To evaluate the change of corneal sensation following LASIK, the corneal sensation of 26 eyes(14 patients) were examined before and 1 week, 2 week, 1 month, 2 month, 3 month, and 6 month after LASIK. The corneal sensation was measured on the following points of the center, temporal, inferior, nasal, and superior side with an esthesiometer of Cochet-Bonnet type. Each measurement of side point was taken 3mm apart from corneal center. The eyes were divided into two groups; group I was eyes with a corneal ablation depth under 100micrometer and group II was those with a value over 100micrometer. Corneal sensations in all cases were not recovered to the level of preoperation until 6 month after LASIK. The pattern of recovery was indifferent among the various points on the cornea except for the hinge side, which has shown more rapid recovery than any other area. The recovery speed between the hinge side and other areas was statistically significant(P<0.05). A decrease of corneal sensation was more prominent in group I than group II. With these results, we are able to suggest that lamellar cut of the cornea by LASIK procedure makes a damage on the corneal sensation and the depth of ablation might cause an influence on the amount of loss and recovery of the corneal sensation.
Cornea ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Lasers, Excimer ; Sensation*

OBJECTIVE: Cross-sectional survey was performed to evaluate prevalence of allergic rhinitis and its causative allergens in people in rural area of Cheju Isl~and. Subject and METHOD: A total of 1,236 people with 1,055 children and 181 adults in rural area of Cheju Island were enrolled in this study. In children, 544 were males and 511 were females, and their mean age was 12.3(ranging from 7 to 16) years. In adults, 78 were males and 103 were females, and their mean age was 50.1 (ratging from 18 to 87) years. Evaluations included a questionnaire survey, and skin prick test with extracts of Japanese cedar (Cryptomera japonica, J cedar) pollen and citrus red mite (Panonychus citri, CRM) as well as eleven common inhalant allergens. RESULTS: Prevalence of chronic nasal symptoms was 40.6% (429/1,055) in children, and 45.8 % (83/181) in adults. Prevalence of allergic rhinitis based on positive nasal symptoms on the questionnaire and positive skin response to one or more of the 13 inhalant allergens were 15.4 % (159/1.035) in children, and 19.3% (35/181) in adults. Of 1,035 children, skin-test response was positive in 37.6%, and common sensitizing allergens in order of decreasing frequency were Dermatophagoides pteronpssinus (DP) (26.6%), D. farinae (DF)(22.6%), CRM(14.2%), cockroach(11.3%) and J cedar(9.7%). Of 181 adults, skin-test response was positive in 25.9%, and t,he most common sensitizing allergen was CRM(16.5%), followed by cockroach(11.0%), DP(9. 9%), DF(9.4%), and J cedar(6.6%). Of 159 children with allergic rhinitis, the common sensitizing allergens in order of deereasing frequency were DP(79.2%), DF(67.3%), CRM(35.8%), J cedar(32.7%), and cockroach(27.0%). Of 35 adults with allergic rhinitis, the most common sensitizing allergen was CRM(68.6%), followed by DP(40%), DF(34.3%), cockroach(34.3%), and J cedar(28.9%). CONCLUSION: Allergic rhinitis is a very common disease with a prevalence of 15.4% in children and 19.3% in adults in rural area of Cheju island, and common sensitizing allergens include house dust mite, citrus red mite, cockroach, and Japanese cedar pollen.
Adult ; Allergens* ; Child ; Citrus ; Cockroaches ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Cryptomeria ; Female ; Humans ; Jeju-do* ; Male ; Mites ; Pollen ; Prevalence* ; Pyroglyphidae ; Rhinitis* ; Skin ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Prevalence of bee venom allergy in Korea is unknown, OBJECTIVE: We performed a cross-sectional study to evaluate the prevalence of bee venom allergy and importance of risk factors, such as age, sex, and atopy, in the development of the allergic reaction in children and adults living in rural area of Cheju Island. Swbject and METHOD: The prevalence was investigated in subjects with 1,054 children and 370 adults (701 male, 723 female), aged 7-87 years, living in rural area of Cheju Island. A history particularly focused on the systemic reactions after the bee stings was taken in all subjects. Skin prick test,s to common inhalant allergens, including house dust mites, fungi, tree, grass, mugwort and ragweed pollen, cockroach, animal epithelium, Japanese cedar pollen, and citrus red mite were performed. RESULT: The prevalence of bee venom allergy was 5.8% (mild systemic reactions 5.0%, severe systemic reactions 0.8% ). The prevalence was higher in adults than in children (10.2% vs. 5.0%, g = 12.0, p<0.01). Among the children, the prevalerlce wB.S Signifcantly higher ill male than in female (8.6% vs. 1.3%, x=28.7, p<0.01), but no significant diffecence was noted between male and female in adults (10.0% vs. 10.3%, p>0.05). The prevalence of bee venom allergy was not significantly different between subjects with positive skin reaction and those with negative skin reaction to inhalant allergens (6.4% vs. 5.4% ), Conclasion'. The prevlence of bee venom allergy in inhabitants of rural area of Cheju Island is 5.8% (mild systemic,' 5.0%, severe systemic reaction. 0.8%), and bee venom allergy was more common in adults than in children, and in male children than in female children.
Adult* ; Allergens ; Ambrosia ; Animals ; Artemisia ; Bee Venoms* ; Bees* ; Bites and Stings ; Child* ; Citrus ; Cockroaches ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Cryptomeria ; Epithelium ; Female ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Jeju-do* ; Korea ; Male ; Mites ; Poaceae ; Pollen ; Prevalence* ; Pyroglyphidae ; Risk Factors ; Skin