Ten Years of Severe Vitreomacular Traction Syndrome without Functional Damage Demonstrated by Optical Coherence Tomography

Introduction. To describe anatomical and functional features in one patient with 10 years of severe vitreomacular traction syndrome (VTS) without functional damage demonstrated by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Patient and Methods. One patient with a history of 10 years VTS, with best-corrected visual acuity of 20/32, was followed up with OCT. Follow-up examinations, 3 months for the first year after diagnosis and every 6 months for the subsequent years, were performed. Results. Follow-up examinations showed no change anatomically and functionally. Far and near visual acuity was unchanged. OCT by Heidelberg Spectralis did not evidence differences from Stratus OCT images. Conclusion. VTS can be stable anatomically and functionally for 10 years. OCT is a valuable diagnostic tool in understanding the configuration of vitreomacular adhesion, followup, and eventually planning the surgical approach for operating on VTS

MiRNAs in the vitreous humor of patients affected by idiopathic epiretinal membrane and macular hole

Purpose The aim of the present study was to assess the expression of miRNAs in the Vitreous Humor (VH) of patients with Macular Hole (MH) and Epiretinal Membrane (ERM) compared to a control group. Methods In this prospective, comparative study, 2-ml of VH was extracted from the core of the vitreous chamber in consecutive patients who underwent standard vitrectomy for ERM and MH. RNA was extracted and TaqMan® Low Density Arrays (TLDAs) were used to profile the transcriptome of 754 miRNAs. Results were validated by single TaqMan® assays. Finally, we created a biological network of differentially expressed miRNA targets and their nearest neighbors. Results Overall 10 eyes with MH, 16 eyes with idiopathic ERM and 6 controls were enrolled in the study. Profiling data identified 5 miRNAs differentially expressed in patients affected by MH and ERM with respect to controls. Four were downregulated (miR-19b, miR-24, miR-155, miR-451) and 1 was downregulated (miR-29a); TaqMan® assays of the VH of patients affected by MH and ERM, with respect to controls, showed that the most differentially expressed were miR-19b (FC -9.13, p: < 0.00004), mir-24 (FC -7.52, p: < 0.004) and miR-142-3p (FC -5.32, p: < 0.011). Our network data showed that deregulation of differentially expressed miRNAs induces an alteration of several pathways associated with genes involved in both MH and ERM. Conclusion The present study suggests that disregulation of miR-19b, miR-24 and miR-142-3p, might be related to the alterations that characterize patients affected by MH and ERM

Effects of topical fucosyl-lactose, a milk oligosaccharide, on dry eye model: an example of nutraceutical candidate

Purpose: Colostrum has been proposed to treat severe dryness and problematic eye lesions showing a beneficial effect. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of 2-fucosyl-lactose, a natural sugar present in the human colostrum, in an experimental dry eye. Methods: Dry eye was induced in adult male New Zealand albino rabbits by topical administration of 1% atropine. Tear volume (Schirmer’s test), tear film breakup time (TBUT), corneal staining and tear osmolarity were assessed. Fucosyl-lactose eye drops was instilled at different concentrations (0.01%, 0.1%, 1%). Results: After 24 hours from first atropine administration, tear volume and TBUT values were significantly improved in groups treated with 2-flucosyl-lactose in a dose-dependent manner. Tear volume increased from 5.25 to 10.75 mm and TBUT values from 8.75 to 34.5 seconds with 0.01% or 1% 2-flucosyl-lactose treatment, respectively. No changes were observed in terms of corneal staining among the all groups treated with 2-fucosyl-lactose. Atropine instillation caused an increase of tear osmolarity (428 mOsm/L), which was reversed by topical treatment with 2-fucosyl-lactose at all doses.Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that 2-fucosyl-lactose, a human milk oligosaccharide, has protective effect on tear film stability