Abstract Purpose Acute exposure of ocular and periocular tissues to natural or artificial light can induce inflammatory responses, attributed mainly to the UVB range of the spectrum. In this study, we have used a model of acute exposure of rabbit eyes to artificial sunlight, to study possible alterations in the architecture of corneal and conjunctival tissue as well as in the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and platelet activating factor (PAFR) in these tissues. Methods New Zealand albino rabbits were immobilized opposite a 300W light bulb and exposed for 30 min to an equivalent of 7,500 Jm‐1 of UVB irradiation, in the range of the reported threshold for corneal damage. Corneal and conjunctival tissue samples were removed from exposed eyes at 2, 6 and 24 hours following the end of the exposure to the bulb light, and were subsequently processed for histochemical staining or RNA extraction. The gene expression of TNF and PAFR was monitored with RT‐PCR. Results Histopathological examination revealed minor changes in the corneal architecture. A distinctive eosinophilic infiltration was observed, as early as 2 hrs post‐exposure, in the conjunctiva of the third eyelid, both in the epithelial layer and the basal lamina, which had apparently subsided by t = 24 hrs. The gene expression of TNF and PAFR was monitored with RT‐PCR. Conclusion Acute exposure to artificial sunlight caused a marked accumulation of eosinophils in rabbit conjunctival epithelium but only minor changes in the corneal epithelium. Neither TNF nor PAFR gene expression was affected appreciably
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells showcasing a remarkable capacity of self-replenishing and differentiating into mature cells. Their ability to proliferate connotes that a designated stem cell source is capable of generating an unrestricted number of mature cells. The ever-increasing comprehension of position, activity, and function of ocular stem cells has led to rapid progress and incessant improvement of possible procedures and therapies. A narrative review was conducted to summarize the current evidence on clinical trials and respective literature, regarding current evolution in the field of ocular regenerative medicine. We tried to ascertain the safety of experimental and clinical procedures, their effectiveness, and the ethical repercussion of their use.
Here, we report on the prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis and positive skin prick test (SPT) results in relation to respiratory allergic conditions among patients with symptoms of allergies at a respiratory outpatient clinic. A questionnaire survey of symptoms (i.e., asthma-like, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis symptoms) involving 1522 patients was carried out. The responses of 1242 patients indicated that they had allergic conjunctivitis, asthma, rhinitis, or a combination of these conditions, and 869 of these patients underwent SPTs that assessed responses to 40 allergens. Allergic conjunctivitis was found to be very common (40%, 497 out of 1242 patients) among those with symptoms of allergies. Conjunctivitis was slightly more common among women, while rhinitis was more common among men. Patients with both conjunctivitis and rhinitis were more likely to undergo SPTs, and they had a higher rate of positive SPTs. The coexistence of two or more comorbidities increased the risk of having an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergy (based on the SPT results) compared to having each of the conditions alone. In conclusion, allergic conjunctivitis can occur either alone or with asthma and/or rhinitis. It is not always accompanied by rhinitis, but the coexistence of these conditions was the strongest indicator of IgE-mediated allergies.
Ocular allergies affect a great part of the general population and often co exist with other allergic manifestations. In the present study, the prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis and the commonest allergens in allergic patients at an outpatient unit in Thessaloniki, Greece were evaluated.This is a retrospective study regarding allergic patients who referred to an outpatient clinic between the 1st of January of 1996 and the 31st of December 2010. They completed relative questionnaires concerning their allergic condition. The patients who were included in our study had allergic conjunctivitis confirmed by ophthalmologists and were divided into 4 groups. The criteria used were the existence of allergic conjunctivitis alone or with other allergic co- morbidities. The patients then underwent skin prick tests after consent according to current guidelines.The archives of 1239 allergic patients were evaluated and 497 patients (40,11%) who manifested eye allergic symptoms were included in our study. 448 patients (90.14%) had allergic conjunctivitis in conjunction with asthma or rhinitis or both. 370 patients underwent skin prick tests and 284 of them (124 males-160 females) were positive for at least 1 of the 8 tested allergens (76.75%). 166 were positive to a grass mix (58.45%), 130 to olea European (45.77%), 124 to dust mites mix (43.66%), 58 to cypress (20.42%), 71 to parietaria officinalis (25.00%), 67 to cat dander (23.59%), 35 to dog dander (12.32%) and 32 to Altenaria (11.26%).Symptoms of ocular allergy are very common in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma. Men had slightly higher percentages of positive skin prick tests, except for dog dander and Altenaria. Conjunctivitis should not be overlooked as an allergic entity when evaluating allergic patients.
Abstract Purpose A retrospective study on the prevalence of conjunctivitis and the commonest allergens in Northern Greece. Methods From the archives of an outpatient unit in Thessaloniki‐Greece, the patients with conjunctivitis were evaluated. The patients underwent skin prick tests (SPTs) according to current guidelines. The patients were divided into 4 groups: Group A : Patients with conjunctivitis alone, Group B: patients with asthma and conjunctivitis, Group C: patients with rhinitis and conjunctivitis, Group D: patients with all three co‐morbidities. Results 49 out of 1239 allergic patients had only conjunctivitis, 102 conjunctivitis and asthma, 117 conjunctivitis and rhinitis and 229 all three co‐morbidities. Conclusion In the Northern Greek population allergic conjunctivitis is common. There was no significant statistical difference between men and women in the aforementioned groups.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common autoimmune disease. Ocular manifestations of this autoimmune disease vary and are mainly keratoconjunctivitis sicca, episcleritis, scleritis and keratitis. Their appearance, as well as their severity are related to RA chronicity and resistance to therapy. The treatment consists of corticosteroids, NSAIDs and cytotoxic drugs, depending on the type of ocular manifestations and the patient’s response to treatment.
