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Query: UMLS:C0086543 (cataract)
 29,165 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The encouraging scenario of international efforts to eliminate preventable and avoidable blindness is the legacy of public health ophthalmology in the 20th century. With active programs currently in place or beginning for the major cause of blindness in childhood and two of the leading infectious causes of blindness, it is natural that research in eye disease will shift even more heavily toward the leading causes of blindness in the older ages. The age-related eye diseases will rapidly become the most common causes of blindness and visual loss and, with the exception of cataract, are the more difficult to identify, diagnose, and treat. The human misery and social cost of blindness, especially in the countries that can ill afford it, are profound. To combat this problem, epidemiologic research in ophthalmology should look toward the following major areas: 1. the identification and testing of better screening modalities to determine early changes possibly amenable to preventive strategies. This includes detection of vitamin A deficiency as well. 2. the creation of uniform definitions for diseases, particularly glaucoma and early AMD, which have relevance for epidemiologic research into risk factors. 3. increased multidisciplinary research, working with investigators skilled in molecular genetics, biologic markers for age-related diseases, and those interested in new imaging and vision-testing techniques. 4. ongoing work in clinical trials of new approaches to prevent or delay the onset of vision loss from eye disease, including future vaccines for chlamydia and onchocerciasis. The major public health issue of blindness prevention will not disappear in the next century but only shift emphasis to different causes if the current programs achieve the success that is hoped. Future epidemiologic research will continue to require a concerted, sustained, and multidisciplinary effort in order to contribute to the vision research agenda in the next century.
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PMID:Looking forward to 20/20: a focus on the epidemiology of eye diseases. 1093 8

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the concentration of erythropoietin as another potent ischemia-induced angiogenic factor is elevated in eyes with neovascular (age-related macular degeneration [AMD]) or oedematous (diabetic retinopathy) maculopathies. The clinical comparative study included 28 patients with diabetic macular oedema, 59 patients with exudative AMD, and 49 patients with cataract. For all patients, aqueous humour was collected during cataract surgery or during an intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide. Erythropoietin levels were measured using a solid-phase chemiluminescence immunoassay. The mean concentration of erythropoietin was significantly higher in the diabetic group (60.1 +/- 46.7 mUnits/mL; P < 0.001) than in the age-related macular degeneration group (22.9 +/- 23.2 mUnits/mL) and in the control group (22.0 +/- 21.0 mUnits/mL; P < 0.001). The two latter groups did not vary significantly (P = 0.41). The results indicate that erythropoietin may be present in considerably higher concentrations in eyes with diabetic macular oedema than in eyes with exudative AMD or normal eyes.
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PMID:Erythropoietin levels in aqueous humour in eyes with exudative age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. 1736 63

Oxidative stress due to free radicals is related to the pathogenesis of many chronic disorders including cancer, inflammation, and neurological diseases. Oxidative stress such as aging and light exposure is also considered to be associated with age-related macular degeneration and cataract. The ocular surface is chronically exposed to oxidative stress including ultraviolet light, the oxygen in air, and changes in oxygen pressure due to blinking. We demonstrated that a rat dry eye model with a jogging board showed corneal epithelial disoders and elevated levels of oxidative stress, suggesting that the pathogenesis of epithelial disorders in dry eye with low frequency of blinking is related to oxidative stress. Next, using a model of laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV), we showed that angiotensin receptormediated inflammation is required for the development of CNV. We also demonstrated that mice deficient in superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed typical clinical features of AMD. Finally, we proposed our thoughts about regenerative medicine, that is, to maintain quiescent stem cells, we have to regulate the aging of stem cells.
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PMID:[Oxidative stress and inflammation: hypothesis for the mechanism of aging]. 1740 62

This paper reviews recent findings on the implication of nutritional and genetic factors in age-related eye diseases: age-related macular degeneration (AMD; a degenerative disease of the retina) and cataract (opacification of the lens). Because of direct exposure to light, the eye is particularly sensitive to oxidative stress. Antioxidants, such as vitamin E, C or zinc, clearly have a protective effect in AMD and probably in cataract. In addition, two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, may play a more specific role in the eye: they accumulate in the retina, where they form the macular pigment, and in the lens. Their role is probably to filter out phototoxic blue light and to quench singlet oxygen. Finally, docosahexaenoic acid (an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid) is particularly important for the retina, where it exerts structural, functional and protective actions. Besides, these diseases are strongly influenced by genetics, as demonstrated by familial and twin studies. The apolipoprotein E4 allele is associated with a reduced risk of AMD, while an association of AMD with complement factor H polymorphism has recently been demonstrated. Nutrigenomics, by studying the interactions between genetic variability and nutritional factors, represents a new challenge in order to account for interindividual variations in disease susceptibility. Such potential interactions are presented.
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PMID:Application of nutrigenomics in eye health. 1768 13

Lutein and zeaxanthin, two xanthophylls supposed to delay formation eye's disease (AMD, cataract), and found in numerous new dietary supplements appearing on market also in Poland. In the observed period on polish pharmaceutical market was evaluated presence about 50 supplements with lutein and 12 contained zeaxanthin as well. The lutein concentration ranges from 0.25 to 20.0 mg/serving size and zeaxanthin from 0.02 to 0.50 mg. Most of them were multicomponent (multi-vitamin products) in form of capsules or tabs for adults, advised for the eyes' protections or supply of nutritional components with various contents of lutein and zeaxanthin and various costs of daily treatment.
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PMID:[The assessment and characteristic of dietary supplements with lutein and zeaxanthin on the Polish pharmaceutical market]. 1866 22

