The aim of this study was to compare the near add power of glaucoma patients and controls between the ages of 40 and 79 years.

This was a cross-sectional study of 2724 bilateral phakic participants aged between 40 and 79 years, which included 1615 controls and 1109 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma who were using prostaglandin F (FP) receptor agonists. Participants were classified into eight age groups: 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, and 75-79 years of age. We compared the near add power and other ocular parameters between glaucoma patients and controls by age group.

There was a significant difference between glaucoma patients and controls and in spherical equivalent, intraocular pressure, cup/disc ratio, ganglion cell complex thickness, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, and use of dry eye eyedrops across all or many of the age groups studied. The near add power of glaucoma patients was comparable to controls of the immediately older age group until 65-69 years, indicating that the advancement of near add power of glaucoma patients was approximately five years earlier than in controls until that age range.

There was an earlier progression of presbyopia determined by near add power in glaucoma patients treated with FP receptor agonists compared with controls.

Between ages 40 and 79 years, glaucoma patients treated with prostaglandin F receptor agonists had higher near add power than controls. This knowledge could contribute to informing better management of glaucoma patients with presbyopia.

Intracellular dark endothelial spots (IDES) on specular microscopy indicate corneal endothelial stress, and can be an imaging biomarker for subsequent endothelial cell density (ECD) loss after endothelial keratoplasty. This study evaluated the risk factors for the development of bullous keratopathy (BK) by comparing low ECD patients with or without IDES before cataract surgery.

This retrospective study included 106 consecutive patients who underwent cataract surgery with a preoperative ECD of less than 1000 cells/mm2. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to presence of IDES. The medical charts were retrospectively reviewed for preoperative central corneal thickness (CCT), ECD, anterior chamber depth (ACD), presence of IDES, presence of guttae, grade of nuclear sclerosis, intraoperative posterior capsule rupture (PCR) and development of BK after cataract surgery. The clinical factors were compared in patients with or without IDES and the risk factors for BK after cataract surgery were evaluated.

The mean preoperative ECD was 687 ± 124 cells/mm2. IDES were observed in 41 eyes (38.7%). IDES were significantly more common in eyes with shallow ACD than in those with deep ACD (P = 0.033). Twenty-two eyes (20.8%) developed BK after cataract surgery. IDES were significantly associated with the development of BK (31.7%) compared to those without BK (13.9%, P = 0.03). CCT, nuclear sclerosis, PCR, and IDES were identified as significant risk factors for postoperative BK (P < 0.0083).

IDES can be used as a new imaging biomarker that suggests a potential risk for development of BK in patients with shallow anterior chamber who are to undergo cataract surgery.

To evaluate the odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) of bone fracture in phakic subjects with cataract compared with phakic subjects without cataract and pseudophakic individuals.

Despite the growing recognition of the link between cataract and fracture, the available evidence remains inconclusive.

The results of this meta-analysis were reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The study protocol was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (ID: CRD42024587477). Four electronic databases were searched from their inception to May 2024: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). Two reviewers performed title and abstract screening, full-text assessment, and study quality appraisal. Frequentist inference meta-analysis and Bayesian network meta-analyses (NMAs) were conducted to assess the OR and HR of fracture among the 3 groups of interest.

Sixteen articles met the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, with the 11 included in the quantitative synthesis encompassing a population of 4 713 458 subjects and reporting on 284 811 fractures. The certainty of evidence was rated from low to moderate. Compared with subjects without cataract, the OR and the HR for fractures in the cataract group were 1.44 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75-2.75; P > 0.05) and 1.51 (95% CI: 1.14-2.01; P = 0.0152), respectively. Bayesian NMAs indicated that subjects with cataracts have an increased OR and HR of fractures compared with both phakic subjects without cataracts (OR: 3.0 [95% credible interval (CrI): 2.8-3.3]; HR 1.1 [95% CrI: 1.09-1.12]) and pseudophakic individuals (OR: 1.7 [95% CrI: 1.6-1.8]; HR: 1.28 [95% CrI: 1.24-1.31]). Pseudophakic individuals exhibit a 27% reduction in fracture risk compared with phakic individuals with cataracts, with 1 less fracture event for every 8 pseudophakic subjects.

Low-certainty evidence suggests a higher fracture risk in individuals with cataract compared with those without. Moderate-certainty evidence indicates that pseudophakic individuals have the lowest fracture risk compared with phakic patients with or without cataract. Further research should explore the causal link between cataract and fracture risk and evaluate the impact of cataract surgery on fracture prevention.

Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Presbyopia rapidly progresses between 40 and 55 years of age and the amplitude of accommodation is lost around 55 years of age; however, the factors associated with presbyopia by age group in relation to ocular surface and retinal thickness have not been determined.

Age and other factors are associated with presbyopia, however, factors specific to age groups have not been described.

Near add power was compared among 3000 healthy individuals grouped by age; 40s (aged 40-49 years), 50s (aged 50-59 years), and 60s (aged 60-69 years). Regression analysis and comparison of odds ratios for risk factors of presbyopia determined by near add power were conducted.

The mean near add power was 1.21 ± 0.66 D in 40s, 2.16 ± 0.59 D in 50s, and 2.72 ± 0.44 D in 60s. Regression analysis of near add power and ocular parameters indicated age, astigmatic errors, intra-ocular pressure, mean deviation, thickness of ganglion cell complex (GCC) and peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) were associated with near add power in 40s, whilst age, tear break-up time, and peripapillary RNFL were associated with near add power in 60s. Comparison of odds ratios for risk factors for reaching mean near add power in each age group revealed that age, astigmatic errors, mean deviation (40s only), and GCC and RNFL thickness were significant in 40s and 50s, whilst tear break-up time and RNFL thickness were significant in 60s.

Age and numerous other factors were significantly associated with near add power in 40s and 50s, while fewer factors were significant in 60s, suggesting age-specific management for presbyopia may be recommended.

To assess the possibility of anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT)-based preoperative evaluation of the lens in order to prevent and predict intraoperative complications of posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) surgery.

This prospective study included 512 eyes diagnosed with PSC. AS-OCT was performed using Line, Cross Line and 3D Cornea scans to visualize the posterior capsule. The posterior capsule and opacities in the subcortical and cortical lens, their relationship and the state of the retrolenticular space were assessed. The study sample was divided into three groups while taking into account the revealed morphological changes in the lens. Groups 1, 2, and 3 comprised 312, 185 and 15 eyes, respectively, with each group characterized by a specific type (1, 2 or 3) of morphological AS-OCT changes in the PSC. Surgery consisted of ultrasound phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. Well-known measures related to cataract surgery stages were performed, if required, to preserve the integrity of the posterior capsule, while taking into account the type of PSC changes. We preoperatively determined the eyes at risk for intraoperative posterior capsular rupture (PCR) and detection of posterior capsular plaque (PCP), and compared this data with the postoperative data on the state of the posterior capsule.

