Context: Retinal perfusion variability impacts ocular disease and physiology. Aim: To evaluate the response of central retinal artery (CRA) blood flow to temperature alterations in 20 healthy volunteers. Setting and Design: Non-interventional experimental human study. Materials and Methods: Baseline data recorded: Ocular surface temperature (OST) in °C (thermo-anemometer), CRA peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end diastolic velocity (EDV) in cm/s using Color Doppler. Ocular laterality and temperature alteration (warming by electric lamp/cooling by ice-gel pack) were randomly assigned. Primary outcomes recorded were: OST and intraocular pressure (IOP) immediately after warming or cooling and ten minutes later; CRA-PSV and EDV at three, six and nine minutes warming or cooling. Statistical Analysis: Repeated measures ANOVA. Results: (n = 20; μ±SD): Pre-warming values were; OST: 34.5±1.02°C, CRA-PSV: 9.3±2.33cm/s, CRA-EDV: 4.6±1.27cm/s. OST significantly increased by 1.96°C (95% CI: 1.54 to 2.37) after warming, but returned to baseline ten minutes later. Only at three minutes, the PSV significantly rose by 1.21cm/s (95% CI: 0.51to1.91). Pre-cooling values were: OST: 34.5±0.96°C, CRA-PSV: 9.7±2.45 cm/s, CRA-EDV: 4.7±1.12cm/s. OST significantly decreased by 2.81°C (95% CI: -2.30 to -3.37) after cooling, and returned to baseline at ten minutes. There was a significant drop in CRA-PSV by 1.10cm/s (95% CI: -2.05 to -0.15) and CRA-EDV by 0.81 (95% CI: -1.47 to -0.14) at three minutes. At six minutes both PSV (95% CI: -1.38 to -0.03) and EDV (95% CI: -1.26 to -0.02) were significantly lower. All values at ten minutes were comparable to baseline. The IOP showed insignificant alteration on warming (95% CI of difference: -0.17 to 1.57mmHg), but was significantly lower after cooling (95% CI: -2.95 to -4.30mmHg). After ten minutes, IOP had returned to baseline. Conclusion : This study confirms that CRA flow significantly increases on warming and decreases on cooling, the latter despite a significant lowering of IOP.

Purpose: To ascertain whether the changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) that occur during hypobaric hypoxic exposure are related to plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels. Materials and Methods: The study group comprised 26 healthy participants (all male, mean age 23.1 years). IOP was measured at local ground level, (792 m above sea level), then while in a chamber providing hypobaric hypoxic conditions (the subjects were exposed to a pressure equivalent to 9144 m for 1-3 min), and again after exit from the chamber. In each condition, the mean of three consecutive measurements of IOP was calculated for each eye. For BNP measurements, blood samples were drawn before the participants entered the chamber and just after they left the chamber. Results: IOP during hypobaric hypoxic exposure (18.00 ± 3.70 mmHg) was significantly greater than that before (15.66 ± 2.10 mmHg, P < 0.001) or after (16.10 ± 2.63 mmHg, P = 0.001) the exposure. IOP levels before and after the exposure were not significantly different (P = 0.136). Plasma BNP levels measured before and after exposure to hypobaric hypoxic conditions were not significantly different (P = 0.462). Conclusion: Plasma BNP levels did not change after short-term hypobaric hypoxic exposure, while the IOP increased. This increase may have been caused by some other systemic factors. As the hypobaric hypoxic conditions were reversed, IOP decreased to normal levels.

