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Genes Jun 2024The identification of new biomarkers of ocular diseases is nowadays of outmost importance both for early diagnosis and treatment. Epigenetics is a rapidly growing...
Extensive Contact Lens Wear Modulates Expression of miRNA-320 and miRNA-423-5p in the Human Corneal Epithelium: Possible Biomarkers of Corneal Health and Environmental Impact.
The identification of new biomarkers of ocular diseases is nowadays of outmost importance both for early diagnosis and treatment. Epigenetics is a rapidly growing emerging area of research and its involvement in the pathophysiology of ocular disease and regulatory mechanisms is of undisputable importance for diagnostic purposes. Environmental changes may impact the ocular surface, and the knowledge of induced epigenetic changes might help to elucidate the mechanisms of ocular surface disorders. In this pilot study, we investigated the impact of extensive contact lens (CL) wearing on human corneal epithelium epigenetics. We performed ex vivo analysis of the expression of the miR-320 and miR-423-5p involved in the processes of cellular apoptosis and chronic inflammation. The human corneal epithelium was harvested from healthy patients before the photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). The patients were divided into two age- and sex-matched groups accordingly to CL wearing history with no CL wearers used as a control. The epithelium was stored frozen in dry ice at -80 °C and forwarded for miRNA extraction; afterwards, miRNA levels were detected using real-time PCR. Both miRNAs were highly expressed in CL wearers ( < 0.001), suggesting epigenetic modifications occurring in chronic ocular surface stress. These preliminary results show the relationships between selected miRNA expression and the chronic ocular surface stress associated with extensive CL use. MicroRNAs might be considered as biomarkers for the diagnosis of ocular surface conditions and the impact of environmental factors on ocular surface epigenetic. Furthermore, they might be considered as new therapeutic targets in ocular surface diseases.
Topics: Humans; MicroRNAs; Epithelium, Corneal; Female; Male; Adult; Biomarkers; Contact Lenses; Pilot Projects; Epigenesis, Genetic; Gene Expression Regulation
PubMed: 38927751
DOI: 10.3390/genes15060816 -
Ceska a Slovenska Oftalmologie :... 2024To investigate the concordance between the corneal power determined by various approaches with two tomographers (MS-39® and Galilei G6®) and the clinical history...
AIMS
To investigate the concordance between the corneal power determined by various approaches with two tomographers (MS-39® and Galilei G6®) and the clinical history method (CHM) in patients undergoing photorefractive surgery with excimer laser for myopic errors.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Prospective cohort study. Patients undergoing keratorefractive surgery, and having pre- and postoperative keratometries, and tomographies, were included.
RESULTS
In 90 eyes, the differences in the power estimated by the CHM and the one determined by four approaches with the corneal tomographers, which included measurements of the posterior cornea, did not show statistically significant differences in their averages. However, the 95% limits of agreement were very wide. After obtaining regression formulas to adjust the values of these four variables, the results of the agreement analysis were similar.
CONCLUSION
Although certain values either directly determined or derived from measurements with the Galilei® and MS-39®corneal tomographers, approximated the estimated value of postoperative corneal power according to the CHM, due to the amplitude of their limits of agreement, these calculations must be taken with care, because they may not be accurate in a given eye.
Topics: Humans; Cornea; Myopia; Adult; Prospective Studies; Male; Female; Photorefractive Keratectomy; Young Adult; Corneal Topography; Lasers, Excimer; Refraction, Ocular
PubMed: 38925892
DOI: 10.31348/2024/23 -
International Ophthalmology Jun 2024To evaluate the intraoperative central corneal epithelial thickness (ET) as measured by optical coherence pachymetry (OCP) in myopic eyes undergoing alcohol-assisted...
PURPOSE
To evaluate the intraoperative central corneal epithelial thickness (ET) as measured by optical coherence pachymetry (OCP) in myopic eyes undergoing alcohol-assisted photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).
METHODS
A retrospective review of patients who underwent alcohol-assisted PRK was performed. Data were abstracted on age, gender, contact lens (CL) wear, preoperative refractive errors, keratometry, topographic and ultrasonic pachymetry, and intraoperative OCP measurements before and after epithelium removal. The central ET was calculated by subtracting OCP measurement after epithelium removal from the OCP measurement prior to epithelium removal.
