PURPOSE: We evaluated the effect of Mitomycin C (MMC) applied by different methods, on corneal healing after excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) in rabbits. METHODS: PTK was performed on 34 eyes of 17 New Zealand white rabbits. The control group underwent PTK alone, while the experimental groups underwent PTK with intraoperative application of either annular or discoid filter paper soaked with 0.02% MMC for 2 minutes. At postoperative 4, 12, and 24 weeks, the degree of corneal haziness was determined using a slit lamp biomicroscope, and the proliferation of keratocytes was observed histologically. RESULTS: At 4 weeks, the degree of corneal haziness was significantly lower in both MMC-treated groups than in the PTK-alone group (P<0.001). The two MMC-treated groups also showed decreased corneal haziness at 12 and 24 weeks, although the change was not statistically significant. In addition, the MMC-treated groups showed less proliferation of keratocytes at 4 and 12 weeks. At 24 weeks, the group that received annular application of MMC showed a significant decrease of keratocytes compared with the control group(p=0.026), while the group with discoid application showed no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that the annular application of MMC after PTK not only shows similar effect on wound healing but also reduces the side effects of MMC by minimizing the application surface.
Cornea* ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Mitomycin* ; Rabbits ; Wound Healing

It is not uncommon for children and adolescents with learning disabilities to have neurologically based disorders and other associated psychosocial problems. Those children have learning disorder need systematic psychiatric and neuropsychological evaluations for proper managements. Moreover many educational test instruments and special educational literatures use an information processing model for understanding learning and learning disabilities. Any learning disorders can involve more than one area in various dysfunctional processes; input disabilities (visual and auditory perceptions, and other sensory integrations), integration disabilities (sequencing, abstraction, and organization), memory disabilities, and output disabilities (language and motor). Individuals with learning disability require appropriate interventions, whether they are clinical or educational. They must be screened primarily by family physicians, pediatricians, and psychiatrists, and have psychosocial supports for themselves and their family, and then be referred to child and adolescent psychiatrists for optimal treatment planning and multimodal managements.
Adolescent ; Auditory Perception ; Automatic Data Processing ; Child ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Learning ; Learning Disorders* ; Memory ; Physicians, Family ; Primary Health Care ; Psychiatry

This study was designed to compare the relationships of premenstrual symptom patterns, stress perception, and coping style between women with premenstrual change and women without premenstrual change, using prospective methods. Fifty one women older than 20 years and in healthy state were asked to complete the Daily Rating Form and Daily Stress Scale(6-point Likert scale) during one menstrual cycle. They were also instructed to respond to the Ways of Coping Checklist. Fifty-percent-change method was used to identify women with premenstrual change, and methods of chisquare, t-test, paired t-test, and correlation were employed to analyze their responses. The results are as follow. 1) 47.1% of the subjects were classified into premenstrual change group. 2) No significant difference between women with premenstural change and women without premenstrual change was found in demographic characteristics(e.g., age, education, job, marriage) and menstrual characteristics(e.g., ages of menarche, regularity of menstruation, interval and duration of menstruation, amount of menstruation, dysmenorrhea). 3) There was no significant difference in coping style between women with premenstural change and women without premenstrual change. However, we observed relationships between some of premenstrual symptoms(i.e., depressed mood, lability, difficulty in concentrating, changes in appetite, being overwhelmed) and coping style, among women with premenstrual change during premenstrual phase. No association was observed between premenstrual symptoms and coping style among women without premenstrual change. 4) Women with premenstrual change reported more stressfulness premenstrually than post-menstrually(t=5.09, df=22, p=.000) as compared to women without premenstrual change(t=0.59 df=26, p=.56). Our findings suggest that, among women with premenstrual change, there exists significant relationship between premenstrual symptom patterns and coping style. Also, the ways stressors are perceived are likely to be affected by the menstrual cycle phase, only among women with premenstrual change. These findings are consistent with the state-dependent model of premenstrual syndrome. Therefore, we should consider stress management as an important therapeutic strategy for those with premenstrual change, because of their high vulnerability to stressors.
Appetite ; Checklist ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Menarche ; Menstrual Cycle ; Menstruation ; Premenstrual Syndrome ; Prospective Studies

PURPOSE: To describe a low-grade infection of hydroxyapatite orbital implant diagnosed by 99mTc-labeled leukocyte scintigraphy. METHODS: A 34-year-old man diagnosed as phthisis bulbi due to corneoscleral laceration on left eye had been treated with evisceration and hydroxyapatite orbital implant insertion. After drilling for ocular prosthesis, the patient did not have any symptom for 3 years and 5 months. He presented with socket pain, erythematous lid swelling, severe conjunctival discharge. There was no improvement of symptom despite conservative treatment for 3 weeks. MRI revealed no abnormalities so 99mTc-labeled leukocyte scintigraphy was performed. RESULTS: Scintigraphy showed a dense accumulation of labeled leukocyte at the implant site. After diagnosed as hydroxyapatite orbital implant infection, orbital implant was removed and silicon sphere implantation was done. After operation, the inflammation signs disappeared. CONCLUSIONS: 99mTc-labeled leukocyte scintigraphy is a useful technique in diagnosing low-grade infection of hydroxyapatite orbital implant undetected using conventional imaging method such as MRI.
Adult ; Durapatite* ; Eye, Artificial ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lacerations ; Leukocytes* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Orbital Implants ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Silicones ; Technetium*