Visual acuity (VA) testing is a critical screening examination for the assessment of visual function. This study describes the development and validation of a smartphone-based VA test: the K-VA test.A total of 171 patients with various ocular diseases were examined in our outpatient unit at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine in Greece. Participants underwent VA examination using the standard Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) charts and the K-VA smartphone-based test. The K-VA test was performed by participants themselves. The Bland-Altman method was employed to assess the agreement between the ETDRS charts and the new test for the examination of VA at 1 m and 40 cm. Test-retest reliability was also calculated. A questionnaire regarding the participants' feedback on the K-VA test was completed.No significant bias was observed between the gold standard ETDRS charts and the K-VA test measurements. The mean difference (95% limits of agreement, LoA) between the K-VA test at 1 m and the ETDRS chart at 4 m was -0.006 (95% LoA -0.129 to 0.117) logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR). The agreement of the K-VA test at 40 cm with the near ETDRS chart was also high with a mean difference of -0.007 (95% LoA -0.105 to 0.090) logMAR. Test-retest reliability was found to be high with a mean difference of 0.003 (95% LoA -0.045 to 0.033) logMAR and 0.005 (95% LoA -0.065 to 0.076) logMAR for the K-VA test at 1 m and 40 cm, respectively. A total of 97 participants answered the questionnaire and 71 (73.2%) stated that the test was easy to very easy to use for self-performance.The study demonstrated that the K-VA application performed well compared with the ETDRS charts and provides reliable and repeatable measurements of VA across a wide range of VA.Visual acuity (VA) is the most significant measure of visual function and an accurate examination of VA is of high importance for clinicians. Traditionally, the Snellen and the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) acuity charts are the most commonly used VA tests. However, the examination requires physical presence, which is not always feasible for elderly, mobility-impaired, rural patients, or patients in quarantine due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Currently, there are hundreds of vision-testing applications available, with only a few having been validated, especially against the standard ETDRS chart. This study describes the development and investigates the validity of a new smartphone application, the K-VA test, for VA testing in 171 participants with various ocular diseases. Participants performed the K-VA test themselves with the supervision of a healthcare provider. The K-VA test was shown to perform well when compared with the ETDRS charts. We also showed that the test is well accepted by patients familiar with the Android operating system. The test should be performed following the instructions of the attending physician. The K-VA application provides repeatable and reliable measurements of VA across a wide range of VA. This tool offers users a secure system for the tele-transmission of results to physicians for further consultation.
Background. Lacrimal infections by Actinomyces are rare and commonly misdiagnosed for long periods of time. They account for 2% of all lacrimal diseases. Case Report. We report a case of a 70-year-old female patient suffering from a para-canalicular abscess in the medial canthus of the left eye, beside the lower punctum lacrimale, resembling a chalazion. Purulence exited from the punctum lacrimale due to inflammation of the inferior canaliculus (canaliculitis). When pressure was applied to the mass, a second exit of purulence was also observed under the palpebral conjunctiva below the lacrimal caruncle. A surgical excision was performed followed by administration of local antibiotic therapy. The histopathological examination of the extracted mass revealed the existence of actinomycosis. Conclusion. Persistent or recurrent infections and lumps of the eyelids should be thoroughly investigated. Actinomyces as a causative agent should be considered. Differential diagnosis is broad and should include canaliculitis, chalazion, and multiple types of neoplasias. For this reason, in nonconclusive cases, a histopathological examination should be performed.
Abstract Purpose A retrospective study on the prevalence of sensitization to cat and dog dander in patients with allergic conjunctivitis. Methods 284 patients with allergic conjunctivitis (124 males‐160 females), with age from 18 to 70 years old (mean age: 42.30 for males, 41.35 for females), underwent skin prick tests (SPTs) to cat and dog dander according to current guidelines. Results The results showed that more frequent allergens (positive SPTs) were cat dander 67/284 (23.59%), while dog dander showed lower positivity rates 44/284 (15.49%). As regards gender, 33 from 67 patients with positivity to cat dander were males and 34 were females. The numbers for sensitivity to dog dander were 20 males and the rest 24 females, indicating no sex predilection. Conclusion Symptoms and signs of ocular allergy are very common and may be related to sensitization to cat and dog dander among other factors. The patients with allergic conjunctivitis included in our study tended to have positivity to cat rather to dog dander. No sex predilection was observed.
Background. Low vision (LV) has a significant negative impact on the activities of daily life as well as on the psychological health of patients. Objectives. The objective of this study is to investigate psychological, clinical, and demographic factors that may impact the daily functionality of patients with LV. Methods. A convenience sample of 53 patients, meeting the WHO criteria for LV, was recruited. Questionnaires on daily functionality, depression, and life orientation (in terms of optimism/pessimism) were administered along with a semistructured personal interview. Key Findings. The main results revealed a significant negative correlation between daily functionality and depression ( , ). Conversely, there is a positive correlation between daily functionality and visual acuity ( , ), while years since diagnosis were negatively correlated with depression ( , ). Depression seems to be a moderate predictor of a person’s daily functionality ( , ), followed by visual acuity ( , ), explaining the 31.1% of the total variance. Conclusions. The study supports a correlation between daily functionality and both depression and visual acuity. Optimism as a personality characteristic did not factor into the prediction model for daily functionality, but it showed a strong correlation with lower levels of depressive symptoms. This highlights the potential for developing coping strategies for chronic disease management. Recommendations. The study could serve as a useful guide and may urge clinicians to pay attention to the psychological evaluation of these patients, supporting their unique emotional needs. Mental health professionals can use patients’ positive resources to provide appropriate counseling and embrace the coping skills that encourage their engagement in activities of daily life.
