Purpose: To evaluate and compare the clinical efficacy of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) immunoassay and tear osmolarity measurement in diagnosing dry eye severity. Methods: Dry eye disease (DED) patients underwent diagnostic tests including MMP-9 assay, tear osmolarity measurement, fluorescein tear breakup time, ocular surface staining, anesthetized Schirmer test, Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire, and slit-lamp examination. The dry eye parameters were compared according to positive MMP-9 status and increased tear osmolarity. The correlation between dry eye profiles and MMP-9 positivity and high tear osmolarity was also analyzed. Results: Those who tested positive in MMP-9 immunoassay had significantly higher corneal fluorescein staining score and worse DED severity than those who tested negative. The intensity of MMP-9 positivity showed positive correlation with the corneal staining score and DED severity. However, DED patients with high tear osmolarity above 308 mOsm/L did not show significantly different dry eye signs and symptoms compared to those with lower tear osmolarity values. Tear osmolarity was associated with ocular surface staining score in severe DED patients. Conclusions MMP-9 positivity was associated with ocular surface staining and worse dry eye severity. Therefore, it may be used as a useful indicator of disease severity in conjunction to other diagnostic tests.

No abstract available.
Aged, 80 and over ; Antitubercular Agents/*therapeutic use ; Eyelid Diseases/drug therapy/*physiopathology ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Prednisolone/therapeutic use ; Tuberculosis, Ocular/drug therapy/*physiopathology

No abstract available.
Bone Marrow/*pathology/radiography/radionuclide imaging ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic/*diagnosis ; Eye Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus/*pathology/radiography/radionuclide imaging ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases/*diagnosis ; Maxilla ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; *Positron-Emission Tomography ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To compare postoperative optical qualities between two types of 1-piece aspheric intraocular lenses using the double-pass technique. METHODS: Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and spherical equivalent were evaluated in the subject groups; the first which included 25 eyes implanted with Tecnis(R) ZCB00 and the second which included 16 eyes implanted with Acrysof(R) IQ SN60WF. In addition, modulation transfer function (MTF) cut-off, Strehl ratio, and objective scattering index (OSI) were measured 6 months after cataract surgery in the 2 subject groups using Optical Quality Analysis System (OQAS, Visiometrics S.L., Terrasa, Barcelona, Spain) which is based on the double-pass technique. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the spherical equivalent, UCVA, BCVA, and OSI between the 2 groups. However, both the MTF cut-off, and Strehl ratio showed statistically significant differences. The MTF cut-off (28.0 +/- 7.79 vs. 20.4 +/- 9.51 c/deg, p = 0.025) and Strehl ratio (0.14 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.12 +/- 0.05, p = 0.042) were higher in the Tecnis(R) ZCB00-implanted group. CONCLUSIONS: The difference in characteristics of intraocular lenses subtly affects the vision quality as measured by values such as MTF cut-off and Strehl ratio after cataract surgery. OQAS based on the double-pass technique is considered useful in more objective estimates of the real retinal image quality after cataract surgery which is difficult to explain simply by measuring visual acuity.
Cataract ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Retinaldehyde ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To compare the treatment effects of neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser and conservative management in treatment of recurrent corneal erosion. METHODS: Twenty-three eyes that received Nd:YAG laser treatment and 24 eyes that underwent conservative management including hyperosmotic agent were retrospectively reviewed for the rate and frequency of recurrence, presentation, time to recurrence, final visual acuity and complications. RESULTS: The rate of recurrence in eyes treated with Nd:YAG laser was 56.5% and that in eyes with conservative management was 50.0%. The difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.654). However, 10 of 12 eyes that recurred after conservative treatment presented with macroform erosion at the time of recurrence, whereas 5 of 13 eyes that recurred after Nd:YAG laser had an accompanying epithelial defect (p = 0.041). After the Nd:YAG laser treatment or conservative treatment, 64.1% and 60.5% of the eyes, respectively, remained free from recurrence 1 year after treatment, however the success rate decreased over time (p = 0.649). The final visual acuity in the group that received Nd;YAG laser treatment was 0.05 +/- 0.06 log MAR and 0.09 +/- 0.08 log MAR (p = 0.649) in the group that received conservative management. None of the patients in either group experienced complications of corneal scarring. CONCLUSIONS: The difference in the recurrence rates between Nd:YAG laser treatment and conservative treatment were not statistically different, however, the severity of recurred episodes were milder in the eyes that received Nd:YAG laser treatment.
