“Super p53” Mice Display Retinal Astroglial Changes

Tumour-suppressor genes, such as the p53 gene, produce proteins that inhibit cell division under adverse conditions, as in the case of DNA damage, radiation, hypoxia, or oxidative stress (OS). The p53 gene can arrest proliferation and trigger death by apoptosis subsequent to several factors. In astrocytes, p53 promotes cell-cycle arrest and is involved in oxidative stress-mediated astrocyte cell death. Increasingly, astrocytic p53 is proving fundamental in orchestrating neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis. In terms of ocular disease, p53 may play a role in hypoxia due to ischaemia and may be involved in the retinal response to oxidative stress (OS). We studied the influence of the p53 gene in the structural and quantitative characteristics of astrocytes in the retina. Adult mice of the C57BL/6 strain (12 months old) were distributed into two groups: 1) mice with two extra copies of p53 (“super p53”; n = 6) and 2) wild-type p53 age-matched control, as the control group (WT; n = 6). Retinas from each group were immunohistochemically processed to locate the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). GFAP+ astrocytes were manually counted and the mean area occupied for one astrocyte was quantified. Retinal-astrocyte distribution followed established patterns; however, morphological changes were seen through the retinas in relation to p53 availability. The mean GFAP+ area occupied by one astrocyte in “super p53” eyes was significantly higher (p<0.05; Student’s t-test) than in the WT. In addition, astroglial density was significantly higher in the “super p53” retinas than in the WT ones, both in the whole-retina (p<0,01 Student’s t-test) and in the intermediate and peripheral concentric areas of the retina (p<0.05 Student’s t-test). This fact might improve the resistance of the retinal cells against OS and its downstream signalling pathways

Proof of Principle of Ocular Sparing in Dogs with Sinonasal Tumors Treated with Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) allows optimization of radiation dose delivery to complex tumor volumes with rapid dose drop-off to surrounding normal tissues. A prospective study was performed to evaluate the concept of conformal avoidance using IMRT in canine sinonasal cancer. The potential of IMRT to improve clinical outcome with respect to acute and late ocular toxicity was evaluated. Thirty-one dogs with sinonasal cancer were treated definitively with IMRT using helical tomotherapy and/or dynamic multileaf collimator (DMLC) delivery. Ocular toxicity was evaluated prospectively and compared to a comparable group of historical controls treated with conventional two-dimensional radiotherapy (2D-RT) techniques. Treatment plans were devised for each dog using helical tomotherapy and DMLC that achieved the target dose to the planning treatment volume and limited critical normal tissues to the prescribed dose-volume constraints. Overall acute and late toxicities were limited and minor, detectable by an experienced observer. This was in contrast to the profound ocular morbidity observed in the historical control group treated with 2D-RT. Overall median survival for IMRT treated and 2D treated dogs was 420 days and 411 days, respectively. Compared with conventional techniques, IMRT reduced dose delivered to eyes and resulted in bilateral ocular sparing in the dogs reported herein. These data provide proof-of-principle that conformal avoidance radiotherapy can be delivered through high conformity IMRT, resulting in decreased normal tissue toxicity as compared to historical controls treated with 2D-RT

Long-Term Results after DMEK (Descemet’s Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty)

Ziel der Arbeit: Evaluation der langfristigen Ergebnisse sowie der Komplikationsrate nach Descemet’s Membran Endothelialen Keratoplastik (DMEK) Methoden: Eine cross-sectional, Fall-Serien Studie. Insgesamt wurden 230 Augen von 142 Patienten, die zwischen 2010 und 2014 eine DMEK an der Universitäts-Augenklinik Marburg bekommen haben, untersucht. Die best-korrigierte Sehschärfe (BCVA), die Refraktion, die zentrale Hornhautdicke, das Hornhautvolumen sowie die Endothelialzelldichte wurden als Parameter herangezogen und mit den präoperativen Befunden verglichen. Die Transplantat-Überlebensrate sowie die postoperativen Komplikationen wurden ebenfalls betrachtet. Ergebnisse: Die Nachbeobachtungszeit betrug 47 ± 13.3 Monate. Bei den Patienten die keine anderen okuläre Erkrankungen hatten hat sich die BCVA von 0.60 ± 0.32 logMAR präoperativ auf bis zu 0.10 ± 0.22 logMAR verbessert (201 Augen). 71.1% dieser Patienten hatten eine BCVA von 0.11 logMAR oder besser (≥ 0.8 dezimal), wobei 49.2% dieser Patienten eine volle BCVA von 0.00 logMAR oder besser erreicht haben. Die zentrale Hornhautdicke hat von 675 ± 112µm präoperativ auf 547 ± 52 µm in der letzten Follow-up Untersuchung abgenommen, und das Hornhautvolumen hat von 65.2 ± 8.4 mm2 präoperativ auf 61.9 ± 5.4 mm2 abgenommen. Der Endothelzellverlust lag bei 1392 ± 455 Zellen/mm², was einem durchschnittlichen Verlust von 54.7% der Transplantatzellen entspricht. Die Transplantat-Überlebensrate lag bei 92% mit einer durchschnittlichen Überlebenszeit von 76.6 ± 1.3 Monaten. Schlussfolgerung: DMEK bietet hohe visuelle Ergebnisse und sehr gute klinische Befunde, die mehrere Jahre nach der Operation stabil bleiben können. Durch die hohe Transplantat-Überlebensrate und die niedrige postoperative Komplikationsrate wird DMEK derzeit als erste Wahl zur Behandlung von Endothelzellerkrankungen eingesetzt

