Erol Coskun

Purpose: To analyze the data of patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery due to intraocular foreign body (IOFB) injuries that occurred in the Syrian civil war. Methods: Seventy-eight eyes of 78 patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery due to IOFB injuries that occurred during the Syrian civil war were analyzed. Results: Forty-four eyes (56.4%) had traumatic cataract, 44 (56.4%) had retinal tears, 42 (53.8%) had vitreous hemorrhage, 18 (23%) had retinal detachment, 12 (15.3%) had endophthalmitis, and eight eyes had hyphema (10.2%). IOFBs consisted of metal in 62 eyes (79.4%), stone in eight eyes (10.2%), organic material in four eyes (5.1%), and glass in four eyes (5.1%). Approximately 86% of the eyes had initial VAs of 4/200 or worse. However, VAs improved in 64 eyes (82%) after the surgeries. Conclusions: Despite delays in treatment and the severity of injuries, 82% (64/78) of the eyes had an improvement in VA after the surgeries.

Eye is the official journal of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. It aims to provide the practising ophthalmologist with information on the latest clinical and laboratory-based research.

Purpose: To investigate the results of dexamethasone (DEX) implant in the treatment of eyes with refractory Behçet posterior uveitis. Methods: A total of 17 eyes of 12 patients with active Behçet posterior uveitis were enrolled in the study. A single intravitreal injection of DEX implant was applied to each eye. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), vitreous haze score, and intraocular pressure (IOP) were determined, at baseline and control visits of months 1, 3, 6, and 12. Results: The mean BCVA was significantly increased from baseline at each control visit (all p < 0.05). The mean CMT and vitreous haze score were significantly decreased from baseline at each control visit (all p < 0.05). Three eyes showed IOP spikes requiring topical anti-glaucomatous treatment. Conclusions: A single injection of DEX implant was safe and effective, as an additional treatment to systemic immunomodulatory drugs, in the treatment of refractory Behçet posterior uveitis, for a 6-month period.

Purpose: Genetic factors are shown to have a role in the development of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of genetic polymorphisms of Rho-kinase (ROCK) genes on the risk of POAG in a Turkish population. Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from leukocytes of the peripheral blood, and 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms in the ROCK1 and ROCK2 genes were analysed in 179 patients with POAG and in 182 healthy controls of similar age by using BioMark HD dynamic array system. Results: Neither genotype distributions nor the allele frequencies for the ROCK1 (rs35996865) and ROCK2 [rs2290156, rs965665, rs10178332, rs2230774 (Thr431Asn), rs2230774 (Thr431Ser), rs6755196, and rs726843] gene polymorphisms showed a significant difference between the groups. There were also no marked associations between the haplotype frequencies and POAG. Conclusions: This is the first study to examine the involvement of ROCK1 and ROCK2 gene variations in the risk of POAG development. This study demonstrated that the polymorphisms studied are not associated with the increased risk of development of POAG in the Turkish population.

Aim: To investigate choroidal thickness in healthy Turkish subjects. Materials and methods: Refraction, axial length (AXL) measurement, anterior chamber, and fundus examinations were performed. Eyes that had any retinal or choroidal pathology were excluded from the study. Enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography was used to evaluate choroidal thickness. Results: 139 eyes from 70 subjects were investigated. The mean age, AXL, spherical equivalent refractive error (SE), and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) were 34.7 +/- 12.7 years, 23.31 +/- 0.91 mm, -0.15 +/- 1.64 diopters (D), and 326 +/- 60 mu m, respectively. A negative correlation was found between SCT and AXL (P = 0.043). The mean age, SE, AXL, and SCT were 31.7 +/- 9.3 and 34.6 +/- 14.3 years, -0.27 +/- 1.45 and 0.02 +/- 1.89 D, 23.52 +/- 0.94 and 23.02 +/- 0.75 mm, and 324 +/- 69 and 329 +/- 40 mu m in male and female subjects, respectively (P = 0.14, P = 0.31, P = 0.001, and P = 0.58, respectively). Regression analysis showed that SCT decreased by 0.93 mu m for each year of age. Conclusion: In healthy Turkish subjects, SCT decreased by 0.93 mu m for each year of age and was thicker in men when the results were adjusted according to AXL measurements.

To evaluate the treatment with topical 0.05% cyclosporine A (CsA) in patients with subepithelial corneal infiltrates (SEI).