Eye Disease

The disorders identified with retina of the eye such as: Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Glaucoma, etc. can cause visual impairments. The retinal fundus pictures of the patients can be acquired with a computerized fundus camera. It can then be used as machine learning application against the manual technique for the detection and prevention of DR. In this research, the retinal fundus image obtained from Himalaya Eye Hospital Pokhara, MESSIDOR database and EyePACS are used for the detection of DR along with its severity label. In the preprocessing phase, the images are first converted to grayscale images. Histogram equalization technique is performed to adjust image intensity in order to enhance contrast. Median filtering, a non-linear digital filtering technique, is implemented to remove noise present in the image. It too helps to improve the result for further processing. Blood vessels are detected and optic discs are identified and removed. Exuda...

Amblyopia is one of the most common causes of visual impairment in adults and children, and visual loss may be permanent if not treated in time. Though many studies have been done on occlusion therapy which is the mainstay in the treatment of unilateral amblyopia, discrepancies exist in literature about quantification of treatment and follow up measures. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the factors responsible for the successful outcome of treatment and the optimum time required for the same in children with unilateral amblyopia. Baseline characteristics of 63 verbal patients with unilateral amblyopia (strabismic, anisometropic, mixed) referred to the Strabismus and Amblyopia Clinic at the Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, New Delhi between September 2001 to December 2002 who improved to the desired level of visual acuity after treatment for amblyopia in the mentioned time period, were analyzed to assess for factors that directly or indirectly influenced...

El presente artículo explora los diversos puntos de vista que han surgido sobre el uso seguro de dispositivos electrónicos, particularmente en el manejo de pantallas y los posibles efectos en la vista que puede conllevar su uso prolongado. Se determina que el buen uso de pantallas, y específicamente la luz azul de estas, no producen debilitamiento de la vista. Sin embargo, sí producen un empeoramiento de los síntomas que padecen pacientes con síndrome de resequedad ocular. Esto no quiere decir que la enfermedad agrave, sólo implica un aumento de irritación especialmente tras 3 horas continuas de exposición. Por otro lado, los estudios confirman perturbaciones del ciclo circadiano, patrones del sueño y cambios en concentraciones hormonales por uso prolongado de pantallas. El hecho de que las pantallas produzcan ceguera o enfermedades como la miopía parecen quedar como fake news.

The present article explores the distinct points of view that have had emerged upon the safe use of electronical devices, particularly about the management of screens and the possible effects on the sight that a prolonged use may lead to. It has been determined that the proper use of screens and specifically blue light of these, do not produce sight weakening. Nevertheless, they do worsen symptoms of the dry eye disease. This does not mean that the disease aggravates, it only implies an increase of irritation specially after 3 continuous hours of exposition. On the other hand, studies confirm perturbations on the circadian cycle, sleep patterns and changes on hormonal concentrations due to a prolongated usage time of screens. The fact that screens produce blindness or diseases like Myopia seem to remain as fake news.

In distant eras, mythology was a form of expression used by many peoples. A study of the Greek myths reveals concealed medical knowledge, in many cases relating to the eye. An analysis was made of the ancient Greek texts for mythological references relating to an understanding of vision, visual abilities, the eye, its congenital and acquired abnormalities, blindness, and eye injuries and their treatment. The Homeric epics contain anatomical descriptions of the eyes and the orbits, and an elementary knowledge of physiology is also apparent. The concept of the visual field can be seen in the myth of Argos Panoptes. Many myths describe external eye disease ("knyzosis"), visual disorders (amaurosis), and cases of blinding that, depending on the story, are ascribed to various causes. In addition, ocular motility abnormalities, congenital anomalies (cyclopia), injuries, and special treatments, such as the "licking" method, are mentioned. The study of mythological refer...

Abstract: Eye disease due to herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a leading cause of ocular morbidity and the number one infectious cause of unilateral corneal blindness in the developed parts of the globe.

