American journal of ophthalmology
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A newly designed visual field testing instrument may be used either binocularly, as a quick screening test, or uniocularly, for plotting field defects. During binocular testing, the patient views a single target light at various points in the binocular central field. ⋯ Further analysis of the fields is then tested uniocularly. The instrument is simply constructed, yet should provide the means for assessing visual fields quickly and accurately.
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A 24-year-old white woman convalescing from a viral upper respiratory infection suddenly developed three positive scotomas around the fixation point in her left eye. The fundus had three corresponding lesions that appeared to be characteristic of acute macular neuroretinopathy. Situated in the fovea, subtle, reddish-brown, wedge- or tear-shaped lesions were best seen with the direct ophthalmoscope using red-free light. ⋯ She had been taking oral contraceptives for many years. Although viral illness and oral contraceptives have been associated with acute macular neuroretinopathy, no etiology was proven, and no treatment is known. The patient remains symptomatic after a six-month follow-up.
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A 10-year old boy accidently splashed acrylic adhesive in his left eye. I separated the eyelids by cutting adherent eyelashes with the use of a biomicroscope for magnification illumination. Tests with rabbits demonstrated that the solvent nitromethane dissolved the adhesions but diluted the glue and led to adhesions between the tarsal portion of the eyelid and the cornea. I used acrylic adhesions successfully for a temporary relief of irritation in a patient with Bell's palsy.
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Standard retinal function tests are of limited value in assessing retinal function in eyes with opaque vitreous. We developed a method for obtaining an electroretinogram (ERG) from eyes with significant vitreous opacity by utilizing a much brighter than normal stimulating light. Of 115 eyes with vitreous opacities and good ERG responses to this bright-flash photostimulator, 47% would have been nonrecordable with a conventional ERG light source. Bright-flash ERG was often helpful in evaluating eyes with vitreous opacities for vitrectomy and was sometimes the only source of information regarding potential retinal function.