PURPOSE: Independently occuring retinal capillary hemangiomas are rare, and hemangioma associated with retinal detachment has not been reported in Korea. We report herein cases of independently occuring hemangioma associated with retinal detachment. METHODS: Three patients with the chief complaint of decreased visual acuity were underwent fundus examination, fluorescein angiogram, brain computed tomography, and then were diagnosed as retinal capillary hemangioma. Laser photocoagulation was performed as a primary therapy, and vitrectomy was subsequently performed as tractional retinal detachment developed later. RESULTS: Postoperatively, retina was reattached. CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy is an effective treatment for serous detachment in retinal hemangioma, but the surgery does not change the clinical course of hemangioma itself. Regular followup is necessary as hemangioma might recur and new lesions may appear.
Brain ; Capillaries* ; Fluorescein ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Capillary* ; Humans ; Korea ; Light Coagulation ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Traction ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy ; von Hippel-Lindau Disease

PURPOSE: To report a case of Congenital stationary night blindness associated with myopia. METHODS: A 19-year-old male with night blindness was referred to our hospital. We studied patient's family history, refraction, color vision test, fundus examination, electroretinogram and visual field. RESULTS: Both fundi showed temporal conus and myopic change. Both visual field revealed generalized depression. The light- and dark-adapted electroretinogram showed a normal a wave with extremely reduced b wave, resulting in a typical "negative" wave form.
Color Vision ; Conus Snail ; Depression ; Humans ; Male ; Myopia* ; Night Blindness* ; Visual Fields ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of topical mitomycin C (MMC) on the diffuse conjunctival-corneal intraepithelial neoplasia (CCIN). METHODS: Three patients histopathologically confirmed the conjunctival-corneal intraepithelial neoplasia (CCIN) received topical drop of 0.04% MMC four times daily for 2 to 4 weeks. Ocular complications and recurrence were evaluated under slit lamp biomicroscope. RESULTS: One case received topical drop of 0.04% MMC four times daily for 2 weeks and two cases of CCIN received for 4 weeks in the same manner. These lesions were completely regressed and did not recur under slit lamp biomicroscope during the follow-up of 18 months, 6 months, and 5 months, respectively. Other complications except superficial punctate keratitis and conjunctival injection did not develope and visual acuities have been improved. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that the application of topical MMC alone could be a primary effective treatment for diffuse conjunctival-corneal intraepithelial neoplasia (CCIN).
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Mitomycin* ; Recurrence ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: Rhino-orbitocerebral mucormycosis is the disease that cause orbital cellulitis, orbital apex syndrome, and orbital necrosis. We report two cases of mucormycosis that began with only noninflammatory oculomotor nerve palsy. METHODS: 74-year-old man and 53-year-old woman with DM visited our hospital for sudden ptosis, mydriasis, and paralytic strabismus. MRI scan and other neurological examinations were negative except mild sinusitis. Patients were diagnosed as complete third nerve palsy. RESULTS: A few days later, they developed orbital apex syndrome with exophthalmos and abrupt reduction of visual acuity. Emergency biopsy of sinusitis was done, and revealed mucormycosis. CONCLUSIONS: Sudden oculomotor nerve palsy in chronic debilitating patients with DM and sinusitis should be suspected as prodrome of rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Emergencies ; Exophthalmos ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Mucormycosis* ; Mydriasis ; Necrosis ; Neurologic Examination ; Oculomotor Nerve Diseases* ; Oculomotor Nerve* ; Orbit ; Orbital Cellulitis ; Sinusitis ; Strabismus ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of lacrimal sac which has never been reported in Korea so far to our knowledge. METHODS: A 55-year-old male who had a history of epiphora for three years and palpable mass along the inferomedial aspect of the right medial canthus for 3months underwent surgical excision of the mass and dacryocystorhinostomy, and postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy was followed after surgical excision. RESULTS: Pathologic diagnosis of the excised mass was well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. There is no evidence of recurrence until postoperative 9 months and the patient shows good clinical course with normal visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its lower incidence, primary tumor of the lacrimal sac is usually malignant with high tendency of recurrence and fatality. Clinician should have a high suspicion of this disease on the patients who have epiphora and lacrimal sac mass, and perform early surgical excision and pathologic diagnosis. In this study, we experienced a rare case of squamous cell carcinoma of lacrimal sac.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Dacryocystorhinostomy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To investigate whether the effect of benzalkonium chloride (BAK) on the proliferation of human Tenon capsule fibroblasts (HTCF) is mediated by nitric oxide (NO) in tissue culture . METHODS: HTCF were exposed to various concentrations of BAK for 24 hr and the cellular proliferation and production of NO were assessed by MTT and Griess assays, respectively. A non-specific nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, 0, 5 mM N(omega)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), or NO donor, 100 micro M sodium nitroprusside (SNP), was co-administered with BAK to assess the effect of NO on the proliferation of cells. RESULTS: BAK decreased cellular proliferation in a dose-dependent manner and this effect was accompanied with decreased nitrite production. The cellular proliferation was increased significantly with BAK/SNP co-administration but decreased with BAK/L-NAME co-administration. CONCLUSIONS: NO donor increased the proliferation of HTCF which was decreased by BAK. The effect of BAK on the proliferation of HTCF may be possibly mediated by NO.
Benzalkonium Compounds* ; Cell Proliferation ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans* ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitric Oxide* ; Nitroprusside ; Tenon Capsule* ; Tissue Donors