After testing all types of implanted IOLs with spectrophotometer, author estimated that filtering of sun light is not successful, leaving open the possibility of development of AMD after cataract surgery. This is especially serious problem in implantation of IOLs to children. Until recently, implantation of intraocular lenses without or with inappropriate UV protection was not considered a serious problem. Nowadays we know that, especially in children, such treatment is no longer acceptable and results in AMD. It is only a matter of time when the first lawsuit will appear on it. We suggest obligatory eye protection after cataract surgery (aphakic and pseudophakic eyes) with Medical filters (Yellow-Green: 550-600 nm) and regular ophthalmic controls.
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PMID:Development and progression of age-related macular degeneration after cataract surgery--in the near future it could become a forensic medicine problem. 1914 Feb 69

The pathogenesis of age-related maculopathy (ARM), the most common cause of visual loss after the age of 60 years, involves a variety of hereditary and environmental factors. When the cataractous lens is removed and replaced by clear intraocular lens, a significant increase in ocular transmittance of optical radiation occurs. The aim of this study was to assess whether cataract surgery in older persons may increase the risk for development of ARM. This is a retrospective study. Medical records of 307 patients, aged 43 to 96 years, (163 male and 144 female) were randomly evaluated. They had undergone cataract extraction (phacoemulsification or extracapsular lens extraction) with clear intraocular lens implantation from January 2001 to December 2005 at the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Rijeka. Patients were examined two weeks after surgery and followed up for at least two years. Based on the exclusion criteria, only patients without any sign of AMD at the first postoperative check up were included. A total of 80 patients (26%) showed development of ARM at the last check up, which was at least 2 years after surgery. Our results indicate that pseudophakia is a risk factor for development of ARM.
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PMID:Appearance of age related maculopathy after cataract surgery. 1914 Feb 70

It is accepted that tobacco smoking impairs different functions of the organ of vision and can be the cause of different eye diseases. It is well-known that tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 substances, some of them exerting toxic influence on the eye by producing the ischemia or/and oxidative stress. In previous years, the association between tobacco smoking and cataract, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), thyroid eye disease, anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) were observed. It was also suggested that smoking might have a negative impact on the treatment of scleritis, thyroid eye disease and surgery of POAG. In last two years many interesting studies have been conducted on the influence of smoking on morbidity and the character of AMD, cataract, vascular diseases of the retina, cystoid macular edema complicating intermediate uveitis, refractive errors, thyroid eye disease and the function of the optic nerve and retina measured by electrophysiological techniques. Concluding there is increasing evidence that tobacco smoking is a risk factor in case of many eye diseases. This suggests that by eliminating smoking, it might be possible to decrease the morbidity of eye diseases in the future.
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PMID:[Present knowledge on the effects of smoking tobacco on the eye diseases]. 1918 88

The author concisely presents the results of his 30-year investigations about the harmful influence of the higher sun radiation on the eyes. The investigations were carried out among the population of the Island of Rab, situated in the northern part of the Adriatic sea. This geographical region has been characterized by higher doses of the global sun radiation compared with the remaining part of the Republic of Croatia, and partly with the rest of the Mediterranean. The author proved it by his own measurements of UV-B, UV-A and the global sun radiation. The number of the diseased from the macular degeneration (AMD), cataract and precancerous pterygium has been significantly increased in those inhabitants being more exposed to the sun radiation. Investigating the retinal threshold, of the macula and peripherally--meridian thresholds, even the children more exposed to the sun radiation without protection, are established to have the increased excitation threshold of the retina, making later the basis and risk factor for the earlier AMD development. The author also points out that the periphery of retina and the macula are damaged in AMD. Later stages of macular degeneration transfer to the clinical form of the optic nerve atrophy. The author pathohistologically proved that the whole retina has been degeneratively involved in AMD, not only the photoreceptors and the retinal pigment. Therefore, the author pleads for the idea of children protection from the higher sun radiation to become a national problem of each country, and the coordination must be with the World Health Organization (WHO).
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PMID:Medical perspective: macular degeneration (AMD) and human sight in the future. 2130 20

Management of the patient with coexisting cataract and AMD presents unique challenges to the cataract surgeon, the retina specialist, and the patient. A common clinical scenario is the patient in whom both the cataract and macular pathology appear to be contributing to decreased visual acuity. As with any surgery, the expectations from cataract removal must be evaluated thoroughly and understood clearly by both the patient and the cataract surgeon. Most patients with AMD who undergo cataract surgery feel that the surgery is worthwhile, and they report improvement of visual function and quality of life. In patients with mild AMD, improvement in central visual acuity and attainment of driving vision are realistic and achievable goals. In an eye with central disciform scarring or geographic atrophy there may be potential for improvement in color discrimination, contrast, or clarity of peripheral vision. In cases of dense cataract obscuring macular detail, cataract removal may be necessary to allow for adequate biomicroscopy and angiography, especially in an eye that may be at high risk for the development of choroidal neovascularization. It is often challenging to estimate the relative impact on visual impairment made by the lens opacities and the macular changes and the benefits and risks of cataract surgery in eyes with AMD should be carefully evaluated. Is cataract surgery justified in these patients? Does cataract surgery aggravate AMD in some patients?
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PMID:[Therapeutic approach in patients with age-related macular degeneration and cataract]. 2188 70


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