BackgroundGlaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease, leading to thinning of the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL). The exact influence of ocular, cardiovascular, morphometric, lifestyle and cognitive factors on RNFL thickness (RNFLT) is unknown and was analysed in a subgroup of the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS).MethodsGlobal peripapillary RNFLT was measured in 3224 eyes of 1973 subjects (49% female) using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The association of age, sex, ocular, cardiovascular, morphometric, lifestyle and cognitive factors on RNFLT was analysed using Pearson correlation coefficient and fitting a linear mixed model.ResultsIn the univariable analysis highest correlations were found for axial length (r = -0.27), spherical equivalent (r = 0.24), and glaucoma (r = -0.15) (p<0.0001, respectively). Other significant correlations with RNFLT were found for age, sex, intraocular pressure, systemic hypertension and systolic blood pressure, previous eye surgery, cholesterol, homocysteine, history of coronary artery disease, history of myocardial infarction, apnoea, diabetes and alcohol intake, p<0.05, respectively. Body length, body weight, BMI, diastolic blood pressure, blood glucose, HbA1c, history of apoplexy, cognitive function, peripheral artery disease, tinnitus, migraine, nicotine intake, central corneal thickness, and pseudophakia were not significantly correlated with RNFLT. The regression model revealed a significant relationship between RNFLT and age in decades (p<0.02), spherical equivalent (p<0.0001), axial length (p<0.0001), glaucoma (p<0.0001), tinnitus (p = 0.04), apnoea (p = 0.047), homocysteine (p = 0.05) and alcohol intake >10g/d for women and >20g/d for men (p = 0.02). Glaucoma, apnoea, higher homocysteine, higher alcohol intake and higher axial length as well as age were related to decreased RNFLT while higher spherical equivalent or history for tinnitus were related to thicker RNFL.ConclusionRNFLT is related to age, ocular parameters and lifestyle factors. Considering these parameters in normative databases could improve the evaluation of peripapillary RNFLT. It is necessary to evaluate if a reduction of alcohol intake as well as the therapy of apnea or high homocysteine levels could positively influence RNFLT.

While Fabry-induced cornea verticillata and amiodarone keratopathy cannot be distinguished by conventional slit-lamp microscopy, CLSM allows the differentiation between both etiologies in the majority of patients. CLSM appears to reveal corneal changes prior to the detection of cornea verticillata on slit-lamp microscopy and may thus be helpful in the early diagnosis of Fabry disease. CLSM does not allow quantitative monitoring of corneal changes in Fabry patients under enzyme-replacement therapy.

The interobserver reproducibility of ORA measurements was almost perfect for IOPcc, CRF, and CH. The intraobserver short-term reproducibility was almost perfect for IOPcc and substantial for CRF and CH, for all observers. The significant correlation between CCT and CRF, and no association between IOPcc and CCT, are in agreement with previous studies. There was no significant correlation between CH and CCT in our study. This device might be useful in glaucoma diagnosis and management.

Purpose: Voriconazole was shown to inhibit ergosterol synthesis in various acanthamoeba species. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of treatment with supplemental topical voriconazole in patients with acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). Methods: All patients who had been treated for AK with voriconazole 1% drops in conjunction with topical first-line antiacanthamoeba therapy composed of polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) 0.02% and propamidine isethionate 0.1% (Brolene) between November 2014 and August 2017 at the Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Mainz, were included. The main outcomes were treatment failure and recurrence rate. Secondary outcomes were visual acuity, need for keratoplasty, and presence of adverse reactions. Results: Twenty-eight eyes of 28 patients with AK, whose treatment had included topical voriconazole, were identified (12 men, 16 women, mean age: 41.7 ± 16.3 years), and 26 of them could be tracked for at least 3 months after cessation of therapy. Resolution of infection under therapy was seen in all eyes, and only one of 26 (3.85%) had a relapse after the therapy had been stopped. Best-corrected visual acuity improved during therapy. Keratoplasty because of central corneal scarring was scheduled in 5 of 26 patients (19.2%) after the pharmacological therapy had been stopped. Five of 26 patients (19.2%) reported on stinging or burning sensation after application of voriconazole 1% drops. Conclusions: Topical voriconazole 1% combined with first-line therapy composed of polyhexamethylene biguanide 0.02% and propamidine isethionate 0.1% appears to be an effective option with minor side effects for the treatment of AK.

