Precision of 5 different keratometry devices.

To compare the precision among currently available keratometry devices. The corneal power was measured on two separate visits with the Nidek TonoRef II Autorefractor/Keratometer, the Zeiss IOLMaster 500, the Haag-Streit Lenstar LS 900, the Oculus Pentacam, and the Oculus Keratograph 4M. The precision was evaluated as the mean absolute intersession difference (MAD) between the corneal power measurements for each patient. Only the non-operated eye was included in the study. The Keratograph was found to have the highest MAD (0.215 D), which was significantly different from the other devices except for the IOLMaster. Nidek ARK had the lowest MAD (0.097 D), but this was not significant compared to Pentacam (0.124 D), Lenstar (0.132 D), or IOLMaster (0.140 D). Only one out of 29 patients had a precision difference exceeding 0.25 D with the Nidek ARK. Among the devices studied, the Nidek ARK was found to have the highest and the Keratograph was found to have to the lowest precision for the measurement of corneal power.

[Evidence for emergency treatment of chemical eye burns]. / Akut behandling af kemiske øjenskader.

The purpose of this article was to review the existing evidence on emergency treatment of chemical eye burns. Clinical studies show that patients receiving prompt eye irrigation after chemical burns had a significantly better clinical outcome. This is further collaborated in animal studies where prompt irrigation with diphoterine or borate buffer significantly lowered pH in the eye after alkali burns. Two of three studies showed that tap water significantly lowered pH as well, but only if it was administered within 60 seconds after exposure. Saline, however, did not cause any significant decrease in pH at all.

Associations between diabetic retinopathy and plasma levels of high-sensitive C-reactive protein or von Willebrand factor in long-term type 1 diabetic patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and von Willebrand factor as possible plasma markers of diabetic retinopathy in a population-based cohort of type 1 diabetic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 201 type 1 diabetic patients from a population-based cohort from Fyn County, Denmark. Plasma levels of hs-CRP and von Willebrand factor antigen were measured and related to the level of diabetic retinopathy (DR) as evaluated by dilated nine-field 45 degree monoscopic fundus photos captured by Topcon TRC-NWS6 and graded according to the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) adaptation of the modified Airlie House classification of DR. RESULTS: Median age and duration of diabetes were 58.7 and 43 years, respectively. Median levels (10th-90th percentile) of hs-CRP and von Willebrand factor antigen were 1.31 mg/l (0.37-13.3 mg/l) and 1.27 IU/ml (0.79-2.07 IU/ml), respectively. No or minimal DR (ETDRS-levels 10-20) was found in 16.4%, mild DR (ETDRS-level 35) in 19.4%, moderate DR (ETDRS-levels 43-47) in 11.0%, and 53.2% had proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) corresponding to ETDRS-level 60 or more. In an age- and sex-adjusted model, patients in the highest quartile of hs-CRP were more likely to have PDR than patients in the lowest quartile (odds ratio: 2.59; 95% confidence interval: 1.09-6.12). However, this was no longer statistically significant in a multivariate model. Von Willebrand factor was not associated with PDR in any model. CONCLUSIONS: Even though patients with higher levels of hs-CRP were more likely to have PDR in an age- and sex-adjusted model, this was no longer statistically significant in a multivariate model. This indicates the importance of other risk factors like duration of diabetes, glycemic regulation, and smoking. We did not find any association between von Willebrand factor and diabetic retinopathy.