Effect of Neodymium: Yttrium-Aluminium-Garnet Laser Posterior capsulotomy on refractive status of the Eye

Objective: To assess the effect of Neodymium: Yttrium-Aluminium (Nd: YAG) laser posterior capsulotomy on the refractive status of the eye.Study Design: Quasi-experimental.Setting: Outpatient department of Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi.Duration: 1st January 2017 to 30th June 2017.Materials and Methods: A total of 95 eyes of 95 patients were included in this study. The patients were selected based on non - randomized convenient sampling. Among these patients 49 were females and 46 were males. The age range was 43 years to 85 years. These patients were those who had undergone uncomplicated cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation 6 months or more than 6 months before presentation with posterior capsular opacification. Before Nd: YAG laser posterior capsulotomy, complete anterior and posterior segment examinations of these patients was performed and they were found to have no other associated anterior or posterior segment pathologies. Autorefractometre reading and best-corrected visual acuity were recorded and then after dilating the pupils, the procedure was performed. Post YAG capsulotomy, Autorefractometre readings were recorded again on the same day, at 1 week and the end of 4 weeks. Readings at the end of 4 weeks were considered for result purposes. These readings were converted into spherical equivalents for data analysis. Results: Data was analyzed through the SPSS version 18. The mean age was 60.14 years with a standard deviation of 9.241. Spherical equivalents were compared before and after YAG capsulotomy. Wilcoxon signed ranks test was applied. P-value (0.70) was found to be statistically insignificant which supported our hypothesis. Conclusion: Nd: YAG laser capsulotomy does not change the refractive status of the eye

Visual Outcome of Intravitreal Bevacizumab in Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy

Background :To evaluate the efficacy of monthlyintravitreal bevacizumab injections (1.25 mg/.05 ml)in improving or stabilizing visual acuity measuredby Snellen’s visual acuity charts for diabeticretinopathy.Methods: This was a prospective Quasiexperimental study of 59 diabetic patients havingdiabetic retinopathy with indication of intravitrealanti VEGF,Bevacizumab. Patients diagnosed ofhaving fresh vitreous haemorrhage and diabeticmacular edema were included. Maximum threeintravitreal bevacizumab injections were given, eachwith a dose of 1.25mg in 0.05ml(at 0month, 1 month,2 months) with final follow up at the period of 3months. The criteria for improvement was a gain ofat least one line on Snellen’s visual acuity chart,compared to the baseline while stabilization wasconsidered if the visual acuity was unchangedrelative to the baseline.Results: A total of 59 patients, 25 (49.1%) males and34 (50.84%) females , having age range 40-65years,were given intravitreal injection. Twenty sixeyes (44.06%) with diabetic macular edema showedimprovement while visual acuity was stabilized in 4eyes (6.7%). In patient with vitreous hemorrhage, 27eyes (45.76%) showed improvement whilestabilization of visual acuity was noted in 2 eyes(3.3%). No patient with worsening of visual acuitywas noted.Conclusion: Intravitreal Bevacizumab is veryeffective in improving the visual outcome in diabeticpatients having macular edema and vitreoushemorrhag

Impact of COVID-19 on Ophthalmologists

Objectives: To determine the effects of COVID 19 pandemic on the professional lives of ophthalmologists Methods: This cross sectional survey was conducted for 6 months in late 2020 and used google forms for data collection. Results: Total 68 respondents gave their likert response for each of the 20 statements. No. %, median, mode and interquartile range, of all respondents likert sentiment for each statement, were calculated. Survey results showed general, ‘consent and consensus’. Conclusion: Covid-19 has influenced professional lives of ophthalmologists

FREQUENCY OF OCULAR SYMPTOMS IN COVID-19 PATIENTS

Objective: To determine the frequency of ocular symptoms in COVID 19 patients and its association with systemic symptoms in active COVID 19 patients.   Methods: This is a cross sectional observational study of laboratory confirmed COVID-19 patients who were admitted in isolation wards for a period from Dec 16, 2020 to Jan 15, 2021. A structured form was used to extract the data from electronic medical records. Data collected included sociodemographic characteristics, presenting symptoms, systemic signs and symptoms, ocular symptoms, past medical history, RT-PCR and chest radiographic findings.  Results: A total of 44 patients (30 (68.2%) males and 14 (31.82%) females) were admitted to the isolation wards during the study period. The mean age (+ SD) age was 55.75 + 14.53 with median range 57.50 (14-92). Age <30 years i.e. 4.5%, 30-50 i.e. 27.3% and >50 i.e. 68.2%.Ocular symptoms were present in 17 patients (38.6%).   Conclusion:  We conclude from our study that Ocular symptoms were present in 17 patients (38.6%) out of 44 (Total number of patients) However, these symptoms were mild, had no fixed pattern of occurrence, neither associated with the severity of the systemic disease nor associated with any serious ocular outcome

A Novel Rho-Like Protein TbRHP Is Involved in Spindle Formation and Mitosis in Trypanosomes

Background: In animals and fungi Rho subfamily small GTPases are involved in signal transduction, cytoskeletal function and cellular proliferation. These organisms typically possess multiple Rho paralogues and numerous downstream effectors, consistent with the highly complex contributions of Rho proteins to cellular physiology. By contrast, trypanosomatids have a much simpler Rho-signaling system, and the Trypanosoma brucei genome contains only a single divergent Rho-related gene, TbRHP (Tb927.10.6240). Further, only a single RhoGAP-like protein (Tb09.160.4180) is annotated, contrasting with the.70 Rho GAP proteins from Homo sapiens. We wished to establish the function(s) of TbRHP and if Tb09.160.4180 is a potential GAP for this protein. Methods/Findings: TbRHP represents an evolutionarily restricted member of the Rho GTPase clade and is likely trypanosomatid restricted. TbRHP is expressed in both mammalian and insect dwelling stages of T. brucei and presents with a diffuse cytoplasmic location and is excluded from the nucleus. RNAi ablation of TbRHP results in major cell cycle defects and accumulation of multi-nucleated cells, coinciding with a loss of detectable mitotic spindles. Using yeast two hybrid analysis we find that TbRHP interacts with both Tb11.01.3180 (TbRACK), a homolog of Rho-kinase, and the sole trypanosome RhoGAP protein Tb09.160.4180, which is related to human OCRL. Conclusions: Despite minimization of the Rho pathway, TbRHP retains an important role in spindle formation, and henc