European journal of ophthalmology
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A comparative study of the duration and efficacy of tetracaine 1% and bupivacaine 0.75% in controlling pain following photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).
To evaluate if topical bupivacaine 0.75% provides better pain control after excimer laser over topical tetracaine 1% without affecting corneal wound healing, refractive outcome of visual function. ⋯ Contrary to our expectation, the longer acting anaesthetic, bupivacaine, was inferior to tetracaine. Limited and supervised use of topical anaesthetics is recommended in controlling pain following photorefractive keratectomy.
-
To define the spectrum of neuro-ophthalmic complications and clinical presentations of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). ⋯ In our series, two-thirds of biopsy-proven GCA patients presented with neuro-ophthalmic complications, ranging from transient visual loss to orbital infarction. Involvement of more than one orbital vascular territory is highly suggestive of an arteritic process. Clinicians should keep in mind the possibility of GCA even when ESR is normal, and fluorescein angiography should be performed. The finding of choroidal ischemia should prompt temporal artery biopsy and steroid therapy.
-
Blood flow in various tissues of the body shows spontaneous variations. The purpose of this study was to analyze variations over time in the blood flow of the optic nerve head. Blood flow was measured by the laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF) in 12 healthy volunteers, and analyzed by spectral Fourier analysis. ⋯ Oscillations in the range of breathing frequency made the smallest contribution to changes in blood flow. Fluctuations in the frequency range of 5 c/min and lower were observed most frequently, and the majority of subjects showed fluctuations of several frequencies. Our results provide evidence that blood flow in the human optic nerve head presents some characteristics already known from the general physiology of the microcirculation.