The PSC cases with an expected rate of intraoperative complications of 0 to 10% were classified as those with a low risk, whereas the rest, with a high risk of complications. Only eyes with type 2 or type 3 PSC changes were expected to have a high risk of intraoperative PCP, and only eyes with type 3 PSC changes, a high risk of PCR. In groups 1, 2 and 3, the rates of intraoperative PCP were 0%, 100% and 46.7%, respectively, and the rates of intraoperative PCR, 0%, 0% and 53.3%, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between preoperative OCT-based morphology of the lens and intraoperative complications (r = 0.88, p ≤0.001). Sensitivity and specificity for the method of AS-OCT-based evaluation of risks of intraoperative complications in PSC surgery were 98.8% and 96.5%, respectively.

AS-OCT allows evaluating preoperatively posterior lens opacification morphology and posterior capsular changes, determining the risks of complications, and performing surgical planning for PSC.

What is Known? Complications (posterior capsule (PC) rupture with or without vitreous loss and residual PC plaque) are common in, and affect the expected outcome of, posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) surgery. What is new? PC plaque is most likely in eyes with preoperative type 2 changes in the PSC, whereas eyes with preoperative type 3 changes are likely to show PC rupture or residual PC plaque. AS-OCT enables an experienced surgeon to predict the risks of intraoperative complications in, and perform surgical planning for, PSC surgery.

The PERSIAN eye cohort study is a population-based study that evaluates the overall prevalence of cataracts and their subtypes (nuclear sclerosis, cortical, and PSC) in Iran. In this study, from January 2015 to September 2021, 16,016 participants over 35 years of age from four provinces who were selected by random cluster sampling were examined. Demographic information, education, socioeconomic status, and place of residence were collected through interviews. The cataract status of the study participants was examined by two experienced ophthalmologists using slit lamp photography. The average age of the study participants was 49.52 ± 9.31 and 8891 (55.5%) were female. The overall prevalence of each type of cataract, nuclear sclerosis, cortical, and PSC was 18.90%, 12.65%, 9.20%, and 3.08%, respectively. The results indicated that the prevalence of any type of cataract (adjusted OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.78-0.92, p < 0.001) and NS cataract (adjusted OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.73-0.88, p < 0.001) is lower in women. The risk of developing cataracts increased exponentially with aging. The prevalence of any type of cataract and cortical subtype was higher in rural than urban populations. Also, the risk of developing cataracts decreased with an increase in education level and socioeconomic status and some Iranian races such as Arabs, Azari, and Guilak were also at a higher risk of cataracts. The results of this study indicate the importance of a comprehensive regard of cataract as one of the causes of avoidable blindness in Iran due to its higher prevalence than the global average.

To investigate economic inequality in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and decompose it into its determinants using Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition (OBD).

The Tehran Geriatric Eye Study was a cross-sectional study conducted on individuals aged 60 years and older, utilizing stratified random cluster sampling. Each participant received a comprehensive optometric, and slit-lamp examination. Diagnosis and classification of AMD were conducted utilizing fundus camera images.

The data of the 3268 participants were analyzed. According to OBD, a significant difference was found in AMD between the rich and poor groups (8.36%) disfavoring the poor (p < 0.001). The explained and unexplained portions comprised 93.37% and 6.63% of the difference (p < 0.001 and p = 0.405, respectively). Among study variables, age (coefficient = 4.70; p < 0.001), economic status (coefficient = 3.58; p = 0.004), and myopia (coefficient = 0.73; p = 0.001) were significant determinants of inequality in the explained portion.

A significant disparity in the prevalence of AMD was observed between individuals of different socioeconomic statuses, primarily attributed to the explained factors. Factors such as age, economic status, and myopia were found to have the most substantial impact in exacerbating the inequality that disadvantaged the poor group (contributing percentages: 52.17%, 39.73%, and 8.10%, respectively). The findings of this research can be valuable for health policymakers in prioritizing and addressing the determinants of inequality within the population.

There is limited evidence to evaluate the numerical cutoff point for detecting early presbyopia. Thus, we aimed to establish a clinically relevant optimal cutoff value of near visual acuity for detecting early presbyopia.

Prospective diagnostic accuracy study.

We included consecutive individuals aged ≥ 20 years with a binocular-corrected distance visual acuity of ≥ 20/25 who did not undergo ophthalmic surgery between December 17, 2020 and December 19, 2021, at two healthcare facilities in Japan. Binocular distance-corrected near visual acuity at 40 cm, accommodative amplitude, awareness of presbyopia, and Near Activity Visual Questionnaire scores were examined. The optimal cutoff values of distance-corrected near visual acuity for diagnosing early presbyopia were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic plots.

Among 115 participants, 74 (64.3%) had presbyopia. The proportion of participants with no difficulty performing near-vision tasks decreased markedly when near visual acuity decreased to 20/20 (> 0.00 logMAR). A cutoff value of 0.00 logMAR for distance-corrected near visual acuity was optimal, showing high sensitivity of 56.76% and specificity of 92.68%, as opposed to the commonly used cutoff value of 0.40 logMAR (20/50; sensitivity, 9.46% and specificity, 100%) for diagnosing early presbyopia.

Near visual acuity of 0.00 logMAR (20/20) could be the optimal cutoff value for diagnosing early presbyopia.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy and agreement in nuclear cataract opacity classification between the Smart Eye Camera (SEC) device, and the slit-lamp. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenient sampling of 221 eyes from 139 patients with phakic eyes, visiting IVISION Eye Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from November 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. Two grading systems, Lucio-Buratto (Buratto) and World Health Organization (WHO), were used to compare the effectiveness of the two devices, with statistical analysis using Spearman's correlation coefficient and Cohen's kappa to evaluate the agreement level. Results Results showed no significant difference in Buratto and WHO grading between the two devices (p > 0.05), indicating consistency between the two measurement methods. Spearman's correlation coefficient demonstrated a strong correlation between the results from both devices, with r = 0.797 for Buratto and r = 0.579 for WHO (p < 0.001). The reliability was confirmed by high weighted-kappa values (k = 0.774 for Buratto and k = 0.539 for WHO). Conclusion The SEC's comparable effectiveness to the slit-lamp supports its potential utility in blindness-prevention screening efforts.

This study aimed to establish normative health utility data in Thai patients with diabetic retinopathy, wet age-related macular degeneration, and cataract; evaluate the sensitivity of different utility instruments to visual impairment; explore the relationship among these health utility values with the vision-specific quality of life (QoL); and assess the association of baseline characteristics and visual acuity level with health utility values and vision-specific QoL.

This multicenter cross-sectional survey included 309 patients from tertiary eye centers. We used health utility instruments (time trade-off [TTO], EuroQol five-dimension [EQ-5D-5L], and Health Utility Index 3 [HUI3]) and vision-specific QoL instrument (National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire) for face-to-face interviews. Demographic data and Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity were recorded during the participants ophthalmic visits. Univariable and multivariable mixed-effect models were used to evaluate factors associated with the utility scores. Health utility scores among each type of eye disease were compared.