RESULTS
The study comprised of 162 consecutive eyes from 81 patients. Mean age was 26.73 ± 6.47 years, 50.6% were males. CL was used in 92 eyes (56.8%). The mean sphere and spherical equivalent were -3.60 ± 1.84 D and -3.26 ± 1.85D, respectively. The mean intraoperative ET was 58.22 ± 17.53 µm (range, 15-121µm). Fifty-five percent of the eyes had an ET measurement above or below the range of 40-60µm. ET was significantly higher in the second operated eye compared to the first operated eye (p = 0.006), and an association was found to CL-wear (p = 0.03). There was no significant difference in thickness between genders (p = 0.62), and no correlation to patient age (p = 0.45, r = 0.06), refractive errors (p > 0.30,r-0.07-0.08), nor keratometry(p > 0.80, r-0.01- (-0.02)).
CONCLUSION
The intraoperative assessment of ET in alcohol-assisted PRK showed a high variability of the central corneal epithelium, with a significant difference between the first and second operated eyes. This difference may have implications when the epithelium is not included in the surgical planning in surface ablation.
Topics: Humans; Photorefractive Keratectomy; Male; Female; Adult; Retrospective Studies; Epithelium, Corneal; Myopia; Young Adult; Corneal Pachymetry; Lasers, Excimer; Intraoperative Period; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Corneal Topography; Adolescent; Refraction, Ocular; Visual Acuity
PubMed: 38916805
DOI: 10.1007/s10792-024-03154-1 -
International Ophthalmology Jun 2024To evaluate the refractive results of Transepithelial Photorefractive Keratectomy (t-PRK) with the Technolas Teneo2 Excimer laser platform. (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
PURPOSE
To evaluate the refractive results of Transepithelial Photorefractive Keratectomy (t-PRK) with the Technolas Teneo2 Excimer laser platform.
METHODS
In this retrospective comparative interventional case series, a total of 199 patients with myopia ranging from - 1 to - 7 diopters were enrolled and separated into three groups based on their target refraction of zero (group 1), - 0.25 (group 2), and - 0.5 diopters (group 3), respectively. The main outcome measure was post-operative cycloplegic refraction. Trans-PRK was performed using the Technolas Teneo2 Excimer laser. To prevent any remaining epithelium during stromal ablation, we adopted the thickest epithelial point in the 7 mm central map as the reference for Phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) depth. Patients were examined three and twelve months after the procedure, and the results were analyzed.
RESULTS
At the 12-month follow-up, uncorrected distance visual acuity was 20/20 in all patients. However, there was a significant difference in cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction between the three groups. The 12-month post-operative spherical equivalent refraction was 0.90 ± 0.33 D, 0.79 ± 0.26 D, and 0.60 ± 0.19 D in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P < 0.001; Kruskal-Wallis test). The rates of spherical equivalent refraction of more than 0.75 D were 58.3%, 39.1%, and 9.1% in the 0 D, - 0.25 D, and -0.50 D groups, respectively (P < 0.001; Chi-squared test).
CONCLUSIONS
The t-PRK with Technolas Teneo2 Excimer laser and epithelial thickness map adjustment of PTK induce a significant amount of residual hyperopia (> 0.75 D) in a large proportion of eyes with a target refraction of 0 or - 0.25, which is significantly reduced by using a target refraction of - 0.5.
Topics: Humans; Photorefractive Keratectomy; Retrospective Studies; Male; Female; Visual Acuity; Refraction, Ocular; Lasers, Excimer; Adult; Myopia; Astigmatism; Epithelium, Corneal; Young Adult; Follow-Up Studies; Treatment Outcome; Corneal Topography
PubMed: 38907885
DOI: 10.1007/s10792-024-03184-9 -
Korean Journal of Ophthalmology : KJO Jun 2024To evaluate the outcomes of wavefront-optimized (WFO) and topography-guided (TG) transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (transPRK) in the treatment of myopia and...
PURPOSE
To evaluate the outcomes of wavefront-optimized (WFO) and topography-guided (TG) transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (transPRK) in the treatment of myopia and myopic astigmatism.
METHODS
Patients who underwent transPRK using the WaveLight® EX500 excimer laser for the correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism between January 2022 and March 2023 were divided into the WFO transPRK (77 eyes of 36 patients) or TG transPRK (63 eyes of 31 patients) groups in this retrospective, observational cohort study. The pre- and postoperative 3-month refractive and visual outcomes of the two groups were analyzed.
RESULTS
The uncorrected distance visual acuity was 0.0 logMAR or better in 95% of eyes 3 months postoperatively, and the mean manifest refraction spherical equivalent was within ± 1.0 diopter (D) in 90% of eyes. No significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of the UDVA or astigmatism. A significant induction of higher-order aberrations (HOAs) was observed in both groups. However, the induction of total corneal HOAs (P = .014) and spherical aberrations (P = .000) was significantly lower in the TG group than that in the WFO group.
CONCLUSIONS
WFO and TG transPRK effectively improved the visual and refractive outcomes; however, the induction of total corneal HOAs and spherical aberration was lesser following the TG ablation.
