Cyclosporin (CsA)is a potent immunosuppressive agent and is used for prevention of corneal graft rejection.In vitro effects of CsA on the cultured rabbit corneal endothelial cells and the rat corneal button were investigated. Rabbit corneal endothelial cells were cultured in the medium containing C s A (5 microgram/ml, 500ng/ml, 50ng/ml, or 5ng/ml)for 48hr.The incorporation of 3H-thymidine into cells was determined.Fresh corneal buttons were obtained from Lewis rats.Each button was divided into 4 quadrants and incubated in Optisol medium containing CsA, Cremophore (solvent of CsA), pred-nisolone 0.1 microgram/ml, or Optisol alone for 48hr.The above 4 different concen-trations of CsA were used in different corneal buttons.After incubation corneal buttons were stained with PAS and endothelial cells were stained with Alizarin red S.Results showed that thymidine counts were lower in these media containing CsA.Endothelial membrane was also disrupted in the media containing CsA > or=5 0 n g /ml.In conclusion, corneal medium contain-ing CsA may induce damage to the endothelium in vitro.
Animals ; Cyclosporine* ; Endothelial Cells* ; Endothelium ; Membranes ; Rats ; Thymidine ; Transplants

We experienced 5 cases of diffuse lamellar keratitis or Sands of the Sahara syndrome, which have not been reported in Korea. Patients complained of blurred vision or ocular discomfort 1 or 2 days after LASIK. They showed diffuse infiltrates confined to the flap interface with no posterior or anterior extension and had no anterior chamber reaction. The diffuse infiltrates responded well to steroid or antibiotic/steroid eyedrops showing diminution of infiltrates within 3 to 4 days of therapy. The best corrective visual acuities were 0.8 to 1. 0 around 1 month after surgery.
Africa, Northern* ; Anterior Chamber ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ ; Korea ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Silicon Dioxide* ; Visual Acuity

Orthokeratology is a nonsurgical measure for correcting ametropia, especially, myopia by changing corneal curvature and refractive powers with the use of tight-fitting, progressively flatter, and rigid contact lenses. Contact lens-related microbial keratitis is already well-known, but keratitis which was developed in orthokeratology lens is not reported yet. Only one case of filtering bleb infection as a complication of orthokeratology lens wear is reported abroad in a patient who had been performed a right trabeculectomy in combination with phacoemulsification and insertion of an intraocular lens implant before. We treated successfully the microbial keratitis which developed in a 11-year-old boy with fortified antibiotics who had worn orthokeratology lens for one month.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Blister ; Child ; Contact Lenses ; Humans ; Keratitis* ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Male ; Myopia ; Phacoemulsification ; Refractive Errors ; Trabeculectomy

The authors studied the results of 134 eyes(108 patients)with myopia ranging from -6.00 to -24.125D, uncorrected visual acuity, corrected visual acuity, refractive error, after 1, 3, 6 months, and 1 year. They received excimer laser in situ keratomileusis changing the nomogram(groupI:80~90% of PRK, II:100%, III:105%)with Visx 20/20 and the Chiron Automated Corneal Shaper microkeratome from Jan.1996. Mean age was 29.9 year old(20~48 year old). Men were 38 eyes, women were 70 eyes. Mean preoperative spherical equivalent was -11.34D+/-3.94D and mean postoperative spherical equivalents(SE)of group III at 1, 3, 6 months, 1 year were -0.27D+/-1.05D, -0.44D+/-1.08D, -0.63D+/-1.21D, -0.81D+/-1.23D. In group 3, SE of -6D ~ -10D(A), -10D ~ -13D(B)and -13D~(C)after 1 year were -0.39D+/-0.57D, -0.68 D+/-0.98D, -1.94D+/-1.90D respectively. Uncorrected visual acuity after 1, 3, 6 months, 1 year was 0.5 or better in 76, 85, 76, 76%, and 0.8 or better in 46, 49, 49, 51% respectively. 42 eyes(71%) within 1D of attempted correction in group III. Best corrected visual acuity did not change in most eyes, 6 eyes(4.4% of 134 eyes)lost two or more of spectacle corrected visual acuity. No sight-threatening complications occurred intraoperatively. Postoperative complications included 29 eyes(21%)of interface foreign body, 16 eyes(12%)of night glare, 16 eyes(12%)of cap microwrinkling. Corneal haze did not be noted. LASIK for high myopia was safe method, but myopic regression observed after 1 year.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Foreign Bodies ; Glare ; Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Lasers, Excimer ; Male ; Myopia* ; Postoperative Complications ; Refractive Errors ; Visual Acuity

Viscoelastics which are used in intraocular surgery sell many kinds as to its unique properties. We intended to valuate the clinical usefulness of three viscoelastics, Healon, Healon GV and Provisc. We performed phacoemulsificatioin and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation in 26, 28, 29 eyes with each viscoelastics and measured the corneal thickness at preoperatively, postoperative 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, 5 months and endothelial cell count at preoperatively, postoperative 2 months. We also analysed the anterior chamber maintenance and easiness of injection and removal during operation, In Healon used group, Preoperative corneal thickness was 549.7+/-24.3micrometer, in Healon GV group, 550.1+/-28.7micrometer, in Provisc group, 543.1+/-39.0micrometer and which were changed into 552.1+/-39.0micrometer, 533.1+/-21.1micrometer, 522.2+/-32.0micrometer at postoperative 5 months respectively, but there was no statistically significant difference between preoperative and postoperative status in all three groups. There was a tendency of slight reduction of endothelial cell count at postoperative 2 month in three groups, but it wasn`t statistically significant, too. Healon GV and Provisc were better in anterior chamber maintenance but injection into anterior chamber and removal by irrigation and aspiration were more easy in Healon used group. So, we suggest all three viscoelastics has hood endothelial protective effect and can be used freely as to their unique properties and the operative situation.
Anterior Chamber ; Endothelial Cells ; Hyaluronic Acid* ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the induced astigmatism after spherical LASIK operations. A total of 36 eyes of 33 patients were treated with a Automated keratome and VISX 20/20 excimer laser. The postoperative 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months astigmatic refractive outcomes were compared with the initial refraction by vector analysis (Alpins and Holladay method). Subjective astigmatic refraction reduced from a mean of 0.48D+/-SD 0.49D(range, 0 to 1.75D) to 0.34D+/-SD 0.54D(range, 0 to 2.0D) at postoperative 6 months.Surgically induced astigmatism(SIA) had a mean of 0.53+/-0.69D(range: 0~2.49D) at 1 month, 0.49+/-0.61D(range: 0~2.79D) at 3 months, 0.62+/-0.72D(range: 0~3.14D) at 6 months follow-up. Mean SIA increased with increasing preoperative astigmatism by 0.45D SIA for every 0.5D of preoperative cylinder(Correlation coefficient: 0.618). The authors show that spherical LASIK corrections can induce significant astigmatic change, particularly if a large amount of preoperative astigmatism is present.
Astigmatism* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Lasers, Excimer