Cicatrix ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: Our study provides epidemiologic data on the prevalence of refractive errors in all age group ≥5 years in Korea. METHODS: In 2008 to 2012, a total of 33,355 participants aged ≥5 years underwent ophthalmologic examinations. Using the right eye, myopia was defined as a spherical equivalent (SE) less than -0.5 or -1.0 diopters (D) in subjects aged 19 years and older or as an SE less than -0.75 or -1.25 D in subjects aged 5 to 18 years according to non-cycloplegic refraction. Other refractive errors were defined as follows: high myopia as an SE less than -6.0 D; hyperopia as an SE larger than +0.5 D; and astigmatism as a cylindrical error less than -1.0 D. The prevalence and risk factors of myopia were evaluated. RESULTS: Prevalence rates with a 95% confidence interval were determined for myopia (SE <-0.5 D, 51.9% [51.2 to 52.7]; SE <-1.0 D, 39.6% [38.8 to 40.3]), high myopia (5.0% [4.7 to 5.3]), hyperopia (13.4% [12.9 to 13.9]), and astigmatism (31.2% [30.5 to 32.0]). The prevalence of myopia demonstrated a nonlinear distribution with the highest peak between the ages of 19 and 29 years. The prevalence of hyperopia decreased with age in subjects aged 39 years or younger and then increased with age in subjects aged 40 years or older. The prevalence of astigmatism gradually increased with age. Education was associated with all refractive errors; myopia was more prevalent and hyperopia and astigmatism were less prevalent in the highly educated groups. CONCLUSIONS: In young generations, the prevalence of myopia in Korea was much higher compared to the white or black populations in Western countries and is consistent with the high prevalence found in most other Asian countries. The overall prevalence of hyperopia was much lower compared to that of the white Western population. Age and education level were significant predictive factors associated with all kinds of refractive errors.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Nutrition Surveys ; Prevalence ; Refractive Errors/*epidemiology/physiopathology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Visual Acuity/*physiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the time-dependent effects of contrast medium on multi-dynamic, multi-echo (MDME) sequence in patients with brain metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 7 patients with 15 brain metastases who underwent magnetic resonance (MR) examination which included MDME sequences at 1 minute, 10 minutes and 20 minutes after contrast injection. Two volumes of interests, covering an entire tumor (whole tumor) and the enhancing portion of the tumor, were derived from post-contrast synthetic T1-weighted images. Statistical comparisons were performed for three different time delays for histogram parameters of the longitudinal relaxation rate (R1) and the transverse relaxation rate (R2), and lesion volumes. RESULTS: The mean and the median of R1 and the mean of R2 in both the whole tumor and the inner enhancing portion were larger on the 10 minutes delayed images than on the 1 minute or 20 minutes delayed images (mean of R1 in the whole tumor on the 1 minute, 10 minutes, and 20 minutes delayed images: 1.26 ms, 1.39 ms, and 1.37 ms; mean of R1 in the inner enhancing portion: 1.43 ms, 1.53 ms and 1.44 ms; all p < 0.017). The volumes of the whole tumor and the inner enhancing portion were significantly larger in the 10 minutes and 20 minutes delayed images than on the 1 minute delayed images (all p < 0.017). CONCLUSION: Magnetic resonance relaxation times and the volumes of the whole tumor and the inner enhancing portion were measured larger on the 10 minutes or 20 minutes delayed images than on the 1 minute delayed images. The MDME sequence immediately after contrast injection cannot fully reflect the effects of gadolinium-based contrast agent leakage in the tissue.
