This issue of Acta (2007)

This issue of Acta emphasizes retinal disease, with a particular focus on the development of new treatment modalities. Two editorials − by Morten la Cour and Anders Kvanta, respectively − deal with emerging new treatments. Our review article is a critical appraisal of new therapies for neovascular age-related macular degeneration and is written by Italian and American ophthalmologists. The cover figure shows a magnetic resonance image of a large inclusion cyst in the orbit (see Hussin et al.). Martin Vinten and colleagues, in Copenhagen, report that intravitreal triamcinolone constricts the retinal blood vessels. This pharmacological effect of triamcinolone may be important in its mechanism of action in diabetic macular oedema and other diseases. Ålborg's Knudsen documents the thickness of the macular region in normal subjects and those with diabetes with and without macular oedema and demonstrates that thickness measurements can indeed be used to diagnose diffuse macular oedema. Neubauer et al., based in Munich and Thessaloniki, describe findings of a correlation between fluorescein leakage and retinal thickening on optical coherence tomography in patients with diabetic macular oedema. Eydís Ólafsdottir and associates, in Iceland and Sweden, report on the diabetes population in the Laxå community in Sweden, where screening for both diabetes mellitus and diabetic eye disease has created an optimal situation for the prevention of diabetic blindness. Helsinki's Sirpa Loukovaara et al. continue their study on diabetic retinopathy in pregnancy and find that progression of retinopathy is associated with a low concentration of glycodelin, a glycoprotein secreted from endometrial glands and involved with the immune response. Parodi et al., Trieste, describe atrophic changes in the retinal pigment epithelium following photodynamic therapy in myopic individuals. Osaka-based Arimura et al. have developed novel charts to evaluate metamorphopsia and claim to be able to quantify metamorphopsia in patients with macular hole. The letters to the editor include a description from German authors Spandau et al. of the use of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin®) for branch retinal vein occlusion and age-related macular degeneration. Meanwhile, Kernt et al., Munich, find intravitreal bevacizumab to be safe in terms of intraocular and blood pressure. Writing from Odense, Pedersen et al. report a case of choroidal metastasis in multiple endocrine neoplasia. Helsinki-based Raivio et al. used transscleral cyclocoagulation combined with anterior retinal cryocoagulation in patients with neovascular glaucoma with good results. Bjärnhall et al., in Uppsala and Hiroshima, measured the mean transit time of fluorescein in the retinal circulation of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma. They report findings of a correlation between neuronal atrophy and circulation that was similar in both types of glaucoma. Spanish authors Ferreras et al. continue the search for the optimum diagnostic criteria in glaucoma and suggest that frequency doubling perimetry may be helpful. Ozturk et al., writing from Turkey, report their findings that brimatoprost and Cosopt® are similar in their ability to lower intraocular pressure and both are well tolerated. Thomas Olsen, in Århus, finds that the optical coherence interferometry of the Zeiss IOLMaster increases the accuracy of intraocular lens (IOL) power calculations. Budapest's Kovács et al. deal with IOL power calculation in combined cataract and vitreous operations and point out that macular thickness must be taken into account in preoperative calculations. Langenbucher et al., of Erlangen-Nürnberg, may provide more mathematics than most readers of Acta enjoy, but present a comprehensive calculation scheme for retinal image size after implantation of toric (IOLs). Japanese authors Miyata et al. suggest that sharp IOL edges are required to prevent posterior capsular opacification and do not induce anterior capsular contraction. Writing from Sweden, Fagerholm et al. describe a new type of corneal opacities in a small Swedish family. Fernández de Castro and associates, South Carolina, USA, report that ocular wavefront aberrations vary greatly from subject to subject and treatment must be carefully individualized. Denmark-based Sirbikaite and Ehlers' letter to the editor points out the usefulness of Lacrytest® for semiquantitative diagnosis of ocular allergens. Ziylan et al., in Turkey, highlight the risk of isoamitropic amblyopia in highly hyperopic children and describe the use of spectacles for treatment. Lübeck's von Buelow et al. describe a case of systemic bevacizumab (Avastin®) treatment for a retinal haemangioma.