The British journal of ophthalmology
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We analysed the nitrous oxide composition of the intraocular gas bubble following vitrectomy and fluid-air exchange in 12 patients. Samples were taken under standardised conditions at 20 minutes after completion of the fluid-air exchange. Analysis was conducted by a Medishield MS2 mass spectrometer. ⋯ An inverse relationship was noted between the extent of retinal detachment preoperatively and the amount of nitrous oxide entering the eye. A possible explanation for this relationship is proposed. The importance of nitrous oxide movement is stressed.
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Case Reports
Pattern of arterial involvement of the head, neck, and eyes in giant cell arteritis: three case reports.
The findings of two post-mortem examinations and one CT scan of patients with biopsy proved giant cell arteritis (GCA) are presented. The presence or absence of intracranial involvement in GCA is discussed.
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A 2-year-old girl with nephropathic cystinosis was successfully treated with topical cysteamine 0.5% to one eye. Clearance of crystals from the treated cornea was virtually complete after three months. The possibilities and limitations of this form of treatment are discussed.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A double-masked evaluation of lignocaine-prilocaine cream (EMLA) used to alleviate the pain of retrobulbar injection.
A randomised, placebo controlled, double-masked study was undertaken in 115 patients undergoing cataract surgery to assess the efficacy of the anaesthetic cream EMLA (eutetic mixture of local anaesthetic, lignocaine-prilocaine) in alleviating the pain of retrobulbar injection. Sixty three patients received the EMLA cream and 52 the placebo cream. ⋯ Significantly lower pain scores were recorded in patients treated with EMLA cream (anaesthetist's observation: p less than 0.01, patient's assessment: p less than 0.006). No patients experienced serious side effects in either treatment group.
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A retrospective study was made of 314 consecutive cases of traumatic hyphaema in a mixed urban and rural Scottish population. Secondary haemorrhage occurred in 4.1% of cases and was not associated with a worsening of final visual acuity. ⋯ Poor visual outcome was in most cases attributable to retinal pathology. The use of antifibrinolytic agents does not appear to be necessary in such a population, and the importance of detecting associated retinal detachment is emphasised.