A new hypolipidemic drug, pravastatin, hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor was administered to 33 patients with primary hyperlipidemia, 10mg daily for 8 weeks and sequential changes of lipid profile were analysed as follows. 1) Mean value at baseline period of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were 260, 220, 51 and 163mg/dl respectively. 2) Total cholesterol showed 21% decrease at the end of 8 weeks and that of LDL-cholesterol were 30%. 3) Triglyceride decreased 16% at the end of 8 weeks and increment of HDL-cholesterol was 8% at the end of 8 weeks. 4) No serious side reactions were observed except one patient, who showed generalized skin rash which last 3 days and did not prevent further medication. In conclusion, pravastatin is a safe and useful hypolipidemic agent for the patient with primary hyperlipidemia.
Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Coenzyme A ; Exanthema ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias* ; Oxidoreductases ; Pravastatin* ; Triglycerides

We investigated fifteen men and twenty one women, who were diagnosed to have asteroid hyalosis between June, 1997 and November, 1997 at Seoul National University Hospital. After obtaining their medical history a complete eye examination was performed. Specimen was examined by light microscope in one case. Funduscopic examination revealed bilateral involvement in 5 cases. Twenty six patients were diabetic and 12 were hypertensive. There was a significant association with diabetes. Light microscopic exam showed variable sized spherical structures with brown rim. Further decrease in visual acuity due to asteroid hyalosis was not observed in 35 cases in which follow-up exams were possible. In conclusion, asteroid hyalosis rarely caused visual loss and were likely to be monocular and to occur in old age.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Seoul ; Visual Acuity

Recently, the number of reports of Acanthamoeba keratitis has been increased apparently as a consequence of association with use of contact lenses, contaminated contact lens care system and high concern of ophthalmologist to Acanthamoeba keratitis. But, there were few epidemiologic studies of contamination of contact lens care system by Acanthamoeba and there was no report in Korea. We carried out a survey to demonstrate the contamination of contact lens care system by Acanthamoeba and bacteria and analysed the results according to the types of contact lenses and methods of disinfection. We examined the contact lens care system of 185 asymptomatic contact lens wearer for the contamination of Acanthamoeba and bacteria. The result showed a significant contamination of Acanthamoeba and bacteria. Twenty eight(15%) were contaminated with Acanthamoeba, eighteen(10%) were mixed with bacterial contamination and seventy four(40%) were contaminated with bacteria. There was no significant difference with sex and the result showed a lot of cocontamination with bacteria and amoeba and chemical disinfection showed a high Acanthamoeba contamination rate. Based on data from this and previous studies, the most of contact lens care system of contact lens wearer was contaminated with bacteria, amoeba and other microorganism. So, ophthalmologists should be concerned about Acanthamoeba contamination of contact lens care system.
Acanthamoeba Keratitis ; Acanthamoeba* ; Amoeba ; Bacteria ; Contact Lenses ; Disinfection ; Korea

To evaluate the clinical courses and the results of treatment of Coats`disease, we retrospectively investigated the medical records of 30 patients (27males,3 females). The age at diagnosis, bilaterality, chief complaints, associated abnormalities, retinal distributions of vascular change and exudate, and methods and results of treatment were reviewed. The average age at diagnosis was 4.6 years (range:1.0~8.2 years) and all cases were unilateral. Exotropia was the most common presenting signs. Following treatment, 60.0%of eyes were clinically worsened in subretinal fluid drainage/vitrectomy group, 6.7% in laser/cryotherapy group,and 28.6%in no treatment group. These results suggest that laser/cryotherapy may treat effectively the early change in Coats`disease, and making a diagnosis and treatment before the development of bullous retinal detachment may be advisable.
Cryotherapy ; Diagnosis ; Exotropia ; Exudates and Transudates ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinaldehyde ; Retrospective Studies ; Subretinal Fluid

Phacoemulsification and foldable PCL implantation was done on 51 eyes with preoperative against-the-rule corneal astigmatism. Different locations and incisions were employed: 18 cases of supeiror scleral pocket incision(Group 1), 16 cases of temporal scleral pocket incison(Group 2), and 17 cases of temporal clear corneal incison(Group 3). Changes in corneal astigmatism were analyzed by vector method following operation. In group 1, the amount of against-the-rule surgically-induced-astigmatism was 0.72 D at potoperative 2 months. Minimal corneal astigmatic chagne was observed in group 2. Change of 0.83 D in the with-the rule direction was in with-the rule direction. In cases of against-the rule corneal astigmatism patients, it is better to use temporal approach considering surgically induced astigmatism, and, at postoperative 2 months, we observed that clear corneal incision induces with-the-rule surgically-induced astigmatism, and reduced total amount of corneal astigmatism.
Astigmatism* ; Cataract* ; Humans ; Phacoemulsification