The overall mean utility values from the TTO, EQ-5D-5L, and HUI3 were 0.84 ± 0.25, 0.70 ± 0.19, and 0.68 ± 0.26, respectively. The health utility scores obtained from TTO and HUI3 showed a significant response to severe visual impairment or worse. Health utility scores from HUI3 (r = 0.54; P < .01) and EQ-5D-5L (r = 0.43; P < .01) displayed a moderate correlation with the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire score. There were no significant differences in health utility value among the 3 diseases upon adjusting for the visual acuity level and demographics.

Visual acuity level has a greater impact on a patient's QoL than the type of eye disease. HUI3 and EQ-5D-5L and TTO are suitable for measuring health utility in leading causes of blindness.

To explore the changes of Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor (PEDF), Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and Transforming Growth Factor-β2 (TGF-β2) levels in the aqueous humor of cataract patients and their correlation with disease severity.

93 cataract patients and 56 healthy subjects were study objects. PEDF, MMP-2, and TGF-β2 levels of aqueous humor were compared, and the correlation between each index and Lens Opacity Classification System (LOCS) III classification was analyzed. ROC curve was used to analyze the evaluation value of the combined detection of each index on cataract development, and logistic regression to analyze the influence of the changes of each index on cataract development.

PEDF levels were lower and MMP-2 and TGF-β2 levels were higher in the aqueous humor of cataract patients than in healthy subjects. PEDF levels in the aqueous humor were negatively correlated with LOCS III classification, while MMP-2 and TGF-β2 levels were positively correlated with LOCS III classification. The AUC value of combined detection was higher than that of PEDF, MMP-2, and TGF-β2 in the aqueous humor alone. MMP-2 ≥ 15.13 pg/mL, TGF-β2 ≥ 385.91 pg/mL and PEDF < 198.85 ng/mL were risk factors for cataract development.

The changes in PEDF, MMP-2, and TGF-β2 levels in the aqueous humor of cataract patients are related to LOCS III classification. The combined detection is valuable in evaluating cataract development.

Between 1962 and 1975, a chlor-alkali plant in Canada discharged approximately 9 metric tons of mercury (Hg) into the Wabigoon River. Over the following decades, biomarkers of Hg exposure of persons from Grassy Narrows First Nation (Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek), located downriver from the discharge, reflected Hg concentrations in fish. Hg exposure is known to target the calcarine fissure, resulting in visual field (VF) loss. Most studies and clinical reports focus solely on peripheral VF loss; little is known about the impact of Hg on the central and paracentral portions. The present study sought to characterize the patterns of VF loss with respect to past and current Hg.

A 28-year hair-Hg (HHg) database, created from a 1970-97 government biomonitoring program, served to select study participants with ≥ 4 year-based HHg measurements (n = 81). Blood-Hg was assessed for current exposure. Light sensitivity thresholds across the VF were analyzed monocularly, using a Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA). Following post-hoc exclusions, based on HFA interpretation indices, 65 participants were retained. Both eyes were combined for analyses (n = 130 eyes). Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of HFA plot data was used to identify patterns of VF loss. A series of mixed effects models (MEM) were performed to test the associations for current Hg exposure with respect to HFA interpretation indices and clusters, as well as for longitudinal past Hg exposure.

The clustering approach decomposed the light sensitivity deficits into 5 concentric clusters, with greatest loss in the peripheral clusters. No relation was observed between any of the cluster scores and current blood-Hg. VF deficits increased with past Hg exposure. Longitudinal MEM showed that HHg was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with all peripheral, paracentral, and central cluster scores, as well as with HFA interpretation indices.

Past Hg exposure in Grassy Narrows First Nation was associated with present day VF loss. The cluster-based location-specific approach identified patterns of VF loss associated with long-term Hg exposure, in both the peripheral and the central areas. The functional implications of this type of visual loss should be investigated.

To investigate the prevalence and associated factors of pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) in an Iranian elderly population.

This study, a population-based cross-sectional study conducted on individuals ≥60 years in Tehran, the capital of Iran in 2019 using a multi-stage stratified random cluster sampling. All study participants underwent complete ocular examination (including measurement of uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuity, refraction, slit-lamp biomicroscopy). The PEX was diagnosed based on the presence of white fluffy dandruff-like pseudoexfoliative material on the pupillary margin, on the anterior lens capsule, and/or the trabecular meshwork.

Of the 3791 invitees, 3310 participated in the TGES (response rate: 87.3%). After applying exclusion criteria, the data of 3274 individuals were analyzed for this report. The overall prevalence of PEX was 3.63% (95% CI:2.67-4.58) in this study. 81.1% of PEX cases were bilateral. The prevalence of PEX increased significantly with advancing age in a linear trend from 2.38% (95%: 1.27-3.48) in the age group 60-64 years to 6.48% (95%: 2.02-10.95) in the age group ≥80 years (OR = 1.05, p = 0.008). According to the multiple logistic regression model, advancing age (OR: 1.06, p = 0.002) and the presence of cataract (OR: 5.02, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with increased odds of PEX.

The results showed a lower prevalence of PEX in the Iranian elderly compared to previous studies on the elderly population. Advancing age and cataracts were the only associated factors of PEX in the present study.

Cataracts have been considered as one of the major causes for reducing the vision-related quality of life and increasing the risk of comorbidities and mortality among the general population.

This study aimed to assess the importance of grading cataracts in predicting recovery time and final visual outcomes after cataract surgery.

A retrospective consecutive case review of elective cataract surgeries performed in a tertiary care hospital during a three-year period from 2019 to 2021 was studied. The postoperative visual status was correlated with grading.

The reports of this study implicate the fact that 16.4% of the patients had grade 1 anterior segment cataracts. Visual acuity of perfect vision (6/6P) was obtained in 24% of patients, and 41.2% of patients had grade 1 anterior segment cataract surgery on day 1 (p<0.005). Perfect vision at 6/6 visual acuity was obtained in 24% of patients, and 27.5% of patients had grade 2 anterior segment cataract surgery in week 1 (p<0.05).

The study shows that patients with grade 1 anterior segment cataract surgery had a better visual recovery time and visual outcome. The grading system of cataracts has further shown improvement in the vision care of the patients, along with showing reliability and monitoring of cataract formation.

Ocular trauma is an important cause of monocular blindness worldwide. Injury to the lens after blunt or penetrating trauma is common and can result in vision impairment. Selecting the most appropriate therapeutic approaches depends on factors such as patients' age, mechanism of trauma, and underlying clinical conditions. Early management, especially within childhood, is essential because of the difficulties involved in examination; anatomical variations; as well as accompanying intraocular inflammation, amblyopia, or vitreoretinal adhesions. The objective of this study was to provide a comprehensive review of the epidemiology and clinical management of traumatic cataract, highlighting the significance of accurate diagnosis and selection of the optimal therapeutic approach.

To test a cataract shadow projection theory and validate it by developing a deep learning algorithm that enables automatic and stable posterior polar cataract (PPC) screening using fundus images.

Department of Ophthalmology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan.

Retrospective chart review.

