Ophthalmology Commons^™

The Role Of Lumbar Puncture And Pressure.Lowering Therapy For Transverse Dural Sinus Thrombosis, Joshua Grant, Andrew Carey, Curtis Margo, Murtagh Reed, Mitchell Drucker

Ophthalmology Faculty Publications

Transverse (lateral) sinus thrombosis is a well-known complication of acute otitis media and mastoiditis in the pediatric and adult population. Thrombosis involving the transverse sinus can ultimately cause elevation of intracranial pressure (ICP) as a result of decreased cerebrospinal fluid absorption. If treatment to lower ICP is not undertaken, it can lead to ophthalmological complications including irreversible vision loss. The following case report describes an 11-year-old girl who was diagnosed with AOM by her pediatrician and subsequently presented to the emergency department complaining of nausea, vomiting, headache, and diplopia.

Bmp7 Gene Transfer Via Gold Nanoparticles Into Stroma Inhibits Corneal Fibrosis In Vivo, Ashish Tandon, Ajay Sharma, Jason T. Rodier, Alexander M. Klibanov, Frank G. Rieger, Rajiv R. Mohan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

This study examined the effects of BMP7 gene transfer on corneal wound healing and fibrosis inhibition in vivo using a rabbit model. Corneal haze in rabbits was produced with the excimer laser performing -9 diopters photorefractive keratectomy. BMP7 gene was introduced into rabbit keratocytes by polyethylimine-conjugated gold nanoparticles (PEI2- GNPs) transfection solution single 5-minute topical application on the eye. Corneal haze and ocular health in live animals was gauged with stereo- and slit-lamp biomicroscopy. The levels of fibrosis [a-smooth muscle actin (aSMA), F-actin and fibronectin], immune reaction (CD11b and F4/80), keratocyte apoptosis (TUNEL), calcification (alizarin red, vonKossa and osteocalcin), and …

Therapies For Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Current Approaches And Pharmacologic Agents In Development., Mostafa Hanout, Daniel Ferraz, Mehreen Ansari, Natasha Maqsood, Saleema Kherani, Yasir J. Sepah, Nithya Rajagopalan, Mohamed Ibrahim, Diana V. Do, Quan Dong Nguyen

Journal Articles: Ophthalmology

As one of the leading causes of blindness, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has remained at the epicenter of clinical research in ophthalmology. During the past decade, focus of researchers has ranged from understanding the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the angiogenic cascades to developing new therapies for retinal vascular diseases. Anti-VEGF agents such as ranibizumab and aflibercept are becoming increasingly well-established therapies and have replaced earlier approaches such as laser photocoagulation or photodynamic therapy. Many other new therapeutic agents, which are in the early phase clinical trials, have shown promising results. The purpose of this paper is …

Vascular Disrupting Agent For Neovascular Age Related Macular Degeneration: A Pilot Study Of The Safety And Efficacy Of Intravenous Combretastatin A-4 Phosphate, Mohamed A. Ibrahim, Diana V. Do, Yasir J. Sepah, Syed M. Shah, Elizabeth Van Anden, Gulnar Hafiz, J. Kevin Donahue, Richard Rivers, Jai Balkissoon, James T. Handa, Peter A. Campochiaro, Quan Dong Nguyen

Journal Articles: Ophthalmology

BACKGROUND:

This study was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of intravenous infusion of CA4P in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

METHODS:

Prospective, interventional, dose-escalation clinical trial. Eight patients with neovascular AMD refractory to at least 2 sessions of photodynamic therapy received CA4P at a dose of 27 or 36 mg/m2 as weekly intravenous infusion for 4 consecutive weeks. Safety was monitored by vital signs, ocular and physical examinations, electrocardiogram, routine laboratory tests, and collection of adverse events. Efficacy was assessed using retinal fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography, and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

RESULTS:

The …

Improving Diabetic Retinopathy Screening In Africa: Patient Satisfaction With Teleophthalmology Versus Ophthalmologist-Based Screening, K. Kurji, D. Kiage, C. J. Rudnisky, K. F. Damji

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Purpose: To assess patient preference for diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening with teleophthalmology or face-to-face ophthalmologist evaluation in Nairobi, Kenya.

Materials and Methods: Fifty seven diabetic patients from a one-stop multidisciplinary diabetic clinic (consisting of a diabetologist, nurse educator, foot specialist, nutritionist, ophthalmologist, and neurologist) in Nairobi, Kenya were included if they had undergone both a teleophthalmology (stereoscopic digital retinal photographs graded by an ophthalmologist remotely) and a traditional clinical screening exam (face to face examination). A structured questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale was developed in both English and Swahili. The questionnaire was administered over the telephone. Ten questions were …

Observations On Eye Care In Lamu, Kenya: Overlooked Needs And Proposed Interventions, Erick Henderson, Rebecca Gearhart

Scholarship

These notes draw attention to the underserved eye care needs of residents of Lamu, Kenya. They are comprised of observations that we, Rebecca Gearhart, an anthropology professor at Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) and Erick Henderson, an IWU biology and pre-optometry major and president of the Optometry Club, made while volunteering at a clinic in Lamu, Kenya during the summer of 2011. Plans to establish a temporary eye clinic emerged after Rebecca discovered that Erick was an optometric technician who might use his portable optometry lens set to fit residents of Lamu Town on Lamu Island for glasses and teach them …

Corneal Gene Therapy: Basic Science And Translational Perspective, Rajiv R. Mohan, Jason T. Rodier, Ajay Sharma

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Corneal blindness is the third leading cause of blindness worldwide. Gene therapy is an emerging technology for corneal blindness due to the accessibility and immune-privileged nature of the cornea, ease of vector administration and visual monitoring, and ability to perform frequent noninvasive corneal assessment. Vision restoration by gene therapy is contingent upon vector and mode of therapeutic gene introduction into targeted cells/tissues. Numerous efficacious vectors, delivery techniques, and approaches have evolved in last decade for developing gene-based interventions for corneal diseases. Maximizing the potential benefits of gene therapy requires efficient and sustained therapeutic gene expression in target cells, low toxicity, …