Ocular Pathology Research Articles

Contemporary insights into elamipretide's mitochondrial mechanism of action and therapeutic effects.

Contemporary insights into elamipretide's mitochondrial mechanism of action and therapeutic effects.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of orbital fractures: a sex-based cohort analysis

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of orbital fractures: a sex-based cohort analysis

Corneal esthesiometry between 2000 and 2024: A bibliometric and knowledge mapping analysis.

Corneal esthesiometry plays a key role in assessing the integrity of the ocular surface. Its importance lies in the fact that several eye and systemic conditions can alter the corneal sensitivity. This is evidenced by the emergence of new devices to measure this parameter in recent years. Publications found in Web of Science and Scopus databases from 2000 to 2024 were analyzed. Microsoft Excel, Rayyan, and VOSviewer software were used. A total of 556 articles were included in the study. Andrew JM Boulton had the greatest impact, with the highest h-index. The Centre for Contact Lens Research, School of Optometry, University of Waterloo (Canada), was the most prolific institution, with 25 articles published. The United States led the ranking of countries, with 81 publications. Six keyword clusters were identified, encompassing neurophysiology, dry eye, ocular pathology, diabetic neuropathy, structural nerve assessment, and refractive surgery. This study reports on who, why, how many, and where corneal esthesiometry has been studied, through a bibliometric analysis. The studies centered on sensory physiology, ocular surface disease, and dry eye disease. These emerging trends highlight new clinical, diagnostic, and research perspectives, which may guide future investigations and contribute to more precise strategies for the treatment of ocular surface conditions.

A contrastive study of analyzing the proficiency of different neural networks ‎for ocular diagnosis

Nowadays, eye diseases are becoming common and diagnosing them quickly and instantly can save the ‎patient'sd eyes otherwise it can lead to permanent blindness. This study compares the performance of five new ‎modern advanced neural networks that are not widely used - ConvNeXt, Swin Transformer, CoAtNet, ‎LeViT, and EfficientFormer in detecting patient eye disease. By comparing these models with each other, we ‎aim to find the most effective and accurate model for detecting eye diseases. This comprehensive study ‎undertakes an exhaustive examination of various machine learning models trained on an eye disease dataset. ‎Through a meticulous comparative analysis, we assessed these models' relative efficacies and accuracies. Our investigation aims to elucidate which architectural design performs optimally in classifying ‎ocular pathologies, thereby contributing to the advancement of more precise and expeditious diagnostic ‎modalities for eye disorders. Our research endeavors to identify the most effective neural network ‎configuration for automated eye disease classification. By conducting this in-depth comparative study, we ‎aspire to provide valuable insights into the field of medical image analysis. Our findings hold the potential to ‎inform the development of more accurate, efficient, and reliable diagnostic tools in ophthalmology. ‎Ultimately, this study seeks to enhance the quality of patient care by facilitating faster and more precise ‎diagnoses, as well as promoting early detection of ocular diseases. Our research contributes to the growing ‎body of literature on artificial intelligence applications in medical diagnostics. By systematically comparing ‎various architectures, we provide a nuanced understanding of their relative merits in addressing complex ‎visual recognition tasks in ophthalmology. This study serves as a foundation for future investigations aimed at ‎optimizing AI-driven diagnostic tools for improved patient outcomes in eye care.

Utilizing ChatGPT-3.5 to Assist Ophthalmologists in Clinical Decision-making

Purpose: ChatGPT-3.5 has the potential to assist ophthalmologists by generating a differential diagnosis based on patient presentation. Methods: One hundred ocular pathologies were tested. Each pathology had two signs and two symptoms prompted into ChatGPT-3.5 through a clinical vignette template to generate a list of four preferentially ordered differential diagnoses, denoted as Method A. Thirty of the original 100 pathologies were further subcategorized into three groups of 10: cornea, retina, and neuroophthalmology. To assess whether additional clinical information affected the accuracy of results, these subcategories were again prompted into ChatGPT-3.5 with the same previous two signs and symptoms, along with additional risk factors of age, sex, and past medical history, denoted as Method B. A one-tailed Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to compare the accuracy between Methods A and B across each subcategory (significance indicated by P < 0.05). Results: ChatGPT-3.5 correctly diagnosed 51 out of 100 cases (51.00%) as its first differential diagnosis and 18 out of 100 cases (18.00%) as a differential other than its first diagnosis. However, 31 out of 100 cases (31.00%) were not included in the differential diagnosis list. Only the subcategory of neuro-ophthalmology showed a significant increase in accuracy (P = 0.01) when prompted with the additional risk factors (Method B) compared to only two signs and two symptoms (Method A). Conclusion: These results demonstrate that ChatGPT-3.5 may help assist clinicians in suggesting possible diagnoses based on varying complex clinical information. However, its accuracy is limited, and it cannot be utilized as a replacement for clinical decision-making.

Health Care Disparities in Ocular Pathology and Oncology Lorenz Zimmerman Lecture

This manuscript is a publication of the Lorenz Zimmerman Lecture given by Paul Bryar, MD at the American Academy of Ophthalmology - American Association of Ocular Oncologists and Pathologists symposium at the 2024 American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting. Health care disparities exist in all areas of medicine, with certain groups of people in the same health system having more severe disease and worse outcomes than the general population. This is evident in life expectancy studies that demonstrated significant differences in life expectancy in different ZIP Codes within the same city. One of the largest expectancy gaps was in Chicago, with a 30-year difference in life expectancy between affluent neighborhoods versus those with higher Black and socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Analysis of Chicago area ZIP Codes found that neighborhoods with higher rates of poverty and higher minority populations had significantly higher rates of diabetes and diabetic eye disease. The reasons for this disparity are multifactorial and include prior city planning decisions that led to distinct areas with very high concentration of minorities and poverty. These areas are often located adjacent to highways, railways, and industrial areas with higher pollution. These disparities also exist in ocular cancers, with minority populations and economically disadvantaged persons having more advanced stage of cancers compared to the general population in retinoblastoma, uveal melanoma, conjunctival melanoma and ocular surface neoplasia. In addition to more advanced disease, there is evidence that certain minorities and those with lower socioeconomic status receive different treatments, such as more likelihood to have an enucleation, than others with the exact same stage of disease. From this data, it is clear that the Social Determinants of Health play an important role in severity and outcomes of disease on both the individual and population level. While our health care system must continue to develop better treatments, in many diseases the opportunity for the greatest amount improvement lies in addressing these social determinants. Health care providers and medical educators need to modify our approach to disease to include addressing the SDOH to improve both individual and population health outcomes.

EN FACE DEPTH-RESOLVED OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY MONITORING OF MACULAR OUTER RETINAL DEPOSITS IN A CASE OF MULTIFOCAL CHOROIDITIS MIMICKING SYPHILITIC UVEITIS.

Multifocal choroiditis is a rare inflammatory condition characterized by retinal and choroidal lesions that may present similarly to ocular pathology of various etiologies. Here, we present a case of multifocal choroiditis mimicking syphilitic uveitis with unique en face optical coherence tomography angiography imaging characteristics. This was a case report. A 61-year-old woman presented with blurry vision, floaters, and multiple whitish subretinal deposits on en face swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography in the left eye. Fluorescent treponemal antibody test absorption was positive, which led to the initial diagnosis of syphilitic uveitis and subsequent treatment with IV penicillin. During follow-up, optical coherence tomography angiography of the left eye revealed the development of a new choroidal neovascular membrane and new punched-out lesions in the posterior pole. The patient was eventually diagnosed with multifocal choroiditis and treated with aflibercept injections. Immune-mediated uveitis can simulate infectious and neoplastic uveitis. En face optical coherence tomography angiography is a unique imaging modality that allowed for the complete characterization and monitoring of the submacular deposits. This expands the clinical spectrum of multifocal choroiditis.

