Octopus 900 automated kinetic perimetry versus standard automated static perimetry in glaucoma practice

PURPOSE: The presence of central visual field loss does not infer the extent of peripheral visual field loss. In advanced stage glaucoma, we evaluated whether automated kinetic perimetry provided additional visual field information to that of central static perimetry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We undertook a prospective cross sectional study of advanced stage glaucoma defined as stages 3-4. Visual field assessment for right and left eyes was undertaken within one clinic visit using the Octopus 900 G programme and kinetic strategy. RESULTS: We recruited 126 patients (170 eyes). Mean patient age at assessment was 55.86 years (SD 15.15). Mean kinetic reaction time was 1503.96ms (SD 801.68). Kinetic I4e was plotted in 71% of eyes with an unadjusted area of 2513.68 degrees2 (SD 2397.91) and mean isopter radius of 23.16 degrees (SD 13.07). Kinetic I2e was plotted in 53.5% of eyes with an unadjusted area of 627.07 degrees2 (SD 1291.94) and mean isopter radius of 7.47 degrees (SD 10.59). Increased reaction time was associated with a poorer visual field (p=0.001). Mean sensitivity, mean deviation and standard loss variance values on static perimetry were higher in patients who had a defined kinetic field boundary than in patients with no kinetic response to I4e stimulus (p=0.0001). However this corresponded to only small to medium correlation between static fields and existent kinetic fields: the presence of poor static fields did not always infer a poor kinetic visual field as poor static fields could also have good kinetic visual fields. CONCLUSIONS: Although we confirmed a lack of agreement and only a small to medium correlation between the extents of central versus peripheral visual field loss, automated kinetic perimetry did provide additional peripheral (outside the static 30-degree central field) visual field information which was clinically useful in the presence of non-informative severely defected central visual fields

Potential new fluoroquinolone treatments for suspected bacterial keratitis.

Topical fluoroquinolones (FQs) are an established treatment for suspected microbial keratitis. An increased FQ resistance in some classes of bacterial pathogens is a concern. Some recently developed FQs have an extended spectrum of activity, making them a suitable alternative for topical ophthalmic use. For example, the new generation FQs, avarofloxacin, delafloxacin, finafloxacin, lascufloxacin, nadifloxacin, levonadifloxacin, nemonoxacin and zabofloxacin have good activity against the common ophthalmic pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae and several of the Enterobacteriaceae However, because there are no published ophthalmic break-point concentrations, the susceptibility of an isolated micro-organism to a topical FQ is extrapolated from systemic break-point data and wild type susceptibility. The purpose of this review is to compare the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the FQs licensed for topical ophthalmic use with the same parameters for new generation FQs. We performed a literature review of the FQs approved for topical treatment and the new generation FQs licensed to treat systemic infections. We then compared the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of bacterial isolates and the published concentrations that FQs achieved in the cornea and aqueous. We also considered the potential suitability of new generation FQs for topical use based on their medicinal properties. Notably, we found significant variation in the reported corneal and aqueous FQ concentrations so that reliance on the reported mean concentration may not be appropriate, and the first quartile concentration may be more clinically relevant. The provision of the MIC for the microorganism together with the achieved lower (first) quartile concentration of a FQ in the cornea could inform management decisions such as whether to continue with the prescribed antimicrobial, increase the frequency of application, use a combination of antimicrobials or change treatment

Metagenomics in ophthalmology: current findings and future prospectives.

Less than 1% of all microorganisms of the available environmental microbiota can be cultured with the currently available techniques. Metagenomics is a new methodology of high-throughput DNA sequencing, able to provide taxonomic and functional profiles of microbial communities without the necessity to culture microbes in the laboratory. Metagenomics opens to a 'hypothesis-free' approach, giving important details for future research and treatment of ocular diseases in ophthalmology, such as ocular infection and ocular surface diseases

Metagenomics in ophthalmology: current findings and future prospectives.

Less than 1% of all microorganisms of the available environmental microbiota can be cultured with the currently available techniques. Metagenomics is a new methodology of high-throughput DNA sequencing, able to provide taxonomic and functional profiles of microbial communities without the necessity to culture microbes in the laboratory. Metagenomics opens to a 'hypothesis-free' approach, giving important details for future research and treatment of ocular diseases in ophthalmology, such as ocular infection and ocular surface diseases