Retinal detachment after cataract extraction in myopic eyes.

PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of retinal detachment (RD) after cataract extraction in people 40 years of age or older with axial myopia (i.e., axial length > or = 25.5 mm). SETTING: Fifteen Danish eye clinics. METHODS: Two hundred forty-five eyes had cataract extraction performed at 15 eye clinics; 237 eyes had extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and 8 eyes, intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE). Postoperative data were reported by the practicing ophthalmologists. Mean follow-up was 27 months (range 14 to 32 months). RESULTS: Five RDs occurred in the 245 eyes (2.0%). Excluding the ICCE cases and the two cases of combined cornea transplantation and ECCE, RD occurred in 4 of the 235 eyes that had ECCE (1.7%). The incidence after ECCE with posterior chamber lens implantation was 1.4%. Complete postoperative status was reported on 158 eyes. Forty-eight eyes (30.4%) had a neodymium:YAG capsulotomy and 3 (6.0%) developed an RD 1, 3.5, and 21 months after the capsulotomy. CONCLUSION: The RD incidence after ECCE with posterior chamber lens implantation was low but higher than that in unselected populations. The incidence increased after laser capsulotomy.

Comparison of Fucithalmic viscous eye drops and Chloramphenicol eye ointment as a single treatment in corneal abrasion.

PURPOSE: To compare the healing of the cornea and the incidence of infection after traumatic corneal epithelial defect after single treatment with double bandage combined with either Fucithalmic single unit dose eye drops or chloramphenicol eye ointment. METHODS: This is a single-centre, randomised, single-blind, parallel-group study of 144 patients with accidental corneal abrasion or corpus alieni cornea who were referred to the Eye Department at Gentofte Hospital. The injured eye was examined with a photo slit-lamp before and 24 hours after treatment. The size of the abrasion was recorded and calculated on a PCX computerized video system and by slit-lamp photography. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: The Fucithalmic and chloramphenicol ointment treated groups showed no significant difference in corneal healing, local side effects, or signs of local infection.

[Risk of cataract surgery in patients with myopia. A prospective Danish multicenter study with special reference to a complication]. / Risiko ved operation for grå staer hos naersynede. En prospektiv dansk multicenterundersøgelse med soerligt henblik på komplikationen nethindeløsning.

A prospective Danish multicentre study was conducted to evaluate the incidence of retinal detachment after cataract extraction in myopic eyes (axial length, > or = 25.5 mm). Two hundred and forty-seven cataract extractions in myopic eyes were reported during a period of 13 months. Two hundred and forty-one eyes underwent extracapsular and six eyes intracapsular cataract extraction. The mean follow-up time for 158 eyes was seven months (ranging from 1-30 months). In five cases a retinal detachment was observed, one case was probably present preoperatively, this person had undergone intracapsular cataract extraction. The incidence of retinal detachment was thus 1.62-2.02% in the total material and 1.66% in eyes operated with extracapsular cataract extraction.

[Glaucoma blindness in Denmark]. / Glaukomblindhed i Danmark.

The prevalence and the incidence of glaucoma blindness in Denmark was evaluated by examining all registration forms of persons > or = 50 years of age admitted to the Danish Association of the Blind (DAB) between 1955 and 1987 with glaucoma as main cause of blindness. In 1987, 6.7% of DAB-members > or = 50 years suffered from blindness caused at least partially by glaucoma, equivalent to an estimated prevalence of 45 per 100,000 of the Danish population > or = 50 years. The estimated annual incidence of blindness due to glaucoma was seven per 100,000 > or = 65 years, and in an equal number of patients glaucoma was a contributory cause of blindness. The incidence of glaucoma blindness was decreasing in the younger age groups (< 65 years) throughout the study period. Glaucoma blindness seems to occur at a later age now than earlier, leaving the patients blind for a shorter time. The proportion of glaucoma blindness in the glaucoma population was estimated to be 4-5%.

Giant cell arteritis and visual loss. A 3-year retrospective hospital investigation in a Danish county.

An ophthalmic status is given for 95 consecutive patients referred from other departments of the Central County Hospital 1986-88 due to suspected giant cell arteritis. Eventually, the diagnosis was confirmed in 51/95 (18 had positive biopsy of the temporal artery; in 33 it was on clinical grounds). Nine of the 51 had significant visual loss, in one even as bilateral blindness. Generalized malignancies were found in 2 of the 44 with diagnosis other than giant cell arteritis. Retrospectively, in the same 3-year period a total of 263 cases of giant cell arteritis were registered in the somatic hospitals of the county (population 340,000). One further case with visual loss became known from requests to the primary health sector ophthalmologists. Between 3-4% were thus known to have significant visual loss, a result mainly in keeping with other Nordic clinical studies. Probably, the low figures of visual impairment are related to high diagnostic rates of giant cell arteritis, and to early treatment. Our hospital-based data of giant cell arteritis gave a calculated annual incidence of 1 per 1000 of those older than 50 years in the county, or 27/100,000 including all ages. The true county incidence would be even higher had it been possible to find and include the additional cases of giant cell arteritis who were diagnosed and treated in the primary health sector only.

[Giant cell arteritis and vision complications. Illustrated by a 3-year study from hospitals in the county of Frederiksborg]. / Kaempecellearteritis og synskomplikationer. Belyst gennem en tre års opgørelse fra sygehusene i Frederiksborg Amt.

During the three-year period 1986-1988, 95 patients were referred to the county eye department on account of suspected giant cell arteritis (GCA = temporal arteritis/polymyalgia rheumatica). Among the 51 with GCA, nine had visual loss. Bilateral blindness occurred in one patient. Temporal artery biopsy was positive in 18 patients. Malignancies were found in two of the 44 patients in whom the GCA diagnosis was subsequently rejected. In the somatic hospitals of the county, a total of 263 GCA patients could be collected during the sampling period. Requests to the primary health service ophthalmologists revealed one further case with marked visual loss. A total of ten out of 264 patients visual loss associated with GCA denotes a lower ocular risk than traditionally presumed. The result is in agreement with previous Danish and Nordic investigations. Probably the low visual risk is related to a high diagnostic rate of GCA, given here by an annual hospital based incidence in the county of 1 per 1,000 of age 50+. Considering the number of cases diagnosed and treated outside hospital, the real incidence is even higher. Regarding visual loss, however, we feel that all known cases with serious reduction of sight due to recognized GCA have been included.

Glaucoma blindness in Denmark.

In order to evaluate the prevalence and the incidence of glaucoma blindness in Denmark, all registration forms of persons greater than or equal to 50 years of age at admission, admitted to the Danish Association of the Blind (DAB) between 1955 and 1987 with glaucoma as main cause of blindness, were examined. In 1987 6.7% of DAB-members greater than or equal to 50 years of age suffered from blindness caused at least partially by glaucoma, equivalent to an estimated prevalence of 45 per 100,000 of the Danish population greater than or equal to 50 years. The estimated annual incidence of blindness due to glaucoma was 7 per 100,000 greater than or equal to 65 years, and in an equal number of patients glaucoma was a contributory cause of blindness. The incidence of blindness due to glaucoma was decreasing in the young age groups (less than 65 years) throughout the study period. Glaucoma blindness seems to occur at a later age now than earlier, leaving the patients blind for a shorter time. This pattern may be explained by improved health services but could also be due to a change in the spontaneous course of glaucoma. The proportion of glaucoma blindness in the glaucoma population was estimated to be 4-5%.