DEALING WITH HYSTERICAL BLINDNESS

This study from the University of Pennsylvania concludes:

Asking patients with a visual conversion disorder, also known as hysterical blindness, to perform a simple visual exercise over a period of days to weeks in order to recover their sight was an effective therapy

IMPLANTABLE TELESCOPE FOR MACULAR DEGENERATION PATIENTS NOW AVAILABLE

This news release from Johns Hopkins University Press announces the availability and features of the implantable telescope for use in patients with macular degeneration.

REVIEW OF PLAQUENIL RETINO-TOXICITY

This is the abstract in Clinical Rheumatology:

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), an antimalarial drug in use since 1955, is still used with great success in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosis and other rheumatological diseases. HCQ is generally well tolerated and its side effect profile confers many advantages over many other immunosuppressive agents. However, HCQ is known to induce retinopathy. Unfortunately, HCQ-induced retinopathy can present insidiously with subtle color vision changes and paracentral scotoma, which makes early detection difficult. Moreover, cessation of HCQ does not typically result in resolution of the visual loss, and vision loss may actually continue to progress even after HCQ is stopped. Therefore, identifying those patients most at risk for development of retinopathy is of the utmost importance, and adequate screening of patients taking HCQ is recommended. A brief case presentation of a patient who has developed retinal toxicity from hydroxychloroquine is provided along with a discussion regarding the characteristic retinopathy and review of current screening recommendations.

DRYNESS INCREASES IN FEMALES WEARING CONTACT LENSES AND TAKING ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES

This study in the Journal of Cornea and External Disease concluded:

Tear osmolarity was not affected by oral contraception use or contact lens use in young women. However, the combination of oral contraceptive use and contact lens wear may increase the severity of dry eye symptoms.

DIPLOPIA CAUSED BY SHINGLES VIRUS

This case study from BMC Infectious Diseases reports the following abstract:

Background

Involvement of trochlear nerve during Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) Infection has been rarely described, and always in association with skin rash.

Case presentation

We describe the case of a patient with VZV infection presenting as isolated diplopia due to fourth cranial nerve palsy. The diagnosis has been obtained through the application of a standardized molecular diagnostic panel, and diplopia resolved after specific antiviral and corticosteroid therapy.

Conclusion

This case evidences that clinicians should be aware of atypical VZV infection, even in the absence of the typical skin rash.

IOP ASSYMMETRY AND LIKELINESS OF HAVING GLAUCOMA

According to this study in the Journal of Glaucoma:

Inter-eye asymmetry of IOP is a common finding in patients with glaucoma. There is a direct relationship between the amount of IOP asymmetry between the fellow eyes and the likelihood of having glaucoma.

OUTDOOR RECESS REDUCES ONSET AND PROGRESSION OF MYOPIA

This study in Ophthalmology concludes:

Outdoor activities during class recess in school have a significant effect on myopia onset and myopic shift. Such activities have a prominent effect on the control of myopia shift, especially in nonmyopic children.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS DECREASE RISK FOR GEOGRAPHIC ATROPHY

This study in Ophthalmology concluded:

Increased self-reported dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with reduced risk of geographic atrophy and may modify genetic susceptibility for progression to geographic atrophy in macular degeneration patients. 

DEPRESSION LINKED TO "FUNCTIONAL VISION LOSS"

This study in JAMA studied the relationship between depression and vision loss.  It concludes:

"Self-reported visual function loss, rather than loss of visual acuity, is significantly associated with depression. Health professionals should be aware of the risk of depression among persons reporting visual function loss."

STUDY SUGGESTS EYE RUBBING MAY PROVOKE OR AGGRAVATE KERATOCONUS

According to this report in Medwire News:

Keratoconus is a progressive, debilitating ocular disease that is linked to abnormal or forceful eye rubbing, often with a characteristic circular motion that exerts pressure localized to the cornea.

MULTIFOCAL VS. MONOVISION CONTACT LENS CORRECTION

This study in Optometry and Vision Science compared Biofinity Multifocal contact lenses with Biofinity Monovision.  It concludes:

Multifocal contact lens correction provided satisfactory levels of visual acuity comparable with monovision without compromising stereoacuity in this crossover study.  The near and distance vision improved from 1 to 15 days with the multifocal lens, suggesting that patients adapted to the mulifocality overtime, whereas this was not true for monovison.