PubMed: 38897594
DOI: 10.3341/kjo.2024.0027 -
International Journal of Ophthalmology 2024
PubMed: 38895670
DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2024.06.25 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine May 2024: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (TransPRK) performed using smart pulse technology (SPT) in myopic eyes with...
: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (TransPRK) performed using smart pulse technology (SPT) in myopic eyes with refractive error ranging from -5.25 D to -9.75 D. : This retrospective study evaluated the outcomes of SPT-assisted TransPRK in 150 eyes performed using a 1050 Hz AMARIS excimer laser. : At 6 months postoperative, 98% of eyes achieved uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) of 20/25 or better, and postoperative UDVA within one line of preoperative corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA). No eyes lost any line of CDVA. Residual spherical equivalent refraction and cylinder within ±0.50 D of intended correction were achieved in 72% and 67% of eyes, respectively. Ninety-seven percent of eyes reported no halos and glare. : TransPRK using a 1050 Hz excimer laser with SPT showed excellent predictability, safety, and efficacy for moderate to high myopia correction.
PubMed: 38892769
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13113058 -
Journal of Proteome Research Jun 2024Some patients develop persistent eye pain after refractive surgery, but factors that cause or sustain pain are unknown. We tested whether tear proteins of patients with...
Some patients develop persistent eye pain after refractive surgery, but factors that cause or sustain pain are unknown. We tested whether tear proteins of patients with pain 3 months after surgery differ from those of patients without pain. Patients undergoing refractive surgery (laser in situ keratomileusis or photorefractive keratectomy ) were recruited from 2 clinics, and tears were collected 3 months after surgery. Participants rated their eye pain using a numerical rating scale (NRS, 0-10; no pain-worst pain) at baseline, 1 day, and 3 months after surgery. Using tandem mass tag proteomic analysis, we examined tears from patients with pain [NRS ≥ 3 at 3 months ( = 16)] and patients with no pain [NRS ≤ 1 at 3 months ( = 32)] after surgery. A subset of proteins (83 of 2748 detected, 3.0%) were associated with pain 3 months after surgery. High-dimensional statistical models showed that the magnitude of differential expression was not the only important factor in classifying tear samples from pain patients. Models utilizing 3 or 4 proteins had better classification performance than single proteins and represented differences in both directions (higher or lower in pain). Thus, patterns of protein differences may serve as biomarkers of postsurgical eye pain as well as potential therapeutic targets.
PubMed: 38885176
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.4c00339 -
Cureus May 2024The purpose of this clinical report is to describe a 10-year clinical outcome of advanced surface ablation with photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in a patient who had...
The purpose of this clinical report is to describe a 10-year clinical outcome of advanced surface ablation with photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in a patient who had been previously incorrectly diagnosed with keratoconus (KC). Corneal ectasia is a rare but extremely relevant complication of laser vision correction, and KC represents a major contraindication for these procedures. Nonetheless, some surface ablation procedures, such as PRK, might be a valid option for particular patients with atypical corneal topography or subclinical or mild forms of KC. Patient education and complete preoperative refractive multimodal imaging are essential for a more conscious therapeutic decision, minimizing iatrogenic ectasia, as well as decreasing the number of patients who are incorrectly denied refractive surgery, as was the patient presented in this study.
PubMed: 38872649
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60277 -
Beyoglu Eye Journal 2024The objective of this study was to analyze the changes in the effective optical zones (EOZ) using topographic techniques on the tangential curvature difference map at...
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study was to analyze the changes in the effective optical zones (EOZ) using topographic techniques on the tangential curvature difference map at post-operative 1-year following transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (T-PRK) and to identify parameters linked to the EOZ alterations.
METHODS
The study comprised 55 eyes of 55 myopic patients who underwent T-PRK. EOZs were measured using the tangential curvature difference map of the Scheimpflug tomography system. Correlations between the EOZ alterations and relevant parameters were assessed.
RESULTS
The EOZ was significantly lower than the programmed optical zone (p<0.001). The decrease in the EOZ was significantly relevant to the decrease in mean keratometry (p=0.01, B/95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.139/0.033 and 0.244, standardized Beta: 0.346) and the increase in maximum keratometry (p=0.003, B/95% CI: 0.072/0.026 and 0.118, standardized Beta: 0.406).
CONCLUSION
The EOZ decreased in the 1 year after T-PRK in eyes with myopia. The decrease in the EOZ was correlated positively with the decrease in mean and maximum keratometry. T-PRK may be an effective and safe surgery for the correction of mild-to-moderate myopia.
PubMed: 38854896
DOI: 10.14744/bej.2024.93075