A deep learning algorithm to automatically detect PPC was developed based on the cataract shadow projection theory. Retrospective data (n = 546) with ultra-wide field fundus images were collected, and various model architectures and fields of view were tested for optimization.

The final model achieved 80% overall accuracy, with 88.2% sensitivity and 93.4% specificity in PPC screening on a clinical validation dataset (n = 103).

This study established a significant relationship between PPC and the projected shadow, which may help surgeons to identify potential PPC risks preoperatively and reduce the incidence of posterior capsular rupture during cataract surgery.

To evaluate the association between LASIK and early cataract phacoemulsification surgery (PE).

A matched case-control study was conducted. Cases were otherwise healthy adults with a history of LASIK. Groups were paired according to corrected-distance visual acuity (CDVA), axial length, and cataract grade.

A total of 213 patients were included. 85 patients were classified as post-LASIK group and 128 as controls. The mean age at the time of LASIK was 42.32 ± 9.24 years. The mean CDVA before PE was 0.29 ± 0.19 Log MAR in post-LASIK group and 0.34 ± 0.22 Log MAR in controls (p = 0.07). The mean axial length was 23.99 ± 1.78 mm in post-LASIK group and 23.62 ± 0.98 mm in controls (p = 0.085). The mean nuclear cataract grading was 1.36 in post-LASIK group and 1.47 in controls (p = 0.34). The mean age at the time of PE was 60.18 ± 7.46 years in post-LASIK group and 67.35 ± 9.28 in controls (p < 0.0005). The difference between the mean age of LASIK and the mean age of PE was 17.85 ± 5.72 years. There was a positive association between the post-LASIK group and the age of PE ≤ 55 years (OR: 4.917, 95% CI: 2.21-10.90, p < 0.001).

LASIK may be associated with early PE. Patients with LASIK had a 7-year earlier PE compared to a matched control group.

To evaluate and compare the pain experience and discomfort during cataract surgery and over the 24 hours after surgery in patients undergoing either topical anesthesia alone or topical anesthesia plus intracameral anesthesia, provided by using a standard topical anesthesia regimen and a 0.2-mL dose of Mydrane®.

Prospective study involving 100 patients who underwent cataract surgery receiving either topical anesthesia alone (group 1, n = 50) or topical anesthesia plus intracameral anesthesia (group 2, n = 50) between January 2021 and March 2022. The pain experienced by patients during and after surgery was assessed using a pain scale and a questionnaire. One hour after surgery, patients were asked to rate the intensity of discomfort they experienced throughout the procedure by pointing to a 0-100 Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

According to VAS measurements, patients who underwent surgery under topical anesthesia reported more significant pain than those who underwent surgery under topical anesthesia plus intracameral anesthesia during and over the 24 hours after surgery. (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). Patients undergoing topical anesthesia had 2.34-fold greater odds of having pain during surgery [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.58-5.25, p = 0.03].

Topical anesthesia plus intracameral anesthesia lower intraoperative and postoperative pain levels, improving patient cooperation and representing a useful analgesic delivery method in cataract surgery.

Measurements of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) using the autofluorescence spectroscopy yield underestimations of actual values in eyes with cataracts. Previously, we proposed a correction method for this error using deep learning (DL); however, the correction performance was validated through internal cross-validation. This cross-sectional study aimed to validate this approach using an external validation dataset.

MPODs at 0.25°, 0.5°, 1°, and 2° eccentricities and macular pigment optical volume (MPOV) within 9° eccentricity were measured using SPECTRALIS (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) in 197 (training dataset inherited from our previous study) and 157 eyes (validating dataset) before and after cataract surgery. A DL model was trained to predict the corrected value from the pre-operative value using the training dataset, and we measured the discrepancy between the corrected value and the actual postoperative value. Subsequently, the prediction performance was validated using a validation dataset.

Using the validation dataset, the mean absolute values of errors for MPOD and MPOV corrected using DL ranged from 8.2 to 12.4%, which were lower than values with no correction (P < 0.001, linear mixed model with Tukey's test). The error depended on the autofluorescence image quality used to calculate MPOD. The mean errors in high and moderate quality images ranged from 6.0 to 11.4%, which were lower than those of poor quality images.

The usefulness of the DL correction method was validated. Deep learning reduced the error for a relatively good autofluorescence image quality. Poor-quality images were not corrected.

To investigate the correlation of colour vision, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and photostress recovery time test scores in visually impaired patients.

A total of 133 subjects were enroled and 133 eyes were examined. The pathological group consisted of 76 (57.1%) males with an average age of 68.0 (SD=13.2) and 57 (42.9%) females, with an average age of 68.1 (SD=15.2), Mann-Whitney U test was used to evaluate the differences in K-colour tests, HRR, visual acuity, Contrast Sensitivity test and photostress recovery time test between two different groups of severity.

Correlations were found among colour vision tests, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and photostress recovery time scores in eyes with age-related macular degeneration, with diabetic retinopathy, with optic nerve diseases, and various other retinal diseases (P<0.05). In patients with moderate-visual impairments.

The colour vision test scores correlate with the scores of visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and photostess recovery time test. It may be a useful clinical surrogate for functional vision.

In ophthalmology, the availability of many fundus photographs and optical coherence tomography images has spurred consideration of using artificial intelligence (AI) for diagnosing retinal and optic nerve disorders. However, AI application for diagnosing anterior segment eye conditions remains unfeasible due to limited standardized images and analysis models. We addressed this limitation by augmenting the quantity of standardized optical images using a video-recordable slit-lamp device. We then investigated whether our proposed machine learning (ML) AI algorithm could accurately diagnose cataracts from videos recorded with this device. We collected 206,574 cataract frames from 1812 cataract eye videos. Ophthalmologists graded the nuclear cataracts (NUCs) using the cataract grading scale of the World Health Organization. These gradings were used to train and validate an ML algorithm. A validation dataset was used to compare the NUC diagnosis and grading of AI and ophthalmologists. The results of individual cataract gradings were: NUC 0: area under the curve (AUC) = 0.967; NUC 1: AUC = 0.928; NUC 2: AUC = 0.923; and NUC 3: AUC = 0.949. Our ML-based cataract diagnostic model achieved performance comparable to a conventional device, presenting a promising and accurate auto diagnostic AI tool.

Early detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR) are critical for decreasing the risk of vision loss and preventing blindness. Community vision screenings may play an important role, especially in communities at higher risk for diabetes. To address the need for increased DR detection and referrals, we evaluated the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for screening DR.

Patient images of 124 eyes were obtained using a 45° Canon Non-Mydriatic CR-2 Plus AF retinal camera in the Department of Endocrinology Clinic (Newark, NJ) and in a community screening event (Newark, NJ). Images were initially classified by an onsite grader and uploaded for analysis by EyeArt, a cloud-based AI software developed by Eyenuk (California, USA). The images were also graded by an off-site retina specialist. Using Fleiss kappa analysis, a correlation was investigated between the three grading systems, the AI, onsite grader, and a US board-certified retina specialist, for a diagnosis of DR and referral pattern.

