Since corneal thickness is changed by various corneal disease, it is important to determine the normal value of the corneal thickness. Normal corneal thickness was measured by Sohn (1972) in our depatment. Also it was reported by Murata and Kato (1963), von Bahr(1948) that the corneal thickness is thinner in myopia than in emmetropia. Author measured central corneal thickness of 58 myopic eyes which divided into three groups according to the degree of myopia-group 1(-0.25D ~ 3.75D), group 2(-4.0D ~ 5.75D) and group 3(more than -6.0D)-using Haag-Streit pachometer and Mishima and Hedbys modified device to determine the changes of the corneal thickness of the myopic eyes. Results obtained as follows: 1. In group 1, group 2 and group 3, the mean value with standard deviation for the central part of the cornea was 0.497 +/- 0.012mm, 0.452 +/- 0.011mm and 0.430 +/- 0.012mm, respectively. 2. There was no significant difference of the central corneal thickness between group 1 and emmetropia. 3. However central corneal thickness of the group 2 and 3 were significantly thinner than that of group 1, respectively (P<0.001). 4. The central corneal thickness was significantly thinner in group 3 than that of group 2 (P<0.001). 5. The changes of central corneal thickness linealy decreased as the myopic degree increased from -4.0D to -7.0D.
Cornea ; Corneal Diseases ; Emmetropia ; Myopia ; Reference Values

Changes in the thickness and composition of Bruch's membrane with aging have been described by several observers and related to the development of macular with advancing ageby region, comparing the macular area with more peripheral areas. In the younger (less than. 50 years) eyes we studied, the thickness of macular Bruch's membrane was about equal to that of peripheral Bruch's membrane. With aging, however, the thickness of Bruch's membrane was greater in the periphery than the macula. With increasing age, Bruch's membrane increased in basophilic reaction, PAS positivity and the detectable sialomucin fraction. In the macular region, but not in more peripheral regions, there is a preferential thickening of the interchoriocapillaris "teeth" of Bruch's degeneration by some. Using a combination of histochemical and electronmicroscopic techniques, we have examined the state of Bruch's membrane membrane material. By electronmicroscopy, in older eyes, the elastin layer of Bruch's membrane appears fragmented, while, in the periphery, it is continuous and resembles that of younger eyes. In summary, Bruch's membrane exhibits little regional difference in thickness in younger eyes, but the macular region becomes relatively thinner than more peripheral regions in older eyes. With advancing age, the deposition of extracellular matrix materials in appatite and fragmentation of the elastin layer is dramatically more prominent in the macular region than in the periphery. This regional variation may be related, at least in part, to some aspects of macular degeneration.
Aging ; Basophils ; Bruch Membrane* ; Elastin ; Extracellular Matrix ; Humans* ; Macular Degeneration ; Membranes ; Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction ; Sialomucins

Optic nerve gliomas are uncommon, and they and derived from altrocyte or oligodendrocyte of the optic nerve. The peak incidence is from 2 to 6 years of age. In most cases, prognosis is good and it is usually developed unilaterally. Occasionally it involves bilateral optic nerve and then usually associated with neurofibrotnatosis. Among reports of optic nerve gliomas, the incidence of neurofibromatosis varies from 12% to 38%. We have experienced of a case of bilateral optic nerve glioma not associated with neurofibromatosis in a 6 year old female patient. So the literature of the optic nerve gliomas was briefly reviewed with clinical study.
Child ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neurofibromatoses ; Oligodendroglia ; Optic Nerve Glioma* ; Optic Nerve* ; Prognosis

Choroidal neovascularization, also called subtetinal or subpigment epithelial neovasculariztation, may occur in the absence of any associated disorder and with no known etiology; in such cases, it is designated as idiopathic. Idibpathic chormdal neovascularization is characterized generally by an isolated neovascular membrane in the macula and is usually associated with a serous and/or hemorrhagic detachment of the overlying and adjacent sensory retina. The classic angiographic findings are lacy, nodular, or irregular, hyperfluorescence in the early phase, with pooling of dye in the subsensory retinal space during the late phase. The authors experienced a case of idiopathic choroidal neovascularization. A brief review of literature is described.
Choroid* ; Choroidal Neovascularization* ; Membranes ; Retina ; Retinaldehyde

The use of photocoagulation to treat proliferative diabetic retinopathy has gained widespread acceptance in ophthalmic practice since its introduction in 1959 by Meyer-Schwickerath. The purpose of photocoagulation is thought to reduce the stimulus for the vessel formation so characteristic of proliferative retinopathy. Photocoagulation may cause damage to Bruch's membrane, retinal pigment epithelium, and neurosensory retina and may result in either subretinal neovascularization or choroidal neovascularization. We found choroidal neovasaularization after performing photocogulation(one case is Argon laser the other Xenon-arch) in two diabetic retinopathy patients.
Argon ; Bruch Membrane ; Choroid* ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Humans ; Light Coagulation* ; Retina ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium

Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy(AMPPE), originally described by Gass in 1968, is a syndrome involving(1) rapid loss of central vision secondary to multifocal yellowish-white placoid lesions at the level of the pigment epithelium rather than in choroid; (2) rapid resolution of theselesions with perm anent alteration in the pigment epithelium and minimal damage to the adjacent choroid and retina; and (3) significant visual recovery which continues for several weeks or months after apparent ophthalmoscopic resolution of the acute lesions. Fluorescein angiography shows that the choroidal fluorescence is not visible at the site of acute lesions in the early arterial phase, but there is hyperfluorescence due to staining of the lesion in the late venous phase. We experienced and treated a case of acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy, presenting with bilateral bullous serous sensory retinal detachment in 39 years old male, who had a good visual improvement.
Adult ; Choroid ; Epithelium ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Male ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinaldehyde*

Patients who had posterior synechiae associated with uveitis,IOL mplantation, vitrectomy, underwent Nd-YAG synechiolysis had been treated with topical corticosteroids and surgical iridectomy. Even minimal dilatation of the pupil by Nd YAG synechiolysis enable the patient to read and the surgeon to postpone cataract surgery and evaluate optic disc or fundus. Also, pupil block may be treated by detaching the synechiae.18 Patients (20 eyes) with posterior synechiae underwent Nd-YAG synechiolysis at Kangnam St.Mary's Hospital from November 1997 to August 1998. An average of 17.14 +/-6.43mJ laser were used. The average prelaser pupil size was 3.78 +/-0.98 mm ;postlaser, 5.13 +/-1.27 mm.This change was statistically significant (p<0.01). Microhyphema and pigment dispersion developed in 4 eyes. However,no significant long-term complications occurred, and there were no obvious lenticular damage and pupil abnormality. Because this laser treatment is relatively safe and offers some possibility of visual improvement, we recom-mend Nd-YAG synechiolysis,but only if performed by an experienced laser microsurgeon.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Cataract ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Iridectomy ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Pupil ; Vitrectomy

Inspite of technical advances, long term retinal reattachment of proliferative vitreoretinopathy following the successful surgery is often disturbed by the occurrence of cell proliferation and traction. A variety of antimetabolite or anticancer drugs have been tried to use for testing their antiproliferative effects on proliferative vitreoretinopathy. To evaluate the antiproliferative property of 5-FU, we treated with the different concentration of 5-FU(0.5, 1, 5, 10 mg/L) on cultured bovine retinal pigment epithelial cells and performed dose inhibition studies. We also examined the 5-FU treated bovine retinal pigment epithelial cells by inverted microscope daily to evaluate the morphologic change for 5 days. The results were as follows; 1. 5-FU inhibited proliferation of bovine pigment epithelial cells in a dose dependent and a time dependent manner. 2. The drug concentration required for 50% inhibition of cell growth(ID50) was found to be 1.87 mg/L. 3. As the drug concentration increased, the cell density gradually decreased and the degenerative changes such as irregular shape of cells, cytoplasmic vaculoes and cell debris were aggravated. In 10 mg/L of 5-FU treated well, disruption of cell membrane and cell death were noted from the first day of incubation. These results show that 5-FU has a potent antiprolifertive effects in retinal pigment epithelial cell and toxic effet in high dose.
Cell Count ; Cell Death ; Cell Membrane ; Cell Proliferation ; Cytoplasm ; Epithelial Cells* ; Fluorouracil* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Traction ; Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative

Ocular metastasis of metastatic carcinoma is the most common intraocular malignancy. The most common pr1mary Site of the lntraocular metastatic tumor is the breast ln women and the lung 1n men respectlvely and the choroid Is by far the most common site for intraocular metastasis. RadlOtherapy has been reported hlghly effect1ve in pal1iative treatment for metastatic tumor. We experienced a case choroidal metastasis in a known metastatic breast carcinoma patient and gained clinical lmprovement by rad1otherapy in this case.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Choroid* ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

The clinical evaluation of blue-green argon laser photocoagulation in confirmed rhegmatogenous retinal detachment was done in 7 patients(8 eyes) from September, 1985 to May 1986 at Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital. The laser photocoagulation around the hole was performed after bed rest and confirmed re-attachment of retina was established in the cases of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. The follow-up period after laser photocoagulation ranged from 1 1/2 months to 18 months(mean 9.75 months). The age range of the patients were from 14 years to 65 years and there were 3 males(4 eyes) and 4 females(4 eyes). The results are obtained as follows; 1. In all cases, there were well-attached retina and recurrent retinal detachment didn't occur after laser treatment. 2. The visual acuity improvement ranged from 0.15 to 0.6(mean 0.27) The authors experienced a good prognosis in all cases.
Argon* ; Bed Rest ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Light Coagulation* ; Prognosis ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Visual Acuity