PURPOSE: To study the effect of spherical lens induced aniseikonia on stereopsis and fusion. METHODS: One hundred subjects, with normal binocular function without any ophthalmic disease or surgery history, were examined. The aniseikonia was induced with spherical lenses in 1 diopter (D) stepwise manner from -2 D to +2 D. The amount of aniseikonia was measured by Awaya's New Aniseikonia Test. Stereopsis and fusion were determined with Titmus Stereo Test and fusion card of major amblyoscope respectively. RESULTS: As the amount of aniseikonia was increased, the stereopsis and fusion were decreased. The change was statistically significant (ANOVA, p<0.001). Aniseikonia was more correlated to fusion than stereopsis. A significant decline in the stereopsis was detected when the size of aniseikonia changed from 1% to 2%. A significant decline in fusion was noticed when aniseikonia changed from 2% to 3% (Independent t-test, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that binocular function can be disturbed by experimentally induced aniseikonia in normal subjects and that stereoacuities and fusional amplitude can be decreased as the degree of aniseikonia becomes larger.
Aniseikonia* ; Depth Perception ; Telescopes*

Erlotinib is a low-molecular-weight quinazoline derivative that inhibits the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase through competitive binding of the adenosine triphosphate binding domain of the receptor. Patients undergoing anti-EGFR therapy frequently present with cutaneous reactions like a sterile follicular and pustular rash, xerosis, pruritus, paronychia, hair abnormalities and mucositis, which can cause serious discomfort and negatively affect the compliance with anti-EGFR therapy. We report here on an interesting case of hair abnormalities induced by erlotinib (Tarceva(R)) and this presented as eyelash lengthening and hair curling in a 62-year-old woman.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Binding, Competitive ; Compliance ; Exanthema ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mucositis ; Paronychia ; Polyphosphates ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Pruritus ; Quinazolines ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Erlotinib Hydrochloride

Chondroid syringoma is an uncommon, benign and adnexal tumor which is composed of a mixture of epithelial cells and mesenchymal tissue. The usual presentation is of an asymptomatic, slowly growing mass, typically located in the head and neck region. We report a case of chondroid syringoma located in the right heel of a 46-year-old male patient. The tumor grew over a 10-year period, increasing rapidly in size over the last few months. It was a skin colored, 4.5x5x4 cm-sized, hyperkeratotic hard pedunculated nodule. The diagnosis of giant chondroid syringoma was made by clinical and histopathological examination, which showed a tubular structure and solid nest composed by more than two layers of epithelial cells embedded in a myxoid-adipoid tissue. The tubular lumina contained small amounts of amorphous, eosinophilic material. Regarding previous reports, this is a quite rare case of benign chondroid syringoma due to it's unusually large size and rare location.
Adenoma, Pleomorphic ; Eosinophils ; Epithelial Cells ; Head ; Heel ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Skin

Endophthalmitis following the filtering surgery is rare and the visual prognosis is reported to be very poor. In many cases the infection starts in the bleb. Methods of treatment should be chosen according to the type and stage of infection, but the prompt use of appropriate antibiotic and corticosteroid is important. This report presents a case of endophthalmitis following trabeculectomy in a 61-year old female patient, which was successfully treated.
Blister ; Endophthalmitis* ; Female ; Filtering Surgery ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Trabeculectomy*

PURPOSE: Nystagmus is a rare involuntary eye movement which has no known, specific, underlying diseases. Schizencephaly is also a rare disease. A child with generalized developmental delay came to the pediatric clinic. He showed schizencephaly on MRI, and was referred to department of rehabilitation. During rehabilitative evaluation, the patient was referred to the department of ophthalmology due to esotropia. We found that the patient had little esotropia, but did have nystagmus. Therefore, we report a case of congenital nystagmus associated with schizencephaly. METHODS: A one-year-old boy showing schizencephaly on MRI and esotropia underwent examination. RESULTS: The patient did not have a remarkable past or familial history, and didn't show any other anomaly. There were no abnormal findings on slit lamp examination, and according to strabismus studies, he showed very little esotropia. He did show nystagmus. We couldn't find any significant refractive error or ocular dysfunction on cycloplegic refraction and fundus examination, respectively. Visual evoked potential showed normal findings. On MRI, ordered by the pediatrician, open-lip type schizencephaly on the right frontal lobe and absence of septum pellucidum were seen. There was no endocrinologic abnormality. CONCLUSIONS: We report the case of a child with congenital nystagmus accompanied by schizencephaly, and present a literature review.
Child* ; Esotropia ; Evoked Potentials, Visual ; Eye Movements ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Malformations of Cortical Development* ; Nystagmus, Congenital ; Ophthalmology ; Rare Diseases ; Refractive Errors ; Rehabilitation ; Septum Pellucidum ; Strabismus

PURPOSE: A case of proptosis due to orbital metastasis of neuroblstoma and review of the current literature on neuroblastoma METHODS: A 8-month-old female presented with proptosis due to neuroblastoma involving skull and bone marrow. RESULTS: Proptosis was improved following chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: In case of infant who has a proptosis and periorbital ecchymosis without a primary lesion or a specific history, neuroblastoma may be considered as a differential diagnosis.
Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Therapy* ; Ecchymosis ; Exophthalmos* ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroblastoma* ; Orbit ; Skull