AimsThe tonographic effect is a phenomenon of intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction following repeated tonometry. This study examines whether the tonographic effect occurs following IOP measurement performed with Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA).MethodsBoth eyes of 31 glaucoma patients and 35 healthy controls underwent nine IOP-measurements performed with GAT and ORA. The number of GAT and ORA measurements performed on each eye differed depending on the randomly allocated investigation scheme. Central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber volume (ACV) and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were assessed with Pentacam before and after the repeated GAT/ORA measurements.ResultsThere was no statistically significant tonographic effect for IOP readings obtained by the ORA: corneal compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc) (-0.11 ± 3.06 mmHg, p = 0.843 in patients and -0.71 ± 3.28 mmHg, p = 0.208 for controls) and Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg) (-0.31 ± 2.38 mmHg, p = 0.469 in patients and -0.31 ± 2.37 mmHg, p = 0.441 in controls) measured with ORA. There was a significant IOP reduction from the first to the second GAT measurement, i.e. tonographic effect (-0.55 ± 2.00 mmHg, p = 0.138 in patients and -1.15 ± 1.52 mmHg, p < 0.001 in controls). CCT, corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) were lower in glaucoma patients. The repeated IOP measurements resulted in an increase of CCT in all subjects (but no change of ACV and ACD). The tonographic effect of GAT correlated with CCT in glaucoma patients (r = 0.37).ConclusionIn contrast to GAT, repeated ORA measurements do not result in the tonographic effect. Repeated IOP measurements resulted in an increase of central corneal thickness, but did not influence the volume and depth of anterior chamber.

Wearing CL for a longer duration causes a significant regression of corneal opacities in LECD. The etiology of this phenomenon is interpreted as a CL-induced thinning of corneal epithelium and reduction of epithelial layers.

AimsTo investigate an influence of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS)- and Morbus Fabry-associated corneal opacities on intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements and to evaluate the concordance of the different tonometry methods.Methods25 MPS patients with or without corneal clouding, 25 Fabry patients with cornea verticillata ≥ grade 2 and 25 healthy age matched controls were prospectively included into this study. Outcome measures: Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT); palpatory assessment of IOP; Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg), corneal-compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc), corneal resistance factor (CRF) and corneal hysteresis (CH) assessed by Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA); central corneal thickness (CCT) and density assessed with Pentacam. Statistical analysis was performed using linear mixed effect models and Spearman correlation coefficients. The concordance between tonometry methods was assessed using Bland-Altman analysis.ResultsThere was no relevant difference between study groups regarding median GAT, IOPg, IOPcc and CCT measurements. The limits of agreement between GAT and IOPcc/IOPg/palpatory IOP in MPS were: [-11.7 to 12.1mmHg], [-8.6 to 15.5 mmHg] and [- 5.4 to 10.1 mmHg] respectively. Limits of agreement were less wide in healthy subjects and Fabry patients. Palpatory IOP was higher in MPS than in healthy controls and Fabry patients. Corneal opacity correlated more strongly with GAT, IOPg, CH, CRF, CCT and corneal density in MPS (r = 0.4, 0.5, 0.5, 0.7, 0.6, 0.6 respectively) than in Fabry patients (r = 0.3, 0.2, -0.03, 0.1, 0.3, -0.2 respectively). In contrast, IOPcc revealed less correlation with corneal opacity than GAT in MPS (r = 0.2 vs. 0.4).ConclusionsORA and GAT render less comparable IOP-values in patients suffering from MPS-associated corneal opacity in comparison to Fabry and healthy controls. The IOP seems to be overestimated in opaque MPS-affected corneas. GAT, IOPg and biomechanical parameters of the cornea correlate more strongly with the corneal clouding than IOPcc in MPS patients.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01695161

Contact lenses (CLs) provide a superior alternative to spectacles. Although beneficial, the global burden of ocular dysfunctions attributed to regular use of CLs remains a topic of much challenge in ophthalmic research owing to debilitating clinical repercussions on the ocular surface, which are often manifested as breach in tear film integrity. This study elucidated the intricate tear proteome changes attributed to the use of different CLs (hard and soft) and unravelled, for the first time, the restorative mechanisms of several protein clusters following acute renouncement of CL use employing the label-free mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics approach. The expression patterns of certain proteins clusters were specific to the use of a particular lens type and a large majority of these actively regulates cell death and survival and, modulates cellular movement on the ocular surface. Noteworthy, CL use also evoked a significant upregulation of glycolytic enzymes associated with hypoxia and corresponding cognate metabolic pathways, particularly glucose metabolism and FXR/RXR pathways. Importantly, the assessment of CL renouncement unravelled the restorative properties of several clusters of proteins involved mainly in organismal injury and abnormalities and, cellular function and maintenance. These proteins play key roles in restoring tear homeostasis and wound-healing mechanisms post-CL use-elicited injury.