Cigarette smoking causes a significant decrease in choroidal thickness following smoking. Fourier domain optical coherence tomography can effectively demonstrate choroidal thickness.

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy and safety of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with halfdose verteporfin in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CCSC) and retinal functional changes, by functional acuity contrast test (FACT). Methods In this study, 27 eyes of 24 patients with CCSC were treated with PDT with halfdose verteporfin. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central foveal thickness (CFT) and resolution of subretinal fluid on optical coherence tomography (OCT), and leakage on fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were assessed. Contrast sensitivity test was performed at baseline and at 12th month for investigating retinal functional changes. Results The mean follow-up period was 25.33 ± 11.08 months. The mean age was 43.7±8.6 years. Seventeen patients were male (70.8%) and seven patients were female (29.2%). Post PDT at 1st, 3rd, 6th, 12th month and at last follow-up, BCVA were significantly improved compared with the baseline BCVA (Po0.001), and CFT post PDT were significantly thinner than the baseline measurement (Po0.001). There was significant difference between pre-and post-PDT 12th month contrast sensitivities at all five different spatial frequency channels (Po0.01). Conclusions Half-dose PDT is an effective and safe method in the treatment of CCSC with anatomical and functional success. The measurement of contrast sensitivity by FACT can be useful for evaluating the functional effectiveness of half-dose PDT for CCSC.

To report an outbreak of Fusarium solani endophthalmitis after uneventful cataract surgeries performed on the same day in the same operating room. Nine patients underwent phacoemulsification at 4th Clinic of Beyoglu Eye Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul. Cefuroxime axetyl was injected intracamerally from the same vial to all patients at the end of surgery. All patients developed acute postoperative endophthalmitis. Presentation, cultural studies, treatment, clinical responses and risk factors were evaluated. Cultural and DNA sequence findings revealed F. solani. Antifungal therapy was begun and pars plana vitrectomy, intraocular lens and capsule extraction were performed. Corneal involvement was correlated with old age and systemic disease. Fusarium solani should be considered in acute postoperative endophthalmitis. This infection can be controlled with early and aggressive combined antifungal and surgical treatment. The patients with corneal involvement had poor prognosis. It is important to use solutions prepared separately for each patient.

Piggybacking with the Add-On IOL is a safe, efficient, and reliable technique to correct pseudophakic refractive errors.

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To evaluate the differences in the biometric parameters of iridocorneal angle and iris structure measured by anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in Fuchs' uveitis syndrome (FUS). Seventy-six eyes of 38 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of unilateral FUS were recruited into this prospective, cross-sectional and comparative study. After a complete ocular examination, anterior segment biometric parameters were measured by Visante(®) AS-OCT. All parameters were compared between the two eyes of each patient statistically. The mean age of the 38 subjects was 32.5 ± 7.5 years (18 female and 20 male). The mean visual acuity was lower in eyes with FUS (0.55 ± 0.31) than in healthy eyes (0.93 ± 0.17). The central corneal thickness did not differ significantly between eyes. All iridocorneal angle parameters (angle-opening distance 500 and 750, scleral spur angle, trabecular-iris space (TISA) 500 and 750) except TISA 500 in temporal quadrant were significantly larger in eyes with FUS than in healthy eyes. Anterior chamber depth was deeper in the eyes with FUS than in the unaffected eyes. With regard to iris measurements, iris thickness in the thickest part, iris bowing and iris shape were all statistically different between the affected eye and the healthy eye in individual patients with FUS. However, no statistically significant differences were evident in iris thickness 500 μm, thickness in the middle and iris length. There were significant difference in iris shape between the two eyes of patients with glaucoma. AS-OCT as an imaging method provides us with many informative resultsin the analysis of anterior segment parameters in FUS.

Purpose:The aim was to evaluate tear osmolarity of patients with clinically unilateral pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome and to compare the values with otherwise normal subjects. Methods: Sixty-two eyes of 31 patients with unilateral PEX syndrome and 31 eyes of 31 normal subjects were studied. The TearLab osmolarity system (OcuSense, Inc, San Diego, CA, USA) was used to measure tear osmolarity. Eyes were grouped as normal eyes of patients having unilateral PEX syndrome (group A), eyes of patients having unilateral PEX syndrome with deposits of PEX material (group B) and eyes of normal subjects (group C). Differences in tear osmolarity were compared among groups A, B and C. Independent t-tests and paired t-tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: The mean tear osmolarity was 298.7 Ϯ 7.8 mOsm/l (range 285 to 306) in the control group (group C), 306.3 Ϯ 6.6 mOsm/l (range 290 to 314) in the eyes of patients having PEX syndrome with deposits of pseudoexfoliative material (group B) and 301.4 Ϯ 7.1 mOsm/l (range 284 to 305) in the fellow eye of these patients (group A). There was a significant difference between tear osmolarity of groups C and B (independent t-test, p = 0.011). Also, there was a significant difference between the osmolarity of each eye of patients with unilateral PEX syndrome (groups A and B) (paired t-test, p = 0.001). The difference between tear osmolarity of groups A and C was not statistically significant (independent t-test, p = 0.146). Conclusion: In conclusion, tear osmolarity is higher in both eyes of patients when compared with normal subjects, using the independent t-test (although highest in clinically positive eyes of these patients). Both eyes of patients having PEX syndrome could be more prone to the development of dry eye syndrome.

To report the role of early vitrectomy and silicone oil tamponade in acute endophthalmitis following intravitreal injection. Medical records of eight patients who presented with acute endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection of different drugs were retrospectively reviewed. Initial treatment consisted of vitreous tap with cultures and injection of intravitreal antibiotics, with the patients subsequently undergoing pars plana vitrectomy and silicone oil tamponade within 24 h following initial vitreous tap. The mean time to presentation was 1.7 days (1-3 days). The initial best-corrected visual acuity was hand motion to 0.05 before treatment and 0.05-0.8 (Snellen) after treatment. Vitreous cultures were obtained from all patients, of which four were culture positive. Endophthalmitis was controlled in all patients. There was no retinal detachment or phthisis bulbi during the follow-up period (1-4 years). Acute endophthalmitis following intravitreal injection occurs rapidly and requires urgent treatment. If intravitreal antibiotics fail to control inflammation, early pars plana vitrectomy and silicone oil tamponade would be an appropriate option.