Evaluating Magnetic Stimulation as an Innovative Approach for Treating Dry Eye Disease: An Initial Safety and Efficacy Study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and preliminary efficacy of repetitive magnetic stimulation (RMS) as a treatment intervention for dry eye disease (DED), focusing on symptom reduction. Methodology: This investigation involved 22 adult participants (85% females, aged between 22 and 79 years) diagnosed with moderate-to-severe DED. These individuals were subjected to RMS treatment targeting one or both eyes using the VIVEYE-Ocular Magnetic Neurostimulation System version 1.0 (Epitech-Mag LTD; National Institute of Health (NIH) clinical trials registry #NCT03012698). A placebo-controlled group was also included for comparative analysis, with all subjects being monitored over a three-month period. The evaluation of safety encompassed monitoring changes in best corrected visual acuity, ocular pathology, and the reporting of adverse events. Participant tolerance was gauged through questionnaires, measurements of intraocular pressure (IOP), Schirmer's test, and vital signs. The efficacy of the treatment was assessed by comparing pre- and post-treatment scores for fluorescein staining (according to National Eye Institute (NEI) grading) and patient-reported outcomes. Results: No statistically significant changes were found in visual acuity, IOP, or Schirmer's test results between the RMS-treated and control groups (p < 0.05), indicating that RMS does not negatively impact these ocular functions. However, RMS treatment was associated with improved tear film stability (p = 0.19 vs. p = 0.04) and corneal health (p = 0.52 vs. p = 0.004), with no improvements in the control group. Initial symptom improvement was observed in both RMS-treated and placebo groups (p = 0.007 vs. p = 0.008), suggesting a potential therapeutic benefit of RMS for ocular surface conditions beyond a placebo effect. Conclusions: This study presents RMS as a promising therapeutic approach for DED, highlighting its potential to promote corneal epithelial repair, enhance tear film stability, and improve patient-reported symptoms without negatively impacting IOP, visual acuity, or tear production. This confirms the safety and suggests the efficacy of RMS therapy for dry eye conditions.

Impact of Glycemic Control on Amsler Grid Findings in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy in Palembang, Indonesia

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains a principal cause of vision impairment globally, frequently affecting the macula and central vision. This study aimed to investigate the association between glycemic control status and the presence of Amsler grid abnormalities in patients diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy in Palembang. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the outpatient ophthalmology and internal medicine clinics of a tertiary referral hospital in Palembang between January 2023 and December 2024. Patients aged 18 years or older with a confirmed diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus and any stage of diabetic retinopathy, capable of performing Amsler grid testing, were included after providing informed consent. Patients with other significant ocular pathologies affecting the macula or media opacities precluding fundus examination were excluded. Data collected included demographics, diabetes history, comprehensive ophthalmic examination findings, standardized Amsler grid testing results, and recent HbA1c levels. Glycemic control was categorized as good (&lt;7.0%), fair (7.0-9.0%), and poor (&gt;9.0%). Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests/Mann-Whitney U tests, and multivariable logistic regression to assess the association between HbA1c levels and abnormal Amsler grid findings, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: A total of 385 patients with DR (mean age 58.2 ± 9.5 years; 53.8% female) were included. The mean duration of diabetes was 12.4 ± 6.8 years, and the mean HbA1c was 8.9% ± 2.1%. Abnormal Amsler grid findings were reported by 161 participants (41.8%). Patients with abnormal Amsler grid findings had significantly higher mean HbA1c levels compared to those with normal findings (9.8% ± 1.9% vs. 8.3% ± 1.8%, p &lt; 0.001). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for age, diabetes duration, DR severity, and hypertension, poor glycemic control (HbA1c &gt;9.0%) was independently associated with significantly higher odds of having abnormal Amsler grid findings compared to good glycemic control (HbA1c &lt;7.0%) (Adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 3.45, 95% CI: 1.98-6.01, p &lt; 0.001). Fair glycemic control (HbA1c 7.0-9.0%) also showed increased odds, although to a lesser extent (aOR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.05-3.15, p = 0.032). Each 1% increase in HbA1c was associated with a 35% increased odds of abnormal Amsler findings. Conclusion: This study demonstrated a significant association between poorer glycemic control, as indicated by higher HbA1c levels, and the presence of abnormal Amsler grid findings among diabetic retinopathy patients in Palembang. These findings underscore the critical role of meticulous glycemic management in preserving not only retinal structure but also central visual function detectable through simple psychophysical tests. The Amsler grid serves as a valuable, accessible tool for functional monitoring in this patient population.