The EyeArt results, onsite grader, and the retina specialist had a 79% overall agreement on the diagnosis of DR: 86 eyes with full agreement, 37 eyes with agreement between two graders, 1 eye with full disagreement. The kappa value for concordance on a diagnosis was 0.69 (95% CI 0.61-0.77), indicating substantial agreement. Referral patterns by EyeArt, the onsite grader, and the ophthalmologist had an 85% overall agreement: 96 eyes with full agreement, 28 eyes with disagreement. The kappa value for concordance on "whether to refer" was 0.70 (95% CI 0.60-0.80), indicating substantial agreement. Using the board-certified retina specialist as the gold standard, EyeArt had an 81% accuracy (101/124 eyes) for diagnosis and 83% accuracy (103/124 eyes) in referrals. For referrals, the sensitivity of EyeArt was 74%, specificity was 87%, positive predictive value was 72%, and negative predictive value was 88%.

This retrospective cross-sectional analysis offers insights into use of AI in diabetic screenings and the significant role it will play in automated detection of DR. The EyeArt readings were beneficial with some limitations in a community screening environment. These limitations included a decreased accuracy in the presence of cataracts and the functional cost of EyeArt uploads in a community setting.

Epidemiological studies have reported that the frequency of nuclear cataracts (NUCs) is high among the elderly and in tropical countries. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and lens temperature are considered as key physical contributors, although their precise quantification is difficult. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of NUC prevalence with UV irradiation and heat load. First, we assessed the lens temperature using thermodynamic modeling considering the thermophysiological response. We then conducted a multivariate linear regression analysis for the epidemiological analysis of NUC prevalence across five cities. A strong correlation was observed between NUC prevalence and the combined effects of UV irradiation and cumulative equivalent minutes at 43 °C (CEM43°C) derived from the computed lens temperature (adjusted R2 = 0.933, p < 0.0001). Heat load significantly contributed to the prevalence at 52%, surpassing the contributions of UV irradiation (31%) and the decline in DNA repair capacity in the lens (17%). These results suggested that both UV radiation and heat load are associated with NUC, with heat load contributing more. Our findings provided important implications for future interventions, particularly in the context of global warming.

To report the prevalence and the associated factors leading to cataract among the Iranian population living in Gilan Province, Iran.

This population-based cross-sectional study was performed from June to November 2014 on 2,975 residents aged ≥ 50 years old living in urban and rural regions of the Gilan Province in Iran. A representative sample of residents in the province was recruited into the study through door-to-door visiting, and baseline data were collected by questionnaire. All participants were referred to the medical center for comprehensive ophthalmic examination, laboratory tests, and blood pressure measurement.

Among the population, 2,588 (86.99%) subjects were eligible to be included in this study, categorized either into the cataract or the non-cataract group. The mean age of participants was 62.59 ± 8.92 years, and 57.5% were female. Higher prevalence of cataract was found in individuals of older ages (odds ratio (OR) = 1.13; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.10 to 1.16; P < 0.001) and a history of previous ocular surgery (OR = 5.78; 95% CI = 2.28 to 14.63; P < 0.001). At the same time, a lower prevalence of cataract was seen in patients exposed to sunlight for more than 4 h per day (OR = 0.49; 95% CI = 0.32 to 0.73; P = 0.001).

Cataract affects 50.50% of the study population, especially those over 80. The mildest form of cataract, grade zero, is the most common. Surgery for cataract has good outcomes. The risk of cataract is higher for those older or who have had eye surgeries. People not affected by cataract tend to be exposed to more sunlight.

We assessed whether the immediate pressure adjustments provided by a phacoemulsification handpiece with a built-in pressure sensor (Active Sentry, AS) could decrease the amount of energy delivered in the eye during cataract surgery.

The Study of Active Sentry in Cataract Surgery was a multicentre prospective clinical trial. The Centurion system (Alcon Labs) was used and we compared phacoemulsifications performed with the AS handpiece with procedures using a sensor placed in the phacoemulsifier (non-AS). The primary outcome measure was the cumulative dissipated energy (CDE) used during the procedures. The secondary outcome measures were the total, longitudinal and torsional ultrasound (US) times, the duration of the surgery and the amount of fluid used during the surgeries.

The study analysed 1432 (800 AS and 632 non-AS) procedures. The mean patient age was 72.4±10.0 years. The median CDE was respectively 6.3 (IQR 3.5-9.9) and 6.7 (IQR 4.5-11.5) with and without AS (p=0.0001). The median US time was, respectively, 48.0 s (IQR 34.0-68.0) and 55.0 s (IQR 38.0-80.0) with and without AS (p<0.0001). Torsional and longitudinal US times were reduced with AS. The median duration of the procedure was, respectively, 9.0 min (IQR 7.0-12.0) and 10.0 min (IQR 7.0-13.0) (p=0.0002) with and without AS. The median balanced salt solution volume used was 52.0 cm3 (IQR 41.0-72.0) and 57.0 cm3 (IQR 42.0-81.0) with and without AS (p=0.0018).

The phacoemulsifications performed with a pressure sensor built in the handpiece delivered less energy in the eye and were shorter.

NCT04732351.

The transcription factor forkhead box protein (FOX)-O3 is a core regulator of cellular homeostasis, stress response, and longevity. The cellular localization of FOXO3 is closely related to its function. Herein, the role of FOXO3 in cataract formation was explored. FOXO3 showed nuclear translocation in lens epithelial cells (LECs) arranged in a single layer on lens capsule tissues from both human cataract and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced rat cataract, also in MNU-injured human (H)-LEC lines. FOXO3 knockdown inhibited the MNU-induced increase in expression of genes related to cell cycle arrest (GADD45A and CCNG2) and apoptosis (BAK and TP53). H2 is highly effective in reducing oxidative impairments in nuclear DNA and mitochondria. When H2 was applied to MNU-injured HLECs, FOXO3 underwent cleavage by MAPK1 and translocated into mitochondria, thereby increasing the transcription of oxidative phosphorylation-related genes (MTCO1, MTCO2, MTND1, and MTND6) in HLECs. Furthermore, H2 mediated the translocation of FOXO3 from the nucleus to the mitochondria within the LECs of cataract capsule tissues of rats exposed to MNU. This intervention ameliorated MNU-induced cataracts in the rat model. In conclusion, there was a correlation between the localization of FOXO3 and its function in cataract formation. It was also determined that H2 protects HLECs from injury by leading FOXO3 mitochondrial translocation via MAPK1 activation. Mitochondrial FOXO3 can increase mtDNA transcription and stabilize mitochondrial function in HLECs.

To determine the proportion of patients consenting to resident participation in cataract surgery and to identify factors predictive of consent.

Prospective cross-sectional study.

The 330 consecutive patients referred for cataract evaluation from February-April 2021 to 3 surgeons at a tertiary care referral centre in London, Ontario.

Using a standardized disclosure script, individuals were asked about resident participation in their cataract surgery. A phone survey and medical record review were conducted to obtain clinical and demographic information. Predictors of consent were assessed using logistic regression modelling.

