The lack of screening programs in Bulgaria is the main reason for late diagnosis of amblyopia. The "Do Good "project provided eye examination of school-aged children aged 6 to 12 years, when amblyopia is curable. This model could be used in establishing a Bulgarian national screening program.

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Cataract is a multifactorial disease with increasing prevalence with age. Adult diabetics develop cataract earlier. Lens epithelial cells (LECs) exposed to oxidative stress (ROS), increased calcium deposit and membrane damage, undergo apoptosis, which results in lens opacification. Remaining LECs post-surgery leads to posterior capsular opacification (PCO). This study's aim was to investigate the physiological characteristics of LECs from cataractous diabetic and nondiabetic lenses. Leader cells migration from age-related cataracts started on day 5-7 and from type-2 diabetics on day 8-10. Differences were found in the collective migratory activity and colony formation. On day 22, the colonies formed by LECs from age-related cataracts were three times more, than those formed by diabetic LECs. DNA synthesis and FOXM1 expression occurred in 55.76% of age-related cataract LECs, but only in 33.45% of diabetic LECs. The highest level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was found in diabetic LECs. Extracellular matrix calcification followed the same pattern as ROS. Among the main reasons for the development of age-related and diabetic cataracts is lens damage due to ROS release and elevated calcium levels. Diabetic LECs experience significantly lower in vitro migration and proliferative activities, compared to LECs from age-related cataracts. This is the first study of its kind in Bulgaria, contributing to the elucidation of the mechanisms of primary and secondary cataractogenesis in diabetic and nondiabetic adults.

Objectives: To investigate and compare the tear volume, tear film stability, Meibomian gland loss of healthy and glaucoma subjects from the Bulgarian population and to assess the relationship between clinical findings and glaucoma therapy. Methods: In this observational cross-sectional study, a random cohort of 68 subjects was enrolled and divided into patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension (POAG/OHT group; n=19) and healthy controls (HC group; n=49). Ocular surface was analysed objectively by Noninvasive tear Break-Up Time (NIBUT), Meibomian gland loss, and Schirmer test for basal secretion. In addition, Central Corneal Thickness (CCT) was measured with pachymetry. Results: Loss of Meibomian glands (39.85% ± 14.49%), as well as a decrease in Schirmer test values (7.29 mm ± 3.92 mm) and NIBUT (8.26 s ± 4.73 s), were typical in the POAG/OHT group, regardless of disease duration. Significant factors affecting the ocular surface state were age, anti-glaucoma treatment (type and duration), and the presence of preservatives. A worsening of all clinical parameters was evident in the glaucoma patients. A correlation between CCT and NIBUT was established (p=0.037; r=0.167). Conclusions: Local glaucoma treatment affects the ocular surface objective parameters according to its duration and the composition of treatment eye drops.