Isolation and Characterization of Mouse Choroidal Melanocytes and Their Proinflammatory Characteristics.

Melanocytes are a major cellular component of the choroid which aids in the maintenance of choroidal integrity and vision. Unfortunately, our knowledge regarding the cell autonomous melanocyte function, in preserving choroidal health and the ocular pathologies associated with choroidal dysfunction, remain largely unknown. The ability to culture melanocytes has advanced our knowledge regarding the origin and function of these cells in choroidal homeostasis and vision. However, the culture of murine choroid melanocytes has not been previously reported. Here, we describe a method for the isolation of melanocytes from the mouse choroid, as well as the delineation of many of their cellular characteristics, including the expression of various cell-specific markers, cell adhesion molecules, melanogenic capacity, and inflammatory responses to various extracellular stressors. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms that regulate melanocyte functions will advance our understanding of their role in choroidal homeostasis and how alterations in these functions impact ocular diseases that compromise vision.

Establishing Normative Data for Pediatric Corneal Sensitivity.

To define the normative data of corneal sensitivity in the pediatric age group, which currently lacks existing literature. The study included 122 children aged 5 to 18 years who had applied for a routine ophthalmological examination at the Ege University Department of Ophthalmology. A total of 122 right eyes were included in the study. The study excluded children with any ocular pathologies, any previous ocular surgery, a history of contact lens use, and systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Corneal sensitivity values were determined by means of a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer, applied to five distinct regions of the cornea (central, superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal). The mean age was 11.29 ± 4.6 years (range: 2 to 18 years), and the female/male ratio was 63/59. The mean corneal sensitivity values of the central cornea and four corneal regions (superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal) were 5.16 ± 0.47, 5.16 ± 0.48, 5.19 ± 0.47, 5.18 ± 0.46, and 5.18 ± 0.45 cm, respectively. A negative correlation was identified between age and corneal sensitivity. No statistically significant difference was observed in corneal sensitivity when comparing quadrants or genders (P > .05). Data delineating the typical values have been identified in adults and have been demonstrated to serve as a valuable diagnostic instrument, particularly in the context of neuropathy in diabetes. Nevertheless, to date, no normative data have been published for the pediatric age group. Therefore, this study makes a significant contribution to the field by pioneering the establishment of normative data for the pediatric age group regarding corneal sensitivity, as detected with the Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 20XX;XX(X):XXX-XXX.].

Visual and refractive outcome, higher order aberrations and complications following intraocular lens exchange in eyes without comorbidities

Intraocular lens (IOL) exchange is performed to treat severe IOL-related complications. There is little published data on the impact of this procedure on the refractive outcomes and intra- and postoperative complications, especially in otherwise healthy eyes. We investigated the refractive outcome of IOL exchange surgery, including corneal aberrations; additionally, we assessed the influence of different IOL characteristics on intraoperative and postoperative complications. This prospective clinical study included 35 eyes with homogenous IOL calcification without other ocular pathologies. Using Pentacam AXL Wave (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), target refraction compared to the postoperative spherical equivalent, corneal topography and lower and higher-order aberrations were assessed preoperatively and from 3 months after surgery. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded and compared between different IOL characteristics. The secondary IOL in 53% of cases, was a retropupillary iris-fixated Artisan Aphakia (Ophtec BV, Groningen, Netherlands), 37% had a sulcus-fixated AR40e (Johnson & Johnson Vision, Irvine, USA), and 10% had a capsular bag IOL. The CDVA improved from 0.16 ± 0.14 to 0.07 ± 0.14 logMAR (p = 0.04). In most cases, the target refraction was within ± 1.0 D (Artisan: 71%, AR40e: 90%, Capsular: 100%). IOL exchange did not induce relevant change in corneal aberrations. Anterior (81%) and posterior (78%) vitrectomy were performed in most cases. The haptic design of the primary IOL did not impact intra- or postoperative complications. Although exchanging an IOL involves greater surgery compared to the initial IOL implantation, visual and refractive outcomes are good, and the exchange does not cause relevant change in aberrations. Intra- and postoperative complications are mostly mild and resolve without sequelae.