Responses were received from 279 individuals (85% response rate), with a mean age of 71.7 ± 8.6 years, and 113 were female. The consent rate was 71%. Prior negative experience with any medical trainee was an independent predictor for refusing resident participation (odds ratio [OR] = 3.10; 95% CI, 1.32-7.28; p = 0.009). Nonconsenters also had more prior negative experiences with other physicians (35% vs 23%; p = 0.031) and knew someone who had had a problem after eye surgery (36% vs 22%; p = 0.016). Individuals with an occupation involving apprenticeship (OR = 2.87; 95% CI, 1.08-7.67; p = 0.035) and those with a preoperative acuity of 20/200 or worse (OR = 2.78; 95% CI, 1.03-7.14; p = 0.043) were more likely to consent.

Patients should be explicitly asked about resident involvement. Negative experiences can make individuals reluctant to have learners involved in their future care. Patient education describing the apprenticeship model in medicine may increase consent.

To report the study protocol, methodology and latest enrollment data of a large epidemiological multi-central eye cohort named PERSIAN Eye Cohort Study (PECS), originating from the ongoing PERSIAN Cohort Study, to investigate the distribution of ophthalmic disorders in different regions and ethnicities of Iran, and determine their associations with various exposures of ophthalmic and non-ophthalmic nature.

A central committee designed the study and equipped six chosen centers (Khameneh, Some'e Sara, Hoveizeh, Yazd, Rafsanjan and Zahedan). A focal point in each center conducted the study under close supervision of the central committee.

This ongoing study was launched in 2014. Out of 65,580 eligible participants of the PERSIAN Cohort, 48,618 individuals aged 35-70 have been enrolled in the PECS (response rate: 74.13%) until June 2021. Slit lamp and fundus photography were performed for 28,702 (59.03%) and 27,437 (56.43%) individuals, respectively.

This large epidemiological multi-central eye cohort can improve our epidemiological knowledge of the prevalent ophthalmic disorders in different regions and ethnicities of Iran, and determine their associations with various exposures of ophthalmic and non-ophthalmic nature. This will be very useful for future planned nationwide and global interventions.

Age-related eye diseases and cognitive frailty (CF) are both important predictors of adverse health outcomes in older adults, however, little is known about their association.

To demonstrate the association between age-related eye diseases and cognitive frailty in a population of Iranian older adults.

In this cross-sectional, population-based study, we included 1136 individuals (female n = 514) aged 60 years and older (mean 68.8 ± 6.7 years) who participated in the second cycle of the Amirkola Health and Aging Project (AHAP) between 2016 and 2017. Cognitive function and frailty were evaluated based on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the FRAIL scale respectively. Cognitive frailty was defined as coexistence of cognitive impairment (CI) and physical frailty (PF), excluding confirmed cases of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. Cataract, diabetic retinopathy (DR), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), elevated intraocular pressure (IOP ≥ 21 mmHg) and glaucoma suspects (vertical cup to disc ratio (VCDR) ≥ 0.6) were diagnosed based on standardized grading protocols. Associations between eye diseases and cognitive frailty were evaluated through binary logistic regression analysis.

Overall, CI, PF and CF were observed in 257 (22.6%), 319 (28.1%) and 114 (10.0%) participants respectively. After adjusting for confounders and ophthalmic conditions, individuals with cataract were more likely to have CF (OR 1.66; p-value 0.043), while DR, AMD, elevated IOP and glaucoma suspects (OR 1.32, 1.62, 1.42, 1.36, respectively) were not significantly associated with CF. Furthermore, cataract was significantly associated with CI (OR 1.50; p-value 0.022), but not with frailty (OR 1.18; p-value 0.313).

Older adults with cataract were more likely to have cognitive frailty and cognitive impairment. This association demonstrates the implications of age-related eye diseases beyond ophthalmology and substantiates the need for further research involving cognitive frailty in the context of eye diseases and visual impairment.

The potential for trilineage differentiation of cells in tissues represents a model for studying disease pathogenesis and regeneration pathways. Human lens trilineage differentiation has not yet been demonstrated, and so has calcification and osteogenic differentiation of human lens epithelial cells in the whole human lens. Such changes can pose a risk for complications during cataract surgery. Human lens capsules (n = 9) from cataract patients undergoing uneventful surgery were trilineage-differentiated toward osteogenesis, chondrogenesis, and adipogenesis. Furthermore, whole human healthy lenses (n = 3) collected from cadaveric eyes were differentiated into bone and characterized by immunohistochemistry. The cells in the human lens capsules were capable of undergoing trilineage differentiation, while the whole human healthy lenses could undergo osteogenesis differentiation, expressing osteocalcin, collagen I, and pigment epithelium-derived factor. We, hereby, show an ex vivo model for cataract formation through different stages of opacification, as well as provide in vivo evidence from patients undergoing calcified lens extraction with bone-like consistency.

Studies on age-related macular degeneration often use rod-mediated dark adaptation (RMDA) to evaluate macular functional health, studying eyes with cataract and pseudophakic eyes within the same sample. We examine a poorly understood issue-whether rod intercept time (RIT), a measure of RMDA, changes after cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) insertion as compared to RIT before cataract surgery. Cataract may serve as a filter reducing photo-bleach magnitude prior to surgery, biasing RMDA interpretation.

A pre-/post-cataract surgery design was used. Persons with nuclear sclerotic and/or cortical cataract per the electronic health record were enrolled. Prior to cataract surgery, visual acuity, RMDA, and the LOCS III classification documenting cataract presence/severity were measured. Thirty days after surgery (mean), visual acuity and RMDA were repeated, followed by fundus photos to document macular health.

Twenty-four participants (mean age 72.7 years, standard deviation 5.6) enrolled. All eyes had nuclear sclerotic and nuclear color cataract; 68% had cortical cataract. All IOLs were monofocal with 21 having blue blocking characteristics and 3 had clear IOLs. Most eyes had higher RIT post-surgery (15.6 min, SD 6.7) as compared to pre-surgery (13.7 min, SD 6.4), p = 0.0006, meaning that RMDA was slower post-surgery. Eyes with moderate cataract (<4 on any LOCS III grade) had RIT that increased on average by 0.7 min; those with more advanced cataract (≥4) had RIT that increased by 3.1 min (p = 0.0116). Results were unchanged when clear IOLs were removed from analysis.

RMDA was significantly slower (RIT was greater) following cataract surgery, with the greatest impact on RIT in older eyes after surgery for more advanced cataract. These findings suggest that persons with more advanced cataract may bias results when evaluating RMDA using RIT.

