Murat Dogru

To determine the killing effect of microwave irradiation on Acanthamoeba polyphaga. The trophozoites and cysts of A. polyphaga both in water and on agar were exposed to microwave irradiation with a capacity of 750 W for 0, 1, 3, 5, and 10 minutes, respectively. Furthermore, the trophozoites and cysts of A. polyphaga in water were exposed to microwave irradiation with a capacity of 100, 300, and 500 W for 1 minute, respectively. The trophozoites and cysts of A. polyphaga on agar were completely killed by 3 minutes of microwave irradiation with a capacity of 750 W. The trophozoites and cysts of A. polyphaga in water were completely killed by microwave irradiation with a capacity of 300 W for 1 minute. We demonstrate that microwave treatment is effective in killing A. polyphaga both in water and on agar and may be a helpful modality to prevent Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Purpose To compare the clinical outcomes and complications of Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) with a transscleral-sutured intraocular lens (IOL) and solitary DSAEK. Setting Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan. Design Retrospective case series. Methods Cases with simultaneous transscleral-sutured IOLs or post-transscleral–sutured IOLs and solitary DSAEK cases were studied. The logMAR acuity, astigmatism, endothelial cell density (ECD), graft survival rate, and complications (eg, IOL dislocation, cystoid macular edema [CME]) were analyzed. Results Thirty-seven DSAEK cases with simultaneous transscleral-sutured IOLs or post-transscleral–sutured IOLs and 147 solitary DSAEK cases were evaluated. The logMAR corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) improved significantly at 24 months, from 1.34 ± 0.49 (SD) to 0.48 ± 0.38 after DSAEK with transscleral-sutured IOLs and from 1.17 ± 0.69 to 0.17 ± 0.25 after solitary DSAEK. The logMAR CDVA after DSAEK with transscleral-sutured IOLs was significantly worse than that with solitary DSAEK at 6, 12, and 24 months (P < .01). The postoperative astigmatism with DSAEK with transscleral-sutured IOLs was significantly higher than with solitary DSAEK because of the larger sclerocorneal incision (P < .02). There were no significant differences in ECD or graft survival rates between DSAEK with transscleral-sutured IOLs and solitary DSAEK. The incidence of CME in DSAEK with transscleral-sutured IOLs (4/37 eyes [11%]) was higher than with solitary DSAEK (2/147 [1.4%]) (P = .02). The CME resolved with topical diclofenac and sub-Tenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide in all eyes. Conclusion The graft survival rates after DSAEK with transscleral-sutured IOLs were equivalent to those after solitary DSAEK, although the incidence of CME was higher than after solitary DSAEK. Financial Disclosure None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

To investigate the role of a water and mucin secretagogue (3% diquafosol sodium eye drops) on the tear function and conjunctival ocular surface changes in Sod1−/− in comparison to the wild-type (WT) mice. Fourteen eyes of 7 Sod1−/− male mice with C57BL/background and 14 eyes of 7 C57BL6 strain wild-type male mice were examined at 40 weeks in this study. All mice had application of 3% diquafosol ophthalmic solution six times a day for 2 weeks. Tear film stability and corneal epithelial damage was evaluated by fluorescein and Rose Bengal stainings. Anterior segment photography was performed before and after eye drop instillations. Aqueous tear quantity was measured with phenol red–impregnated cotton threads without anesthesia. Animals were sacrificed at 42 weeks after diquafosol treatment and the whole globe specimens were subjected to periodic acid Schiff staining. Goblet cell density was quantified by J Image software. Quantitative real-time PCR for conjunctival muc 5AC messenger RNA expression was also performed. Sod1−/− mice had significantly higher fluorescein staining scores compared to the WT mice before eye drop instillation. The mean tear film breakup time, Rose Bengal staining scores, and muc5 messenger RNA expression improved significantly with diquafosol treatment in both the WT and the knockout mice. The mean fluorescein staining score and aqueous tear quantity significantly improved in the Sod1−/− mice with treatment. A notable and consistent increase in goblet cells and decrease in inflammatory cell infiltrates could be confirmed in all specimens after 2 weeks of diquafosol eye drop application. Three percent diquafosol ophthalmic solution appears to be effective in the treatment of ocular surface disease in this age-related dry eye disease mouse model.

