (p<0.05) than control. The lowering effect to PG E2 and total protein were greater in Aspegic(R), Profenal(R) and Ocufen(R) than control. Through over experiment we suggested that the topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as Aspegic(R), Profenal(R), and Ocufen(R) can inhibit the PG activator in antivator chamber and interrupt the miosis and rising intraocular pressure during surgery.

The Effects of Aprotinin of Experimental Corneal Burn in Rabbits

Recently, many works to treat chronic corneal ulcer have been progressed. It has been reported that the Aprotinin, one of them, is serine protease inhibitor and is useful to treat therapy-resistant chronic corneal ulcer because it decreases the plasmin level in tear fluid that was increased in corneal ulcer. We performed this study to evaluate the effect of Aprotinin to the reepithelization of cornea according to its concentration. We made corneal burn in rabbits and instilled topical antibiotics and Aprotinin 500u/ml and 200u/ml, four times a day. After instillation, we compared the process of corneal epithelial wound healing, according to the time interval, clinically and histopathologically in each group. As a result, wound healing of cornea treated with combination of antibiotics and Aprotinin was delayed rather than that treated with antibiotics only. And combination therapy with Aprotinin 500n/ml is more effective than with Aprotinin 2000n/ml. This data suggests that high concentration of Aprotinin alone is not helpful to tresat the therapyresistant chronic corneal ulcer.

The Investigeation of the Influneces of Ocular Symptoms on Environmetal Factors of VDT Workers

VDT syndrome is the disease entity that affects many workers on the various visual function as well as on some general health conditions including neurologic, circulatory and musculoskeletal system and it tends to increase day by day. We performed a series of investigation to evaluate the influences of VDT work on the subjective symptoms by means of questionnaire application with the control of non-VDT workers. It revealed that the susceptibility in occurrence of impairment of ocular functions like asthenopia as well as the disturbances of musculoskeletal circulatory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems were more pronounced in the VDT workers' group than the control group, and the environmental factors like working hours, air pollution, and noise also contributed for the worsening of the ocular and systemic symptoms. It is suggested that the improvement of operating environment by the implementation of comprehensive epidemiological study in association with the improvemental task of working situations and working times in long term advocated would decrease the VDT syndrome among VDT workers.

Acanthamoeba Keratitis: Case Report

We experienced chronic relapsing central corneal ulcer and chronic conjunctivitis with mucoid discharge. Both patients were transfered to our hospital because of no improvement with long term treatment of broad spectrum antibiotics topically and systemically Specimens from corneal scraping and conjunctival mucoid discharge were examined with calcofluor white staining method. We could find a narrow rim of light green colored cystic wall and orange red colored cytoplasm in dark field fluorescent microscopy in both cases, and those were diagnosed as Acnthamoebic cyst by pathologist. We couldn't find any report about ocular Aanthamoeba infections in Korea. To our knowledge, this is the first case report about ocular Acanthamoebic infections in Korea.