Corneal endothelial damage after Nd:YAG laser anterior capsulotomy - An experimental study on rabbits

The Nd:YAG laser is used primarily in the management of posterior capsular opacification in patients who have had extracapsular cataract extraction. Despite wide clinical use little is known about its damaging effects on the ocular tissues particularly on the corneal endothelium. To evaluate the pathologic changes caused by high powered Nd:YAG laser pulses on the anterior segment of the eye we focused the beam of this laser on the anterior lens capsule in rabbit eyes. Six eyes underwent anterior capsulotomy and three power settings were used (3.4 mJ, 5.8 mJ, 8.6 mJ). The fellow eyes served as controls. We studied acute corneal endothelial changes 6 hours after the capsulotomy using transmission electron microscopy. Results indicate that especially in the high setting the laser energy can cause injury and destruction of endothelial cells and alterations in the Descement membrane. These effects may be crucial of patients with corneas in critical cell number after a cataract surgery. © 1993 Kluwer Academic Publishers

Dry eye in Graves' ophthalmopathy: Correlation with corneal hypoesthesia

Purpose: To evaluate dry eye disease and corneal sensitivity in patients with early and active Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). Methods: A total of 52 eyes of 26 patients with early GO and 74 eyes of 37 age- and sex-matched controls were included in our study. Dry eye disease was assessed based on the criteria of theInternational Dry Eye Workshop. Diagnosis of early GO was based on the European Group on Graves' Orbitopathy consensus statement. Clinical Activity Score (CAS) and Werner-NOSPECS Score were determined. Corneal sensitivity was assessed using a Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometer. Results: A total of 67.8% of patients with early GO and 13.5% of healthy controls had ocular surface dryness (p<0.001). The mean Schirmer test score was significantly lower in patients with early GO (12.88 ± 7.94 mm [right eyes] and 14.04 ± 9.00 mm [left eyes]) than in controls (18.08 ± 7.26 mm [right eyes] and 18.05 ± 7.50 mm [left eyes] [p<0.05]). The tear film break-up time was lower in patients by 5.46 seconds and 5.74 seconds in right and left eyes (p<;0.001). We also found a significant reduction in corneal sensitivity in patients with early GO (4.16 ± 0.68 [right eyes] and 4.10 ± 0.89 [left eyes]) than in controls (4.70 ± 0.34 [right eyes] and 4.72 ± 0.34 [left eyes] [p<0.05]). The CAS correlated significantly with the Schirmer test (r =0.60, p = 0.003). Conclusions: Dry eye is common in early GO even in the absence of apparent exophthalmos and is associated with CAS and reduced corneal sensitivity. © 2013 Wichtig Editore

A 1-year study to compare the efficacy and safety of once-daily travoprost 0.004%/timolol 0.5% to once-daily latanoprost 0.005%/timolol 0.5% in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension

European Journal of Ophthalmology172183-190EJOO