Active clinical trials for "Eye Diseases"

The aim of this study is to evaluate the anatomical and refractive parameters following a single-step transepithelial photo-refractive keratectomy (T-PRK) without the addition of mitomycin-C for the treatment of high myopia of 6 diopters or more.

Ophthalmologic damages secondary to COVID-19 coronavirus infection are little described. The ocular involvement is probably multiple, ranging from pathologies of the anterior segment such as conjunctivitis and anterior uveitis to disorders that threaten vision such as retinitis or optic neuropathy. On the other hand, in addition to this impairment, when patients are hospitalized for acute respiratory failure, complications related to possible resuscitation, medication prescriptions, positioning and oxygenation. COVID-19 itself, has several components: An apoptotic action of the viral attack which will generate cellular destruction, whether pulmonary, cardiac or renal or maybe ocular A secondary autoimmune action with the development of major vascular inflammation, possibly reaching the retinal, choroidal, and optic nerve vessels. A secondary "hyper" inflammatory syndrome with flashing hypercytokinemia and multi-organ decompensation is described in 3,7% to 4 ,3% of severe cases. A thromboembolic action

High doses of intravenous (iv.) glucocorticoids (GCs) are commonly used as a treatment for many autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. According to the European Group on Graves' Orbitopathy (EUGOGO) guidelines, intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) is an accepted first-line agent for active, moderate-to-severe and very severe Graves' orbitopathy (GO). This treatment is proven to be more efficient and safer than oral GCs. However, some patients may experience adverse cardiovascular effects during the administration of iv. GCs, which in rare cases may even be fatal. There are limited data, mostly obtained from case reports, reporting the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias, acute myocardial infarction or heart failure. Increased heart rhythm (HR) has drawn attention of researchers as a possible adverse effect correlated with IVMP. During this study, investigators performed 72-hours of Holter ECG and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) to evaluate the impact of IVMP on patients with moderate-to-severe GO, concerning HR and blood pressure (BP) changes. In order to elucidate possible mechanism of observed changes, researchers investigated the level of potassium in serum and urine and catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine) in serum. All patients were treated routinely according to EUGOGO recommendations with standard doses of methylprednisolone with standard recommended schedule. Inclusion criterion for the therapy was according to EUGOGO guidelines active, moderate-to-severe and active GO (12 pulses of IVMP 6x0.5g followed by 6x0.25g every week).

This observational pilot-study is intended to collect outcome data from a cohort of 30 patients suffering from hyper-evaporative dry eye disease who are treated with the medical device NovaTears® eye drops for a duration of 5 to 7 weeks.

The investigators have recently observed retrospectively that the occurrence of Graves' Orbitopathy in patients with Graves' disease is less frequent in patients with normal cholesterol levels, in line with another recent observation suggesting that statins play a protective role in Graves' patients from developing Graves' Orbitopathy. The present study is designed in order to investigate the possible association between Graves' Orbitopathy and high cholesterol level as well as the relation between Graves' Orbitopathy degree and high cholesterol level

These exams are vital to protect healthy neonates from blindness. The purpose of this study is to better screen ocular disease in otherwise healthy neonates using wide-field digital imaging system (RetCam III) in a multi-center network in China leaded by Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. The multi-center network will be built with the collaboration of eight hospitals from different parts of China.

This study will test and compare computerized and paper versions of eye questionnaires. Questionnaires are used in medicine to gain a better understanding of how a disease can impact a person's quality of life. Computerized versions of such questionnaires are often as good as or better than paper versions, but there has been no direct comparison of the two. This study may help in the development of eye questionnaires used to understand symptoms and monitor patients in clinical trials. People 21 years of age and older with ocular surface disease (OSD) and matched control subjects without OSD may be eligible for this study. All participants undergo the following procedures: Medical and eye history. Vision test and examination of the front part of the eye. Tear measurement: A small piece of paper is placed on the surface of the eye to measure the amount of tears produced. The consistency of the tears is measured by looking at how fast they evaporate from the surface of the eye. Completion of either paper-based or computer-based version of a questionnaire 15 minutes after the eye examination and completion of the other version within 1 week at home. (Subjects who complete the paper version in the clinic are told how to access the computer version online at home or on a library computer; those who complete the computer version in the clinic are given a paper version to take home.)