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This paper presents an innovative methodology to detect the vessel tree in retinal angiographies. The automatic analysis of retinal vessel tree facilitates the computation of the arteriovenous index, which is essential for the diagnosis of a wide range of eye diseases. We have developed a system inspired in the classical snake but incorporating domain specific knowledge, such as blood vessels topological properties. It profites mainly from the automatic localization of the optic disc and from the extraction and enhancement of the vascular tree centerlines. Encouraging results in the detection of arteriovenous structures are efficiently achieved, as shown by the systems performance evaluation on the publicy available DRIVE database.

To determine whether higher levels of individual carotenoids and tocopherols in the serum are related to less severe nuclear and cortical opacities within the general population. Levels of individual carotenoids and tocopherols in the serum were determined in 400 randomly selected persons aged 50 to 84 years participating in the Nutritional Factors in Eye Disease Study of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Severity of nuclear and cortical opacities was assessed from lens slit lamp and retroillumination photographs taken at the same time. Relationships between serum levels of nutrients and prevalence of these opacities were evaluated using logistic regression analysis accounting for known possible confounders. Higher levels of individual or total carotenoids or alpha-tocopherol in the serum were not associated with less severe nuclear or cortical opacities overall. However, associations differed between men and women and within specific population subgroups. A significant trend for lower odds fo...

Afro-Ecuadorian individuals from an area where Onchocerca volvulus is hyperendemic have been monitored for infection over the past 16 years. To determine whether in utero exposure to O. volvulus biases a child's subsequent immune responses, children (9 to 16 years old) for whom the mother's infection status was known were chosen for study. Children of infected mothers (n = 19) had significantly higher levels of skin microfilariae than children of uninfected mothers (n = 13; P = 0.021). While the serum levels of O. volvulus-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG subclasses, and IgE showed no significant differences between the two groups of children, peripheral blood mononuclear cells of children of infected mothers produced higher levels of Th2-type cytokines to several parasite antigens and lower levels of Th1-type cytokines to nonparasite antigens than those of children of uninfected mothers. Thus, in utero exposure to O. volvulus has a long-term effect on the child's su...

The Vision First program began in the fall of 2002 as a community outreach initiative by the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute in partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. It was designed to provide free eye examinations to all prekindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade students enrolled in Cleveland City public schools in order to diagnose refractive errors, amblyopia, and strabismus, so that treatment is instituted and the best possible visual outcome attained. Examinations are performed in 2 lanes of a specially outfitted recreational vehicle. All children undergo monocular visual acuity testing at distance and near, stereopsis testing, cover testing at distance and near, testing of versions, and external ocular inspection. If a child fails any part of this examination according to the guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics, cycloplegic drops are instilled and an optometrist refracts the child on location and performs indirect ophthalmoscopy...

Purpose: To study venous blood flow of the eye and the correlation between clinical data and ocular blood flow in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).
Methods: Color Doppler imaging of arterial and venous blood flow was performed in 78 patients with normal tension
glaucoma (NTG), 80 patients with high pressure glaucoma (HPG) and 60 control subjects. The statistical analysis included
the calculation of correlation between clinical data and ocular blood flow parameters as well as Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The threshold P value for statistical significance was 0.05.
Results: Ocular blood flow (both arterial and venous) was significantly reduced in NTG and HTG in comparison to the
control group. While arterial blood flow reduction was more significant in HTG than in NTG, venous blood flow decrease
was more marked in NTG. In contrast to the control group, POAG patients showed a correlation between clinical data and
venous blood flow. The correlation was higher in NTG patients.
Conclusions: The obtained results indicate the potential importance of venous blood flow in glaucoma pathogenesis,
especially in NTG.
Keywords: Ocular Blood Flow; Optical Coherence Tomography; Primary Open Angle Glaucoma; Retinal Ganglion Cell
Complex; Venous Blood Flow; Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma; Normal Tension Glaucoma; Optical Coherence Tomography;
Structural Changes; Ocular Blood Flow.

In the last decade, health indicators in Latin America and the Caribbean reflect advances. The per capita public expenditure on health care has increased in many countries. Despite these improvements, it is estimated that for every million population in Latin America and the Caribbean, 5,000 are blind and 20,000 are visually impaired; at least 66% of the blindness is attributable to treatable conditions such as cataract. The cataract surgery rate in the region remains low as compared to the industrialized countries, although it is higher than many other regions of the world. The availability of eye care services varies from country to country within the region, and the number of ophthalmologists per million population in the richest countries may be nine times more than in the poorest. Access, defined as the distance between the consumer and the services, is problematic in countries with isolated areas in the rainforest or high mountains, poor road systems, or lack of public transportation. Affordability is an important issue that limits utilization of services by the poorest segments of the population in nearly all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Cigarette smoking often starts in teenage years. It is not known whether teenagers are aware of the association of smoking with eye disease and blindness. To explore the knowledge of the link between smoking, and eye diseases and blindness, and the likely impact of this knowledge among teenagers in UK. A cross-sectional survey, using a structured interview of teenagers attending four organised social events, was conducted. Awareness and fear of blindness, and of three smoking-related diseases (lung cancer, heart disease and stroke) and a distractor condition (deafness) was investigated. The likelihood of smokers quitting on developing early signs of each condition was determined. A 92% "opt in" response rate was achieved. Out of 260 teenagers (16-18 years), 15%, 27% and 81% believed that smoking caused stroke, heart disease and lung cancer, respectively. Only 5% believed smoking caused blindness. Subjects ranked their fear of each of the five conditions, scoring five for t...

This study aims to trace a possible list of ailments or diseases that the inhabitants of Dacia might have suffered of during Roman period. The corroboration of the anthropological, archaeological, iconographic and epigraphic sources suggests that eye diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, gallbladder or kidney stones, reproductive system disorders, anorectal diseases and dental problems were common medical conditions among the provincial population. Ultimately, the available sources also reveal that while some patients were willing to undergo surgery, others preferred to appeal to less invasive procedures, which involved taking homeopathic medicine, wearing magical amulets, frequenting thermal spas or Asklepieia.

The vast majority of diseases that cause catastrophic loss of vision do so as a result of ocular neovascularization. During normal retinal vascular development, vascular endothelial cells proliferate and migrate through the extracellular matrix in response to a variety of cytokines, leading to the formation of new blood vessels in a highly ordered fashion. During abnormal neovascularization of the iris, retina, or choroid, angiogenesis is unregulated and usually results in the formation of dysfunctional blood vessels. When these newly formed vessels leak fluid, hemorrhage, or are associated with fibrous proliferation, retinal edema, retinal/vitreous hemorrhage, or traction retinal detachments may occur resulting in potentially catastrophic loss of vision. In this review, we will briefly discuss the scope of the clinical problem and the general underlying principles of angiogenesis. We will focus on recent laboratory advances that have led to the development of therapeutics useful in the treatment of neovascular eye diseases. We will describe compounds currently in pre-clinical development stages as well as the results of clinical trials involving the use of these drugs as treatments for ocular neovascularization.

A national study was conducted in children attending six schools for the blind in Malaysia to identify the anatomical site and underlying causes of blindness (BL) and severe visual impairment (SVI), with a view to determine the potentially preventable and treatable causes so that appropriate control measures can be implemented in the future. The standardized clinical examination of eyes was performed and the findings were recorded on the WHO Prevention of Blindness Programme eye examination record form for children with blindness and low vision. A total of 358 children aged between 7 and 17 years were examined, of whom 332 (92.7%) were blind or severely visually impaired. The results relate to these 332 children. Lens was the major anatomical site (22.3%) of visual loss followed by retina (20.8%), whole globe (17.2%), cornea (15.1%), optic nerve (8.7%) and uvea (5.1%). Glaucoma was responsible for BL/SVI in 7.2% and others in 3.6% of cases. Hereditary diseases were responsible for v...