Purpose.: We evaluated the levels of lipid oxidative stress markers and inflammatory cells from tears and conjunctiva of patients with Sjögren syndrome (SS) and normal subjects. Methods.: We examined 31 eyes of 16 patients (16 females) with SS and 15 eyes of 10 healthy controls (2 males and 8 females) in this prospective study. All subjects underwent a Schirmer test, measurement of tear film break-up time, vital stainings, confocal microscopy of the conjunctiva, tear collection for hexanoyl-lysine (HEL), ELISA, and conjunctival brush cytology. Brush cytology samples underwent immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining with HEL and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4HNE). Hematoxylin-eosin and IHC staining with HEL and 4HNE also were performed on conjunctival samples of SS patients and controls. Results.: The tear stability and vital staining scores were significantly worse in eyes of SS patients compared to the controls. Conjunctival inflammatory cell density was significantly higher in SS subjects compared to controls. The numbers of conjunctival cells stained positively for HEL and 4HNE were significantly higher in SS patients compared to controls. Tear HEL concentrations correlated significantly with staining scores and inflammatory cell density in confocal microscopy. Conjunctival specimens also revealed higher numbers of cells stained positively for inflammatory markers, as well as HEL and 4HNE in the IHC stainings. Conclusions.: Increase of the oxidative stress status in the conjunctiva of SS patients appears to have a role in the pathogenesis of dry eye disease. A close relationship may exist between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid peroxidation related membrane damage, and inflammatory processes in dry eye.

Purpose.: To investigate the lipid and DNA oxidative stress as well as corneal and retinal effects after ultraviolet B (UV-B) exposure in mice, with or without silicon hydrogel soft contact lenses (SCL). Methods.: Twenty-eight C57BL6-strain male mice were divided into four groups: group I, control group with no SCL (SCL [−]) and no UV-B exposure (UV-B [−]); group II, senofilcon A SCL (senofilcon [+]) with UV-B exposure (UV-B [+]); group III, lotrafilcon A SCL (lotrafilcon [+]) with UV-B exposure (UV-B [+]); and group IV, no SCL (SCL [−]), but with UV-B exposure (UV-B [+]). All mice except group I received UV-B exposure for 5 days for a total dose of 2.73 J/cm². All mice underwent tear hexanoyl-lysine (HEL) and tear cytokine ELISA measurements, and fluorescein and rose bengal corneal staining before and after UV-B exposure. Corneal specimens underwent immunohistochemistry staining with CD45, HEL, 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) antibodies and evaluation with electron microscopy. Results.: All mice without SCL but exposed to UV-B developed corneal edema, ulcers, or epithelial damage compared with mice with senofilcon A SCL and exposure to UV-B. Tear HEL and cytokine levels significantly increased in mice without SCL after UV-B exposure. Immunohistochemistry showed a significantly higher number of cells positively stained for CD45, 8-OHdG, HEL, and 4-HNE in the corneas of mice without SCLs compared with those with senofilcon A after UV-B exposure. Conclusion.: Silicon hydrogel SCL showed corneal and retinal protective effects, owing to UV blocking properties, against oxidative stress-related membrane lipid and cellular DNA damage.

