Gas tamponade is sometimes necessary after vitrectomy. Accurate measurement of intraocular pressure(IOP) in gas-filled eye is important, but is hard to get in operating table, because of lack of a good measuring device. Schiotz tonometry is the only possible method, but it usually gives a lower value than real, because gas-filled eye has a greater compressibility. But if the Schiotz tonometry can give a consistant value in relation to the real value, one can assume a true IOP by simply converting the value, and it will help the vitrectomy surgeon. Vitrectomy with or without lensectomy were done in 7 pigmented rabbits, and fluidair exchange were done at the end of the surgery. Intraocular pressure was monitored by an air infusion system, and true IOP was measured by a transducer from the anterior chamber. Schiotz tonometry was done ar each 5mmHg IOP level, and the values were compared. Schiotz tonometry always gave a lower pressure, and the discrepancy seemed to be greater in aphakic eye, and when the heavier plunger weight were used. Conversion equation was suggested, and their reliability was discussed.
Anterior Chamber ; Intraocular Pressure* ; Manometry ; Operating Tables ; Rabbits ; Transducers ; Vitrectomy*

No abstract available.
Behcet Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Behcet Syndrome*

The patient was a 7 months old Korean girl, who was admitted to Department of Ophthalmology of the Seoul National University Hospital, with 6 months history of the left eyelid swelling and exophthalmos. Visual acuity and ocular movement were unaffected. Orbit CT revealed 1.5x.5 cm sized well circumscribed intraconal mass in the left retrobulbar space with pressure erosion of adjacent bone. At surgery, the mass was pinkish gray and firm, and was adherent to adjacent tissue. The whole mass could not be removed, and a local excision was done.

Advanced glycation end-product(AGE)is known as a factor causing diabetic retinopathy, but little is known about its effect on the function of outer blood-retinal barrier. To test whether AGE can increase the permeability of outer blood-retinal barrier, we injected glycated albumin into white rabbit eyes and observed the change of the fundus and of the outer blood-retinal barrier permeability. The rabbit retina in medullary ray was thickened in AGE-injected eyes. Intravenously injected microperoxidase, tracer molecule, was found in outer sensory retinal layer and outside of the retinal pigment epithelium in AGE-injected eyes. These results suggest that intraocularly injected AGE can increase the outer blood-retinal barrier permeability.
Blood-Retinal Barrier* ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Permeability ; Retina ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium ; Retinaldehyde

This is a report of an atypical case of progressive outer retinal necrosis (PORN) and the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on the clinical course of viral retinitis in an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patient. A 22-year-old male patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) presented with unilaterally reduced visual acuity and a dense cataract. After cataract extraction, retinal lesions involving the peripheral and macular areas were found with perivascular sparing and the mud-cracked, characteristic appearance of PORN. He was diagnosed as having PORN based on clinical features and was given combined antiviral treatment. With concurrent HAART, the retinal lesions regressed, with the regression being accelerated by further treatment with intravenous acyclovir and ganciclovir. This case suggests that HAART may change the clinical course of PORN in AIDS patients by improving host immunity. PORN should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute unilateral cataract in AIDS patients.
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/complications/*drug therapy ; Acyclovir/therapeutic use ; Adult ; *Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active ; Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use ; Cataract/complications ; Disease Progression ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Ganciclovir/therapeutic use ; Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus/*drug therapy/etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Phacoemulsification ; Retinal Necrosis Syndrome, Acute/*drug therapy/etiology ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics, recurrence rate and visual prognosis of intermediate uveitis in terms of cryotherapy and pars plana vitrectomy. METHODS: Medical records of 124 eyes in 110 patients who were diagnosed to have intermediate uveitis from Jan. 1988 to Dec. 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical features, fluorescein angiographic findings in intermediate uveitis, and therapeutic results of vitrectomy and cryotherapy were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 39.1 years and the mean follow-up period was 3.6 years (2 months ~ 11 years). Of those patients, 12.7% were bilateral and average recurrence rate was 2.9 per year. And 81.5% of the snowbank was located inferiorly. Fluorescein angiography (FAG) was done in 91 eyes. Cystoid macular edema (CME) was observed in 81.3% (74 eyes), focal leakage in 77.6% (69 eyes), and diffuse leakage in 22.5% (20 eyes). In 11 eyes which had undergone pars plana vitrectomy, the recurrence rate decreased from 2.2 a year to 0.6 a year. In 9 eyes which had undergone cryotherapy, it decreased from 3.6 a year to 0.7, which was statistically significant (p<0.05). The visual acuity improved in 34.7% (43 eyes), did not change in 44.4% (55 eyes), and worsened in 21.0% (26 eyes) at the final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This demonstrates the overall favorable visual prognosis in patients with intermediate uveitis. Pars plana vitrectomy and cryotherapy may contribute to reducing the recurrence rate of intermediate uveitis.
Cryotherapy ; Fluorescein ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Macular Edema ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Uveitis, Intermediate* ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy

This study is to find out changes in medical practice at a university hospital before and after covering intraocular lens (IOL) from the health insurance benefit. The coverage started on March 1, 1993 and a total of 596 cases who were discharged from July 1 to December 31, 1992 and 580 cases who were discharged from July 1 to December 31, 1993 were analyzed. Since the standard reimbursement scheme was changed from March 1, 1993, the charges for 1992 were transformed into 1993 scheme. Major findings are as follows: Average length of stay was statistically significantly decreased from 8.24 days in 1992 to 6 86 days in 1993. Charges except IOL has been statistically significantly decreased from 501,000 won in 1992 to 444,000 won in 1993. Charges for drugs and injection have been reduced. However, charge per day for them was not much different. This is due to decrease in length of stay. Charges for laboratory tests and radiologic examination were quite the same. charges which are not covered by the insurance remained the same. The revenue of the hospital was reduced as expected. However, the hospital reduced the length of stay and increase the turnover rate in order to compensate the potential loss of revenue due to the difference of reimbursement between the out-of-pocket expense and the insurance coverage. By introducing the IOL benefit in the insurance, the insured pays less, hospital generates more revenue through shortening the hospital stay, and the total medical care cost becomes less nationwidely.
Health Care Costs ; Insurance ; Insurance Coverage ; Insurance, Health* ; Length of Stay ; Lenses, Intraocular*

To evaluate effects of the topical administration of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug on anterior uveitis, suprofen eye drop was instilled into the left eye of 10 pigmented rabbits and then experimental anterior uveitis was induced by injecting 750 mocro gram/kg endotoxin of Shigella flexneri serotype 1A into their peritoneal cavities. The pupillary diameters were measured, and cell and flare gradings were recorded in 20 eyes of 10 rabbits for one week at an interval of 12 hours for the first day and then daily. Differences between the treatment and control groups were investigated. All the above parameters showed greatest changes at 12 or 24 hours after the injection of endotoxin and became normal by one week. The treatment and the control groups demonstrated statistically significant difference at 12 hours, day 1, and day 2 as for pupillary diameter and at day 1 and day 2 as for cell and at 12 hours and day 1 as for flare. Thus, it is concluded that prostaglandin plays a role in miosis and the appearance of inflammatory cells and flare in anterior uveitis and the topical administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug can alleviate signs of anterior uveitis. The specific relationship between leucotriene B4 and polymorphonuclear leucocytes influx was not demonstrated.
Administration, Topical ; Miosis ; Rabbits ; Shigella flexneri ; Suprofen ; Uveitis, Anterior*

We used an animal model of laser-induced retinal vein occlusion to study the temporal and spatial patterns of neuronal necrosis and apoptosis. After photodynamic retinal vein thrombosis with argon-green laser, rats were sacrificed at 6 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, and 14 days after vein occlusion. The temporal and spatial patterns of neuronal cell death were determined using light and electron microscopy, TdT-dUTP nick-end labeling[TUNEL]and DNA gel electrophoresis. The cells in retinal ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer showed both necrotic and apoptotic changes 12 hours after vein occlusion. The TUNEL positivity were detected at day 1 after vein occlusion and the number of positive cell increased until day 2, and decreased thereafter. DNA ladder pattern was observed 48 hours after vein occlusion by DNA gel electrophoreisis. These data demonstrated that retinal vein occlusion induces necrosis and apoptosis in the retinal ganglion cell and inner nuclear layer.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Death* ; DNA ; Electrophoresis ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Microscopy, Electron ; Models, Animal ; Necrosis ; Neurons ; Rats ; Retinal Ganglion Cells ; Retinal Vein Occlusion* ; Retinal Vein* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Veins