OBJECTIVE: Rigid contact lenses have an important role in contact lens practice. The purpose of this work is to update earlier surveys by describing global trends in rigid lens fitting between 2000-2023.
METHODS: An annual contact lens prescribing survey was sent to eye care practitioners in up to 71 countries between 2000 and 2023. Data relating to 342,500 fits undertaken in 20 countries returning reliable longitudinal data were analysed in respect of rigid lens fitting, defined as the fitting of any design of a contact lens manufactured in a rigid material.
RESULTS: Overall, rigid lens prescribing increased slightly over time, from 14.2 % of lens fits in 2000 to 15.2 % in 2023 (p < 0.0001). However, post-hoc analysis shows that the change over time is best described as a decline between 2000 and 2012, followed by a steady increase subsequently. There were significant differences in rigid lens prescribing between countries (p < 0.0001). The difference between the percentage of males fitted with rigid lenses, as a proportion of all contact lenses (12.7 %), and females (12.0 %) is significant (p < 0.0001), although not clinically meaningful. Rigid lens wearers are older at fitting than soft lens wearers (38.7 vs 31.3 years, respectively) (p < 0.0001). Analysis of 5,994 rigid lens fits prescribed currently (2019-2023) were categorised as: corneal sphere - 30 %; scleral and corneo-scleral - 28 %; corneal myopia control/orthokeratology - 21 %; and corneal complex (including toric, multifocal and monovision) - 16 %.
CONCLUSIONS: There has been a slight increase in rigid lens fitting during the second decade of this century. This increase is apparently due to a \'repurposing\' of rigid lenses, with the growth of scleral/corneo-scleral and myopia control/orthokeratology lens fits essentially replacing conventional spherical corneal lens fits.

Ocular neovascularization is the leading cause of blindness in clinical settings. Pathological angiogenesis of the eye can be divided into corneal neovascularization (CoNV), retinal neovascularization (RNV, including diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity), and choroidal neovascularization (CNV) based on the anatomical location of abnormal neovascularization. Although anti-Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents have wide-ranging clinical applications and are an effective treatment for neovascular eye disease, many deficiencies in this treatment strategy remain. Recently, emerging evidence has demonstrated that macrophages are vital during the process of physiological and pathological angiogenesis. Monocyte-macrophage lineage is diverse and plastic, they can shift between different activation modes and have different functions. Due to the obvious regulatory effect of macrophages on inflammation and angiogenesis, macrophages have been increasingly studied in the field of ophthalmology. Here, we detail how macrophage activated and the role of different subtypes of macrophages in the pathogenesis of ocular neovascularization. The complexity of macrophages has recently taken center stage owing to their subset diversity and tightly regulated molecular and metabolic phenotypes. In this review, we reveal the functional and phenotypic characterization of macrophage subsets associated with ocular neovascularization, more in-depth research is needed to explore the specific mechanisms by which macrophages regulate angiogenesis as well as macrophage polarization. Targeted regulation of macrophage differentiation based on their phenotype and function could be an effective approach to treat and manage ocular neovascularization in the future.