The visual acuity and intraocular pressure were measured and analyzed in 1641 healthy adults visiting AMC health care center. The visual acuity was measured irrespective of wearing glasses and contact lenses with autoacuitometer and we defined this visual acuity as everyday vision. The average everyday vision of better eye was 1.10 in males and 0.96 in females[converted with Han chart:0.95, 0.85; converted with Jin chart: 0.89, 0.78] between 20 and 69 years old. The average everyday vision in males was better than that of females[p<0.01]. The everyday vision was decreased in older subjects. The everyday vision of the subjects under 44 years of age was better than that of over 45 years of age[p<0.01]. The linear equation of the everyday vision according to age was Y=-0.0049X 1.30 in males[R=-0.77], Y=-0.0112X 1.43 in females[R=-0.88][X:age, Y:visual acuity, R:correlation coefficient]. In classification according to occupation, the visual acuity of housewives was low 0.89, but when matched to age &sex it was statistically insignificant. The average intraocular pressure was 13.25+/-2.57 mmHg in males, 12.85+/-2.45 mmHg in females. The IOP of the subjects under 44 years of age was not different from those over 45 years of age[male p=0.31, female p=0.20]. The number of subjects higher than 21 mmHg in intraocular pressure was 21[0.64%].
Adult* ; Aged ; Classification ; Contact Lenses ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Eyeglasses ; Female ; Glass ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure* ; Male ; Occupations ; Seoul* ; Visual Acuity*

The advantages of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are its sensitivity and its accuracy in detecting and measuring immunoglobulin classes. By ELISA, the tear IgA level was measured in 165 healthy persons. Tears were collected by a strong absorbent (Weck Cel(R)). This is the first report of a tear IgA level in normal Koreans measured by ELISA. The mean level was 60.5 +/- 23.4 mg/dl. There was no statistically significant difference between the IgA level in the males (61.8 +/- 23.2 mg/dl) and that of the females (58.4 +/- 23.5 mg/dl)(p > 0.05). The difference between the tear IgA levels in the various age groups was not significant (p > 0.05).
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Child ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory/*analysis ; Male ; Methods ; Middle Aged ; Sex Factors ; Tears/*analysis

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) Is a cell-surface glycoprotein that may regulate leukocyte-endothelial adhesion, leukocyte migration into the tissues, and leukocyte trafficking with target cells during inflammation and immune responses. Expression of ICAM-1 have been observed in diseased cornea, and it has been reported that expression on corneal cells is increased in the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines. We investigated expression of ICAM-1 by various cytokines on cultured rabbit keratocytes and effect of dexamethasone on cytokine-induced ICAM 1 expression, using an ELISA technique. Cultured rabbit keratocytes were incubated for 24hrs with INF-gamma 10ng/ml, TNF-alpha 10ng/ml IL-1beta 5ng/ml, TGF beta 5ng/ml, with or without 0.1micromiter Dexamethasone. Rabbit keratocytes treated with cytokine or dexamethasone were incubated with antral-ICAM-1 for 15 hours. Expression of ICAM-1 was measured with ELISA technique. As a result, expression of ICAM-1 was increased in rabbit keratocytes stimulated with INF-gamma, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta, not IL-1beta, and dexamethasone inhibited expression of ICAM-1 in cells stimulated with INF-gamma, TNF-alpha. This results are helpful to understand the role of ICAM-1 in the pathophysiology of inflammatory corneal diseases and the action mechanism of glucocorticosteroids. Further study about expression of ICAM-1 and their regulation & modulation may lead to new therapies in treating inflammatory corneal diseases.
Cornea ; Corneal Diseases ; Cytokines* ; Dexamethasone* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Glycoproteins ; Inflammation ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* ; Leukocytes ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Fresh rat corneas as well as corneas preserved in several different corneal preservation media were stained with Avidin-Biotin-peroxidase Complex method in order to evaluate major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen expression. In fresh corneas, class I antigen was identified in corneal epithelium, stroma and endothelium. Class II antigen was identified only in stroma. In corneas preserved in the media which contained chondroitin and dextran for 7 days, class I antigen was somewhat decreased but class II antigen was increased. In corneas preserved in the medium which contained insulin or epidermal growth factor for 7 days, class II antigens seemed to be increased compaired to the fresh cornea. Expression of MHC antigens of corneas in the medium with fetal bovine serum were similar to those of fresh corneas.
Animals ; Cornea/*metabolism ; Culture Media ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/*biosynthesis ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/*biosynthesis ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Major Histocompatibility Complex ; Organ Preservation/methods ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Lew