No abstract available.
Hyperplasia* ; Scleritis*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical features of the patients with episcleritis and scleritis. METHODS: Retrospective chart review was performed for above patients that had been followed from 1986. 8. 8 to 2001. 6. 4. RESULTS: The number of patients with episcleritis was 17 (49%) and that of scleritis was 18 (51%). Ocular complication occurred in 59% of patients with episcleritis and 72% of patients with scleritis. Keratitis was the most common ocular complication. No patient with episcleritis had a decrease in visual acuity, whereas 33% of patients with scleritis did. Systemic diseases were found in 69% of episcleritis whereas 77% of patients with scleritis associated with systemic diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis was the most common one in both groups of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular complications, systemic diseases, and decrease in visual acuity are associated more of commonly with scleritis than episcleritis. When scleritis is suspected, careful examinations for associated ocular complications should be performed and be followed with history taking and evaluation for associated systemic disease.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Scleritis* ; Visual Acuity

Posterior scleritis must be one of the most underdiagnosed treatable conditions in ophthalmology, partly because its manifestations are so protean and partly because the diagnosis is rarely considered. Although ultrasonography and computer tomogram are ancilliary tests, a careful examination of the posterior segment of the eye including the area of the ora serrata, macula and disc is essential to discover the presence of a posterior scleritis. We experienced prolonged retinal pigment epithelial detachments which had appered at early phase of posterior scleritis.
Bruch Membrane ; Diagnosis ; Ophthalmology ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Scleritis* ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To assess the proper differential diagnosis and treatment of scleritis with scleral melt following pterygium excision. METHODS: A retrospective study through a review of medical records of 5 patients diagnosed with surgically induced necrotizing scleritis (SINS) after pterygium excision and treated with systemic immunosuppressant and steroid. RESULTS: All the patients responded to the treatment and showed significant improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Immunosuppressive treatment without surgical intervention is effective in resolution of SINS after pterygium excision.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Pterygium* ; Retrospective Studies ; Scleritis*

PURPOSE: To evaluate serologic tests and therapeutic drugs of the patients with episcleritis and scleritis. METHODS: Retrospective chart review was performed for above patients that had been followed from 1986. 8. 8 to 2001. 6. 4. RESULTS: Of a total of 26 patients, 5 patients (38.5%) with episcleritis and 7 patients (53.8%) with scleritis showed seropositivity. Rheumatoid factor (RF) (26.1%) and antinuclear antibody (ANA) (26.1%) were most commonly positive. Eleven patients (84.6%) with episcleritis group were given topical steroid, 3 patients (23.1%) were treated with systemic drugs due to ocular lesions, and 6 patients (46.2%) with systemic drug for underlying systemic diseases. In scleritis group, 11 patients (84.6%) were treated with topical steroid, 2 patients (15.4%) with systemic drugs for ocular lesions, and 7 patients (53.8%) with systemic drug for underlying systemic diseases. An average period of treatment time was 6.4 weeks in episcleritis and 11.1 weeks in scleritis. CONCLUSIONS: Serologic tests help document the underlying disorders in patients with scleritis and in those with persistent or often recurred episcleritis. Also treatment of episcleritis and scleritis requires understanding possible effects of systemic drugs adminstered for underlying disorder on ocular lesion, and requires cooperation with internists and rheumatolgists.
Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Scleritis* ; Serologic Tests*

Localized subconjunctival abscess, episcleritis, recurrent lid abscess, and chorioretinitis are not uncommon diseases of the eye due to various causes such as infective emboli, buried cilia, trauma, autoimmune reactions, or specific infection. The cysticercus cellu]osae has been found in all parts of the eye and the lid, but there are less common presentation of the infection foci than of the cysticercus cellulosae alone. A subconjunctival abscess which is located in the upper fornix of the right eye near the caruncle, episcleritis which is localized in the upper half of the conjunctiva of the left eye, a recurrent abscess of the lid which is located in the right lower lid, a chorioretinitis which is not good visualization because of many cells and flares in the vitreous body, are reported due to a cysticercus larva. No systemic manifestation of cysticercus is found at all. The literature for ocular cysticercosis is referred.
Abscess ; Chorioretinitis ; Cilia ; Conjunctiva ; Cysticercosis ; Cysticercus* ; Inflammation* ; Larva* ; Scleritis ; Vitreous Body

