The early ultrastructural changes of basement membrane thickening and degeneration of the pericyte were noted in retinal capillaries in diabetic patients. However no early ultrastructural changes were reported in diabetic iris capillary. The authors studied the ultrastructural features of basement membrane of iris capillaries which were obtained during cataract surgery in five diabetic patients and compared with those obtained in five nondiabetic patients. The endothelium basal lamina, pericyte basal lamina and membrane-like pericyte matrix in didabetic iris capillaries were thicker than those in nondiabetic Iris capillaries. The thickening of pericyte basal lamina is more prominant than the endothelium basal lamina in diabetes. The duration of diabetes had no relationship to endothelium basal lamina but, showed statistically significant relationship to thickness of pericyte bascal lamina and pericyte matrix.
Basement Membrane* ; Capillaries* ; Cataract ; Endothelium ; Humans ; Iris* ; Pericytes ; Retinaldehyde

PURPOSE: Phacoemulsification is now a well-established technique for the surgical treatment of soft cataractous lens, hard lenses being considered less suitable. We have been examined noraml and mature cataractous lenses by transmission electron microscopy. METHODS: A soft cataractous lens and a normal lens were extracted from cadavers. In addition, four hard cataractous and a soft cataractous lenses were extracted from five patients who underwent extracapsular cataract extraction. RESULTS: In transmission electron microscopic investigation of normal lens and soft and hard cataractous lenses, the normal lenses showed classical ball-and-socket inter- digitations and relatively regular arrangement of fiber cell. In soft mature cataracts, disruptions of fiber cell morphology including numerous ball-and-socket interdigitations, abrupt continuities in fiber cell membranes and high amplitude of undulating membranes were present. In the hard cataractous lenses, the fiber cell morphology was severely damaged. The interfibrous spaces were more compact and irregular than soft mature cataracts. CONCLUSIONS: The large amount of irregular undulating membranes and flattening of fiber cells increases the condenssness of hard cataracts, and makes phacoemulsification less suitable.
Cadaver ; Cataract Extraction ; Cataract* ; Cell Membrane ; Humans ; Membranes ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Phacoemulsification

PURPOSE: To evaluate antioxidative and preventive effects of sea tangle extract on selenite-induced cataract formation. METHODS: Eighty SD rat pups were randomized into 8 groups. Group 1 received no injection of reagent (normal); Group 2 to 8 received injection of selenite (15 micromol/Kg, s.c.) was injected. In group 2 (control) and group 3, normal saline (i.p.) and ascorbic acid (i.p.) was injected on days 3~31. In groups 4~8, sea tangle extract (i.p.) was injected at a concentration of 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200 mg/kg, respectively. Development of cataract was assessed and photographed weekly under slit lamp. Rat lenses were analyzed for antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde. Furthermore, an amino acid analysis of sea tangle extract was performed. RESULTS: Significant differences (p<0.05) were seen in cataract development in group 7. Dense nuclear cataracts developed in 8 of 10 of the control group (group 2); Group 4~8 developed nuclear cataract with proportion of 6/10, 3/10, 2/10, 1/10, and 6/10 rats. In sea tangle injected group, levels of GPx were higher than in the ascorbic acid and control groups. In particular, group 7, injected with 100 mg/kg of sea tangle extract, showed significantly high level of enzyme. Results of the amino acid analysis showed sea tangle includes glutamate-glycine-cysteine, major constituents of glutathione (GSH). CONCLUSIONS: The glutamate-glycine-cysteine in sea tangle is supposed to increase the level of lens GSH and this may contribute to lowering cataract development. This study strongly supports the activity of sea tangle as an endogenous antioxidant and anticataract agent.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Ascorbic Acid ; Cataract ; Glutathione ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Malondialdehyde ; Rats ; Sodium Selenite ; Superoxide Dismutase

