Treatment of Conjunctival Nevus with Argon Laser

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Argon laser photocoagulation in patients with conjunctival nevus. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients (27 eyes) who were clinically diagnosed with conjunctival nevus from January to September 2003 were included in this study. The conjunctival nevus was eliminated by Argon laser after topical anesthesia with proparacaine. The power density varied between 200 and 400 mW and the spot size ranged from 100 to 300 microgram. The duration of argon laser was 0.15~0.2 sec. The spot count was varied according to the size and degree of pigment density of conjunctival nevus. The mean follow-up period was 7.0 months. RESULTS: The wounds after Argon laser treatment were completely healed within 1 week. Twenty-three eyes were treated completely with only one laser treatment but 4 needed an additional laser treatment for more satisfactory cosmetic results. There were no postoperative complications such as infections, conjunctival degeneration or recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Argon laser treatment for conjunctival nevus has benefits such as no intraoperative hemorrhage, low recurrence rate, easier method and good cosmetic results.

Indocyanine Green Angiographics Findings in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

Abnormalities in the choroidal circulation have been suggested as the causative factor in the pathogenesis of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). Fluorescein angiography (FAG) has not been particularly useful in identifying specific choroidal defects in CSC, because of limitations in imaging with this technique. Recent technologic advaces in indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) allow enhanced imaging of the choroid and other subretinal structures in comparison with FAG. Both ICG-A and FAG were performed in 44 patients (51 eyes) with various forms of csc to investigate choroidal abnormalities. CSC was charaterized by such ICG-A findings as choroidal hyperpermeability surrounding active leakages, additional focal and multifocal areas of choroidal hyperpermeability not associated with fluorescein leakage, pigment epithelial detachment, hypofluorescence around the leakage, and focal or multifocal hypofluorescent spots in the posterior pole and the area of neurosensory retinal detachment. We believe that ICG-A will play an important role in diagnosing and predicting recurrence of CSJ

The Variants of Macular Choroidal Veins in ICG Angiography

The choroidal vascular structure in macula is anatomically different from that in other region. And choroidal venous drainage in macula represents various types. This study attempted to classify the choroidal venous drainage in macula and focused on the relationship between the choroidal venous drainage type and a disease involving macula, esp. age-related macular degeneration(ARMD). The authors performed indocyanine green(ICG) angiography in 115 eyes (93 patients) without macular disease and in 31 eyes (24 patients) with ARMD, which were presented with choroidal new vessels. The choroidal venous drainage in macula was classified as 4 types. They were superotemporal drainage, inferotemporal drainage, horizontal watershed, and irregular type. The most common type of choroidal venous drainage was horizontal watershed type which was showed in 55 eyes (48%) without macular diease and 15 eyes (48%) with ARMD. Any relationship between a type of choroidal venous, drainage and ARMD was not found.

Efficacy of Methylprednisolone in Aconite Induced Myelo-optic Neuropathy in the Rabbit

Studies in animals indicate that aconitine or aconite has toxic effects in the visual system of a rabbit model. Such a toxic effects causes myelo-optic neuropathy in the visually evoked cortical potential(VECP) and histopathologic studies. Whether the administration of intravenous high-dose of methyprednisolone(MP) in the myelo-optic neuropathy caused by aconitine(1.5ml/kg, equivalent to 0.7mg/kg of aconitine) is experimentally effective remains uncertain. The group treated with MP(daily 30mg/kg X 2 for 3 days followed by 15mg/kg for 3 days) in addition to aconite was compared with the aconite alone group and the normal control group. In the MP treated group, increased recovery of onset latency, peak latency, and amplitude in VECP in comparision with the aconite alone group was recorded at 2 weeks (p<0.05). The MP treated group in comparision with the normal control group showed a significant delay in onset latency at 1 month and 2 months(p<0.05). But, the amplitude in both the MP treated group and the aconite alone group increased at 2 months and did not show a significant difference in comparision with the normal group(p<0.05). In histopathologic study, pathologic findings of myelin sheath in the MP treated group were less severe than in the aconite alone group generally. The true benefit of high-dose MP was at least clear within 2 weeks. The authors conclude that treatment with intravenous high-dose MP immediate after aconite injection may have some beneficial effects in recovery of neurologic function although such a treatment do not have the definite recovery in aconite induced myelo-optic neuropathy.