This study analyzed and evaluated the ratio of pro- and anti-inflammatory interleukin (IL) levels in blood plasma of elderly patients with sarcopenia/SO and cataract. The study included 48 patients aged 60-74 years with SO and cataract (group 1) and 54 patients aged 60-74 years with sarcopenia and cataract (group 2) who underwent inpatient examination and treatment at the Tambov branch of the S.N. Fedorov National Medical Research Center "MNTK "Eye Microsurgery" in 2023-2024. Plasma levels of IL-1α, -1β, -4, -5, -6, -7, -8, -9, -10, -12, -17, and IL-18 were measured using flow cytometry. The control group included 32 patients aged 60-74 years without sarcopenia/SO and ophthalmic pathology. The study revealed that in elderly patients with cataract, a pronounced increase in pro-inflammatory and a decrease in anti-inflammatory IL plasma levels contributes to the transition from sarcopenia to SO. Plasma IL-6 levels in group 1 patients reached 22.3±2.0 pg/mL compared with 4.9±0.6 pg/mL in the control group (p<0.001). Development of SO in elderly patients with age-associated ocular pathology was also associated with an increase in IL-8 concentrations to 36.4±3.3 pg/mL and IL-17 to 20.5±1.6 pg/mL (p<0.001 for both). Plasma levels of anti-inflammatory ILs were significantly lower (p<0.01) in patients with SO and cataract: for IL-4 it was 2.1±0.2 pg/mL, for IL-10 - 9.4±0.4 pg/mL. The identified features of comorbidity of age-associated ophthalmic pathology (cataract) and sarcopenic disorders may have certain clinical significance. In particular, the observed associations may provide a basis for developing recommendations by nutritionists/dietitians and ophthalmologists for these patients regarding dietary and lifestyle modifications.

This study aimed to assess the changes in structural and functional characteristics of the visual analyzer in patients with advanced primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in the course of long-term regular use of Retinalamin (Geropharm, Russia). The study was conducted from 2022 to 2024 at two clinical centers: the M.M. Krasnov Research Institute of Eye Diseases and the Chelyabinsk Glaucoma Center. This multicenter cohort prospective study examined the structural and functional parameters of the visual analyzer in patients with advanced POAG during long-term regular use of Retinalamin. At baseline, all patients in both groups had achieved target intraocular pressure (IOP) through surgical and/or medical treatment, which remained stable throughout the follow-up period. Long-term neuroretinoprotective therapy with Retinalamin (Geropharm, Russia) in patients with advanced POAG is justified when administered regularly and the intraocular pressure is stable and well controlled.

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the developed surgical technique for primary small- and medium-sized FTMHs that preserves the intact internal limiting membrane (ILM) of the retina in the papillomacular bundle (PMB) area of the nerve fibers (keyhole technique). The study included 72 patients who underwent surgery for retinal FTMH between 2021 and 2023. The subjects were divided into two groups: the main group (41 patients) and the control group (31 patients). In all cases, a standard three-port vitrectomy was performed. ILM peeling was carried out through sequential, targeted removal of its local areas concentrically to the macular hole. In the main group, the ILM in the projection of the PMB was preserved intact, in contrast to the surgical technique used in the control group. The follow-up period lasted up to 12 months after surgery. Anatomical closure of the FTMH was achieved in all patients. The main group demonstrated a more pronounced positive dynamic across all functional parameters compared to the control group. Intergroup differences were statistically significant (except for visual acuity), indicating significantly more favorable therapeutic outcomes in the main group. The proposed surgical technique for primary FTMHs with a minimal diameter of no more than 400 μm with preservation of the intact papillomacular area of the retina provides better anatomical and functional outcomes in comparison with the method that involves peeling of the ILM around the macular hole in a concentric pattern.