PURPOSE: To compare intraocular straylight in normal and cataractous eyes as the morphology and to compare straylight as the result of subjective symptoms in early cataract cases using the C-quant straylight meter, the only tool to measure light scattering in media. METHODS: Straylight values were measured in 217 normal eyes and 138 cataractous eyes. Cataractous eyes were classified into posterior subcapsular opacity, anterior subcapsular opacity and nucleosclerosis. Straylight values of each group were measured. The 56 early cataractous eyes were categorized into two groups, depending on the presence of subjective symptoms, and each straylight value was measured. The preoperative and postoperative straylight values of early cataracts were also compared. RESULTS: The mean straylight values of normal and cataractous eyes were 1.34 and 2.46, respectively. The value of posterior subcapsular opacity (2.81) was significantly higher than that of anterior subcapsular opacity (2.33) and nucleosclerosis (1.99). The straylight values of early cataracts were significantly higher in the group with subjective symptoms (2.02) than in the group without subjective symptoms (1.56). The postoperative straylight value decreased to 1.42. CONCLUSIONS: The posterior subcapsular cataract showed significantly high intraocular straylight, indicating that light scattering occurred to a greater extent in this group. Light scattering occurred more in early cataractous eyes with subjective symptoms than in eyes without symptoms, and light scattering was reduced after surgery. The C-quant straylight meter, which measures the light scattering in media, can be a useful tool to determine the time of cataract surgery and to evaluate the quality of vision.
Cataract ; Eye ; Light ; Vision, Ocular

The 1,783 patients with eye injuries, including the 234 in-patients, who visited the Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul Adventist Hospital from Jan. 1, 1987 to Dec. 31, 1988 were clinically analyzed. The results were as follows: 1. The incidence of ocular injuries was 4.7% of all eye patients, and 25.5% of all patients admitted to this ophthalmologic department. 2. The incidence was more common in male(76,8%)and in the age of 3rd to 4th decades(47.0%). 3. The ocular injuries were more common in the spring(27.3%), and in March. 4. The most common cause of ocular injuries was sand or dust or iron piece(29.8%), followed by fist or finger(12.2%) and traffic accident(12.5%), but the injuries by iron products(20.1%) were the most common in the admitted patients. 5. The most common ocular injury was conjunctival foreign body(23.7%), followed by subconjunctival hemorrhage (20.6%) and (9.5%). In the cases of in-patients, hyphema(24.2%) was the most coommon, followed by corneal lacera tion(12.2%) and eyelid laceration(11.2%). 6. Surgical procedure included corneal suture(18.3%), primary closure of eyelid and face(22.2%). 7. Visual acuity was improved in most cases by treatment, but the corrected vision after treatment was less than 0.1 in 20.5%, which was mainly due to the perforating eye injuries. 8. The most common complication of ocular injuries after treatment was corneal opacity(34.1%), followed by vitreous opacity(9.4%).
Dust ; Eye Injuries ; Eyelids ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyphema ; Incidence ; Iron ; Ophthalmology ; Seoul ; Silicon Dioxide ; Visual Acuity

Recently ankylosing spondylitis have been found to be the most common one among the joint diseases which is associated with anterior uveitis. About 10 to 60% of patients with Marie-Strumpells' ankylosing spondylitis have anterior uveitis. Ankylosing spondylitis is mostly found in young male and characterized by makedly elevated sedimentation and radiological changes; earliest finding in sacro-iliac joints are subchondral sclerosis or demineralization of the bone near the sacro-iliac joints. The joint margins gradually become less distinct until ankylosis develope. The vertebral bodies show "squaring" and the longitudinal ligaments show calcification and ossification on x-ray film (Bamboo spine). The uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis is a mild to severe non-granulomatous type (sometimes granulomatous) involving the anterior segment exclusively. Usually it affects one eye at a time. Recurrent attacks may lead to permanent damage depending on the severity and frequency of the attacks and the adequacy of treatment. The main treatment is the administration of steroids. A 35 year old man was seen in our clinic and found to have recurrent anterior uveitis with: hypopyon in his right eye and ankylosing spondylitis while was confirmed by char;acteristic radiological findings. Pathients with acute recurrent non-granulomatous iridocyclitis without apparent cause should have an x-ray of the lumbosacral spine and sacro-iliac joints.
Adult ; Ankylosis ; Humans ; Iridocyclitis ; Joint Diseases ; Joints ; Longitudinal Ligaments ; Male ; Sclerosis ; Spine ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing* ; Steroids ; Uveitis ; Uveitis, Anterior* ; X-Ray Film