The article introduces neurotrophic keratopathy (NK), a condition resulting from corneal denervation due to various causes of trigeminal nerve dysfunctions. Surgical techniques for corneal neurotization (CN) have evolved, aiming to restore corneal sensitivity. Initially proposed in 1972, modern approaches offer less invasive options. CN can be performed through a direct approach (DCN) directly suturing a sensitive nerve to the affected cornea or indirectly (ICN) through a nerve auto/allograft. Surgical success relies on meticulous donor nerve selection and preparation, often involving multidisciplinary teams. A PubMed research and review of the relevant literature was conducted regarding the surgical approach, emphasizing surgical techniques and the choice of the donor nerve. The latter considers factors like sensory integrity and proximity to the cornea. The most used are the contralateral or ipsilateral supratrochlear (STN), and the supraorbital (SON) and great auricular (GAN) nerves. Regarding the choice of grafts, the most used in the literature are the sural (SN), the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LABCN), and the GAN nerves. Another promising option is represented by allografts (acellularized nerves from cadavers). The significance of sensory recovery and factors influencing surgical outcomes, including nerve caliber matching and axonal regeneration, are discussed. Future directions emphasize less invasive techniques and the potential of acellular nerve allografts. In conclusion, CN represents a promising avenue in the treatment of NK, offering tailored approaches based on patient history and surgical expertise, with new emerging techniques warranting further exploration through basic science refinements and clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE: To report the prevalence data for total corneal astigmatism (TCA) in cataract patients.
METHODS: The authors retrospectively collected and analyzed the preoperative biometric data of the patients who underwent cataract surgery in the Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital, from January 2019 to May 2023.
RESULTS: The mean age of the 10817 patients was 71 ± 10 years; the male/female ratio was 4653/6164. The mean TCA obtained by the IOLMaster 700 (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany), the Abulafia-Koch (AK) formula, and the Barrett toric calculator was 1.11 ± 0.81 diopter (D), 1.13 ± 0.75 D, and 1.12 ± 0.74 D respectively, which was significantly greater than the mean standard keratometric (K) astigmatism (0.99 ± 0.75 D) obtained by IOLMaster 700. Against-the-rule (ATR) astigmatism was dominant in all the TCA measurements, and its proportion increased with age. TCA measurements by different methods exhibit high variability, with a total of 1574 (8.9%) data sets from 1016 (9.4%) patients showing a difference larger than 0.5 D in at least one pair of TCA measurements.
CONCLUSIONS: The use of TCA rather than K astigmatism significantly influenced the choice of intraocular lenses (IOLs) as more patients would be candidates for toric IOLs. It was essential to carefully compare and select TCA obtained with multiple methods for optimal postoperative visual quality.

Cornual pregnancy (CP) is a subtype of ectopic pregnancy that is implanted in the interstitial segment of the fallopian tube which is defined as the tubal section crossing uterine muscular tissue. Widely recognized risk factors for CP are endometriosis, uterine leiomyomata, or pelvic inflammatory disease; all these diseases can cause tubal anatomic changes and consequently alter embryo physiological implant process. Many treatment options are available for this condition each one must be tailored according to patient and operating scenario. The incidence of uterine ruptures in the scarred uterus appears to be low, but the fear of it remains and therefore medical treatment might be favored over cornual wedge resection. The actual risk of uterine rupture after medical treatment is unknown. Multiple testing strategies exist to diagnose CP, but caution needs to be used to avoid a false diagnosis.

The corneal epithelium (CE) forms the outermost layer of the cornea. Despite its thickness of only 50 μm, the CE plays a key role as an initial barrier against any insults to the eye and contributes to the light refraction onto the retina required for clear vision. In the event of an injury, the cornea is equipped with many strategies contributing to competent wound healing, including angiogenic and immune privileges, and mechanotransduction. Various factors, including growth factors, keratin, cytokines, integrins, crystallins, basement membrane, and gap junction proteins are involved in CE wound healing and serve as markers in the healing process. Studies of CE wound healing are advancing rapidly in tandem with the rise of corneal bioengineering, which employs limbal epithelial stem cells as the primary source of cells utilizing various types of biomaterials as substrates.

This study evaluated the luminous behavior applied to materials used in intraocular surgeries.
Discs of the different products were delivered in 19.00 mm × 3.00 mm. Each sample was fixed on support keeping it perpendicular to the spectrophotometer beam. Later, their analyses were carried out in the air/PMMA ratio. The graphs of individual profiles of the measurements along the length were constructed according to each of the filters from the spectrophotometric analysis. In addition, descriptive statistics of transmittance and absorbance for each wavelength presented were correlated for each filter.
It is possible to observe that the minimum absorption measure was found in the Red Filter, especially in the blue and green light spectrum.
Using filters in PMMA materials appears to improve visual quality in corneal implants, especially the red filter, due to greater absorbance of light leading to fewer light scattering phenomena through corneal rings. However, further studies comparing the effects of different filters on Intracorneal rings should be carried out to elucidate this field of study.