Our aim was to evaluate changes in dry eye diagnostic status following implementation of the new dry eye diagnostic criteria in Japan. This was a multicenter cross-sectional study. We recruited 295 individuals (81 men, 214 women, average age 43.6 ± 14.3 years) seen for general ophthalmic checkup and dry eye examinations. Using results of the Schirmer I test, tear breakup time, and fluorescein and Rose Bengal staining, patients were diagnosed as having definite dry eye (DDE), probable dry eye (PDE), or as being normal according to both the old and new Japanese dry eye diagnostic criteria. Mean ages of normal participants and patients with PDE and DDE were 37.0 ± 10.4, 41.7 ± 14.4, and 47.7 ± 15.3 years, respectively (p < 0.001). All 37 individuals diagnosed as normal following the old criteria were also diagnosed as normal with the new diagnostic criteria. Among the 60 patients diagnosed as PDE with the old criteria, 19 (31.7%) were diagnosed as normal and 41 (68.3%) as PDE with the new diagnostic criteria. Of the 198 patients diagnosed with DDE following the old criteria, 59 (29.7%) were diagnosed as PDE and 139 (70.2%) as DDE with the new diagnostic criteria. There was no significant difference in dry eye severity index scores between the old and new diagnostic criteria. A shift in the final dry eye diagnostic status from DDE to PDE and from PDE to normal was observed with the implementation of the new dry eye diagnostic criteria, suggesting that patients at the severe end of the dry eye disease spectrum are now diagnosed as DDE disease under the new criteria.

Purpose.: To prospectively evaluate the effect of controlled adverse chamber environment (CACE) exposure on tear function, including tear osmolarity, in subjects wearing narafilcon A versus those wearing etafilcon A soft contact lens (SCL). Methods.: Thirty-one healthy subjects with no history of contact lens wear (13 women, 18 men; average age, 30.5 ± 6.5 years) were randomly divided into age- and sex-matched groups (15 subjects wearing narafilcon A SCL; 16 subjects wearing etafilcon A SCL) and entered a CACE for 20 minutes. All subjects underwent tear osmolarity, tear evaporation rate, strip meniscometry, tear film breakup time, fluorescein vital staining, and functional visual acuity measurement before and after exposure to the controlled adverse chamber. Results.: The mean blink rate increased with significant deteriorations in the mean symptom VAS scores, mean tear osmolarity, tear evaporation rate, strip meniscometry score, and tear stability with CACE exposure along with a decrease in visual maintenance ratio in functional visual acuity testing in etafilcon A wearers. The mean symptom VAS scores, mean tear evaporation rate, tear stability, blink rates, and visual maintenance ratios did not change significantly in narafilcon A wearers after CACE exposure. Conclusions.: This study suggested marked tear instability, higher tear osmolarity, and increased tear evaporation with marked dry eye and visual symptomatology in nonadapted hydrogel SCL wearers, suggesting that silicone hydrogel SCLs may be suitable for persons who live and work in cool, low-humidity, and windy environments, as tested in this study.

To investigate the relation of functional visual acuity (FVA) measurements with dry eye test parameters and to compare the testing methods with and without blink suppression and anesthetic instillation. A prospective comparative case series. Thirty right eyes of 30 dry eye patients and 25 right eyes of 25 normal subjects seen at Keio University School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology were studied. FVA testing was performed using a FVA measurement system with two different approaches, one in which measurements were made under natural blinking conditions without topical anesthesia (FVA-N) and the other in which the measurements were made under the blink suppression condition with topical anesthetic eye drops (FVA-BS). Tear function examinations, such as the Schirmer test, tear film break-up time, and fluorescein and Rose Bengal vital staining as ocular surface evaluation, were performed. The mean logMAR FVA-N scores and logMAR Landolt visual acuity scores were significantly lower in the dry eye subjects than in the healthy controls (p < 0.05), while there were no statistical differences between the logMAR FVA-BS scores of the dry eye subjects and those of the healthy controls. There was a significant correlation between the logMAR Landolt visual acuities and the logMAR FVA-N and logMAR FVA-BS scores. The FVA-N scores correlated significantly with tear quantities, tear stability and, especially, the ocular surface vital staining scores. FVA measurements performed under natural blinking significantly reflected the tear functions and ocular surface status of the eye and would appear to be a reliable method of FVA testing. FVA measurement is also an accurate predictor of dry eye status.