Oculo-orbital tumor pathologies in Niger: Epidemiological, clinical, histological and therapeutic aspects over a period of 8 years

Objective: To describe the epidemioclinical, therapeutic and histological particularities of oculo-orbital tumors at Zinder National Hospital (HNZ). Methodolgy: Descriptive study with retrospective data collection over a period of eight years (2015-2023). All patient records that had consulted the HNZ ophthalmology department for ocular tumor pathology with histopathological examination were included in the study. Incomplete records, pterygiums. Results: A total of 106 patient records with ocular tumours were collected. The male gender accounted for 81.82% with an average age of 19.27 years ± 14.15. The mean time to consultation was 4.99 years with a standard deviation of 6.16 years and extremes ranging from 10 months to 29 years. Exorbitism and leukocoria were the main reasons for consultation. Tumor involvement was mostly unilateral with more palpebral and retinal localization. Treatment consisted of lumpectomy, chemotherapy and enucleation. Histologically, the tumor was malignant in 52.83%, mainly represented by retinoblastoma, dermoid cyst and squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva. Conclusion: Oculo-orbital tumors pose a problem of management in our health facilities with limited resources. Retinoblastoma is by far the most common tumor pathology. Patients consult health facilities late for various reasons. Awareness-raising measures must be undertaken for the population but also for the administrative and customary authorities to support this care. Keywords: Oculo-orbital tumors, clinical, Histology, Niger, Zinder.

Tacrolimus 0.1% Ophthalmic Suspension: Corneal and Intraocular Penetration Study.

Purpose: Topical tacrolimus is currently used in ocular surface pathologies as a corticosteroid-sparing immunosuppressive agent. It could also help prevent endothelial corneal graft rejection and inflammatory diseases; however, its hydrophobic nature and high molecular weight theoretically limit its intraocular penetration. The aim of this study is to investigate the corneal and intraocular penetration of a 0.1% tacrolimus ophthalmic suspension. Methods: Sixteen rabbits were randomly spread into four groups defined by the delay between the last tacrolimus instillation and corneal sampling (2, 6, 11, and 24 h). Three rabbits per group received bilateral instillations of tacrolimus twice daily for 5 days, the 4th subject in each group serving as negative controls. The 5th day, conjunctiva, corneal epithelium, anterior stroma, posterior stroma, corneal endothelium, iris, choroid/retina, aqueous humor, and plasma samples were collected. Tacrolimus concentrations were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Maximum mean concentration was reached after 2 h in the epithelium, anterior and posterior stroma, and endothelium: 12794 (±2656), 436 (±178), 341 (±179), and 4125 (±1673) ng/g, respectively. The descending rank order of exposure over 24 h was: corneal epithelium; corneal endothelium; conjunctiva; anterior stroma; posterior stroma; iris; and chorioretina with 158.0; 39.99; 4.620; 4.134; 3.350; 0.384; 0.270 ng.h/mg, respectively. Conclusions: Tacrolimus concentrations measured in the corneal tissues are significantly higher than that described as lower limit of efficacy in solid organ transplantation. Topical 0.1% tacrolimus could therefore become an alternative to corticosteroids for endothelial graft rejection prevention and endothelial inflammatory pathologies management.