This study evaluated the corneal endothelium, stromal keratocytes, subbasal nerve number and density in patients with silicone oil transferred to the anterior camera after pseudophakic complicated retinal detachment surgery by in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy (IVLSCM).
Sequential measurements were made by IVLSCM between 3-6 months after surgery in two groups of patients: a) with silicon oil migration (Group 1) and without silicone oil migration (Group 2).
A total of 63 cases (Group 1: 32 and Group 2: 31) were examined. The mean ages of patients were 65 ± 12 and 61 ± 11 and M/F ratio was 18/14 and 17/14, respectively. Mean intraocular pressures were 16.60 ± 4.60 and 15.75 ± 5.70 mm Hg, respectively. Changes were detected by IVLSCM mostly on the superior part of the cornea. A significant decrease in endothelial cell density and the number was detected in group 1 (2072 ± 116.2 cells/mm2 vs 2752 ± 512.3 cells/mm2; p < 0.001). Significant increases in posterior keratocyte density and stromal hyperreflective deposits were observed in group 1 (887 ± 45.8 cells/mm2 vs 725 ± 65.8 cells/mm2; p < 0.001). A significant negative correlation was observed between the size of stromal deposits and endothelial cell density (r=-0.758; p < 0.001). The number and density of corneal subbasal nerves were significantly lower in group 1 (1.8 ± 0.8 and 4.8 ± 1.2 vs 420 ± 101 and 701 ± 112 µm/square; p < 0.001).
IVLSCM is a useful tool for the early detection of corneal abnormalities caused by silicone oil injection. This study verified silicone oil\'s detrimental effect on the corneal endothelium and revealed stromal changes in the anterior chamber, which we believe can be also been associated with the presence of silicone oil.

Corneal alkali burns cause extensive damage not only to the cornea but also to the intraocular tissues. As an anti-inflammatory therapy, subconjunctival administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for corneal protection after corneal alkali burn has been explored. Little evidence demonstrates the potential of subconjunctival MSCs delivery in protecting the post-burn intraocular tissues. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of subconjunctival injection of human placental (hP)-MSCs in protecting against ocular destruction after the burn. hP-MSCs were subconjunctivally administered to C57/BL mice after corneal alkali burn. Western blot of iNOS and CD206 was performed to determine the M1 and M2 macrophage infiltration in the cornea. Infiltration of inflammatory cells in the anterior uvea and retina was analyzed by flow cytometry. The TUNEL assay or Western blot of Bax and Bcl2 was used to evaluate the anti-apoptotic effects of MSCs. MSCs could effectively facilitate cornea repair by suppressing inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, MCP-1, and MMP9, and polarizing CD206 positive M2 macrophages. Anterior uveal and retinal inflammatory cytokines expression and inflammatory cell infiltration were inhibited in the MSC-treated group. Reduced TUNEL positive staining and Bax/Bcl2 ratio indicated the anti-apoptosis of MSCs. MSC-conditioned medium promoted human corneal epithelial cell proliferation and regulated LPS-stimulated inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages, confirming the trophic and immunoregulatory effects of MSCs. Our findings demonstrate that subconjunctival administration of MSCs exerted anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects in the cornea, anterior uvea, and retina after corneal alkali burn. This strategy may provide a new direction for preventing post-event complications after corneal alkali burn.

UNASSIGNED: The goal of this research was to design and characterize quercetin microemulsions (MEs) to resolve water solubility issues related to quercetin and improve transcorneal permeation into the eye.
UNASSIGNED: MEs were prepared by the phase diagram method. Oily phase (oleic acid-Transcutol P), surfactant (Tween 80, Span 20), and co-surfactant (propylene glycol) were used to make a quercetin-loaded ME. The size of the droplets, their viscosity, pH, release, flux, and diffusivity were all measured.
UNASSIGNED: Droplet diameters in ME samples ranged from 5.31 to 26.07 nanometers. The pH varied from 5.22 to 6.20, and the release test revealed that 98.06 percent of the medication was released during the first 24 hours. The flux and diffusivity coefficients of the ME-QU-8 formulation were 58.8 µg/cm2.h and 0.009 cm2/h, respectively, which were 8.8 and 17.9 times greater than the quercetin aqueous control (0.2 percent). The maximum percentage of drug permeated through rabbit cornea after five hours was 16.11%.
UNASSIGNED: It is concluded that ME containing quercetin could increase transcorneal permeation and that permeation could be altered by any change in the composition of the ME formulation. This effect might be caused by structural alterations in the cornea caused by ME components.