Amir Norouzpour

Purpose: In this case–control study, we measured visual acuity, objective refraction, ocular biometric parameters, and strabismus in premature cases classified according to the following categories: argon laser-treated retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), untreated spontaneously regressed ROP, no ROP, and full term controls. Methods: Cases with a history of prematurity at six years of age were categorized into the following groups: patients with a history of treated type 1 ROP using argon laser (group I), untreated spontaneously regressed ROP (group II), and no history of ROP (group III). Group IV included age-matched healthy full-term controls. Funduscopy was performed for all the cases and the control group. Results: In total, 24 eyes of 12 laser-treated ROP cases, 186 eyes of 93 spontaneously regressed ROP patients, 74 eyes of 37 premature cases with no history of ROP, and 286 eyes of 143 controls were included in the study. The mean spherical equivalent in the treated cases was not significantly different from that in the untreated cases and patients in group III. However, the average cylindrical power was significantly different among the groups (P < 0.004). Furthermore, anisometropia (≥1.5 diopter) was diagnosed with a higher rate in the treated cases (P = 0.03). The corneal curvature of the laser-treated eyes was significantly steeper and the axial length was significantly shorter than those in the other groups (P < 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively, for multivariate analysis). Strabismus was found in three treated patients (25%). Additionally, there were three treated eyes (12.5%) diagnosed with macular dragging. Conclusion: Premature cases including those who had a history of argon laser-treated ROP and those with untreated spontaneously regressed ROP showed acceptable long-term visual and refractive outcomes along with a fairly low rate of ocular disorders.

Aims Evidence for choosing a satisfactory device for central corneal thickness (CCT) measurement in children particularly pseudophakic and aphakic ones is insufficient. The aim of this study is to compare four differently measured CCTs obtained using ultrasound pachymetry (UP), Pentacam, partial coherence interferometry (PCI), and specular microscopy (SM) in phakic, pseudophakic, and aphakic children and assess the agreement between the six pairs of the methods. Methods Children with history of cataract surgery at age six or younger and phakic children were recruited into this study. CCT was measured using UP (Optikon 2000, Rome, Italy), Pentacam (Oculus Inc, Wetzlar, Germany), PCI (IOLMaster 700, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany), and SM (Topcon SP-3000P; Topcon Corporation, Japan). Results One-hundred two eyes (53 phakic, 29 pseudophakic, and 20 aphakic eyes) were included. The mean ages (± SD) of phakic, pseudophakic, and aphakic cases were 9.75 (± 3.3), 9.9 (± 2.3), and 8.2 (± 2.8) years, respectively. The mean CCTs (± SE) for phakic children using Pentacam, PCI, UP, and SM were 549.7 (± 5.0), 546.5 (± 4.5), 565.9 (± 5.5), and 506.2 (± 4.4) μm, respectively, for pseudophakic cases were 570.1 (± 6.4), 565.0 (± 6.1), 571.9 (± 6.3), and 524.3 (± 6.3) μm, respectively, and for aphakic participants were 635.3 (± 14.2), 635.4 (± 14.5), 649.0 (± 13.5), and 589.1 (± 13.3) μm, respectively. Conclusion Compared to Pentacam and PCI, SM underestimated CCT particularly in phakic and pseudophakic children, whereas UP slightly overestimated CCT especially in phakic and aphakic children. Furthermore, Pentacam and PCI had the closest agreement. By contrast, SM had the poorest agreement with the other three methods.

