Serpiginous choroiditis is a chronic. progressive, recurrent, and usually bilateral disease involving the choriocapillaris, retinal pigment epithelium, and retina. This disease classically involves the juxtapapillary retina and extends outward in a pseudopodial fashion. We report a case of serpiginous choroiditis beginning in the posterior pole without initial peripapillary lesion, and extending toward the optic disc. The fluorescein angiogram of the lesion showed hypofluorescence in the early phase and hyperfluorescence in the late phase, and the progression of the lesion with time.
Choroid* ; Choroiditis* ; Fluorescein ; Retina ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium

The retinal and choroidal blood vessels respond independently to the abruptly increased arterial pressure due to their differences in the anatomic and physiologic properties, which induce hypertensive retinopathy and hypertensive choroidopathy respectively. The authors reviewed the fluorescein angiogram retrospectively to observe the ischemic changes of the choroid in 15 cases of hypertensive choroidopathy. The ischemic changes of the choroid in hypertensive choroidopathy were characterized by generalized or sectorial filling delay which was followed by staining or leakage of dye. These findings suggest that the choroidal circulation may lead to the sectorial and generalized ischemic conditions following the abruptly increased arterial pressure due to their differences in the anatomic structures. The fluorescein angiographic findings in the hypertensive choroidopathy depend on both the degree of the circulatory disturbance and the levels of the affected choroidal vessels.
Arterial Pressure ; Blood Vessels ; Choroid ; Fluorescein Angiography* ; Fluorescein* ; Hypertensive Retinopathy ; Retinaldehyde ; Retrospective Studies

Various foreign implants(silicone, gel film, Mersilene and chromic cat gut) were used for cyclodialysis operation on rabbit eyes. We observed the changes of intraocular pressures, inflammatory state and course of complicated hyphema in these eyes for six weeks. Each eye was removed four to six weeks after the operation for histopathologic studies. On slit lamp biomicroscopy, hyphema was subsided within seven to ten days. Intraocular pressures were so inconsistent that we could not get any contributory informations from them. Histopathologic findings revealed much differences according to the foreign implants applied; Inflammatory reaction was severe in chromic cat gut inserted group, moderate in Mersilene and gel mm inserted group, and mild in silicone inserted group. Foreign body reaction was most marked in Mersilene inserted group and less marked in chromic cat gut, gel film and silicone inserted group. Silicone was not absorbable, and chromic cat gut and Mersilene were hardly absorbable in contrast to easy absorption of gel film. Suprachoroidal space was remained open in silicone inserted group during the period of observation. The space was equivocal in gel film and Mersilene inserted group and completely closed in chromic cat gut inserted group. According to the above histopathologic findings, silicone was the best one as an implant for cyclodialysis operation in rabbit eyes.
Absorption ; Animals ; Cats ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Hyphema ; Intraocular Pressure ; Rabbits* ; Silicones

The whole retina, except for the medullary fiber zone in a rabbit eye, is supplied by choroidal circulation. Therefore, the histopathological changes of the sensory retina due to choroidal circulatory disturbance in rabbits may be comparable to that of the human sensory retina in the case of ophthalmic artery occlusion. This study was carried out to evaluate the histopathological changes of the ischemic retina secondary to the occlusion of choroidal circulation. The experimental occlusion of all posterior ciliary arteries and anterior ciliary arteries in the horizontal rectus muscle of rabbit eyes was performed and the subsequent histopathological changes of the sensory retina were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The morphological changes of the sensory retina following the occlusion of the ciliary arterial system are as follows: severe loss of the inner and outer segments of the photoreceptor, mild to moderate degeneration of the ganglion cells, and excellent preservation of the Muller's cell fibers and the extension of the cytoplasmic villous processes to the cytoplasmic vacuolar spaces of other degenerated cells. These findings indicate that the Muller's fibers in the ischemic condition of retina might contribute to the formation of gliosis or scarring of a damaged retina.
Animals ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases/*complications ; Arteries ; Choroid/*blood supply ; Ciliary Body/*blood supply ; Ischemia/*etiology/pathology ; Rabbits ; Retina/*ultrastructure ; *Retinal Vessels