The benefits of artificial tears to relieve dry eye symptoms include, but are not limited to: stabilizing the tear film layer, fluid supplement action, improving visual acuity, and comfort. Studies have found a relationship between some of these benefits. For example, stabilization of the tear film is important not only to increase the tear break up time (TBUT), but is key in improving and maintaining visual acuity. These studies have alluded to the fact that there may or may not be a relationship between residence time and visual performance. Viscosity is one reason behind the uncertainty. Some solutions contain polymers which influence the ocular surface when contacted. This can impact residence time and ultimately visual performance. No prior research has explored the direct relationship between residence time and visual performance. Residence time refers to the duration at which the artificial tear resides on the eye. Methods have been developed to assess residence time by admixing fluorescent tracers to the solution and then measuring the amount of fluorescence over time. The caveat to methods using certain tracers has lead to uncertainty in elimination measurements due to corneal penetration or differing molecular weights (MW) from the active vehicle ingredient in the solution. For example, low-MW tracers can be eliminated at a different rate than higher-MW polymers. In addition, the low-MW tracers may be able to penetrate the corneal epithelium giving a false pre-corneal residence time. Meadows, Paugh, Joshi, and Mordaunt addressed this issue by developing a technique using a polymer which did not penetrate the cornea and had the same MW as the active ingredient in the solution FITC-dextran. Based on the assumption that similar weights are eliminated at the same rate, this technique has shown to be more economic, manageable, and amendable than previous procedures measuring residence time. Any ophthalmic drop has the potential to impact visual acuity upon instillation due to the effect it has on the tear layer components. Studies have observed that taking artificial tears continuously over time tends to stabilize the tear layer thus minimizing the immediate drop in contrast sensitivity upon instillation. Measuring the visual effect of artificial tears, using contrast sensitivity as a measure, provides valuable information about the therapeutic effect of artificial tears that are meant to stabilize the tear film, thus improving visual acuity in dry eye patients. But what about the patient? There is a difference between residence time and retention of effect- which is often what matters the most for patients. Retention of effect refers to the beneficial effect of the drop. Currently there is no real measure of retention of effect. Doctors can assess the tear film objectively, but there have been no strong correlations between subjective dry symptoms and tear film stability. A possible reason for the lack of correlation may be due to the fact that subjectivity is difficult to quantify. However, scales like the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) have been established in an attempt to quantify subjective experiences such as visual quality. We will be using the NRS to gauge the comfort of the drop upon the initial application to get a general idea of the comfort the drop provides to the user. Although there have been several studies done on residence time and visual effect of ophthalmic formulations separately, there is no current research correlating these two aspects of therapeutic efficacy. This study will be the first to concurrently investigate residence time (using FITC-dextran) and visual effect of an ophthalmic formulation.

This study will evaluate whether therapy that suppresses the immune system given to treat inflammatory diseases of the eye is associated with a greater risk of death and of cancer. Inflammatory diseases of the eye, including uveitis, scleritis, and mucous membrane pemphigoid, are major blinding diseases. For some patients, treatment with corticosteroids is not enough to control the diseases. Researchers expect to gain information about whether immunosuppressive therapy is suitable for patients and which substances should be avoided. Also, the study will evaluate the frequency of short-term complications with immunosuppressive therapy as well as benefits that the therapy can bring to treatment of eye diseases. The medical charts of patients up to age 65 (median age range of 21 to 65) who have had an inflammatory, noninfectious eye disease may be examined for this study. A database will be constructed through a chart review of patients seen in the uveitis clinic of the National Eye Institute since 1977 and three other sites. Patients who are considered exposed to immunosuppressive therapies will be compared with two groups: the general U.S. population and an internal group of patients with the same inflammatory eye diseases who did not receive immunosuppression. Data regarding about 10,000 to 15,000 patients will be collected. Patients will not be identified by the chart reviews. The incidence of cancer will be examined as well as the outcomes of immosuppressive therapy as measured by control of the eye disease, visual sharpness, changes in the use of corticosteroids, and rates of remission-when disease symptoms are lessened. Also examined will be medical charts of a control group of patients who did not receive immunosuppressive therapy for their uveitis. Data on cancer incidence would be more difficult to obtain, requiring personal contact with patients. In such situations, patients will be contacted by phone or mail, and those providing informed consent will be asked about their medical history, including previous occurrence of cancer and other conditions. For patients who have died, the researchers will attempt to communicate with the next of kin regarding this medical information.

To evaluate the accuracy of virtual visual field (VVF) headsets equipped the standard visual field software in its ability to assess visual function in various retinal, glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmic disorders by comparing retinal fundus and optic nerve images, optical coherence tomography and neuroimages to the VVF produced. To test the null hypothesis that VVF testing compares favorably to the gold standard, Humphrey visual field (HVF) by comparing testing time, mean sensitivity, markers of reliability including false positives and negatives and fixation losses and global indices such as mean deviation and pattern standard deviation.