Purpose: To study the demographic and clinical profile of the types of primary angle closure patients presenting at a tertiary care center in North India. Materials and Methods: Clinic records of patients diagnosed as primary angle closure were reviewed. International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology (ISGEO) classification scheme was used to categorize patients. Demographic and clinical data including prior management was collected and analyzed. Main Outcome measures were age, sex, symptomatology, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), gonioscopy, optic disc assessment and visual field defects. Logistic regression model and receiver operating curve (ROC) were calculated for predictors of type of glaucoma. Results: Eight hundred and fourteen patients (1603 eyes; males: 380, females: 434) were diagnosed to have various subtypes of angle closure. Mean (±SD) age at presentation was significantly higher for males (57.57 ± 11.62 years) as compared to females (53.64 ± 10.67 years) ( p0 <.0001). Primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) was most frequently diagnosed subtype (49.38%) followed by Primary angle closure (PAC) (39.68%) and Primary angle closure suspect (PACS) (10.93%) respectively. The three subtypes differed significantly among their mean IOP (on ANOVA, F = 14.04; P < .0001 using Greenhouse-Geisser correction). Univariate analysis was done to find significant predictors for the outcome of PACG. Logistic regression model and ROC containing the significant predictors yielded a very high AUC of 0.93 with strong discriminatory ability for PACG. Conclusion: In our hospital-based study, the significant predictors for the outcome of PACG included male gender, diminution of vision, the presence of pain and worsening grades of BCVA. Nearly half of PACG presented with advanced disease. In spite of one-third of the patients being diagnosed as angle closure prior to referral, only 8.34% had iridotomy (laser or surgical) done.

Aims: The aim of the study was to report the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and severe ROP and identify the risk factors for their development in a large nursery in Kuwait. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective, interventional, non-comparative, hospital-based study. Retrospective review of ROP records of premature babies having either birth weight of less than 1501 g or gestational age at birth of 34 weeks or less and born between January 2001 and August 2003. Statistical Analysis: By univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Out of the 599 babies studied, 38.9% developed ROP and 7.8% needed treatment for severe ROP. Multivariate analysis showed low birth weight (OR 13.753, 95% CI 3.66-51.54; ( P < 0.001), gestational age (OR 13.75, 95% CI 3.66-51.54; P < 0.001), surfactant (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.04-2.83; P = 0.032) and stay in the intensive care unit for longer than 15 days (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.05-4.85; P = 0.033) to be significant for the development of any ROP. Low birth weight (OR 22.86, 95% CI 3.86-134.82; P = 0.001), bacterial sepsis (OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.51-7.05; P = 0.002) and need for surfactant (OR 4.41, 95% CI 0.94 -20.56; P = 0.059) were found to be the risk factors for severe ROP needing laser treatment. Conclusion: The incidence of both any ROP and ROP needing treatment are comparable to other studies. Low birth weight is the most important risk factor for both any ROP and severe ROP.

Background: In twin births, both babies have the same gestational age and pre-natal conditions. However, twins may develop a varied retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) course depending on birth weight and other systemic factors. Objective: To study the profile of asymmetric ROP in twins Design: Retrospective study Setting: Tertiary ROP referral eye hospital. Materials and Methods: The profile of 56 pairs of twins with ROP were studied and analyzed for differences in zone or need for treatment, while studying possible causes for the varied outcome. Results: In 45 pairs of twins (80%) the disease progressed identically in both eyes, while in 11 pairs (20%) the ROP showed differences in zone or need for treatment. Four of these pairs were discordant. In 3 of these 4 pairs, the heavier birth weight twin had a more severe ROP course. Conclusions: Twins can present with asymmetric ROP course, and it is therefore essential to examine both twins as per screening protocols.

Objective: We present a prospective, non-comparative case series study of 126 consecutive diode laser-assisted transcanalicular dacryocystorhinostomy (TCL-DCR) procedures on 122 patients. We analyzed success rate, procedure time and amount of laser energy needed for a 5 mm osteotomy. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty-two patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction were included in the study. The procedure was performed under general anesthesia, and the nasal mucosa was anesthetized. An endoscope was used for examination of the lacrimal pathways. The site of osteotomy was determined with transillumination of the lateral nasal wall. We achieved osteotomy by applying laser energy via an optic fiber. We used a 980 nm diode laser with power of 10 Watts. We inserted a bicanalicular silicone stent as the last step. Success of procedure was absence of epiphora (subjective), or patency of the lacrimal drainage system on irrigation (objective). Results: We performed 126 successive endoscopic laser (EL-DCR) with bicanalicular intubation in 122 patients. The average procedure time was 12 min, and on average 245 Joules of laser energy was needed. The silicone stents were removed three to eight months after surgery. We observed absence of epiphora and a patent nasolacrimal duct on irrigation in 105 out of 126 treated eyes. Eighteen patients had epiphora despite a patent nasolacrimal duct on irrigation. This yields a success rate of 83.3%, with an average follow-up period of 12 months. Conclusions: The 980 nm EL-DCR with bicanalicular intubation is a new contribution to the field of lacrimal surgery. It is a minimally invasive quick procedure yielding a high success rate.

Purpose: To compare horizontal corneal diameter measurements using the Orbscan Eyemetrics function and Orbscan corneal topographer. Materials and Methods: Seventy-three eyes of 37 patients were included in the study. In all cases, the automated white-to-white (WTW) measurements were obtained using Orbscan by two observers. Using the Eyemetrics function, the WTW was measured manually by the same observers from limbus to limbus using the digital caliper passing through the five point corneal reflections on the Orbscan real image. The data was analyzed using SPSS software for correlation, reliability and inter-rater repeatability. Results: The mean horizontal corneal diameter was 11.74±0.32mm (SD) with the Orbscan and 11.92±0.33mm (SD) with Eyemetrics Software-based measurement. A good positive correlation (Spearman r = 0.720, P = 0.026) was found between these two measurements. The coefficient of inter-rater repeatability was 0.89 for the Orbscan and 0.94 for the Eyemetrics software measurements on the anterior segment images. The Bland and Altman analysis showed large limits of agreement between Orbscan WTW and Eyemetrics WTW measurements. The intra-session repeatability scores for repeat measurements for the Orbscan WTW and Eyemetrics measurements were good. Conclusion: Eyemetrics can be used to measure WTW and the Eyemetrics measured WTW was longer than the WTW measured by Orbscan.

Purpose: To assess the visual outcome after cataract surgery in a south Indian population. Materials and Methods: Population-based cross-sectional study of subjects aged 40 years or more. Three thousand nine hundred and twenty-four rural subjects from 27 contiguous villages and 3850 urban subjects from five randomly selected divisions were studied. All subjects underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination that included visual acuity, refraction, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, and dilated retinal examination. Statistical Analysis: Chi square test, t test and multivariate analysis were used. Results: Five hundred and twenty-eight (216 males, 312 females, 781 eyes) rural subjects (13.5%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 12.4% to 14.6%) and 406 (197 males, 209 females, 604 eyes) urban subjects (10.5%, 95% CI 9.6-11.5%) had undergone cataract surgery. Outcome of cataract surgery was defined based on visual acuity. Using best-corrected visual acuity for classification, the single most important cause for visual impairment was cystoid macular edema in the aphakic group and posterior capsule opacification in the pseudophakic group. Aphakia (visual acuity of <20/60 to ≤20/400 - odds ratio (OR) 1.8; 95% CI 1.3 to 2.6%, visual acuity of <20/400 - OR 6.2; 95% 4.0 to 9.8%), rural residence (visual acuity of <20/60 to ≤20/400 - OR 3.2; 95% CI 2.2 to 4.5% and visual acuity of <20/400 - OR OR 3.5; 95% CI 2.3 to 5.5%) were associated with visual impairment. The urban cataract-operated population had significantly more pseudophakics ( P < 0.001), men ( P = 0.02) and literates ( P < 0.001). In the rural group the prevalence of cataract surgery (13.5% vs. 10.5%, P < 0.001) and number of people that had undergone cataract surgery within three years prior to examination ( P < 0.001) were significantly greater. In 30% of rural and 16% of urban subjects uncorrected refraction was the cause of visual impairment. Conclusions: Surgery-related complications were major causes for visual acuity of < 20/60.

A 22-year-old female in her third trimester of pregnancy was referred to our department for sudden loss of vision with a painful blind eye. It was diagnosed as retinoblastoma clinically and radiologically. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis. This case is one of its kind because retinoblastoma occurring during pregnancy had not been reported in literature so far.

Post traumatic macular holes have shown successful anatomic outcomes with vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling and gas injection. Intraocular use of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) crystals is gaining popularity in patients for visualization of the vitreous cortex, posterior vitreous detachment induction and ILM peeling during macular hole surgery. However, the possibility of residual steroid crystals clogging the hole at the conclusion of surgery exists. In our case, residual TA was observed biomicroscopically in the fovea on the seventh day after surgery, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) image of the eye showed a hyper reflective mass corresponding to the TA. However, a repeat OCT carried out four weeks after surgery showed recovery of the foveal morphologic features to an almost normal depression, with closure of the hole. Residual TA crystals in the macular hole post vitreous surgery may not interfere with ultimate macular hole closure or visual improvement.

A 42-year-old female presented to us with a complaint of sudden painless loss of vision in both eyes of three days duration. Visual acuity was 20/100 for distance in both eyes. Fundus examination showed bilateral peripapillary hemorrhages, with subhyaloid and vitreous hemorrhage in both eyes. Hematological investigations revealed hemoglobin (HB 7 gm %) and severe thrombocytopenia (12,000/ ul). She was referred to a hematologist where a diagnosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) was made. She was treated for systemic condition with regular ophthalmic follow-up. Over the next nine months, retinal hemorrhages completely resolved and the patient regained her visual acuity. The purpose of this case report is to highlight the clinical presentation of severe anemia, which is different from previous reports and the role of an ophthalmologist in first detecting the Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), which led to successful recovery.

We report the case of a three-year-old male child who presented with a single painless subcutaneously located upper lid mass of 1.2 Χ 1.5 cm with a central depression. The mass could be easily separated from overlying skin on complete excision biopsy and showed a never described before whitish brain like appearance consisting of multiple lobes and gyri, which histopathologically proved to be molluscum contagiosum (MC). Tests to investigate underlying immunodeficiency did not show any evidence of immunocompromised state.

We report a rare case of orbital swelling presenting one year after head trauma. An initial fine needle aspiration cytology revealed it to be an infected organizing hematoma. However, broad-spectrum antibiotics did not resolve the infection and the orbital lesion continued to grow in size, as evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging. Incisional biopsies were done, which were reported as orbital actinomycosis. Patient has responded well to treatment with penicillin. This case is of interest due to the delayed presentation of an orbital complication of head trauma and the rare infection with actinomyces. It also highlights the importance of using appropriate antibiotics, as well as the need for long-term treatment.

Situs inversus of the optic disc is a rare, usually bilateral, congenital embryological abnormality associated with high myopia, optic disc coloboma or tilted optic disc. It is characterized by emergence of the retinal vessels in an anomalous direction with dysversion of the optic disc. In this report we present a 13-year-old boy diagnosed with isolated, unilateral situs inversus of the optic disc associated with reduced binocularity and stereoacuity resembling a monofixation syndrome. The clinicians should be aware of this association and assess the binocularity in patients with unilateral optic disc or macular anomalies. Conversely, patients with reduced binocularity and stereoacuity should be carefully evaluated for macular or optic nerve anomalies, if not associated with strabismus, anisometropia and eccentric fixation. Typical fundus picture, optical coherence tomography and multifocal electro retinogram of the patient would be instructive to a clinician.

We report the prevalence and risk factors for glaucoma among aphakes and pseudophakes in 3850 subjects who participated in a population-based study in urban south India. The subjects underwent an ophthalmic examination including applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, optic disc evaluation and frequency doubling perimetry. Glaucoma was diagnosed using the International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology (ISGEO) criteria. Thirty eight, 15 aphakes and 23 pseudophakes (0.99% of 3850 subjects) of the 406 persons who had undergone cataract surgery were diagnosed with glaucoma. Aphakes/pseudophakes were at higher risk of glaucoma as compared to the phakic population (Odds Ratio: 2.71, 95% CI: 1. 94, 3.38, p=0.001). On multivariate analysis, older age and higher intra ocular pressure were risk factors for glaucoma. Blindness attributable to glaucoma was detected in 20% of aphakic and 4.3% of pseudophakic eyes. Glaucoma was a significant cause of morbidity in those who had undergone cataract surgery in this urban population.

This report describes a case of pleomorphic adenoma of an ectopic lacrimal gland arising subconjunctivally in the lateral fornix in a 13-year-old girl. The tumor was removed surgically in toto with the capsule. This is probably the first reported case.

The sulphonamide group of drugs is implicated in bilateral acute angle closure (AAC) due to an idiosyncratic response. We report a series of three cases with bilateral AAC caused by different sulphonamide derivatives, their presentation and management.

Endophthalmitis is a rare and serious post-surgical complication. We report a case of acute postoperative endophthalmitis after an uneventful cataract surgery caused by a commensal organism, Gemella haemolysans. The patient was successfully treated with vitrectomy and intravitreal antibiotics like vancomycin, along with topical cefazolin.