An Uncharacteristic Case Presentation of Functional Vision Disorder

Background: Background: Functional Vision Disorder (FVD), also commonly referred to as functional vision loss (FVL) or non-organic vision loss (NOVL), is defined as a visual acuity (VA) loss and/or visual field (VF) loss, without any identifiable ocular or cortical pathology. Many clinicians look at FVD as a diagnosis of exclusion and while it is imperative to rule out organic pathology, FVD diagnosis must be supported by clinical findings that prove normal visual function. Incorporating supplementary tests specific for demonstrating the integrity of the visual system and the non-organic nature of the symptoms will allow clinicians to be more confident when diagnosing FVD. Case Report: Case Report: A 59-year-old white female presented to West Haven Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Clinic complaining of an acute isolated episode of vision loss OU lasting 30 minutes and associated with symptoms of numbness in her right upper and lower extremities. The patient had a pertinent medical history which included hypertension, hyperlipidemia, depression, borderline personality disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and multiple traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Social history revealed past substance abuse with remission for several years. Pertinent ocular history was notable for a longstanding repeatable monocular right hemianopic VF defect OD due to FVD which recently resolved spontaneously. At the present examination, a new right homonymous hemianopsia OU was confirmed with VF testing. Imaging and laboratory studies were ordered to rule out causative neurological disease and were found to be within normal limits. A thorough review of the patient’s history, clinical examination findings, ancillary testing results, as well as a comprehensive interdisciplinary management with neurology, neuro-ophthalmology, and psychiatry lead to the diagnosis of a reoccurrence of FVD. Conclusion: It is crucial not to dismiss a new neurological finding in the setting of a previously diagnosed FVD. Concurrent organic disease with FVD is common and thus warrants considerable caution on the part of the eye care provider. Distinguishing between organic and nonorganic visual complaints has important clinical implications for the patient. FVD commonly occurs in situations of psychological conflict. Timely diagnosis and appropriate referrals to manage this conflict will improve prognosis and prevent unnecessary work ups as well as help alleviate the patient’s anxiety. Co-management with a psychiatrist and neuro-ophthalmologist is often essential for diagnosis and management. This case review demonstrates an atypical presentation of FVD in which complete resolution of the VF loss was followed by an acute re-occurrence of FVD but manifesting with a different VF pattern. Emphasis will be placed on the history, clinical observation, and testing techniques utilized to aid in diagnosis of FVD as well as highlight the appropriate referral and management.

Results of the use of pharmacotherapeutic methods in the correction of iatrogenic dry eye syndrome in patients after phacoemulsification of cataracts

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of pharmaco-physiotherapeutic methods in the correction of YASSG in patients after phacoemulsification (PE) of age-related cataract. Material and methods. The randomized study involved 90 patients (90 eyes) with cataract aged 63 (58-75) years, who were diagnosed with YASSG on the first day after cataract PE. The subjects were divided into three groups (30 patients in each) depending on the treatment regimens. In the first group, patients received tear replacement therapy (LT), in the second group — an additional course of low-frequency magnetic therapy (LFMT) to the orbital region of the eye, daily for 7 days, and in the third group, together with LT, the procedure of LFMT and medicinal electrophoresis (LE) of Taufon was performed daily for 7 days. The criteria for monitoring the effectiveness of the treatment were: assessment of the ocular surface pathology index, the results of the Norn test and the Schirmer Ι test. The study parameters were monitored for 6 months. Results. The analysis of clinical efficacy showed the advantage of the extended treatment regimen using NMT and LE Taufon over other treatment methods. After treatment, regression of clinical signs of corneal-conjunctival xerosis (CCX) was observed in 33.3 % (10), 50 % (15) and 76.7 % (23) of patients in the first, second and third groups, respectively. Comparable high treatment results in the groups were determined only by the 6th month of observation. Conclusion. The use of pharmaco-physiotherapeutic methods allows for a shorter period of time to bring about regression of CCX signs, creating prerequisites for the prevention of chronic course of YASSG in patients after cataract PE.