Some patients are very sensitive to glare after diagnostic mydriasis with tropicarnide or phenylephrine. It would be desirable to reverse the effects of mydriasis rapidly and safely after diagnostic mydriasis. We assessed the effect of topical dapiprazole, an alpha adrenergic receptor blocker, in reversing mydriasis in 40 dark brown Iris subjects who received tropicamide 1% or phenylephrine 2.5%. There was a significant difference in the decrease in pupil size between the eyes that received dapiprazole and the control eyes. This study suggests that dapiprazole 0.5% eye drops are effective and safe in reversing mydriasis after instilation of tropicamide 1% or phenylephrine 2.5% into dark brown irides.
Glare ; Humans ; Iris ; Mydriasis* ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Phenylephrine ; Pupil ; Receptors, Adrenergic ; Tropicamide

"Optic neuritis", described first by Nettleship in 1884, is the general term used to describe involvement of the optic nerve as the result of inflammation, demyelination, or infection. The majority or patients with optic neuritis are between the ages of 20 and 50 years, and the major symptom in most cases is sudden visual loss. It would appear that when optic neuritis occurs in childhood, it is more commonly bilateral and associated with disc swelling. In the majority of cases, the visual prognosis and eventual prognosis with regard to the development of multiple sclerosis is much better than in adult optic neuritis. The authors experienced a case of bilateral optic neuritis in a 14-year-old girl whose visual acuity progressed to no light perception with eventual visual recovery after treatment with steroid and mannitol. A brief review of literature is described.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Mannitol ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Optic Nerve ; Optic Neuritis* ; Prognosis ; Visual Acuity

"Optic neuritis", described first by Nettleship in 1884, is the general term used to describe involvement of the optic nerve as the result of inflammation, demyelination, or infection. The majority or patients with optic neuritis are between the ages of 20 and 50 years, and the major symptom in most cases is sudden visual loss. It would appear that when optic neuritis occurs in childhood, it is more commonly bilateral and associated with disc swelling. In the majority of cases, the visual prognosis and eventual prognosis with regard to the development of multiple sclerosis is much better than in adult optic neuritis. The authors experienced a case of bilateral optic neuritis in a 14-year-old girl whose visual acuity progressed to no light perception with eventual visual recovery after treatment with steroid and mannitol. A brief review of literature is described.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Mannitol ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Optic Nerve ; Optic Neuritis* ; Prognosis ; Visual Acuity

In the present study, we attempted to reveal the response of lens on induced traumatic cataract which were removed the anterior capsule with 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm, 4.0 mm size in six rabbits. We examined histopathological change of the wounded lenses by means of the slit-lamp and electronmicroscope. We found opacities in wounded area increased regardless of wound diame-ter. Electronmicroscopic findings were similar to normal single-layer cuboidal anterior epithelial cells at 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm, 4.0 mm one day after injury. There were, however, elongated epithelial cells with abun-dant fine filaments and slightly edematous lens fiber cells in 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm groups at 1 week after injury. These were observed as a small superficial scars at the wound site. We considered these changes as an effort of lens to delay the progression to the total cataract . We noted the widening of intercellular spaces, loss of cell membrane, decrease of intracel-lular organelles and severe change of the lens fiber rows in 4.0 mm group at 3 weeks after injury. We observed these changes as the total cataract in gross. Taken together, we revealed that lens epithelial cells in 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm in wound diameter stop the progression toward to the total cataract. However, lens epithelial cells at 4.0 mm in wound diameter could not obstruct the progression toward to the total cataract. We documented different stages of cataract formation and microstructure of the wounded lens, which have different wound sizes.
Cataract* ; Cell Membrane ; Cicatrix ; Epithelial Cells ; Extracellular Space ; Organelles ; Rabbits ; Wounds and Injuries