In order to evaluate the effect of Q-switched YAG laser iridotomy to the intraocular pressure, we performed the Q-switched Nd-YAG laser iridotomy in 39 eyes of 28 patients with angle closure glaucoma. Postoperative difference of the intraocular pressure was 27.5 +/- 27.0mmHg and the intraocular pressure was reduced. After 2 months, 12 eyes had needed one kind of anti-glaucomatous medication, 7 eyes had needed no medication, 6 eyes had needed two medications and 1 eye had needed three medications. Postoperative complications were iris bleeding(10 eyes), transient pressure rising(9 eyes), focal corneal opacities(2 eyes) and closure of iridotomy(2 eyes). These result shows that laser iridotomy should be considered in the management of angle closure glaucoma.
Glaucoma, Angle-Closure ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Iris ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Postoperative Complications

PURPOSE: To report a case of a female patient treated with stereotactic radiosurgery for compressive optic neuropathy by recurred maxillary cancer. CASE SUMMARY: A 51-year-old woman with a history of maxillary cancer presented with decreased visual acuity and visual field and color vision defects in the right eye. The CT scan revealed a wide spread mass along the ethmoid sinus, orbit, optic canal, and skull base. Under the impression of compressive optic neuropathy, stereotactic radiosurgery was performed. A cumulative dose of 39 Gy in 3 daily fractions of 13 Gy was administered to the mass. After 10 days, visual acuity, color vision, and visual field improved and were maintained after a 2 month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic radiosurgery could be another treatment option for patients with compressive optic neuropathy caused by a malignant tumor.
Color Vision ; Color Vision Defects ; Ethmoid Sinus ; Eye ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Optic Nerve Diseases ; Orbit ; Radiosurgery ; Skull Base ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Fields

PURPOSE: To report a rare case of choroidal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. CASE SUMMARY: A 61-year-old man visited our clinic with the chief complaint of decreased vision in the right eye. Three years earlier, he underwent right nephrectomy due to renal cell carcinoma. Best corrected visual acuity was 0.2 in the right eye and 1.0 in the left eye. Fundoscopic examination of the right eye revealed a yellowish, dome-shaped elevated choroidal mass with serous retinal detachment, measuring 5.0 x 4.0 disc diameter and located lateral to the macular area. Systemic evaluations showed multiple lung and brain metastases. A diagnosis of choroidal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma was made for the right eye, and the patient received local treatments with oral sorafenib therapy, composed of subtenon triamcinolone injection and intravitreal ranibizumab injection. Tumor progression continued, and visual acuity declined to hand motion. Enucleation was recommended, but the patient refused and is on a regular follow-up after transpupillary thermotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular manifestation may be the initial presenting sign of a recurrent tumor, and an extensive systemic evaluation for metastatic malignancy should be performed. The present example showed a rare case of choroidal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Brain ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Choroid ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nephrectomy ; Niacinamide ; Phenylurea Compounds ; Retinal Detachment ; Triamcinolone ; Vision, Ocular ; Visual Acuity ; Ranibizumab

A Milk of calcium is a well known finding in the extrahepatic biliary tree, particulary in the gallbladder, but rarely occurred in the kidneys. A caliceal diverticulum is a saccular structure containing urine and connect to an adjacent calyx by a narrow isthmus. They are lined with transitional epithelium continuous with that of calyx. Their origin is still unknown, but is generally attributes either to a developmental malformation or to prior infection. The diagnostic appearance may be lacking when the condition is present, since an errect or decubitus projection is frequently not a standard part of each roentgenologic examination of the abdomen or urinary tract. The management and treatment of Milk of Calcium in renal caliceal diverticulum is based on subjective and objective findings. Surgery should consist of eradication of the diverticulum lining and obliteration of communicating channel. We explored the kidney for the impression of renal stone, but could not find the stone, Retrospective review turned out to be the Milk of Calcium. We report our experience here in with review of literatures.
Abdomen ; Biliary Tract ; Calcium Carbonate* ; Diverticulum* ; Epithelium ; Gallbladder ; Kidney ; Milk* ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Tract

No abstract available.
Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking*