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- Baptista, Antonio M. G., et al.
(författare)
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Causes of Vision Impairment in Portugal : A hospital based study
- 2015
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 56:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Causes of vision impairment (VI) are influenced by factors such as race or socio-economic circumstances. Because of this collecting national information is important for planning reduction of vision loss. The aim of this study was to determine causes of vision impairment in a population visiting ophthalmology departments in public hospitals in Portugal.Methods This study was designed according with the guidelines of the Vancouver Economic Burden of Vision Loss Group (IOVS, 2010, V51/4/1801). Recommendations are to collect hospital data during 1 year to determine causes of VI. We selected four public hospitals that are expected to have over 120-140K appointments per year. Files are analysed weekly to detect patients with vision impairment. Inclusion criteria are: visual acuity with the current refractive correction equal or less than 0.5 (20/40) in the better-seeing eye and/or a visual field of less than 20 degrees. Patients were selected by trained hospital staff (medics and orthoptists) and inserted in a database. Diagnoses were classified according the ICD9. Data collected included fundamental demographic information, main diagnosis, secondary diagnosis and comorbidities.Results We have now 2462 patients selected that correspond to 4 to 33 weeks of data collection. The number of weeks is variable because we did not start all hospitals simultaneously. From the current number of cases detected, 58% are female, 1.9% are under 20, 8.2% are between 20 and 50 and 89.9% are 50 years or older. The leading causes of vision impairment among these patients are diabetic retinopathy (DR), cataract (C), glaucoma (GC) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Using the North American definition of VI the proportions are 26.8% for DR, 25.5% for C, 10.4% for GC and 8.2% for AMD. The remaining causes of VI have percentages below 5% and in total they correspond to approximately 29% of the cases detected.Conclusions Our results show that the most common causes of vision impairment are eye diseases related with systemic conditions and aging of the population. Vision impairment was relatively low under the age of 20 and the causes were mostly inherited diseases. Numbers reported now will be more accurate at the end of the study but they already highlight the importance of targeting conditions such as diabetes.
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| 4. |
- Bengtsson, Boel, et al.
(författare)
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Lack of visual field improvement after initiation of intraocular pressure reducing treatment in the early manifest glaucoma trial
- 2016
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). - 0146-0404. ; 57:13, s. 5611-5615
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE. We evaluate how visual fields are affected by the initiation of IOP-reducing therapy in previously untreated glaucoma individuals. METHODS. Qualifying individuals with newly diagnosed glaucoma having normal to moderately elevated IOP were prospectively randomized either to IOP-reducing therapy or to no treatment. Before randomization, individuals underwent repeatedly Standard Automated Perimetry (SAP) testing and Goldmann tonometry. Three months after randomization, patients again underwent SAP and tonometry. Changes between baseline and the 3-month follow-up visit in the perimetric summary index, mean deviation (MD), and total deviation values at significantly depressed test points were compared between the treated and untreated groups. RESULTS. Of 255 individuals studied, 129 were randomized to treatment and 126 to no treatment. Intraocular pressure decreased by an average of 24% among treated and by 0.6% in the untreated patients. Mean deviation deteriorated slightly in both groups; mean change was-0.15 and-0.44 dB in the treated and untreated groups, respectively; the difference was not statistically significant, (P = 0.16). No association was seen between IOP reduction and change in MD. Sensitivities decreased slightly in significantly depressed test points, mean change was-0.45 dB in the untreated and-0.38 dB in the treated groups (P = 0.88). CONCLUSIONS. Observed visual field changes among glaucoma patients receiving initial IOPreducing therapy were not significantly different to changes seen in patients who received no treatment. Thus, our results did not support the idea that visual field status improves after initiation of IOP-reducing therapy in glaucoma individuals, at least not in individuals with initially normal to moderately elevated IOPs.
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| 6. |
- Borbely, Gabor, 1981-, et al.
(författare)
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The role of neurokinin A in corneal wound repair
- 2015
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - Rockville, MD, USA : Assoc Research Vision Ophthalmology Inc. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 56:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 7. |
- Burstedt, Marie, et al.
(författare)
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Phenotypic expression of EYS mutations in patients with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa in northern Sweden
- 2018
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - : The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 59:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Purpose : To describe clinical phenotype in patients of northern Sweden affected by recessive retinitis pigmentosa (ARRP) caused by mutations in Eyes Shut Homolog (Drosophila) (EYS) gene.Methods : Whole exome sequencing (WES) and multiple ligation dependent prode amplification (MLPA) were used for identification of EYS sequence variants in a cohort of ARRP patients (n=148) from northern Sweden. The patients with EYS mutations were ophthalmologically examined over time using visual acuity (ETDRS), visual fields, slit lamp and fundus examination and ocular coherence tomography (OCT). Dark adaptometry and full-field electroretionograms (ERG) was performed.Results : Phenotype characterization was done in 13 ARRP cases with EYS mutations representing five bi-allelic sequence variants, three of which were novel. Only one variant was detected in two cases. The phenotypic outcome was predominately presented as classical RP aggravating in young adulthood. However, among these patients we observed a variation of phenotypic expression with initial paracentral to central macular affection of the retina and areolar retinal degeneration with electrophysiological outcome of only slightly subnormal responses of both rods and cones in late adulthood (60 y/o), clinically defined as areolar atrophy.Conclusions : The EYS mutations account for 10% of ARRP in northern Sweden. The phenotype presents both typical classical RP and chorioretinal degenerative retinal disease, areolar dystrophy. This suggests that molecular genetic testing of the EYS is crucial when both RP and pattern macular diseases are clinically diagnosed.
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| 8. |
- Byström, Berit, et al.
(författare)
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Notch1 Signaling Pathway in Aniridia- Related Keratopathy, Normal Fetal and Adult Human Corneas
- 2018
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - : The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 59:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Purpose : Notch1 is suggested to play an important role during tissue development and in differentiation of the corneal epithelial cells whereas its inhibitors Dlk1 and Numb keep these cells in an immature status. Our purpose was to evaluate the presence of these factors in aniridia-related keratopathy (ARK) and in normal fetal and adult human corneas.Methods : Two human fetal corneas, 10 and 20 weeks of gestation, two naïve corneal buttons from patients with advanced ARK, three corneal buttons from patients with ARK undergoing re-transplantation, as well as two adult healthy control corneas were processed for immunohistochemistry using antibodies against Notch1, Dlk1 and Numb.Results : Identical staining patterns were found for Notch1 in normal adult and fetal corneas, with staining around the basal epithelial cells and in a few streaks in the stroma. In ARK corneas, Notch1 was not detected in the pannus of the stroma. On the contrary, the pannus in ARK was labeled with antibodies against Dlk1. Dlk1 was also abundant in the epithelium and in the stroma of fetal corneas but was absent from the stroma of normal adult corneas. Numb was present in the adult normal corneas and in addition labeled the ARK and fetal corneas in a pattern resembling that of Dlk1.Conclusions : The lack of Notch1 together with abundant Dlk1 and Numb, suggest a disturbed balance between these important factors in ARK, likely to hamper differentiation of the progenitor cell population and to be important for the pathophysiology of ARK.
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| 9. |
- Carneiro de Freitas, Rui, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of Visual Impairment in Portugal : study design and initial results
- 2015
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 56:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Information about the prevalence of visual impairment is fundamental to define policies that deal with vision loss. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of visual impairment (VI) in the population looking for eye care in public hospitals in Portugal.Methods We designed an observation, cross-sectional prospective study (Prevalence and Costs of Visual Impairment in Portugal: PC-VIP study) to investigate the prevalence of VI in patients attending outpatient appointments in four public hospitals in Portugal. Hospital selected provide from general eye care (3-6 ophthalmologists) to high-specialized eye care (40+ ophthalmologists) that in total have between 120-140K hospital appointments per year. Files of patients are analysed weekly to detect patients with VI. Inclusion criteria were: visual acuity equal or worse than 0.5 (USA definition 20/40) in the better eye and/or a visual field of less than 20deg. Cases are selected by trained hospital staff and inserted in a database. Data collected included demographic information, acuity from both eyes, qualitative information about visual field (good, reduced, requires investigation), main diagnosis, secondary diagnosis and comorbidities. Diagnoses were classified according with ICD9.Results We have now detected 2462 cases of VI that correspond to 4 to 33 weeks of data collection. The number of weeks is variable because collection did not start simultaneously in all sites. From the number of cases detected, 58% were female, 1.9% were under 20y, 8.2% were between 20y and 50y and 89.9% were ≥50y. The mean prevalence of visual impairment was 13.6% (SD=5.6) using the USA definition and it was 7.0%(SD=4.1) using the WHO definition (acuity equal or worse than 0.3 or ~20/63). With a methodology that controls for demographics the lowest and highest estimates were calculated. Considering the USA definition, the prevalence in the general population would be in the range 0.4 -0.4% (age<40y) and 0.8-2.4% (age>=40y). Considering WHO definition, it would be 0.2-0.5% (age<40y) and 0.4-1.0% (age>=40y).Conclusions A hospital-based study can provide effective estimates of the prevalence of visual impairment in a population. Estimates for the country are in agreement with the expected results that can be deducted from neighbour countries and self-reported visual impairment in census 2001.
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| 10. |
- Chen, Wei Sheng, et al.
(författare)
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Galectin-3 inhibition by a small-molecule inhibitor reduces both pathological corneal neovascularization and fibrosis
- 2017
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). - 0146-0404. ; 58:1, s. 9-20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE. Corneal neovascularization and scarring commonly lead to significant vision loss. This study was designed to determine whether a small-molecule inhibitor of galectin-3 can inhibit both corneal angiogenesis and fibrosis in experimental mouse models. METHODS. Animal models of silver nitrate cautery and alkaline burn were used to induce mouse corneal angiogenesis and fibrosis, respectively. Corneas were treated with the galectin-3 inhibitor, 33DFTG, or vehicle alone and were processed for whole-mount immunofluorescence staining and Western blot analysis to quantify the density of blood vessels and markers of fibrosis. In addition, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and primary human corneal fibroblasts were used to analyze the role of galectin-3 in the process of angiogenesis and fibrosis in vitro. RESULTS. Robust angiogenesis was observed in silver nitrate-cauterized corneas on day 5 post injury, and markedly increased corneal opacification was demonstrated in alkaline burn-injured corneas on days 7 and 14 post injury. Treatment with the inhibitor substantially reduced corneal angiogenesis and opacification with a concomitant decrease in a-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression and distribution. In vitro studies revealed that 33DFTG inhibited VEGF-A-induced HUVEC migration and sprouting without cytotoxic effects. The addition of exogenous galectin-3 to corneal fibroblasts in culture induced the expression of fibrosis-related proteins, including α-SMA and connective tissue growth factor. CONCLUSIONS. Our data provide proof of concept that targeting galectin-3 by the novel, smallmolecule inhibitor, 33DFTG, ameliorates pathological corneal angiogenesis as well as fibrosis. These findings suggest a potential new therapeutic strategy for treating ocular disorders related to pathological angiogenesis and fibrosis.
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