This study aimed to investigate the features of autonomic regulation in children with habitual excessive accommodation (HEA). A total of 104 children aged 6-17 years were examined: the main group comprised 54 patients with HEA and the control group included 50 children without this disorder. Mean manifest spherical equivalent was -1.75±0.60 D in the main group and -0.85±0.50 D in the control group (p<0.001); cycloplegic spherical equivalent was -0.72±0.52 D and -0.45±0.46 D, respectively (p<0.01). Ophthalmological examination included assessment of accommodative functions, pupil diameter, and cardiointervalography (CIG). Children with HEA had lower accommodative amplitude (8.6±1.9 vs. 11.2±2.1 D), reserve (1.4±0.6 vs. 2.6±0.7 D), and facility (5.3±1.8 vs. 9.1±2.0 cycles/min; p<0.01), as well as lower (p<0.001) parasympathetic heart rate variability (HRV) indices - standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), percentage of NN intervals >50 ms (pNN50), and high-frequency power (HF), while sympathetic markers - low-frequency power (LF), sympathovagal index (LF/HF), and stress index (SI) - were higher (p<0.001). Pupil diameter was smaller (3.96±0.75 vs. 5.04±0.49 mm; p<0.001). The amplitude of accommodative miosis (Δ_accom) correlated positively with LF/HF (r=0.34) and negatively with SDNN and HF (r≈-0.34; p<0.05). Autonomic imbalance was most pronounced at ages 14-17 and in grade 3 HEA (LF/HF=2.67±0.3; SI=200±35). HEA is associated with reduced parasympathetic and increased sympathetic activity. Cardiointervalography and pupillometry are informative for early detection of autonomic maladaptation.

This study investigated the association between monocyte telomere length and retinal parameters in different forms of AMD, as well as in patients receiving antiangiogenic therapy. Monocyte telomere length was measured in 84 patients (mean age 79±9 years) divided into four groups: non-exudative AMD with geographic atrophy (neAMD-GA), neovascular AMD (nAMD) with macular atrophy (nAMD-MA), nAMD without MA, and controls. Monocytes were isolated using immunomagnetic separation, and telomere length was determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Retinal parameters were assessed via optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the macular region. Significant telomere shortening was observed in AMD compared to the controls (p<0.05). In the nAMD-MA group, telomere length correlated positively with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after treatment (rs=0.661; p=0.0014) and the type of atrophy (p<0.0001); shorter telomeres were associated with greater BCVA decline after therapy (rs=-0.452; p=0.0419). In nAMD without MA, telomere length correlated with reduced height of neuroepithelial detachment (NED) under anti-VEGF treatment (rs=0.50; p=0.0252). No significant associations were found in the neAMD-GA and control groups. These findings highlight monocyte telomere length as a potential biomarker for predicting macular atrophy progression and treatment outcomes in AMD. Further research is needed to confirm these associations and to explore sex/ethnic disparities in telomere length in this disease.

To study the biomechanical properties of the corneal stroma removed during small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) in myopia with varying axial length (AL). The study included 122 lenticules (stromal corneal fragments) obtained from patients aged 17-47 years during SMILE refractive correction for myopia. The preoperative spherical equivalent ranged from -0.75 to -13.25 D, and the AL varied between 22.64 and 29.05 mm. Baseline central corneal thickness (CCT) was 493.00-622.00 μm (mean 560.64±25.62 μm). Measurements were performed using a Bruker Bioscope Resolve atomic force microscope (Bruker, USA). Selective assessment of the Young's modulus (Y) for the anterior and posterior lenticule surfaces revealed comparable values (medians 51.00 and 53.60 kPa; minimum-maximum range 5.20-222.00 and 7.30-214.30 kPa, respectively). Analysis of the relationship between Y values and axial length showed a statistically significant but weak positive correlation for the anterior surface, in contrast to the posterior surface. A statistically significant inverse correlation was observed between Y and CCT: weak for the anterior surface and moderate for the posterior surface. Corneal fragments obtained during SMILE myopia correction provide a valuable model for biomechanical testing of the corneal stroma under conditions closely resembling in vivo physiology. The Young's modulus values for the anterior and posterior lenticule surfaces were comparable and significantly correlated. The weak correlation between lenticule stiffness and axial length indirectly suggests minimal corneal biomechanical alterations associated with fibrous coat enlargement. The potential relationship between CCT and stromal biomechanics requires further investigation.

