Development Of Retinal Lesions Research Articles

Ocular Lesions in Red-Tailed Hawks ( Buteo jamaicensis) With Naturally Acquired West Nile Disease.

Ocular lesions are common in red-tailed hawks with West Nile (WN) disease. These lesions consist of pectenitis, choroidal or retinal inflammation, or retinal necrosis, but detailed investigation of the ocular lesions is lacking. Postmortem examination of the eyes of 16 red-tailed hawks with naturally acquired WN disease and 3 red-tailed hawks without WN disease was performed using histopathology, immunohistochemistry for West Nile virus (WNV) antigen, glial fibrillary acid protein, cleaved caspase-3, and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling method. Retinal lesions were classified as type I or type II lesions. Type I lesions were characterized by lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates in the subjacent choroid with degeneration limited to the outer retina (type Ia lesion) or with degeneration and necrosis of the outer retina or outer and inner retina (type Ib lesion) while retinal collapse, atrophy, and scarring were hallmarks of type II lesions. Type II retinal lesions were associated with a more pronounced choroiditis. Although not statistically significant, WNV antigen tended to be present in larger quantity in type Ib lesions. Type I lesions are considered acute while type II lesions are chronic. The development of retinal lesions was associated with the presence of an inflammatory infiltrate in the choroid. A breakdown of the blood-retina barrier is suspected to be the main route of infection of the retina. Within the retina, virus appeared to spread via both neuronal and Müller cell processes.

Optical sensors for clinical ocular fluorometry

Abstract The subject of Clinical Ocular Fluorometry is reviewed. The initial chapters deal with the basic principles of ocular flurometry and review the most recent efforts on harmonization and standardization of the various techniques available. The techniques and applications of ocular fluorometry using fluorescein as an exogenous tracer and the techniques and applications of ocular fluorometry looking at the natural fluorescence of ocular tissues are reviewed extensively, with special emphasis being given to their interpretation and present and potential clinical applications. Finally, new developments in optical sensor systems and future directions for clinical ocular fluorometry are analyzed. Recent developments in new optical sensors for fluorometry offer much promise. Topographic imaging vitreous fluorometry is expected to clarify the relationship between the alteration of the blood-retinal barrier and the development of retinal lesions. New sensor systems for noninvasive measurement of naturally occurring fluorophores in the cornea, lens and retina are expected to contribute to such clinically important areas as diabetic ocular complications, measurement of cataract formation and characterization of retinal degenerations. The transfer to routine clinical practice of ocular fluorometry, using fluorescein as the tracer, is considered to depend on simpler and easily available instrumentation together with the adoption of methodologies avoiding blood sampling and involving oral administration of fluorescine.