In the Namil study, higher IOP, older age and a history of thyroid disease were significant risk factors for POAG.

Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) and anthocyanins are considered beneficial for various vascular diseases. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of GBE and anthocyanins on visual function in patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG) based on the vascular theory of mechanisms of glaucomatous optic nerve damage. Retrospective analysis was carried out by a chart review of 332 subjects (209 men and 123 women) who were treated with anthocyanins (n=132), GBE (n=103), or no medication (control, n=97). Humphrey Visual Field (HVF) test, logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR BCVA), intraocular pressure, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose were determined before and after treatment. Complete ocular and systemic examinations were performed. The mean follow-up duration was 23.82±9.84 (range, 12-59) months; the mean anthocyanin treatment duration was 24.32±10.43 (range, 6-53) months, and the mean GBE treatment duration was 23.81±10.36 months (range, 6-59) months. After anthocyanin treatment, the mean BCVA for all eyes improved from 0.16 (±0.34) to 0.11 (±0.18) logMAR units (P=.008), and HVF mean deviation improved from -6.44 (±7.05) to -5.34 (±6.42) (P=.001). After GBE treatment, HVF mean deviation improved from -5.25 (±6.13) to -4.31 (±5.60) (P=.002). A generalized linear model demonstrated that the final BCVA was not affected by demographic differences among the groups. These results suggest that anthocyanins and GBE may be helpful in improving visual function in some individuals with NTG.

Purpose: To investigate the relation between axial length (AL) and ocular parameters. Methods: Measurements of ocular biometric parameters were performed with an optical biometer, pachymeter, optical coherence tomography, and an automatic refractometer. AL, refractive error (RE), central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth (ACD), corneal curvature (CC), white-to-white distance (WWD), and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness were measured. AL was evaluated in relation to ocular parameters. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to statistically evaluate each scattergram. Results: With elongation of the AL, the mean RE (r = –0.790, p < 0.001), CC (r = –0.444, p < 0.001), and RNFL thickness (r = –0.306, p < 0.001) all decreased, while the mean ACD (r = 0.506, p < 0.001) and WWD (r = 0.279, p < 0.001) increased. Conclusions: In shorter eyes, there was a tendency toward hyperopia, a steeper cornea, and a thicker RNFL, and in longer eyes toward myopia, a flatter cornea, and a thinner RNFL.

Background/aimsThis study aimed to investigate treatment patterns and medication adherence of glaucoma. It also identified key factors associated with non-adherence.MethodsIt was a cross-sectional, observational study. Patients who use eye-drops for ≤2 years were recruited at 15 eye clinics from March to November 2013. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires and medical chart review. Medication adherence was evaluated using patients’ self-report on pill count and defined as patients’ administering drug for ≥80% of prescribed days. Medication adherence rate was calculated by dividing actual number of administration from total prescribed number of administration for 7 days. Patients whose self-reported prescription was different from total daily doses of physicians' prescription were considered as non-adherent.ResultsA total of 1050 patients included, and medication adherence rate was evaluated in 1046 patients whose verification of adherence was available. Of the total, 27.4% were non-adherent, and the medication adherence rates of the total, the adherent, and the non-adherent were 90.6±17.8%, 96.8±5.5% and 56.6±24.7%, respectively. The most commonly used medication was prostaglandin (PGA) alone and the second was combination of two-class (β-blocker and carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (CAI)) and three-class combination of PGA, β-blocker and CAI followed. In multivariate analysis, the risk of non-adherence was 1.466 times greater in males than in females (95% CI 1.106 to 1.943) and 1.328-fold greater as the daily number of administration was increased (95% CI 1.186 to 1.487).ConclusionApproximately, one-third of the patients were non-adherent, and males and increased daily number of administration were associated with non-adherence. It highlights that more systematic treatment strategies should be considered for better medication adherence, leading to effective glaucoma management.

BackgroundIntraocular pressure (IOP) may vary according to the change of ocular conditions. In this study, we want to assess the effect and mechanism of pupil dilation on IOP in normal subjects.MethodsWe prospectively evaluated 32 eyes of 32 patients (age; 61.7 ± 8.2 years) with normal open angles under diurnal IOP. IOP was measured every two hours from 9 AM to 11 PM for one day to establish baseline values and was measured again for one day to assess the differences after dilation. To induce dilation, we administered 2.5% phenylephrine and 1% tropicamide every 5 minutes from 8:30 AM to 8:45 AM and for every two hours from 11 AM to 9 PM to keep the pupil dilated. Diurnal IOP, biometry, Visante OCT, and laser flare photometry were measured before and after dilation.ResultsWe observed a significant increase in IOP after dilation, 1.85 ± 2.01 mmHg (p = 0.002). IOP elevation remained significant until about four hours after dilation. Thereafter, IOP decreased slowly and eventually reached pre-dilation level (p > 0.05). Flare values decreased, and the anterior chamber angle became wider after mydriasis.ConclusionsDilation of the pupil significantly and incidentally elevated IOP in normal subjects. Further related studies are warranted to characterize the mechanism of the increased IOP after dilation.

There was a significant decrease in corneal endothelial cell density in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma, but not in eyes with normal-tension glaucoma. Elevated intraocular pressure likely affected the decrease of corneal endothelial cell density in eyes with glaucoma.

The initial location and subsequent direction of worsening of VFD were associated with different systemic and ocular factors.

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