Since the 1960s, Grassy Narrows First Nation (Ontario, Canada) has been exposed to methyl mercury (Hg) through fish consumption, resulting from industrial pollution of their territorial waters. This cross-sectional study describes the visual characteristics of adults with documented Hg exposure between 1970 and 1997. Oculo-visual examinations of 80 community members included visual acuity, automated visual fields, optical coherence tomography [OCT], color vision and contrast sensitivity. Median age was 57 years (IQR 51-63) and 55% of participants were women. Median visual acuity was 0.1 logMAR (Snellen 6/6.4; IQR 0-0.2). A total of 26% of participants presented a Visual Field Index inferior to 62%, and qualitative losses assessment showed concentric constriction (18%), end-stage concentric loss (18%), and complex defects (24%). On OCT, retinal nerve fiber layer scans showed 74% of participants within normal/green range. For color testing with the Hardy, Rand, and Rittler test, 40% presented at least one type of color defect, and with the Lanthony D-15 test, median color confusion index was 1.59 (IQR 1.33-1.96). Contrast sensitivity showed moderate loss for 83% of participants. These findings demonstrate important loss of visual field, color vision, and contrast sensitivity in older adults in a context of long-term exposure to Hg in Grassy Narrows First Nation.

Monitoring health outcomes disaggregated by socioeconomic position (SEP) is crucial to ensure no one is left behind in efforts to achieve universal health coverage. In eye health planning, rapid population surveys are most commonly implemented; these need an SEP measure that is feasible to collect within the constraints of a streamlined examination protocol. We aimed to assess whether each of four SEP measures identified inequality-an underserved group or socioeconomic gradient-in key eye health outcomes.

Population-based cross-sectional survey.

A subset of 4020 adults 50 years and older from a nationally representative sample of 9188 adults aged 35 years and older in The Gambia.

Blindness (presenting visual acuity (PVA) <3/60), any vision impairment (VI) (PVA <6/12), cataract surgical coverage (CSC) and effective cataract surgical coverage (eCSC) at two operable cataract thresholds (<6/12 and <6/60) analysed by one objective asset-based measure (EquityTool) and three subjective measures of relative SEP (a self-reported economic ladder question and self-reported household food adequacy and income sufficiency).

Subjective household food adequacy and income sufficiency demonstrated a socioeconomic gradient (queuing pattern) in point estimates of any VI and CSC and eCSC at both operable cataract thresholds. Any VI, CSC <6/60 and eCSC <6/60 were worse among people who reported inadequate household food compared with those with just adequate food. Any VI and CSC <6/60 were worse among people who reported not enough household income compared with those with just enough income. Neither the subjective economic ladder question nor the objective asset-wealth measure demonstrated any socioeconomic gradient or pattern of inequality in any of the eye health outcomes.

We recommend pilot-testing self-reported food adequacy and income sufficiency as SEP variables in vision and eye health surveys in other locations, including assessing the acceptability, reliability and repeatability of each question.

The anterior chamber depth in hyperopic eyes is significantly deeper than that in myopic eyes, and this finding is independent of the axial length.

This study aimed to determine the relationship between and refractive errors and ocular biometric components in a geriatric population 60 years and older.

The present population-based cross-sectional study was performed using a multistage random cluster sampling method in Tehran, Iran. After selecting the samples, visual acuity measurement, autorefraction, subjective refraction, and slit-lamp examination were performed for all participants. Ocular biometric indices were measured with Pentacam AXL (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany).

The correlation coefficients of spherical equivalent with axial length, corneal radius of curvature, axial length/corneal radius of curvature ratio, and anterior chamber depth were -0.40, 0.14, -0.63, and -0.18, respectively, after controlling the effects of age, sex, and nuclear cataract. The axial length (24.84 vs. 21.21 mm), the anterior chamber depth (2.74 vs. 2.34 mm), the ratio of the axial length to the corneal radius of curvature (3.35 vs. 2.71), and the anterior chamber volume (138.59 and 105.54 mm 3 ) were the highest and lowest in myopic and hyperopic individuals, respectively (all P < .001). In the first model, axial length and nuclear cataract were significantly inversely related to the spherical equivalent. However, corneal radius of curvature, anterior chamber depth, central corneal thickness, and corneal diameter had a significant direct relationship with the spherical equivalent. In the second model, the axial length/corneal radius of curvature ratio and cataract showed an inverse relationship with the spherical equivalent, whereas anterior chamber depth and corneal diameter had a direct relationship with the spherical equivalent.

Among the biometric components, the axial length/corneal radius of curvature ratio has the strongest relationship with refractive errors. The anterior chamber depth is lower in myopes compared with hyperopes after controlling the effect of axial length.

To report a trainee's experience gained in the cataract extraction training program after the COVID-19 pandemic.

An ophthalmologist was trained in phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in the ETAPE foundation, Eye Center, Cairo for a period of 4 weeks by three expert cataract surgeons. The training was tailored to the previous trainee's experience according to his residency logbook and supervised by one expert cataract surgeon. The training included didactic lectures, clinical observations, and hands-on practical experience. In addition, the trainee was provided with a logbook to record details of patients operated on and procedures observed.

The trainee performed 58 phacoemulsification surgery with IOL implantation and two extracapsular cataract extraction over the 4 weeks. Seven patients underwent intraoperative complications. Surgical time (ST) improved from 48.77 ± 9.65 min in the 1^stweek to 19.34 ± 1.31 min during the last week of training (P = 0.046). Poisson regression showed that patients affected by less severe cataracts were more likely to exhibit a lower incidence of complications than patients affected by more severe cataracts. In addition, patients operated on during the 1^stweek were more likely to show a higher incidence of complications than those operated on during the last week.

The 4-week surgical training effectively improved surgical confidence and micro incisional skills according to ST reduction and complication rate occurrence. Ophthalmologists benefit from enhancing their cataract skills in a short time following a well-structured cataract extraction course. This could undoubtedly lead to improved surgical outcomes for patients undergoing cataract extraction.

Nuclear cataract (NC) is a leading ocular disease globally for blindness and vision impairment. NC patients can improve their vision through cataract surgery or slow the opacity development with early intervention. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) image is an emerging ophthalmic image type, which can clearly observe the whole lens structure. Recently, clinicians have been increasingly studying the correlation between NC severity levels and clinical features from the nucleus region on AS-OCT images, and the results suggested the correlation is strong. However, automatic NC classification research based on AS-OCT images has rarely been studied. This paper presents a novel mixed pyramid attention network (MPANet) to classify NC severity levels on AS-OCT images automatically. In the MPANet, we design a novel mixed pyramid attention (MPA) block, which first applies the group convolution method to enhance the feature representation difference of feature maps and then construct a mixed pyramid pooling structure to extract local-global feature representations and different feature representation types simultaneously. We conduct extensive experiments on a clinical AS-OCT image dataset and a public OCT dataset to evaluate the effectiveness of our method. The results demonstrate that our method achieves competitive classification performance through comparisons to state-of-the-art methods and previous works. Moreover, this paper also uses the class activation mapping (CAM) technique to improve our method's interpretability of classification results.

A community-based study was conducted to determine the prevalence and sociodemographic factors of pseudoexfoliation syndrome among adults in Southern Ethiopia.

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among subjects aged 40 years or older. Subjects underwent standardized examination, including portable slit-lamp biomicroscopy before and after pupillary dilatation, and intraocular pressure measurement using Tono-Pen. Pseudoexfoliation was diagnosed on slit-lamp examination by the presence of white dandruff-like material on the pupillary margin and/or on the anterior lens capsule of one or both eyes.

