Effects of Intraoperative Exposure and Postoperative Subconjunctival Injections of 5-fluorouracil in Reducing Adhesions after Strabismus Surgery in Rabbits

Recently, antimetabolotes such as 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin have been used successfully to reduce postoperative adhesions in animal models after strabismus surgery.Nine rabbits, 18 eyes, 36 areas were divided into 4 groups. The first group was a control one. The second group was treated with 5-fluorouracil intraoperatively. The third group was treated in the same manner as the second group, followed by subconjunctival injections of 5-fluorouracil from postoperative 7th day. The fourth group was treated with mitomycin C intraoperatively.The thied group(booster group) and the fourth group(mitomycin group) were superior to the others in preventing the postoperative adhesions. There was no statistically significant diference in scar length and adhesion grade between booster group and mitomycin group.This study reveals that the subconjunctival injections of 5-fluorouracil after intraoperative contact may reduce postoperative adhesions in secondary strabismus surgery and may prevent the possible serious complications of mitomycin C, giving the similar effect to potent mitomycin C.

Visual Rehabilitation of Optic Atrophy Patients with Low Vision Aids

In oder to evaluate the efficacy of low vision aids in patients with optic atrophy, we analyzed sex, age distribution, preexisting conditions, visual acuities before and after low vision aids use. The sorts and magnifications of prescribed low vision aids were studied in patients with optic nerve atrophy whose visual acuities were not corrected with conventional glasses or contact lens. Our results indicate that distant and near visual acuities with low vision aids were significantly improved in patients with optic atrophy(p<0.01, paired ttest). We think that low vision aids are required to rehabilitate the visually impaired patients caused by optic atrophy because of high probability of visual rehabilitation.

Conjunctival Bacterial Flora at Birth: Comparisons between Cesarean Section and Vaginal Delivery

Conjunctival bacterial cultures for 113 neonates who were delivered by cesarean section or vaginal delivery were performed within 30 minutes after birth. These neonates were in the condition of no eye drops applied. The 43 newborns were delivered by cesarean section(CS group) and the 70 newborns were delivered vaginally(VD group). The 10 newborns(P1) (14 eyes(P2)) in the CS group and the 29 newborns(41 eyes) in the VD group showed culture positivity. These differences between two groups were statistically significant(p1, p2<0.05). The CS group had significantly fewer species and colony forming units cultured per subject (0.395 +/- 0.821(p3), 5.116 +/- 27.095(p4) than the VD group(0.971 +/- 1.393, 25.843 +/- 62.285) (p3,p4<0.05). Coagulase negative staphylococci were predominantly isolated in the CS group and coagulase negative staphylococci, gram positive bacilli, E. coli, nonfermenting bacilli, and S. aureus in the VD group. Therefore it was found that the conjunctiva of the newborns delivered by cesarean section bore significantly fewer bacteria and need less prophylactic measures than that of newborns delivered vaginally.

A Clinical Study on Transscleral Suture Fixation of Posterior Chamber Intraocular Lens

Posterior chamber intraocular lenses were implanted into 40 eyes with inadequate capsular or zonular support by securing both haptics of the lenses to the sclera at ciliary sulcus with 10-0 prolene sutures. Our follow-up of 36 eyes with scleral fixated posterior chamber intraocular lenses ranged from 2 months to 8 months(average 4.6 months). At the last follow-up visit. 31 eyes(86%) had a vision of 0.5 or better. Mean refractive error was -1.15 +/- 1.13D. which was -0.67 +/- 0.99D more myopic than predicted (p0.05). Additionally, the difference of postoperative axial length between two groups was not statistically significant(23.39 +/- 0.87mm, 23.42 +/- 0.75mm, respectively). In 4 eyes(ll %), minor intraoperative bleeding oceured but was absorbed spontaneously without any sequelae. One eye(3%) of minimal decentration of PCL, one eye(3%) of subluxation of PCL, and one eye(3%) of exposed scleral fixation suture were noted, but no serious postoperative complication, such as corneal edema, glaucoma, persistent uveitis, or retinal detachment was detected.