PURPOSE: We have evaluated the mutations of the OPTN gene, which has been reported to be associated with the normal tension glaucoma (NTG). METHODS: The OPTN gene was analyzed in 53 patients with NTG and 40 normal subjects. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples of each patients, exon 5 and exon 6 of the OPTN gene were amplified by PCR and DNA sequencing was performed. RESULTS: No mutation was found in normal subjects. But three kinds of point mutation (G412A, C459T in exon 5, G577C in exon 6) were found in 7 patients with NTG. CONCLUSIONS: We report the novel point mutations of OPTN gene in NTG patients. This shows the possibility of diagnosis of NTG by detecting the mutation of OPTN gene.
Diagnosis ; DNA ; Exons ; Glaucoma* ; Humans ; Low Tension Glaucoma ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 on the cellular metabolic activity and morphological changes on retinal pigment epithelial cells that influence the development of proliferative vitreoretinopathy. METHODS: After bovine RPE cells were isolated, they were exposed to TGF-beta1 0.1 ng/ml, 0.4 ng/ml, 0.8 ng/ml, 1.6 ng/ml and DMEM that was used only as control. After 24 hours, MTT based colorimetric assay was performed to assess the inhibition of cellular proliferation, and the cellular morphology was evaluated by inverse phase-contrast light microscope and electron microscope. RESULTS: The higher the concentration of TGF-beta1 with fetal bovine serum, the more the inhibition of the cellular proliferation in bovine RPE cells, especially at the concentration of TGF-beta1 1.6 ng/ml (P<0.05). There was no relationship between the concentration of TGF-beta1 and the cellular metabolic activity in fetal bovine serum free (P>0.05). In TGF-beta1 10 ng/ml, the bovine retinal pigment epithelial cell showed a bundle of cytoplasmic microtendon, disposed parallel to the long axis of the cell and pinocytotic like vesicle. CONCLUSIONS: TGF-beta1 has a tendency of inhibitory effect in the cellular proliferation of bovine RPE cells. We confirmed that there were some characteristics of myofibroblast transformation from RPE treated with TGF-beta1 under TEM.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cell Proliferation ; Cytoplasm ; Epithelial Cells* ; Myofibroblasts ; Retinaldehyde* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Transforming Growth Factors* ; Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative

PURPOSE: This study was planned to find out the effect of CMT (chemically mediated tetracycline) in experimentally induced uveitis (EIU) model. METHODS: 54 Lewis rats were divided into three groups. For two experimental groups, CMT-3 and CMT-8 were used and for control group, placebo (CMC) was used. Each material was orally administered for 1 week. Then lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were administrated subcutaneously into footpads in all groups. The progression of inflammation and lens opacity was evaluated with slit lamp biomicroscope. Nitrite and Nitrate, stable oxidative products of nitric oxide in the aqueous humor, and TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in the uveal tissue were measured. The expression of iNOS was evaluated immunohistochemically. RESULTS: More severe corneal edema and sutural opacity of lens, along with the finding of more intense uveitis were noted in control than the CMT-3 and CMT-8, while no significant difference between the finding of CMT-3 and CMT-8 was noted. The concentration of NO, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and the expression of iNOS were significantly decreased in CMT-3 and CMT-8, and they had a close correlation with these inflammatory signs. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that CMT-3 and CMT-8 inhibit the progression of inflammation in EIU and this effect is related to the inhibition of the NO production in aqueous humor. But we need a further evaluation to seek the relation between CMT and metalloproteinase in EIU, combined with studies of other biochemical changes in cornea, anterior chamber and lens.
Animals ; Anterior Chamber ; Aqueous Humor ; Cataract ; Cornea ; Corneal Edema ; Inflammation ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Nitric Oxide ; Rats ; Tetracycline* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Uveitis*

PURPOSE: The purposes of study were to assess the expression patterns of heat shock protein (HSP) after glutamine and glutamine with non- lethal heat shock treatment, to evaluate the protective effects of heat shock protein from apoptosis in cultured human corneal epithelial cell. METHODS: The cultured human corneal epithelial cells were divided into two group. One group was treated with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 mM of glutamine and the other group was exposed to 43 degrees C (heat shock) for 30 minutes with same concentration of glutamine. After glutamine and heat treatment, the expression patterns of Hsp 27, 70 were examined by western blot and immunohistochemistry. Apoptosis was induced with 80uM of etoposide. The viability (cell protection rate of heat shock protein) against apoptosis after etoposide treatment was measured by 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. RESULTS: Expression of Heat shock protein 70 was not significantly effected in only glutamine treatment, but was remarkably increased in heat shock with glutamine treatment group. The increased cell number (viability= antiapoptotic effect of heat shock protein)of glutamine with heat shock group after etoposide treatment suggested that Hsp 70 appeared to be a major role in protection of Human corneal epithelial cell from apoptosis. The expression of Heat shock protein 27 was not effected in only glutamine and heat with glutamine treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that induced heat shock protein protect etoposide-generated apoptosis in human corneal epithelial cell.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Count ; Epithelial Cells* ; Etoposide ; Glutamine ; Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature* ; HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Shock