Ocular manifestations in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

To provide a large-scale analysis on the demographics and ocular comorbidities in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) patients in the US. This is an exploratory cross-sectional study comparing medical records of EDS patients to the general population on demographic variables and ICD-10 ocular diagnoses. A research platform with de-identified EHR data of over 99 million patients across 60 healthcare organizations was utilized. Groups were stratified by 30-year age groups. Patients aged 0-61+ with an ICD-10 diagnosis of EDS (76,526), the general platform population aged 0-61+ (99,836,639), and patients with a concurrent ICD-10 ocular diagnosis were queried to determine the prevalence of EDS across demographic variables, ocular disease, and odds of ocular disease. Statistical analysis was conducted using Microsoft Excel and R studio, using p < 0.01 and 95% confidence intervals (CI). An EDS diagnosis was most prevalent in white females aged 0-30 years old (259.6 per 100,000). The majority of ocular diagnoses were more prevalent in the 0-60-year-old EDS population compared to the general population including myopia (5227.0 per 100,000) and dry eye (4211.6 per 100,000). Overall, diagnoses of angioid streaks (POR 18.72, 95% CI 10.32, 33.94) and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) (POR 18.43, 95% CI 17.51, 19.39) showed the highest increased odds in patients with EDS while significantly decreased odds were shown for type 2 diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and retinal vein occlusion. EDS was associated with increased odds of having a concurrent ocular pathology, suggesting that, upon diagnosis of EDS, referral to ophthalmology may be valuable.

PATHOLOGIES OBSERVED IN THE ORGAN OF VISION IN SOME GENETIC SYNDROMES (CLINICAL CASES)

The article presents clinical cases of ocular pathologies that we have encountered in various genetic syndromes. The object of the study were children with various rare genetic syndromes who applied to the Medical Expert Commission of the National Ophthalmology Centre named after Academician Zarifa Aliyeva in 2023. In particular, Fraser, Pierson, Maroteaux-Lamy, Warburg-Micro and Bardet-Biedl syndromes were presented, as well as pathologies that these syndromes caused in the organ of vision. It should be noted that the children were born to firstdegree consanguineous marriages. Key words: consanguineous marriages, Fraser syndrome, Pierson syndrome, Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, Warburg-Micro syndrome, Bardet-Biedl syndrome

The Conception of Fundus Multi-Disease Dataset (FMDD) using Multi-Spectral Generative Adversarial Networks

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 2.2 billion people are affected by visual impairment. Early detection and diagnosis of ocular pathologies can help predict visual impairment. Over the past twenty years, many fundus image datasets have become publicly available due to technological advances. These datasets have primarily focused on the detection of common ocular pathologies such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, and recent research in fundus diseases has highlighted the importance of detecting multiple fundus diseases. Existing datasets such as ARIA and RFMiD mainly contain images of the most common pathologies and very few images related to rare pathologies. The existing public datasets have problems in multi-disease classification, such as less data under some under-represented diseases, low-quality photos, and class imbalance among several classes. The main objective of our research is to construct a Fundus Multi-Disease Dataset (FMDD) with 20 courses of ocular diseases from publicly available datasets and with the application of Multi-Spectral Generative Adversarial Networks (MSGANs). The resulting dataset is balanced for all image classes.

An introduction to myopia

Myopia, commonly known as short-sightedness, is predicted to affect almost half the world's population by 2050. Myopia can have several negative associations, including a detrimental impact on quality of life, increased risk of ocular pathology, and other socioeconomic effects. Myopia is irreversible and lifelong; it typically progresses during childhood and the teenage years before stabilising. Some of the risk factors for myopia are modifiable, and it may be possible to identify children at risk of developing myopia before its onset. Once onset occurs, myopia management solutions (e.g. specialised lenses) are available to help slow down its progression. Healthcare practitioners can, therefore, play a key role in identifying children likely to develop myopia, encouraging lifestyle changes, and through raising awareness of myopia management strategies.