This study aimed to investigate the local mechanical properties and determine the Young's modulus (Y) of corneal lenticules (stromal layer fragments) using scanning ion-conductance microscopy (SICM) in patients with myopia and myopic astigmatism who underwent femtosecond laser surgery using the corneal lenticule extraction for advance refractive correction (CLEAR) technique. The study included 19 patients aged 21-48 years, comprising 11 men (58%) and 8 women (42%) (38 eyes), from whom 34 lenticules were extracted. Participants were divided into two groups: group 1 - patients aged 26-36 years, and group 2 - patients aged 41-48 years. The analysis of extracted lenticules was performed 6-10 hours postoperatively. The preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative parameters were as follows: spherical equivalent from -1.75 to -8.25 D, cylindrical component from -0.0 to -1.75 D, central corneal thickness 511-607 μm, lenticule thickness 78-159 μm, percentage of tissue altered (PTA) index 33.1-47.1, and posterior lenticule surface depth 288-402 μm. In group 1, the Young's modulus values of stromal fibrils (at a depth of 302-402 μm) ranged from 128.7 to 920 Pa, whereas in group 2 (depth 288-377 μm), the values ranged from 252.2 to 641.1 Pa. For the first time, the biomechanical properties of the fibrils in the middle stroma were studied in vivo and described using the Young's modulus. Elasticity was higher in the lenticules extracted from patients aged 21-36 years than in those from patients aged 41-48 years.

This study aimed to evaluate tear film (TF) status and meibomian gland (MG) function in SND. The study included 196 patients (386 eyes) with typical clinical features of SND (the main group) and 50 nominally healthy individuals (100 eyes) who underwent routine ophthalmic screening (the control group). The mean age in the study group was 48.0±12.7 years, with women comprising 85% of participants. Keratotopography and the dry eye disease (DED) diagnostic system were used to assess the first tear film break-up time (FTBUT) and the average tear film break-up time (ATBUT), tear meniscus height, lipid layer thickness, degree of MG loss (atrophy), eyelid margin condition, and conjunctival/limbal hyperemia. All patients in the study group exhibited DED and grade 2-3 meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD); FTBUT and ATBUT were 5.2±1.5 s and 6.4±1.7 s, respectively. In the control group, mean FTBUT (11.4±3.7 s) and ATBUT (12.2±4.1 s) values were within normal limits, and MG atrophy corresponded to grade 1 MGD, showing statistically significant differences from the study group. No significant intergroup differences were found in tear meniscus height (21.2±4.3 mm vs. 22.4±3.6 mm), lipid layer thickness (41.3±1.6 nm vs. 56.6±1.4 nm), eyelid margin and conjunctival/limbal hyperemia. SND predominantly affects women aged 45-50 years. The main risk factor for the disease is stage II-III MGD (MG atrophy of more than ⅓), accompanied by DED. Significant irregularity of the corneal surface in SND further exacerbates the course of DED.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the dynamics of myopia progression in children wearing newly prescribed spectacles with highly aspherical lenslets (HAL) and the early choroidal response to this optical correction. The study included 36 children (72 eyes) aged 7-13 years (mean age 10.41±1.14 years) with myopia of 3.74±0.64 D who wore HAL spectacle lenses for 12 months. Based on the choroidal response after the first month of optical correction, patients were divided into two groups: group 1 included 24 children (48 eyes) with an increase in CT of ≥5 µm, and group 2 consisted of 12 children (24 eyes) in which CT either did not change or decreased. Changes in AL and refractive error were assessed after one year. In group 1 (CT increase), refractive progression was 0.03±0.3 D and axial elongation was 0.04±0.16 mm after one year; in group 2, these values were 0.12±0.2 D and 0.18±0.2 mm, respectively (p<0.05). Early increase in CT was associated with greater stability of refractive error and AL during one year of follow-up. The early response of the choroid may serve as a predictor of further treatment effectiveness and a criterion for selecting myopia control strategies.

Functional and anatomical problems associated with lower eyelid retraction (LER) can significantly affect the patient's vision and quality of life. Numerous methods have been proposed for correcting the position and contour of the lower eyelid; however, surgical management is often challenging and insufficiently effective. One of the widely used approaches is the release of lower eyelid retractors with the use of a spacer graft. This article reviews literature on available spacers for correcting lower eyelid position.