Ocular fireworks injuries in Eastern Nigeria: a 3-year review

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the incidence and types of ocular injuries caused by fireworks in patients seen at Guinness Eye Centre Onitsha and their effects on vision. Methods: This was a 3-year retrospective study evaluating case files of patients with ocular fireworks injuries seen at Guinness Eye Centre Onitsha during the Christmas and New Year festivities (2010­2012). Information was extracted into a pro forma and analyzed using Excel, AutoSum, and calculators. Results: Subconjunctival hemorrhage, corneal lacerations, and hyphema were the most common injuries seen. Patients had multiple ocular pathologies, and the left eye was affected in 62.5% of cases. Bystanders accounted for 75% of those with ocular fireworks injuries. All were males. Half of the affected eyes went blind. Conclusion: Fireworks injuries constituted only 5.1%, 0%, and 10% of ocular injuries in 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively, with devastating consequence of blindness in 50% of affected eyes

Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant with Plasma Autoantibody Monitoring for Cancer-associated Retinopathy

No abstract available.

Non-Paraneoplastic Autoimmune Retinopathy: The First Case Report in Korea

Autoimmune retinopathy (AIR) is an immune-mediated retinopathy, resulting from an immunologic process caused by the aberrant recognition of retinal antigens as autoantigens. The diagnosis of AIR involves the detection of antiretinal antibodies with concurrent clinical and electrophysiological evidence of retinopathy. A 40-year-old patient presented with progressive loss of bilateral vision over several months. A fundus examination was unremarkable. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography revealed a blurred photoreceptor ellipsoid zone at the subfoveal region in both eyes with more prominent disruption in the left eye. Full-field electroretinography (ERG) showed relatively normal rod and cone responses in the right eye, and decreased photopic bwaves with minimal attenuation of a-waves in the left eye. Multifocal ERG demonstrated slightly reduced amplitude of the inner segment ring in the right eye and decreased amplitudes and delayed latencies of all modalities in the left eye. The patient was suspected to have AIR and it was supported by positive Western blots for 23-kDa protein, enolase (46-kDa), aldolase (40-kDa), 62-kDa and 78-kDa proteins and by immunohistochemical staining of human retinal bipolar and ganglion cells. Despite the immunosuppressive treatment, the destruction of the retinal photoreceptors progressed, and immunosuppressive interventions produced very little visual improvement. We report on what is, to the best of our knowledge, the very first case of serologically confirmed nonparaneoplastic AIR in Korea.

The state of peadiatric eye care in Nigeria: a situational review and call for action

The fight against childhood blindness is being given top priority by the World Health Organization especially in regions of the world; like Nigeria where the gross income per capita is relatively low with up to 60.9 of them living in absolute poverty as at 2010. Avoidable causes of blindness in children needs to be eliminated through the development of sustainable and equitably distributed high quality children eye care services as part of our national health care system. However enough attention has not been given to achieve this yet. The purpose of this editorial is to highlight the challenges in childhood eye care in this country as well as discuss ways the current negative trend can be reversed

A Case of Cancer-Associated Retinopathy with Small Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE: To report a case of cancer-associated retinopathy developed in a patient with small cell lung cancer, which is a kind of paraneoplastic syndrome. METHODS: A 78-year-old woman presented complaining of decreased visual acuity and visual field that had developed about 15 days previously. She was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer 1.5 years ago and underwent 3 cycles of chemotherapy. At presentation, the best-corrected visual acuity was hand motion in both eyes and there was no afferent pupillary defect. Slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination revealed no specific abnormality in the anterior segment of either eye, and intraocular pressure was normal. Posterior segment examination demonstrated remarkable arteriolar narrowing in both eyes, but there was little doubt about the presence of an optic nerve lesion such as optic disc edema or pallor. RESULTS: Fluorescein angiography and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed no significant abnormalities. However, electroretinograms (ERG) demonstrated marked reduction in the a and b waves. Visual evoked response was delayed for the latency period. She was treated with systemic steroid, after which her visual acuity gradually improved.

A Case of Cancer Associated Retinopathy with Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / 결핵및호흡기질환

Cancer associated retinopathy (CAR) syndrome is a very rare ocular manifestation of paraneoplastic syndrome, and is characterized clinically by progressive visual impairment. Immune cross-reactivity between antigens in the cancerous tissue and antigens in the retina may play an important role in its pathogenesis, and most of cases are associated with lung carcinoma, particularly small cell lung cancer. The clinical triad of CAR is described as photosensitivity, ring scotomata, and an attenuated retinal arterial caliber. Here, we report a 61-year old male patient with CAR syndrome, who had small cell lung carcinoma in the stage of limited disease, with a brief review of the relevant literature.