Ropivacaine used for retrobulbar-peribulbar combined anesthesia in vitreoretinal surgery showed excellent clinical efficacy as regards analgesia and muscle akinesia.
Multiple myeloma (MM) therapy is evolving, and several new drugs are now available, extending patients' life and exposure to different compounds and toxicities. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study enrolling 93 consecutive patients on active treatment for MM, aiming to assess their ocular complications. All the patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation. In our cohort, prevalence of low visual acuity was in line with similar age healthy population reported in registry studies. Interestingly, we recorded a higher prevalence of lens opacities (46%) and dry eye syndrome (53%). Nevertheless, we did not find any significant association between ocular disorders and anti-myeloma treatments, even steroid therapy. This observation suggests that other factors besides treatments, such as M-protein deposition in eye structures, may have a role in developing ocular toxicities. Since MM patients are elderly patients at higher risk of age-related eye disorders, we recommend periodic ophthalmic assessment in daily practice.
The introduction of anterior-segment optical-coherence tomography (AS-OCT) has led to improved assessments of the anatomy of the iridocorneal-angle and diagnoses of several mechanisms of angle closure which often result in raised intraocular pressure (IOP). Continuous advancements in AS-OCT technology and software, along with an extensive research in the field, have resulted in a wide range of possible parameters that may be used to diagnose and follow up on patients with this spectrum of diseases. However, the clinical relevance of such variables needs to be explored thoroughly. The aim of the present review is to summarize the current evidence supporting the use of AS-OCT for the diagnosis and follow-up of several iridocorneal-angle and anterior-chamber alterations, focusing on the advantages and downsides of this technology.
We show that in van der Waals stacks of twisted hexagonal layers the proximity induced Rashba spin-orbit coupling can be affected by quantum interference. We calculate the quantum phase responsible for this effect in graphene-transition metal dichalcogenide bilayers as a function of interlayer twist angle. We show how this quantum phase affects the spin-polarization of the graphene bands and discuss its potential effect on spin-to-charge conversion measurements. In twisted trilayers symmetries can be broken as well as restored for certain twist angles. This can be used to deduce the effects of induced spin-orbit coupling on spin-lifetime anisotropy and magnetoconductance measurements.
Objective: To evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering efficacy and safety of travoprost 0.004% in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, poorly controlled with or intolerance to beta-blockers. To record the short-term effect on diastolic ocular perfusion pressure (DOPP).Research design and methods: One hundred and three patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension were treated with travoprost 0.004% once daily for 90 days in an open-label, noncontrolled study. Efficacy and safety were assessed at baseline, after 45 and 90 days. Clinical registry number IT0301.Main outcome measures: The primary outcome measure, IOP, was recorded at 10 am, 12 pm, and 4 pm at each visit. DOPP was evaluated at 10 am, at baseline and visit 3. Safety measures included adverse events, biomicroscopy, visual acuity, heart rate, and blood pressure.Results: Mean IOP was reduced from 22.2 AE 1.7 mmHg to 16.5 AE 2.1 after 45 days (p50.0001), and to 16.1 AE 2.2 after 90 days (p50.0001). The DOPP increased by 5.3 AE 6.3 mmHg after 90 days of treatment (p50.0001). No drug related serious adverse events were reported during the study.Conclusions: The open-label and non-comparative nature of the study represented its principal limitations. The study confirmed the efficacy and tolerability of travoprost in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, in a subset of patients unsuccessfully treated withblockers. In this study, travoprost significantly increased DOPP at short-term follow-up. Further studies to assess the effect of travoprost on DOPP are warranted.
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