Radiation therapy, although a prime treatment modality for malignant disease, has few definitive indications for some benign ocular diseases too. Orbital pseudotumour, Graves ophthalmopathy and pterygium are the conditions where the radiation oncologist has got an important role to play. This article reviews the current status of the role of radiation and its effectiveness in the management of these diseases.

We analysed 262 consecutive histopathologically proved cases of malignant tumours of the eye and its adnexa seen over a nine year period. Two peaks were observed in the age distribution one in the first decade due to retinoblastoma and another between forty one to sixty years due to malignant lid tumours especially meibomian carcinoma. Males (56%) were affected more often. Intraocular tumours (34%) formed the commonest group of malignant orbito-ocular tumours; lacrimal gland tumours (3%) occurred least frequently. Of the individual tumours, retinoblastoma (32%) was seen most often followed by squamous cell carcinoma (25%). The frequency of meibomian gland carcinoma in Madras was significantly more than in North India. Extra-ocular malignant melanomas out-numbered intraocular (uveal) malignant melanomas. The significance of these observations is discussed.

A complete ophthalmic examination was carried out for each of 54 adult patients with various forms of sickle cell disease. Mild and infrequent signs in the anterior and posterior segments were found, but there were no cases of proliferative sickle cell retinopathy detected. These findings were compared with the reported findings in the black Americans of African origin with the same disease. The probable explanations were the high prevalence of fetal haemoglobin in Arab sicklers, the rarity of sickle cell disease among the Arabs and the possible existence of a different gene.

With the advent of intra ocular lens implantation at the time of cataract extraction, especially by intracapsular method, it has become very important to prevent the loss of vitreous during surgery. This can be achieved by lowering the intraocular pressure by various methods. In order to find out the best method to achieve a soft & safe eye before surgery, a study was conducted on 90 patients, undergoing intracapsular cataract extraction. The patients were divided into 9 groups of 10 each, & different methods of lowering intraocular pressure were tried and results compared. It was observed that intravenous mannitol given preoperatively and pressure with mercury column together, formed the best combination to achieve the maximum tension lowering effect.

Schirmer's test and tear film break-up time (BUT) were studied in 56 eyes of patients with pterygium and compared with 50 eyes of normal healthy subjects representing the same age, sex and geographical distribution. Both the values were found to be significantly reduced in cases of pterygium indicating the inadequacy of tear film in these patients.

Cataracts are a major cause of blindness in man with far reaching personal, social and economic consequences. The clarity of the lens is dependent upon the maintenance of the integrity of the fiber cell plasma membrane whose important component is cholesterol. In the present study, we have demonstrated that cataract formation influences the cholesterol and protein distribution within the lens.

The value of Visual Evoked Potentials (VEP) in the management of indirect optic nerve injury was prospectively studied in 78 patients. The initial VEPs were normal in 10, abnormal in 29 and absent in 39 patients. All 10 patients with normal VEP showed visual recovery. Amongst 29 patients with abnormal VEP, 26 (86.6%) showed improvement. In 39 patients initial VEPs showed no wave, however, subsequent VEP recordings demonstrated wave formation. Thus in 31 patients repeated VEP recordings failed to demonstrate wave formation, and none of them improved. This study, thus brings out the high predictive value of both positive and negative VEPs.

Impression cytology technique was used to study the cytological changes of in 30 patients with various diseases (Xerophthalmia, Steven-Johnson's syndrome, trachoma, alkali burns, kerato conjunctivitis sicca) resulting in dry eye syndrome. The main features of impression cytology were squamous metaplasia of epithelial cells and altered goblet cell density. The comparison between conjunctival biopsy findings and impression cytology confirm that impression cytology provides the same information as that of biopsy. Hence, the authors advocate that this non-invasive simple technique can replace conjunctival biopsy in confirmation of diagnosis in dry eye syndrome.

The corneal endothelial status was studied in 40 eyes of patients with congenital cataract before and 3 months after surgery. Twenty eyes of patients who underwent pars plana lensectomy revealed a mean endothelial cell loss of 8% (SD +/- .76) while the remaining 20 eyes which were operated by needling aspiration had a endothelial cell loss of 10% (SD +/- .89). The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant.

We report the case of a man who presented with in the features of left optic nerve compression. CT scan and carotid angiography demonstrated an unruptured giant aneurysm of the left internal carotid artery possibly kinking the optic nerve. Carotid ligation in the neck saved both life and vision.

A case of post-traumatic keratoconus is presented. This is an unusual variant of an uncommon disorder. Posterior keratoconus is a very rare ectatic dystrophy of the cornea. Since its first description in 1927, only a few cases have been described in the literature. Posttraumatic posterior keratoconus is a much rarer entity. We are reporting a case of posterior keratoconus caused by iron nail injury.

Bilateral multiple iris nodules with thickened corneal nerves and flat fifth thoracic vertebra is being reported.

An asymptomatic orbital lymphangiomatoid malformation in a female is being reported.

A rare case of leiomyoma located anteroinferiorly in the orbit of a 39-year-old male patient is reported. The histopathogenesis and management is discussed.

A simple, economical autoclavable hollow cylindrical stainless steel handle with openings at both ends and on one side is manufactured and used for many applications in closed cham­ber ocular surgeries especially extracapsular cataract surgery.