The Amsler grid has become important in the evaluation of the 10 degrees of visual field surrounding fixation. Twenty three patients(23 eyes) of macular and optic nerve lesions were surveyed with Amsler grid. Blurred vision and spot in the field were the most frequent first symptoms reported by patients. The test was simple, inexpensive and time sparing. The test was clinically very useful in detecting and following macular and optic nerve lesions.
Humans ; Optic Nerve* ; Visual Fields

The patients initially underwent epikeratoplasty for keratoconus but a penetrating kerato plasty was required due to the opacity in the cornea. By using of this specimen, which was obtained by trephination the healing process of the host-Ienticule cornea could be examined by electron microscopy and immunofluorescence method. Epithelial ingrowth over the lenticule was well formed by the regeneration of the basement membrane over the Bowman's membrane. However, the poor attachment of the lenticule over the host corneal stroma made the interface easily separated during the sectioning processes. Electron microscopic study revealed the keratocytes in the lenticule stroma vacuolized with large number of degenerated microorganelles. These results suggest that it may take a long time to complete the wound healing of the host-Ienticule interface despite the epithelial ingrowth onto the lenticule was well formed.
Basement Membrane ; Bowman Membrane ; Cornea ; Corneal Stroma ; Epikeratophakia* ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; Keratoconus ; Microscopy, Electron ; Regeneration ; Trephining ; Wound Healing

This study was undertaken in an attempt to localize fibronectin and collagen type IV to the cultured retinal pigment epithelial cell by means of immunofluorescent staining and immunocytochemrcal method. Immunofluorescent staining and immunocytochemical methcds revealed fibronectin and collagen type IV localized on the extracellular membrane of the cultured retinal pigment epithelial cell. Ultrastructural immunocytochemical technique also revealed fibronectin associated with extracellular tissue. This study demonstrated that fibronectin and collagen type IV are an integral component of the extracellular matrix of the retinal pigment epithelial cell in vitro.
Collagen Type IV ; Epithelial Cells* ; Extracellular Matrix* ; Fibronectins ; Membranes ; Retinaldehyde*

This study was performed to elucidate the cytologic characteristics of pseudomembrane, which was obtained from eight patients with epidemic keratoconjunctivltis. The predominant cells consisted of lymphocytes and degenerated epithelial cells with a few polymorphonuclear leukocytes and fibrin. Electron micrographs revealed the nuclear segregation, vermicellar body, viral microtubules, and intranuclear inclusion body. These findings suggest that the desquamated epithelial cell was infected by adenovirus.
Adenoviridae ; Epithelial Cells ; Fibrin ; Humans ; Intranuclear Inclusion Bodies ; Keratoconjunctivitis* ; Lymphocytes ; Microtubules ; Neutrophils

This study was performed to investigate the sequential changes of the retinal tissue in tissue culture condition. The human sensory retinal tissues were cultured for up to 2 weeks and 4 weeks, respectively. The initial changes showed the separation of the intercellular space and the consequent widening of the intercellular space with prolapse of cytoplasmic processes into the widened intercellular space. The internal limiting membrane was also separated from the inner retina, which led to the prolapse of the cytoplasm of the Muller cell. The growth of the Muller cell was most prominent during the 4-weeks' tissue culture period. These findings suggest that the Muller cell might contribute to the formation of cellular membrane in case of the defect of the internal limiting membrane in several pathologic conditions.
Adult ; Cell Membrane/ultrastructure ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroglia/*ultrastructure ; Retina/*ultrastructure

This study was undertaken to localize fibronectin and type IV collagen in the cultured retinal pigment epithelial cell by means of immunofluorescent staining and immunocytochemical methods. Immunofluorescent staining and immunocytochemical methods revealed fibronectin and type IV collagen localized on the extracellular membrane of the cultured retinal pigment epithelial cell. Ultrastructural immunocytochemical technique also revealed fibronectin associated with extracellular tissue. This study demonstrated that fibronectin and type IV collagen are an integral component of the extracellular matrix of the human retinal pigment epithelial cell in vitro.
Cells, Cultured ; Collagen/*analysis ; Extracellular Matrix/*analysis/immunology ; Fibronectins/*analysis ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Pigment Epithelium of Eye/*analysis