Brain Neoplasms ; Brain* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Relaxation* ; Tumor Burden*

Purpose: To evaluate visual performance after bilateral implantation of an extended depth of focus (EDOF) intraocular lens (IOL). Methods: This multicenter, prospective, observational study included 100 patients who underwent bilateral cataract surgery with a toric or non-toric EDOF IOL (Tecnis Symfony), and 96 patients completed the final assessment at 4 to 6 months. Binocular corrected distance visual acuity and uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), uncorrected intermediate visual acuity (UIVA), and uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA), spectacle independence, visual symptoms, and patient satisfaction were evaluated. Results: Mean decimal visual acuity results showed a binocular corrected distance visual acuity of 1.10 ± 0.18, UDVA of 1.04 ± 0.17, UIVA of 0.96 ± 0.16, and UNVA of 0.68 ± 0.18. Binocular UDVA and UIVA were 0.8 (decimal) or better in 98% and 94% of patients, respectively. Binocular UNVA was 0.63 (decimal) or better in 76% of patients. Overall, 76% of the patients achieved spectacle independence across all distances, and more than 85% reported no or mild dysphotoptic phenomena. On a scale of 0 to 10, the median patient satisfaction score was 9 for far, 9.5 for intermediate, and 8 for near vision. Conclusions The Symfony EDOF IOL provided excellent distance, intermediate visual outcome, and functional near visual acuity. The visual results were associated with prominent levels of spectacle independence and patient satisfaction.

Purpose: To evaluate visual performance after bilateral implantation of an extended depth of focus (EDOF) intraocular lens (IOL). Methods: This multicenter, prospective, observational study included 100 patients who underwent bilateral cataract surgery with a toric or non-toric EDOF IOL (Tecnis Symfony), and 96 patients completed the final assessment at 4 to 6 months. Binocular corrected distance visual acuity and uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), uncorrected intermediate visual acuity (UIVA), and uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA), spectacle independence, visual symptoms, and patient satisfaction were evaluated. Results: Mean decimal visual acuity results showed a binocular corrected distance visual acuity of 1.10 ± 0.18, UDVA of 1.04 ± 0.17, UIVA of 0.96 ± 0.16, and UNVA of 0.68 ± 0.18. Binocular UDVA and UIVA were 0.8 (decimal) or better in 98% and 94% of patients, respectively. Binocular UNVA was 0.63 (decimal) or better in 76% of patients. Overall, 76% of the patients achieved spectacle independence across all distances, and more than 85% reported no or mild dysphotoptic phenomena. On a scale of 0 to 10, the median patient satisfaction score was 9 for far, 9.5 for intermediate, and 8 for near vision. Conclusions The Symfony EDOF IOL provided excellent distance, intermediate visual outcome, and functional near visual acuity. The visual results were associated with prominent levels of spectacle independence and patient satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: Preterm labor is a leading risk factor for neonatal death and long-term impairment and linked closely with inflammation. Non-obstetric surgery is occasionally needed during pregnancy and the anesthetic drugs or surgery itself can give rise to inflammation. Here, we examined the influence of propofol pretreatment on the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. In addition, we evaluated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). METHODS: Human amnion-derived WISH cells were used to investigate the effect of propofol on the LPS-induced expression of inflammatory substances involved in preterm labor. For the experiment, WISH cells were pretreated with various concentrations propofol (0.01–10 µg/ml) for 1 h and then treated with LPS (1 µg/ml) for 24 h. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using MTT assay. PGE2 concentration was assessed by ELISA. Protein expressions of COX-2, PGE2 and NF-κB were analyzed by western blotting analysis. RT-PCR was used for analysis of mRNA expression of COX-2, PGE2, interlukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. RESULTS: Propofol showed no cytotoxicity on the WISH cells. LPS-induced PGE2 production and COX-2 and PGE2 expression were decreased after propofol pretreatment. Propofol also attenuated the LPS-induced mRNA expression of IL-1β and TNF-α. Moreover, the activation of NF-jB was inhibited by propofol pretreatment on LPS-stimulated WISH cells. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that propofol suppresses the expression of inflammatory substances enhanced by LPS stimulation. Furthermore, this inhibitory effect of propofol on the inflammatory substance expression is mediated by suppression of NF-κB activation.
Amnion ; Anesthetics ; Blotting, Western ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Cytokines ; Dinoprostone ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; NF-kappa B ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Perinatal Death ; Pregnancy ; Propofol ; Risk Factors ; RNA, Messenger ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha