A standardized visual acuity technique is presented for use in anti-cataract drug trials. Ferris Logmar charts were used in repeatability studies of vision, visual acuity and pinhole visual acuity measurements for twenty normal subjects (mean (+/- SD) age 64 +/- 6.3 years). Visual acuity measurements were shown to be the most repeatable and thought to be the most suitable for monitoring cataract progression. Repeated visual acuity measurements were made on 29 cataractous eyes of 15 subjects (mean (+/- SD) age 67.8 +/- 7.2 years). A Logmar score change of 0.1 (one line) was shown to be a statistically significant change. This value can be used in statistical analyses of drug efficacy. The normal data gives a mean Logmar visual acuity of 1.15 (Snellen equivalent 6/5). This indicates the inadequacy of using 6/6 as a norm value for visual acuity, even for older patients. As the possibility of reversal of cataract theoretically exists in the early stages of cortical and capsular cataracts, patients with small amounts of these types of cataract are ideal patients for anti-cataract formulation trials. The normal visual acuity results indicate that the inclusion criteria for clinical trials can include patients with cataracts with visual acuity as good as 6/6.
Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a unique cancer therapy characterized by its novelty, intensity, and toxicity. Although families have been identified as having a critical influence on patient adaptation during the acute phase of BMT, minimal attention has been paid to their experiences during extended survivorship. This article reviews findings from a descriptive study on quality of life in primary caregivers of adult autologous bone marrow transplantation (AuBMT) survivors after acute hospitalization. Caregiver perceptions of their survival are delineated in an effort to characterize the dynamics of family recovery after BMT. Specifically, caregivers of AuBMT survivors require ongoing assistance to maintain their primary support role after BMT.
The relationship between corneal curvature measured by classical keratometry and refractive error raises the question of a possible systematic relationship between refractive error and the degree of corneal asphericity. A recomputation and analysis of previously published data leads to the conclusion that the different refractive groups have similar values of the parameter 'p' and differ only in the apical radius of the cornea.
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