Disease Knowledge Centres

  • Eye Health and Disorders - Disease Topic Overview

    Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that encompasses the treatments of diseases of the eye and its annexes.

    The eye is the primary organ of vision and it is embryologically an extension of the central nervous system.1 It shares many common anatomical and physiological properties with the brain; both are protected by bony walls, have firm fibrous coverings and are perfused by fluids of like composition and are under equivalent pressures.1

    The human eye consists of a sphere made up of three coats; outer, middle and inner coats.1 All structures of the eye may be affected by diseases; lens, retina, cornea, or optic nerve. Some may affect vision or the appearance of the eye, but many are asymptomatic in the early stages.5 This lack of symptoms is a diagnostic problem, particularly in the case of glaucoma. Indeed, it can ruin visual fibers and eventually cause irreversible blindness. Many eye conditions are hereditary, such as refractive errors, strabismus, cataracts or glaucoma.6

    Other ocular changes may be related to systemic disorders and affect the eyes; diabetes mellitus, hypertension, infectious diseases, and rheumatic disorders.6 Diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME) are the main causes of blindness in the working age population in developed countries.4 The increasing number of people with diabetes suggests that DR and DME will continue to be major contributors of visual impairment and blindness for years to come.4

    Aging causes many changes in the eye; decrease in visual acuity and tear production, and clouding of the lens.5 Worldwide, degenerative eye diseases (age-related maculopathy (ARM), cataract, glaucoma) are the main causes of visual impairment and blindness, contributing to disability in the elderly.2 Approximately 15% of people aged 80 and over are currently living with ARM. With a more or less rapid evolution to blindness, this disease due to aging of the population is a major public health problem.3

    1. Galloway N.R. et al. Common eye diseases and their management. Springer edition. Third edition. 2006 : 217 pages.
    2. Delcourt C. et al. Nutrition and age-related eye diseases: the Alienor (Antioxydants, Lipides Essentiels, Nutrition et maladies OculaiRes) Study. Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging. December 2010 ; 14 (10) : 854-61.
    3. Combadière C. et al. CX3CR1-dependent subretinal microglia cell accumulation is associated with cardinal features of age-related macular degeneration. Journal of Clinical Investigation. October 2007 ; 117 (10) : 2920-2928.
    4. Ciulla T.A. et al. Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema: pathophysiology, screening, and novel therapies. Diabetes Care. September 2003 ; 26 (9) : 2653-64.
    5. Beers M.H. et al. The Merck manual of medical information. Merck research laboratories. Second home edition. 2003 : 1275-1319.
    6. Lang G.K. Ophthalmology: a short textbook. Thieme. 2000 : 586 pages.

Latest Multi Media

Optic Nerve Hypoplasia Update - February 2011 UCSD

Eye Health and Disorders Drug Data - A-Z English

Drug Updates

For the reduction of intraocular pressure e. Treatment of acute herpetic keratitis (dendritic and geographic ulcers). Dorzolamide/Timolol is indicated in the treatment of elevated intra-ocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or pseudo-exfoliative glaucoma when topical beta-blocker monotherapy is not sufficient.

Latest Drug News

FDA approves Zioptan (Merck Inc.)for Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension - 14-02-2012
The FDA has approved Zioptan (tafluprost opthalmic solution) from Merck Inc. for reduction of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle Glaucoma or Ocular Hypertension. The drug is also approved in the UK, Spain and Italy.
New device is FDA filed by Genentech to extend period of release of Lucentis - 16-01-2012
Lucentis(ranibizumab) from Genentech/Roche is approved in the USA for AMD and Macular Edema.The drug is administered by monthly injection into the eye. A new implantable ocular device from ForSight VISION 4 will release Lucentis over a period of months. Genetech/Roche have acquired rights to the device and Genentech has filed an application at the FDA

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Latest Journal Publications

Aim: To detect early nerve fibre layer (NFL) changes around the optic disc and macula in diabetic patients using Cirrus HD-optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: Forty normal patients without any optic nerve or retinal disease, 37 patients with diabetes with no diabetic retinopathy (NDR) and 89 patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) of differing severity were enrolled. The NFL thickness around the optic disc was measured using Cirrus HD-OCT. The NFL thickness at the macula was also determined by scanning the macula with the optic disc scanning technique. Results: The NFL thickness around the optic disc differed statistically among all groups and tended to become thinner as the degree of DR progressed. The mean, superior and inferior peripapillary NFL thickness differed among groups. As the severity of DR progressed, the mean, superior, temporal, inferior and nasal macular NFL thickness tended to become thinner. However, only the macular NFL thickness of the superior sector differed significantly among the groups and especially between the control and NDR groups. Conclusion: The difference in NFL was first detected in the superior macular region, which differed significantly between the control group and diabetic group without clinical DR. This could be detected simply by modifying the Cirrus HD-OCT scan technique to detect the NFL thickness in the macular area.
Aim: To evaluate the change in the rectus muscle volume following orbital bony wall decompression for Graves' orbitopathy. Methods: We used a computer program (syngo Volume Evaluation) to measure the rectus muscles from the digital preoperative and postoperative orbital CT. Results: Of the 25 patients (20 women and five men; mean age 46 (range 18–64) years) enrolled in the study. A significant increase (mean 0.23 ml (16.5%) of preoperative volume; p=0.005) in the volume of the medial rectus muscle (MRM) was detected postoperatively, whereas no significant changes were found in the volume of the other rectus muscles and between eyes that underwent surgery in the active and inactive phases of the disease. A significant negative association was observed between the time of postoperative CT scans and the change in the MRM volume (p=0.0004) (a mean increase of 68% of preoperative MRM volume for those measured between 3 and 9 months, and a mean decrease in the volume of 50% for those measured between 41 and 50 months). Conclusion: The change in the volume of the MRM may partly explain the variability in the proptosis reduction following orbital decompression.

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Eye Health and Disorders