No abstract

Background: To determine the epidemiological characteristics and visual outcome of ocular trauma in southern Italy.

Both techniques, NPDS and PT, without enhancements (ie, implants or antimetabolites) control IOP efficaciously at our end point. Phacoemulsification combined with penetrating and non-penetrating procedures does not seem to interfere with final results. When a lower target IOP and probability of success over time are considered, PT, single or combined, exhibits a better trend. PT, therefore, could be more suitable for higher IOP levels or longer life expectancies.

Aim To verify the safety and efficacy of Ologen (OLO) implant as adjuvant compared with low-dosage mitomycin-C (MMC) in trabeculectomy. Methods This was a prospective randomized clinical trial with a 24-month follow-up. Forty glaucoma patients (40 eyes) were assigned to trabeculectomy with MMC or OLO. Primary outcome includes target IOP at r21, r17, and r15 mm Hg; complete (target IOP without medications), and qualified success (target IOP regardless of medications). Secondary outcomes include bleb evaluation, according to Moorfields Bleb Grading System (MBGS); spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) examination; number of glaucoma medications; and frequency of postoperative adjunctive procedures and complications. Results The mean preoperative IOP was 26.5 ( ± 5.2) in MMC and 27.3 ( ± 6.0) in OLO eyes, without statistical significance. One-day postoperatively, the IOP dropped to 5.2 ( ± 3.5) and 9.2 ( ± 5.5) mm Hg, respectively (P ¼ 0.009). The IOP reduction was significant at end point in all groups (P ¼ 0.01), with a mean IOP of 16.0 (±2.9) and 16.5 (±2.1) mm Hg in MMC and OLO, respectively. The rates and Kaplan-Meier curves did not differ for both complete and qualified success at any target IOP. The bleb height in OLO group was higher than MMC one (Po0.05). SD-OCT analysis of successful/ unsuccessful bleb in patients with or without complete success at IOP r17 mm Hg indicated a sensitivity of 83% and 73% and a specificity of 75% and 67%, respectively, for MMC and OLO groups. No adverse reaction to OLO was noted. Conclusions Our results suggest that OLO implant could be a new, safe, and effective alternative to MMC, with similar long-term success rate.

Lutein is a carotenoid with reported anti-inflammatory properties. A large body of evidence shows that lutein has several beneficial effects, especially on eye health. In particular, lutein is known to improve or even prevent age-related macular disease which is the leading cause of blindness and vision impairment. Furthermore, many studies have reported that lutein may also have positive effects in different clinical conditions, thus ameliorating cognitive function, decreasing the risk of cancer, and improving measures of cardiovascular health. At present, the available data have been obtained from both observational studies investigating lutein intake with food, and a few intervention trials assessing the efficacy of lutein supplementation. In general, sustained lutein consumption, either through diet or supplementation, may contribute to reducing the burden of several chronic diseases. However, there are also conflicting data concerning lutein efficacy in inducing favorable effects on human health and there are no univocal data concerning the most appropriate dosage for daily lutein supplementation. Therefore, based on the most recent findings, this review will focus on lutein properties, dietary sources, usual intake, efficacy in human health, and toxicity.