N-chlorotaurine (NCT), an essential weak oxidative N-chloro compound produced by stimulated human leukocytes, shows bactericidal, fungicidal, virucidal and vermicidal efficacy. A double-blind, randomized and placebo controlled study was done to evaluate the tolerance of the aqueous NCT solution by application to rabbit and human conjunctiva. In six rabbits treated with 1% and 3% NCT regimen for nine days no ocular and behaviour changes could be observed. In a pilot study with two volunteers, treatment with 2.8% NCT for five days caused a self-limited conjunctival injection of one subject, while 1% NCT was well tolerated. Subsequently, eight healthy volunteers participated in a phase I clinical study. One percent NCT was applied for five days and was well tolerated by all subjects except for minimal eye burning after the application. Because of these positive results, usage of the antimicrobial agent NCT in ophthalmology is suggested.

The spectral transmissions of cornea, aqueous humour, lens and vitreous humour of human eyes were measured in the range from 250 nm to 800 nm in 1 nm steps using a high resolution double monochromator. Cornea and lens are good cut off filters; 1% transmission was measured in various cornea samples between 291 and 298 nm, and in different lenses between 389 and 414 nm. Aqueous humour and vitreous humour showed high transparency (80%) at lambda > 320 nm. The wavelength range of keratitis effective irradiance was found to be completely within the wavelength range of absorption of the cornea, that of cataract effective irradiance was found to be at the short wavelength end partly outside the wavelength range of absorption of the lens. It may therefore be supposed that the action spectrum of cataract obtained by animal experiments is applicable to the human eye only with certain reservations.

Christoph Scheiner was born in 1573 or 1575. In 1595 he entered into the Order of the Jesuits; he died in 1650. In 1619 his book Oculus, dealing with the optics of the eye, appeared in Innsbruck. The invention of the telescope was of utmost importance for progress in astronomical and physical research. Scheiner himself built telescopes and discovered the sunspots. As a result, an unpleasant priority dispute with Galilei ensued. From 1624 onwards, Scheiner was in Rome, where his main work Rosa Ursina was published in 1630. A part of this book deals with the physiological optics of the eye as well. Some of his discoveries and experiments are taken from these two books: determination of the radius of curvature of the cornea, discovery of the nasal exit of the optic nerve, increase in the radius of curvature of the lens in case of accommodation, Scheiner's procedure (double images with ametropia), refractive indices of various parts of the eye, Scheiner's experiment. Without any doubt, Christoph Scheiner belongs to the foremost scientists of the first half of the 17th century.

Congenital anophthalmia (CA) is a rare malformation. Primary forms without development of optic nerves can be differentiated from secondary forms with rudimentary optic nerves and eye bulbi. Neuroradiologic examinations in these children are performed to differentiate primary from secondary forms and to exclude associated cerebral malformations. We report on 2 children with secondary CA, a 9-month-old girl with unilateral CA and a 3-year-old boy with bilateral CA. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was superior to computerized tomography (CT) in the delineation of the rudimentary optic nerves and tracts as well as the intraorbital contents. In addition magnetic resonance images revealed partial agenesis of the corpus callosum and microgyria of the calcarine cortex in the boy. These results suggest that MRI should replace CT in the diagnosis of CA.

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