Iatrogenic ocular surface diseases occurring during and/or after different treatments for ocular tumours

The ocular surface represents a finely regulated system that allows the protection of the eye. It is particularly susceptible to different treatments for intraocular tumours, such as uveal melanoma and conjunctival cancers. Traditionally, the management of ocular tumours depends on the characteristics of the lesion, and is based on a combination of selective surgery, topical chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy delivered through different mechanisms (e.g., charged-particle radiotherapy or brachy-therapy). Possible complications involving the ocular surface range from transient dry eye disease or keratitis up to corneal melting and perforation, which in any case deserve careful evaluation for the risk of permanent sigh-threatening complications. Clinicians involved in the management of these patients must be aware of this risk, in order to reach an early diagnosis and promptly set up an adequate treatment. The present review of the literature will summarize acute and chronic complications affecting the ocular surface following different therapies for the treatment of ocular tumours

Neurotrophic Keratitis

Neurotrophic keratitis (NK) is a rare degenerative corneal disease that occurs as a result of partial or total impairment of trigeminal innervations, leading to a reduction (hypoesthesia) in or loss (anaesthesia) of corneal sensitivity. The impairment of sensory innervation causes a reduction in the lacrimation reflex and the vitality, metabolism and mitosis of epithelial cells, with subsequent deficiency in epithelial repair, stromal and intracellular oedema, loss of microvilli, and abnormal development of the basal lamina. Several recent studies have proposed different therapies based on different aetiopathogenetic theories. The aim of the therapy is to treat aetiopathogenesis and, at the same time, promote corneal healing. In this paper, we report the aetiology, diagnosis, management, and medical and surgical treatment of NK, also indicating future treatments based on the most recent studies

Satisfação e situação profissional: um estudo com professores nos primeiros anos de carreira

O ingresso em uma profissão e as motivações para a sua escolha, os primeiros anos de carreira e o estatuto da profissão, em especial a docente, têm sido objeto de diversas investigações. Porém, tanto no caso português como no âmbito internacional, a inserção profissional dos professores tem sido negligenciada pelas pesquisas acadêmicas. Assim sendo, neste artigo, propomo-nos a contribuir com o conhecimento do processo de inserção profissional dos docentes de ensino básico e secundário, por meio da análise do grau de satisfação na profissão, dos aspectos mais e menos valorizados no trabalho, bem como da situação profissional em dois períodos, após um ano e depois de cinco anos de conclusão da licenciatura. Consideramos os licenciados em educação em comparação com todos os licenciados das universidades de Lisboa e Nova de Lisboa. Os dados apresentados permitem constatar que, nas dimensões estudadas, não existem diferenças significativas entre os licenciados com relação aos aspectos analisados. Das particularidades do grupo de licenciados em educação que participaram da pesquisa, destacamos: a ligeira saliência que assumem os aspectos altruístas; uma satisfação com a profissão ligeiramente maior; uma tendência à precarização dos vínculos contratuais e uma disposição para auferir em média rendimentos ligeiramente inferiores. Como considerações finais deste artigo, destacamos a necessidade de aprofundamento no estudo do modo como as condições de exercício da profissão influenciam o desenvolvimento dos professores em fase de inserção profissional. Além disso, salientamos a pertinência de que melhores formas de apoiar aprendizagem profissional sejam exploradas, bem como a construção da identidade profissional dos professores em início de carreira

The genetics of myopia

Myopia is the most common eye condition worldwide and its prevalence is increasing. While changes in environment, such as time spent outdoors, have driven myopia rates, within populations myopia is highly heritable. Genes are estimated to explain up to 80% of the variance in refractive error. Initial attempts to identify myopia genes relied on family studies using linkage analysis or candidate gene approaches with limited progress. More genome-wide association study (GWAS) approaches have taken over, ultimately resulting in the identification of hundreds of genes for refractive error and myopia, providing new insights into its molecular machinery. These studies showed myopia is a complex trait, with many genetic variants of small effect influencing retinal signaling, eye growth and the normal process of emmetropization. The genetic architecture and its molecular mechanisms are still to be clarified and while genetic risk score prediction models are improving, this knowledge must be expanded to have impact on clinical practice

Conjunctival biopsy in sarcoidosis [letter]

No abstract available

Asymptomatic ocular sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis, as multisystem disease, may affect the entire visual apparatus and its adnexa: the eye hence is an optimal observation point to confirm diagnosis and assess disease activity. However, the eyes are affected only in one-fourth of cases, and the majority of the lesions are asymptomatic, requiring appropriate examination techniques to be detected. In this paper we reviewed the ophthalmic changes found in a group of 163 Italian patients affected with sarcoidosis, comparing the data collected with those published in the literature. Conjunctival granulomata, chorio-retinal lesions and lacrimal gland involvement were the more common ocular manifestations of the sarcoidosis detected; these were asymptomatic in two patients out of three. Ocular changes in sarcoidosis are more common than generally appreciated even in white patients, but their detection requires meticulous eye examination, the use of 67 Gallium scans of the head, fluorangiography, and the yield of biopsies from available eye tissues