Eye diseases in travelers

Travelling has been growing in popularity over the last several decades. Eye diseases, e.g. decreased visual acuity, inflammatory or degenerative lesions, chronic diseases or eye trauma, affect all groups of travelers. The main risk factors contributing to the manifestation or exacerbation of common ocular diseases include exposure to dry air (inside the airplane cabin or in air-conditioned hotel rooms), exposure to chlorinated or salty water (swimming/bathing in swimming pools or in the sea), and sudden changes in the weather conditions. In addition, travelers to tropical destinations are at risk of ocular diseases which are rarely seen in temperate climate, e.g. onchocerciasis, loiasis, gnatostomosis, African trypanosomosis, or trachoma. The most common condition of the eye seen in travelers is conjunctivitis; it may be either of cosmopolitan (bacterial or viral infections, allergic inflammation) or tropical etiology, e.g. arboviral infections (zika, chikungunya). Given the fact that a large proportion of the general population have decreased visual acuity and many of them wear contact lenses rather than glasses, keratitis has become a common health problem among travelers as well; the major risk factors in such cases include sleeping in contact lenses, prolonged exposure to air-conditioning, working with a computer or swimming/bathing in microbiologically contaminated water (e.g. Acanthoamoeba protozoa). Conditions affecting the cornea, conjunctiva or lens may also occur due to excessive exposure to solar radiation, especially if travelers wear glasses without a UV protection

Renal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) associated end-stage renal disease in a patient presenting with diarrhea

Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is most commonly found in the GI tract. Other less common anatomical sites for MALT include the skin, intestine, salivary glands, lungs, and ocular adnexa. Isolated MALT of the kidney has only been sporadically reported. Most of the reported cases in the literature present with underlying renal mass and are generally diagnosed post nephrectomy. We present a case of a 73-year-old gentleman with biopsy-proven primary MALT of the kidney who presented with acute kidney injury (AKI) in the background o

Ophthalmic Manifestations in Patients with Blood Malignancies

Ocular complications can occur in up to 90% of patients with blood malignancies. Such complications range from direct infiltration to local hemostatic imbalance and treatment-related toxicity. This narrative review is based on a systematic computerized search of the literature conducted until January 2024 and examines the common ocular complications associated with blood cancers. Ocular complications from primary disease include mass effects from ocular adnexal lymphomas and intraocular lymphomas, with B-cell lymphomas accounting for 95% of primary ocular presentations. Secondary disease involvement from systemic hematological malignancies can lead to a wide range of ocular manifestations, such as leukemic retinopathy. Furthermore, toxicity from antineoplastic therapies and ocular graft versus host disease (oGVHD) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation present additional risks to ocular health. In conclusion, ocular complications in blood cancer patients are an integral part of patient management, requiring regular ophthalmic evaluations and close collaboration between oncologists and ophthalmologists. Advances in therapy and an increased focus on early symptom recognition are essential for preserving vision and enhancing patient quality of life

Idiopathic sclerosing orbital inflammation mimicking a malignant spindle cell tumor in a dog

A dog presented with a retrobulbar mass, diagnosed histopathologically as malignant spindle cell neoplasia. Emergence of analogous findings in the contralateral orbit prompted extended immunohistochemistry of the original mass and reassignment to idiopathic sclerosing orbital inflammation. Early incisional biopsy with extended immunohistochemical analysis should be considered for canine orbital tumors

Understanding ocular graft-versus-host disease to facilitate an integrated multidisciplinary approach

Ocular Graft-versus-Host Disease (oGVHD) remains a challenging and potentially devastating complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). It significantly impacts the quality of life of affected survivors, however, is often underrecognized particularly during the early stages. Targeting all providers in the HSCT community who see patients regularly and frequently for their post-allo-HSCT care, this review and opinion piece introduces the basic concepts of ocular surface pathophysiology, dissects the different stages of clinical presentation of oGVHD, explains why the current diagnostic criteria tend to capture the late disease stages, highlights the warning signs of early disease development, in hope to facilitate prompt referral of oGVHD suspects for ocular specialist care. In addition to introducing a comprehensive list of treatment options, this review emphasizes basic therapeutic strategy and options that are safe and effective to be initiated by any care provider. We believe in empowering the patients as well as the care providers beyond disciplinary boundaries, in order to provide the most cohesive and integrated care to our patients in a multidisciplinary approach

Coding and billing manual for Pacific University College of Optometry clinics

The purpose of this manual is to provide the clinic staff, attending doctors, and students of Pacific University College of Optometry with a basic outline of how to bill some of the more common eye care procedures. This manual will also summarize the general process of billing insurance while pointing out some of the differences between some of the major insurance carriers in which Pacific University College of Optometry is a participant. Examples of claim forms are provided along with a list of some of the more-difficult-to-find diagnosis codes. As the realm of insurance billing and coding is vast and ever changing, this manual is not intended to be all-inclusive or stand the test of time, but will hopefully point the reader in the right direction and provide helpful tips to avoid claim denials. Consultation visits, ElM level determination, vision therapy billing, and low vision billing will not be covered in this manual. Even though most students and attending doctors may not be directly involved in the submission of insurance claims, it is important for all to understand the process and the ramifications of improperly coding procedures and diagnoses for reimbursement