Investigation of the effect of quercetin in an experimental oxygen-induced retinopathy model

Aim: Investigation of the effect of intraperitoneal (IP) quercetin and bevacizumab on oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model in rats. Methods: In the study, 28 newborn rats were used. The OIR model was performed with the 50/10% oxygen technique. The study consisted of four groups as a control group (Group I) and OIR groups (Group II, III, and IV). IP injection applied to all groups on the postnatal day (PND) 14. Groups I and II were performed 0.9% NaCl, Group III was performed IP bevacizumab, and Group IV was performed IP quercetin. All animals were sacrificed on PND 18. Results: Based on the data obtained from immunohistochemical and histopathological examinations, the number of vascular endothelial cell (VEC), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were significantly reduced in Group III and IV compared to Group II. VECs levels were 0±0, 32.69±5.77, 2.92±0.63, and 3.64±0.36 in Group I, Group II, Group III, and Group IV, respectively (p<0.001). Likewise, VEGF values were 0.15±0.01, 7.57±1.80, 2.45±0.45, and 2.46±0.49, respectively (p<0.001). As well as TNF-α values were 0.06±0.01, 8.22±2.24, 2.32±0.32, and 2.29±0.26 in Group I, Group II, Group III, and Group IV, respectively (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between Group III and Group IV in terms of VEC, VEGF and TNF-α values (range of p values was 0.96-1.00). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that quercetin administration significantly reduced the VEC number and suppressed VEGF and TNF-α. Quercetin's anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenesis effect was found to be similar to bevacizumab

Evaluation of retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer thicknesses with optical coherence tomography in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency

Aim: We aimed to compare the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness of B12 vitamin deficiency patients with healthy controls using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: Forty-six patients (27 females / 19 males) diagnosed with B12 vitamin deficiency and 46 healthy controls (26 females / 20 males) with similar age and sex were included in the study. RNFL thickness of global, superotemporal, temporal, inferotemporal, superonasal, nasal and inferonasal sectors and GCL thickness and volume measurements of central, superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal sectors were performed using Spectralis-OCT device in all cases. Results: The mean age of the patient group was 42.17±15.34 years, while that of the control group was 44.21±12.34 years (p=0.528). Mean serum vitamin B12 levels were measured as 163,47±19,80 pg/ml in the patient group and 311,80±76,30 pg/ml in the control group (p <0,01). There was no statistically significant difference between the global RNFL thicknesses of the two groups (p> 0,05). However, statistically non-significant thinning was observed in the superotemporal and global RNFL thickness of the group with B12 vitamin deficiency (p values are 0,140 and 0,171, respectively). There was also no statistically significant difference between GCL thicknesses and volumes of the two groups (p> 0.05). Conclusions: No significant reduction was observed in RNFL and GCL thicknesses of adult subjects with B12 vitamin deficiency compared with healthy controls

Have problems been experienced in the treatment of eye patients during the COVID-19 pandemic?

To investigate whether there are delays in the treatment of patients with eye diseases during the Covid-19 pandemic. Two hundred patients were included in the study. The problems experienced in the treatment of the patients due to the pandemic and the cause of these problems were investigated. The number of patients whose treatment was delayed was 84 and the mean delay time in treatment was 4.51±2.16 months. The patients who delayed the treatment the most were patients with glaucoma, retinal vascular occlusion, cataract, diabetes mellitus, age-related macular degeneration, and hypertension (86%, 75%, 64%, 53%, 43%, 33%, respectively). The rate of patients presenting due to decreased visual acuity was 24%. It was observed that 39% of all patients had coronaphobia. It is obvious that pandemic disrupts the treatment process of many diseases, including eye diseases. It will be beneficial to create new treatments and follow-up protocols for chronic eye diseases for pandemic periods. [Med-Science 2021; 10(2.000): 396-9