PURPOSE: Relapsing polychondritis is an uncommon systemic autoimmune disorder which is characterized by recurrent and often progressive inflammatory episodes involving multiple organ systems, including the ophthalmic, otorhinolaryngeal, respiratory, musculoskeletal, renal, cardiovascular, and dermatologic systems. The most common ocular manifestations are episcleritis and scleritis. Uveitis, especially the nongranulomatous type, has been reported in 3% to 22% of relapsing polychondritis cases. We report uncommon hypopyon uveitis as an ophthalmic finding associated with relapsing polychondritis. CASE SUMMARY: A 56-year-old woman with known relapsing polychondritis presented with ocular pain and redness in the right eye which had developed two months before and was managed for scleritis. However, she developed blurred vision, and hypopyon and vitreous opacity was found. The patient presented to our clinic and we diagnosed her with hypopyon uveitis associated with relapsing polychondritis. The patient was started on systemic steroid therapy consisting of 1% prednisolone acetate, 0.5% moxifloxacin, and 0.5% tobramycin in the right eye. Hypopyon disappeared 8 days following the initiation of treatment, and all symptoms had resolved after 14 days.
Aza Compounds ; Eye ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Polychondritis, Relapsing ; Prednisolone ; Quinolines ; Scleritis ; Tobramycin ; Uveitis ; Vision, Ocular

Plasmin is an enzyme which plays an important role in the inflammatory process by activating vasoactive amine and lysis of fibrin. On the other hand, plasmin is also known to activate latent collagenase. Plasmin is an activated form of plasminogen which is stimulated by the plasminogen activator that exists in plasma and tissue. Gordon et al(1980) insisted that collagenase is important to the formation of corneal ulcer because it destroys the collagen which is the main component of the cornea. Berman et al(1980) reported that corneal tissue destruction by plasminogen activator-plasmin system can be a cause of corneal ulcer. We could obtain the following results by checking the plasmin activity in the tear of chronic corneal ulcer patients and necrotizing scleritis patients. 1. The plasmin activity in the tear was increased in all three chronic corneal ulcer patients in concentration of 1/16 sigma unit/ml to 1/8 sigma unit/ml. 2. There was no plasmin activity in the tear of the two necrotizing scleritis patients.
Collagen ; Collagenases ; Cornea ; Corneal Ulcer* ; Fibrin ; Fibrinolysin* ; Hand ; Humans ; Plasma ; Plasminogen ; Plasminogen Activators ; Scleritis ; Tears*

Necrotizing scleritis is an uncommon but most severe form in scleritis both in terms of pain and scleral destruction. It occasionally associated with systemic connective tissue diseases or idiopathic in orgin. Adequate diagnosis and therapy are essential to every ophthalmologist because it takes disastrous clinical course frequently. Histopathologically, localized granulomatous vasculitis was found and in pathogenesis, immunologic mechanism is suggested. We treated two cases of necrotizing scleritis which developed after pars plana vitrectomy, with topical or systemic corticosteroids and in one case, whose sclera was extensively melted, grafting with fascia lata was made with sucessful result. Two eyes became quiet after months of treatment without sequelae by scleritis itself We thought that this conditions occured by electrical low current diathermy which was given for hemostasis around sclerotomy incisions and by diabetic microcirculatory disturbances although not proven histologically.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Diathermy ; Fascia Lata ; Hemostasis ; Sclera ; Scleritis* ; Transplants ; Vasculitis ; Vitrectomy*

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare rheumatologic disorder most commonly presenting as recurring episodes of inflammation in cartilaginous tissues. Auricular chondritis with red ears resembling cellulitisis the most common clinical manifestation. Other manifestations include arthritis, nasal chondritis, and ocular, pulmonary, and cardiovascular disease. Here we report the case of a 54-year-old female patient with relapsing polychondritis and associated scleritis. On histologic examination, the auricle, including cartilaginous tissues, showed loss of the normal basophilia of cartilage and perichondrial infiltration of inflammatory cells. The patient was treated with systemic steroids. Symptoms in both auricles were reduced, scleritis developed, and ocular symptoms were waning.
Arthritis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cartilage ; Ear ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Middle Aged ; Polychondritis, Relapsing ; Scleritis ; Steroids