1: Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2012 Feb 3; [Epub ahead of print] 

Changes in the tear film and ocular surface after cataract surgery.

Oh T, Jung Y, Chang D, Kim J, Kim H.

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, St. Mary's Hospital, College of
Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, #62 Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu,
Seoul, 150-713, Korea.

PURPOSE:                       To evaluate changes in corneal sensitivity, tear
film function, and ocular surface stability in patients after cataract surgery. 
                                       METHODS:                       This
hospital-based prospective randomized trial included 48 eyes from 30 patients
who underwent phacoemulsification. Slit-lamp examination, Schirmer test 1 (ST1),
and measurement of corneal sensitivity and tear film breakup time (BUT) were
performed for all patients 1 day before and 1 day, 1 month, and 3 months after
surgery. In addition, conjunctival impression cytology from the temporal region
of the conjunctiva was simultaneously performed.                                
        RESULTS:                       Corneal sensitivity at the center and
temporal incision sites had decreased significantly at 1 day postoperatively (P
= .021, P < .001). However, the sensitivity had returned to almost the
preoperative level 1 month postoperatively. The mean postoperative ST1 results
were no different from preoperative values. On the other hand, BUT results had
decreased significantly at 1 day postoperatively (P = .01) but had returned to
almost the preoperative level 1 month postoperatively. Mean goblet cell density
(GCD) had decreased significantly at 1 day, 1 month, and 3 months
postoperatively (P < .001). In addition, decrease in GCD and cataract operative
time were highly correlated (r                         (2) = 0.65).             
                           CONCLUSIONS:                       The decrease in
GCD, which was correlated with operative time, had not recovered at 3 months
after cataract surgery. Therefore, microscopic ocular surface damage during
cataract surgery seems to be one of the pathogenic factors that cause ocular
discomfort and dry eye syndrome after cataract surgery.

PMID: 22298313  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

2: Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2012 Jan 17; [Epub ahead of print] 

Two Japanese cases of pigmentary glaucoma followed for 15 and 16 years following
laser peripheral iridotomy.

Sawada A, Yamada H, Yamamoto T.

Department of Ophthalmology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1
Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1194, Japan, sawadaa-gif@umin.ac.jp.

PURPOSE:                       To report two Japanese cases of pigmentary
glaucoma (PG) treated with laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) that were followed
for 15 and 16 years, respectively.                                        
METHODS:                       The medical records of two patients with PG who
were successfully treated with LPI were reviewed. Changes in the intraocular
pressure (IOP) were followed.                                         RESULTS:  
                    Case 1 was that of a 35-year-old man with LPI who underwent
argon laser trabeculoplasty twice. He required ocular hypotensive drugs to
maintain the IOP at normal levels. Case 2 involved a 36-year-old man with LPI
who required ocular hypotensive drugs to maintain his IOP at the low-teen level.
The IOP of both patients was unstable during the first 6-8 years following the
LPI, but showed a decrease at each annual follow-up examination up to the age of
50 years.                                         CONCLUSIONS:                  
    Although only two cases were followed, we conclude that the long-term
effects of LPI may play a role, at least partly, in stabilizing the IOP at the
low-teen level. Both patients were relatively young at the time of the LPI, and
age may have been a factor in the stabilization process. Our findings confirm
similar findings in Western countries.

PMID: 22249885  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

3: Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2012 Jan 14; [Epub ahead of print] 

Treatment of macular edema due to branch retinal vein occlusion with single or
multiple intravitreal injections of bevacizumab.

Yunoki T, Miyakoshi A, Nakamura T, Fujita K, Fuchizawa C, Hayashi A.

Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical
Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan.

PURPOSE:                       We examined the predictive factors for final
visual acuity (VA) with macular edema of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO)
treated by intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (IVB) and examined the
differences between patients without recurrent macular edema due to BRVO after a
single IVB and patients treated with multiple IVB because of recurrent macular
edema.                                         METHODS:                       In
this retrospective study, 37 eyes of 37 patients with BRVO were treated with IVB
and followed up for more than 24 weeks. Eighteen eyes showed no recurrence of
macular edema after a single IVB (single IVB group). The remaining 19 eyes
showed recurrent macular edema and underwent multiple IVB (multiple IVB group).
VA and morphologic parameters of optical coherence tomography were examined.    
                                    RESULTS:                       Mean VA,
central retinal thickness, and mean retinal thickness in a circular region of
1-mm diameter at the fovea improved significantly with IVB treatment in both
groups. Final VA was correlated with baseline VA and integrity grade of the
photoreceptor inner and outer segment (IS/OS) line beneath the fovea.           
                             CONCLUSION:                       Baseline VA and
IS/OS line grade at 4 weeks may be predictive factors for final VA.

PMID: 22246387  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

4: Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2012 Jan 6; [Epub ahead of print] 

Effects of selective-wavelength block filters on pupillary light reflex under
red and blue light stimuli.

Ishikawa H, Onodera A, Asakawa K, Nakadomari S, Shimizu K.

School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato,
Minamiku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan, hitoshi@e03.itscom.net.

PURPOSE:                       To investigate at which wavelength
melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells (mRGCs) depolarize and how they
affect pupillary constriction induced by light stimulation in humans.           
                             METHODS:                       The pupil light
reflex was evaluated for 30 normal subjects by use of an infrared pupillometer.
Blue light stimulation (470 nm) and red light stimulation (635 nm) of 100
cd/m(2) were selected. Selective-wavelength block filters which can selectively
remove the wavelengths 440 and 470 nm were used. Visual tests were also
performed to observe the effects of the filters on visual acuity, color vision,
and contrast sensitivity.                                         RESULTS:      
                The pupil transiently constricts and then settles toward a
steady-state diameter when stimulated with the light. When the 470-nm-block
filter was worn, the sustained phase of pupillary constriction, thought to be
mediated by the mRGCs, was not stable but there was no effect on the  initial
phase of pupillary constriction under blue light stimulation. Visual acuity,
color vision, and contrast sensitivity were not affected by the 470-nm-block
filter.                                         CONCLUSIONS:                    
  These results suggest that the mRGC in humans may respond to 470-nm-wavelength
light at 100 cd/m(2), and there is a possibility of affecting the sustained
phase of the light reflex without changing visual performance.

PMID: 22219036  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

5: Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2012 Jan 6; [Epub ahead of print] 

Demographic features of idiopathic macular telangiectasia in Japanese patients.

Maruko I, Iida T, Sugano Y, Ojima A, Oyamada H, Sekiryu T.

Department of Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1
Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, Japan, imaruko@fmu.ac.jp.

PURPOSE:                       Idiopathic macular telangiectasia (MacTel) is
classified into aneurysmal telangiectasia (type 1), perifoveal telangiectasia
(type 2) and occlusive telangiectasia (type 3). Most instances of telangiectasia
in Western countries are type 2. This study reports clinical and demographic
features of MacTel in Japanese patients.                                        
METHODS:                       Newly diagnosed patients with MacTel were
examined retrospectively. All patients underwent fluorescein angiography and
optical coherence tomography.                                         RESULTS:  
                    Thirty-four eyes of 27 patients with MacTel were included.
Twenty eyes of 20 patients (74.1%) had type 1, ten eyes of five patients (18.5%)
had type 2, and four eyes of two patients (7.4%) had type 3. Foveal capillary
dilatation and microaneurysms were observed in all except for one eye of early
stage type 2 MacTel. Optical coherence tomography revealed cystoid macular edema
in type 1, temporal foveal thinning and a loss of boundary between the inner and
outer segments of photoreceptors in type 2, and thinning of all retinal layers
around the fovea in type 3.                                         CONCLUSION: 
                     The most frequent among our patients was aneurysmal MacTel,
whereas perifoveal MacTel was not common. Although the clinical characteristics
were similar, the most common type was different from that in Western countries.

PMID: 22219035  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]