Aims: Evidence for choosing a satisfactory device for central corneal thickness (CCT) measurement in children particularly pseudophakic and aphakic ones is insufficient. The aim of this study is to compare four differently-measured CCTs obtained using ultrasound pachymetry (UP), Pentacam, partial coherence interferometry (PCI), and specular microscopy (SM) in phakic, pseudophakic, and aphakic children and assess the agreement between the six pairs of the methods. Methods: Children with history of cataract surgery at age six or younger and phakic children were recruited into this study. CCT was measured using UP (Optikon 2000, Rome, Italy), Pentacam (Oculus Inc, Wetzlar, Germany), PCI (IOLMaster 700, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany), and SM (Topcon SP-3000P; Topcon Corporation, Japan).Results: One-hundred two eyes (53 phakic, 29 pseudophakic, and 20 aphakic eyes) were included. The mean ages (±SD) of phakic, pseudophakic, and aphakic cases were 9.75 (±3.3), 9.9 (±2.3), and 8.2 (±2.8) years respectively. The mean CCTs (±SE) for phakic children using Pentacam, PCI, UP, and SM were 549.7 (±5.0), 546.5 (±4.5), 565.9 (±5.5), and 506.2 (±4.4) mm respectively, for pseudophakic cases were 570.1 (±6.4), 565.0 (±6.1), 571.9 (±6.3), and 524.3 (±6.3) mm respectively, and for aphakic participants were 635.3 (±14.2), 635.4 (±14.5), 649.0 (±13.5), and 589.1 (±13.3) mm respectively. Conclusion: Compared to Pentacam and PCI, SM underestimated CCT particularly in phakic and pseudophakic children, whereas UP slightly overestimated CCT especially in phakic and aphakic children. Furthermore, Pentacam and PCI had the closest agreement. By contrast, SM had the poorest agreement with the other three methods.

Objectives The pace of population aging is growing rapidly around the world. Aging is associated with the emergence of different health status including geriatric syndrome such as frailty, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and dementia. These conditions are the most prominent challenges for health care systems and also elderly people. Therefore, understanding these changes can help scientists to prevent and treat significant health issues and also improve the functional ability of older adults. Methods This is a protocol of the first wave of Birjand Longitudinal Aging Study that is an ongoing community-based prospective cohort study with a following up at least 10 years. This study carries out on aged population ≥ 60 years which were residents in Birjand County (urban and rural older subjects). The selection of the participants of this study in urban areas is based on an age group weighted multistage stratified random sample while in the rural region the sample was selected from all ten rural regions of Birjand County by simple random sampling. The rural region sampling was based on the list of the aged population which were under the coverage of the rural health center. Sociodemographic, past medical history, lifestyle, sleep, activities of daily living, cognitive function, quality of life, and social capital were evaluated by interviewing with the participants and one of the informants. Anthropometric measures, electrocardiography, and interpretation of ophthalmologic examination were carried out by experts. Fasting Blood samples were collected and bio-banked in − 80 °C. then finally biochemical and hematologic markers were measured. Results This is the protocol of stage one baseline of Birjand Longitudinal Aging Study (BLAS). The BLAS is an enjoining study, the first phase of its baseline was carried out on a community- dwelling aged population sample ≥ 60 years who were residents in urban and rural regions of Birjand County. This is a community based prospective cohort study with at least 10 years follow up of participants. The data for 65% of older subjects (response rate = 65%) that lived in clusters were collected. Conclusions This study can help scientists to recognize some risk factors related to the aging process and also aware policymakers about the necessity to create heath care services at regional and even national levels.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis can spread through the entire body but rarely involves the eye. We report a patient with endophthalmitis in one eye and simultaneous retinal vasculitis in the fellow eye. Systemic work-up suggested infective endopericarditis. Polymerase chain reaction analyses of the vitreous and pericardial fluid were positive for M. tuberculosis. We initiated a four-drug antituberculous treatment regimen (isoniazid, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, and rifampin). After two weeks, we discontinued all the medications due to drug-induced hepatitis. We restarted isoniazid and rifampin, but hepatitis recurred. Finally, we chose isoniazid/ethambutol combination for 18 months, and also administered short-term systemic corticosteroid. His vision improved considerably with no recurrence of hepatitis or tuberculosis for 3 years after completion of treatment. Ocular tuberculosis can masquerade as other causes of intraocular inflammation, and a medical team consisting of an ophthalmologist and an infectious disease specialist might be needed for the diagnosis and management.

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is characterized by a localized accumulation of subretinal fluid and an idiopathic focal leakage from choroidal vessels. The exact pathogenesis of CSC, however, still remains obscure. In this paper, we hypothesized that CSC may result from a response of choroidal vessels to an acute increase in the environmental light intensity leading to a focal leakage from the choroidal vessels. High levels of glucocorticoids, in our proposed model, may cause persistence rather than initiation of the focal leakage, probably by suppressing the synthesis of collagen and extracellular matrix components and inhibiting fibroblastic activity.