Yaşa Bağlı Makula Dejenerasyonunda Yeni Tedavi Yaklaşımlarında Polifenoller

Yaşa bağlı makula dejenerasyonu (YBMD), dünya çapında milyonlarca insanı etkileyen bir retina hastalığıdır. Gözün retina pigment epiteli (RPE) ve fotoreseptörlerinin nörodejenererasyonu sonucu görme kaybı ile karakterize multifaktöriyel bir hastalıktır. 65 yaş üstü kişilerde geri dönüşü olmayan görme bozukluğunun önde gelen sebepleri arasında yer alan, YBMD’nin prevalansı hızla artmasına karşın, oluşan görme kaybının etkin bir tedavisi yoktur. Güncel çalışmalar ile, YBMD’nin farmakoterapisi hala istenen düzeyde olmasa da antioksidan tedaviler ile hastalığın seyri yavaşlatılmaktadır. Bir çok meyve ve sebzede bulunan polifenollerin antikanser, anti-inflamatuar, antiapoptotik özelliklerinin yanı sıra antioksidan özelliğe de sahip olması YBMD’nin önlenmesi için bir umut olmuştur. Son zamanlarda, polifenollerin YBMD’nin önlenmesinde rolü olduğuna işaret eden çalışmalar yayınlanmıştır. Güçlü antioksidan özelliğe sahip polifenollerin oksidatif hasara karşı doğrudan reaktif oksijen türlerini (ROS) süpürme dışında, kronik inflamasyon ve apoptotik yolaklar üzerinden nöroprotektif etkisi olduğunu gösteren çalışmalar da bu görüşü desteklemektedir. Bu derleme yazısında polifenollerin YBMD gibi retina hastalıklarının önlenmesinde ki rolü ve etkin tedavi yaklaşımları irdelenmiştir

Evaluation of the acute effects of cigarette smoking on the eye of non-Smoking healthy young male subjects by optical coherence tomography angiography

Investigation of the acute effects of cigarette smoking on the eye using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) on young healthy non-smoking male subjects. Materials and methods: The right eye of 25 healthy non-smoking male subjects were included in this study. Selected parameters of the macular and circumpapillary vasculature were measured, including macular flow indices, foveal avascular zone, vessel densities of macula and optic disc using OCTA. The measurements of the subjects were performed on the first day without smoking at 0 min, 5 min, 30 min and 60 min. Measurements were repeated at the same regime on the second day after smoking. Paired samples t-test and repeated measures one-way analysis of variance test was used for the statistical analysis. Results: The repeated measures analysis of variance test using the Bonferroni adjustment demonstrated a significant change for superficial and deep foveal vessel density, flow area of choriocapillaris, and circumpapillary capillary density following smoking (range of p value was <0.001–0.004). Intraocular pressure, foveal avascular zone area, flow area of outer retina and foveal non-flow area of superficial layer measurements did not have any significant changes following smoking (range of p value was 0.192–0.812). Conclusion: In non-smoking cases, even smoking only one cigarette significantly decreased the vessel density parameters at the acute period. Even though there was an increase in measured parameters shortly after smoking, it had lessened when compared to non-smokers, even one hour following smoking

Evaluation of subjects with a moderate cup to disc ratio using optical coherence tomography and Heidelberg retina tomograph 3: Impact of the disc area

Aim: The aim was to evaluate subjects with a moderate cup to disc ratio using optical coherence tomograph (OCT) and Heidelberg retina tomograph (HRT) 3. Settings and Design: We included 80 patients with early glaucoma and 80 nonglaucomatous subjects with moderate cup/disc ratio (range of 0.5-0.8) to this cross-sectional study. Subjects and Methods: We compared results of color-coded algorithms of HRT 3 (Moorfields regression analysis [MRA] and Glaucoma probability score [GPS]) and OCT. All outputs are classified into three categories: Within normal limits (WNLs), borderline and outside normal limits (ONLs). Diagnostic accuracies of algorithms were determined using the highest sensitivity criteria. Results: The sensitivities of global MRA, GPS and OCT were 0.75, 0.925 and 0.725, respectively, in average disc area group and 0.85, 1.0 and 0.425, respectively, in large disc area group. The specificities of global MRA, GPS and OCT were 0.55, 0.15 and 0.85, respectively, in average disc area group and 0.425, 0.025 and 0.80, respectively, in large disc area group. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of global MRA, GPS and OCT were 0.667, 0.617 and 0.792, respectively, in average disc area group and 0.746, 0.576 and 0.627, respectively, in large disc area group. AUROC of global MRA and OCT combination in the average and large disc area groups were 0.828 and 0.825, respectively. Conclusions: In contrast to GPS and OCT algorithms, diagnostic performance of MRA algorithm increased in large disc area group. Combining MRA and OCT algorithms produced satisfactory diagnostic performance in subjects with an average and large disc area

Comparison Between Posterior Pole Analysis and Macular Thickness Measurement Mode Using Optical Coherence Tomography in Unilateral Anisometropic Amblyopes

Pur po se: To compare the optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements using posterior pole analysis (PPA) and macular thickness measurement mode in pediatric cases with unilateral anisometropic amblyopia. Ma te ri al and Met hod: This study included 74 eyes of 37 patients aging between 6-17 years with unilateral anisometropic amblyopia. PPA and macular thickness measurement mode OCT scans were performed, and measurements of amblyopic and fellow eyes were evaluated. All OCT scans were performed by a single experienced doctor without pupil dilation within one session. Measurement sequence was randomly assigned for PPA and macular thickness measurement mode for amblyopic and fellow eyes. Retinal thickness measurements by using PPA and macular thickness measurement mode were compared using the paired samples ttest. Statistical analyses of retinal thickness differences between the amblyopic and fellow eyes were determined using the independent samples t-test. Re sults: PPA and macular thickness measurement mode results of the amblyopic eyes did not reveal any statistically significant difference for all studied segments (p-values for all segments were over 0.10). PPA and macular thickness measurement mode results of the fellow eyes did not reveal any statistically significant difference for all studied segments (p-values for all segments were over 0.16), except for the temporal segment (p=0.04). There was no statistically significant difference between macular thickness of the amblyopic and fellow eye for both measurement modes. Dis cus si on: Macular thickness measurements using different scanning modes of OCT revealed similar retinal thickness in amblyopic and fellow eyes of patients with unilateral anisometropic amblyopia, but temporal macular segment measurements should be evaluated cautiously. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2013; 43: 113-7

Management of cataracta membranacea in a geriatric patient

An 80-year-old woman presented to our clinic with blurred visual in her right eye. On ophthalmoscopic examination, the visual acuity was counting fingers at 50 cm in the right eye and 20/50 in the left eye. Slitlamp biomicroscopy showed fibrous adhesion of the anterior and posterior capsules and absence of lens material in the right eye. Anterior capsule wrinkling was also observed. The left eye had an anterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) following complicated cataract surgery. Intraocular pressures were within normal limits in both eyes. Cataracta membranacea was diagnosed, and vitrectomy probe-assisted capsular opening, anterior vitrectomy, and sulcus-fixated foldable IOL implantation were performed. At the last follow-up visit, the corrected visual acuity in the right eye improved to 20/50. The aim of this report is describe the oldest patient in the literature with cataracta membranacea and to discuss its management with the aid of current knowledge

Investigation of the short-term effects of water drinking test on the eye using optical coherence tomography angiography in young healthy male subjects

To evaluate the acute effects of the water drinking test (WDT) on the eye using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) on healthy young male subjects. Methods: The study included 25 eyes of 25 male subjects. Selected parameters of the retinal vasculature were measured, including macular flow indices, foveal avascular zone, and vessel densities (VDs) of the macula using OCTA. The measurements were taken on the first day without drinking water at 0 min, 30 min and 60 min, then repeated on the second day before drinking water at 0 min, and after drinking water at 30 min and 60 min. The Paired Samples t-test and repeated measures One-way analysis of variance test were used in the statistical analyses. Results: The repeated measures analysis of variance test using Bonferroni adjustment demonstrated a significant increase in superficial and deep foveal VD following WDT (p < 0.001 for both). Intraocular pressure, retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, foveal avascular zone, flow area of choriocapillaris, flow area of outer retina, foveal non-flow area of superficial layer, and retinal thickness measurements showed no significant changes following WDT. Conclusions: WDT is associated with temporary flow modifications in superficial and deep foveal vascular plexus in young male subjects