Among 760 participants, the prevalence of pseudoexfoliation was 12.0% (95% confidence interval: 9.7-14.3%). The mean age of pseudoexfoliation cases was 63.9 years (SD 9.96, age range 40-90 years). The prevalence increased with increasing age, with 26.9% of those 60 or older affected. Slightly higher proportion of males (12.4%) were found to have pseudoexfoliation in either of the eyes than females (11.6%) which was not statistically significant (p = 0.738). Mean IOP in subjects with pseudoexfoliation was found to be 20.65 ± 5.15 mmHg, while it was 15.0 ± 2.3 mmHg for those without pseudoexfoliation. The difference between the two populations was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05).

The prevalence of pseudoexfoliation in eyes of people in Southern Ethiopia appears greater than that reported in other places of Africa and Asia. Pseudoexfoliation occurs at a relatively younger age in our population. Increasing age is associated with the presence of pseudoexfoliation, and pseudoexfoliation in turn is associated with higher intraocular pressure.

Occupational exposure to ionising radiation may have detrimental health effects. Longer and more complex fluoroscopic procedures have placed interventionalists at increased occupational health risks especially for developing cataracts in the radiosensitive lenses of the eyes.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of occupational related cataracts and describe the risk factors for cataracts in occupationally exposed interventionalists compared with unexposed doctors.

A cross-sectional study using multiple methods. A survey was conducted. The radiation workload was determined based on a self-administered questionnaire and dose area product values determined in previous studies. Both groups had slit lamp examinations. The data were analysed analytically using R software version 9.3.

The study included 98 interventionalists. The combined prevalence of posterior sub-capsular (PSC) and cortical cataracts was 18.8% in the exposed and 13.9% in the unexposed group. The prevalence of PSC cataracts in the exposed group was 5.9% and 2.8% in the unexposed group, with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58; 8.61). Posterior sub-capsular cataracts were more common in the left eye. The increase in cataracts was not statistically significant in the exposed group but is of clinical significance.

The findings are important as they highlight the need for greater vigilance for protecting the radiation healthcare workforce in a developing country setting.

The research is the first of its kind in South Africa and Africa and contributes to determining the prevalence in this highly skilled and occupationally vulnerable group.

To determine the prevalence of astigmatism and its associated factors and examine astigmatism symmetry patterns in an elderly population.

Population based cross-sectional study.

The present population-based cross-sectional study was conducted on an elderly population above 60 years of age in Tehran, Iran in 2019. The sampling was done using the stratified multistage random cluster sampling method. All study participants underwent a complete optometric examination and slit-lamp biomicroscopy.

The prevalence of astigmatism higher than -0.50, -1.00, and -2.00 D was 83% (95% CI: 81 -84), 52 % (95% CI: 50 -54), and 19% (95% CI: 17-20), respectively. These prevalence was 79%(95% CI: 77-81), 46(95% CI: 44-49) and 14(95% CI: 13-16) in subjects without a history of ocular surgery, respectively. Based on cylinder power worse than -1.00 D, 10% (95% CI: 9-12), 20% (95% CI: 18-22), and 21% (95% CI:19-23) of study participants had with the rule, against the rule, and oblique astigmatism, respectively. According to the results of the multiple regression model, male gender, older age, low education level, pure posterior subcapsular cataract, pseudophakia, and myopia were independent factors associated with astigmatism. The prevalence of anisorule astigmatism was 57 % (95% CI: 56-59), the most common anisorule astigmatism was against the rule-oblique type with a prevalence of 36% (95% CI: 34-38).

The prevalence of astigmatism was high in the elderly population of Tehran. More than half of the participants in this study had anisorule astigmatism, and against the rule-oblique combination was more prevalent than other types. A posterior subcapsular cataract, a history of cataract surgery, and myopia were the associated factors of astigmatism in this study.

To determine the effect of a microinterventional lens prefragmentation wire loop device (miLOOP®; Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Oberkochen, Germany), on adverse events (AEs), cumulative dispersed energy (CDE), and vision outcomes when used before phacoemulsification of high-grade mature cataracts.

Three ambulatory surgical centers in the Peoria, IL region.

Retrospective comparative consecutive case series; single-surgeon.

Patient outcomes were compared before and after introduction of miLOOP-assisted lens fragmentation prior to phacoemulsification during cataract surgeries performed 2016‒2020. The primary outcome was intraoperative AE rate/type. Secondary outcomes included ultrasound cumulative dispersed energy (CDE) administered during phacoemulsification, postoperative AEs, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

Data from 765 subjects (mean age 72.9 years; 1025 eyes) comprised 524 conventional lens disassembly (Control) eyes and 501 Device eyes. One hundred percent of the cataracts in both groups were advanced WHO Grade 3+ nuclei. Significantly fewer intraoperative AEs occurred in the Device group versus Controls (2.2% and 6.3% of eyes, respectively; p=0.0011). Postoperative AE rates were comparable between groups (Controls=2.9%, Device=3.5%). Mean CDE from ultrasound was significantly reduced by 21% when the microfilament loop device was used for nuclear disassembly (9.6±5.2 CDE units) versus Controls (11.6±6.4 CDE units; p<0.0001). Median postoperative BCVA was 20/25 Snellen (0.091 logMAR) in both groups. More than 70% of both Control and Device eyes had postoperative BCVA better than 20/30 Snellen.

Microinterventional lens fragmentation was associated with lower ultrasound energy use and improved intraoperative safety than traditional unassisted surgery of advanced high-grade cataracts, while maintaining similarly acceptable postoperative complication rates and BCVA functional outcomes.

Homogentisic acid (HGA) lowering, disease modifying off-label nitisinone therapy has been used in the United Kingdom National Alkaptonuria Centre (NAC) since 2012. This study evaluated the serendipitous observation of cataract in a large cohort of patients with the very rare disease alkaptonuria (AKU), over a 5-year period. Patients with AKU who attended the NAC since 2012. Standard physical examination and ocular assessment, including photographs of the crystalline lens were taken before commencement of nitisinone 2 mg daily and annually over 5 years. Photographs were randomised and graded by two independent observers using the WHO cataract classification. AKU patients who did not receive nitisinone were included as a control group. HGA was measured on acidified 24 h urine (u-HGA24) and HGA and tyrosine in fasting acidified serum samples (sHGA, sTYR) at each visit. Patients without suitable lens images were excluded. Cataract (mean grade 1) was noted at baseline in 47 out of 62 (76%) with a mean (SD) age of 44 (14) years. In nitisinone-treated patients, there were significant increases in the mean grade of nuclear (0.18, p < 0.01) and cortical (0.38, p < 0.01) lens opacities over the mean duration of 4.93 years of the study. Worsening of the nuclear cataract and cortical lens opacities by at least 1 grade was noted in 14 out of 46 (30%) and 11 out of 46 (24%) patients, respectively. There is an increased prevalence and progression of cataract in AKU and a possible association of nitisinone with cataract progression.