1. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2015 Nov 18. [Epub ahead of print]

Comparison of the intraocular pressure-lowering effect and safety of
brimonidine/timolol fixed combination and 0.5 % timolol in normal-tension
glaucoma patients.

Kim JM(1), Kim TW(2), Kim CY(3), Kim HK(4), Park KH(5).

Author information: 
(1)Department of Ophthalmology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University
School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. (2)Department of Ophthalmology,
Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of 
Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea. (3)Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei
University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. (4)Department of
Ophthalmology, Myung-Gok Eye Research Institute, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang
University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. (5)Department of
Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National
University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. kihopark@snu.ac.kr.

PURPOSE: To compare the therapeutic efficacy and safety of brimonidine/timolol
fixed-combination (BTFC) and 0.5 % timolol ophthalmic solution in normal-tension 
glaucoma (NTG) patients.
METHODS: This was a multi-institution, randomized, active-controlled, open-label,
parallel-group study. After a full ophthalmic and glaucoma examination, a total
of 110 NTG patients-55 undergoing therapy with BTFC and 55 0.5 %, with
timolol-participated in this study. Among them, 1 failed to meet the
inclusion/exclusion criteria, 10 revoked their consent to participate in the
study, 3 had adverse reactions, and 1 had a drug adherence rate of less than
70 %. Ultimately, a total of 95 patients-48 in the BTFC group and 47 in the 0.5 %
timolol group-completed the study. The study visits took place at baseline and at
4 and 12 weeks. Diurnal IOP was measured at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 5 p.m. during
the baseline visit and the visit at 12 weeks after eye-drop instillation. At each
follow-up visit, compliance was assessed. Throughout the study, all adverse
events were recorded and monitored by the investigators.
RESULTS: The average difference in IOP change measured at 11 a.m. 12 weeks after 
administration between the two groups was 2.10 ± 2.59 mmHg. The BTFC group had a 
better IOP-lowering effect at all time points than did the 0.5 % timolol group.
The ratio of patients whose average IOP had decreased by >20 % after 4 and
12 weeks was 50 and 56 % in the BTFC group, respectively, whereas it was 29.41
and 23.53 % in the 0.5 % timolol group, respectively (p = 0.034, <0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: BTFC has a superior IOP-lowering effect than 0.5 % timolol in NTG
patients.

PMID: 26578422   [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]


2. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2015 Nov 12. [Epub ahead of print]

Stereoscopic perception of 3-D images by patients after surgery for esotropia.

Endo T(1), Fujikado T(2), Shimojyo H(1), Kanda H(3), Morimoto T(3), Nishida K(1).

Author information: 
(1)Department of Opthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine,
Suita, Japan. (2)Department of Applied Visual Science, Osaka University Graduate 
School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
fujikado@ophthal.med.osaka-u.ac.jp. (3)Department of Applied Visual Science,
Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka,
565-0871, Japan.

PURPOSE: Patients with esotropia (ET) have generally poor stereopsis; however, it
is not clear whether they can see the recently developed 3-D images
stereoscopically. We investigated the ability of postoperative ET patients to
have stereoscopic perception of 3-D attraction images which have large crossed
disparities, and also 3-D movies which have generally small uncrossed
disparities.
METHODS: Twenty-seven ET patients (infantile ET = 12, late-onset ET = 15) were
examined postoperatively. They were examined with the 4-dot test, Titmus fly
test, and questionnaires to determine whether they had stereoscopic vision when
observing 3-D attraction images and 3-D movies. McNemar tests were used for
statistical evaluations.
RESULTS: The number of patients who passed the Titmus fly test was smaller than
the number that were able to see 3-D attraction images stereoscopically (fly test
13; 48 %, 3-D attraction 22; 81 %; P = 0.016). However, the number was not
significantly different from that of those who could perceive 3-D movies
stereoscopically. The number of patients who passed the Titmus fly test was
significantly smaller than the number who can perceive 3-D attraction images
stereoscopically in the infantile ET group (fly test 2, 17 %, 3-D attraction 10, 
83 %; P = 0.013) but was not different in the late-onset ET group
postoperatively. The minimum angle of fusion for the 4-dot test was smaller in
the Titmus fly-positive patients than in the Titmus fly-negative patients
(P = 0.03).
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that children who cannot pass the Titmus fly
test might be able to experience 3-D attractions stereoscopically but not be able
to see 3-D movies stereoscopically.

PMID: 26564209   [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]


3. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2015 Nov;59(6):437-9. doi: 10.1007/s10384-015-0418-9.

Scientific Reviewers.

[No authors listed]

PMID: 26554727   [PubMed - in process]


4. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2015 Oct 26. [Epub ahead of print]

Two-year results of combined intravitreal ranibizumab and photodynamic therapy
for retinal angiomatous proliferation.

Saito M(1,)(2), Iida T(3,)(4), Kano M(3), Itagaki K(3).

Author information: 
(1)Department of Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 
Fukushima, Japan. masaaki@med.akita-u.ac.jp. (2)Department of Ophthalmology and
Visual Sciences, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Niidahoncho,
Akita, 010-8543, Japan. masaaki@med.akita-u.ac.jp. (3)Department of
Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan.
(4)Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Women's Medical University School of
Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was clarify the efficacy of combination therapy of
intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) injections and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in
patients with symptomatic retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) over 24 months.
METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 37 naïve eyes of 31 patients treated with
three consecutive monthly IVR injections (0.5 mg/0.05 ml) and PDT and followed
for at least 24 months.
RESULTS: The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution best-corrected
visual acuity levels improved significantly (P < 0.0001) from 0.63 at baseline to
0.39 at 24 months. Geographic atrophy (GA) involving the fovea developed in nine 
(24 %) eyes, with a significant (P = 0.036) decrease in VA at 24 months and a
high (100 %) prevalence of reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) at baseline. Complete
occlusion of the retinal-retinal anastomosis seen in 35 eyes was achieved in 33
eyes at month 24. The central retinal thickness decreased significantly
(P < 0.0001) from 415 to 129 μm at 24 months. The mean number of treatments
during 24 months was 2.5 PDT and 5.5 IVR injections.
CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy comprising IVR injections and PDT is generally
effective in maintaining or improving VA and retinal morphology within 2 years in
eyes with RAP, except for eyes with baseline RPD, which are likely to develop GA 
in the fovea resulting in reduced VA.

PMID: 26498642   [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]


5. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2015 Sep 28. [Epub ahead of print]

Twenty-four-hour efficacy of preservative-free tafluprost for open-angle glaucoma
patients, assessed by home intraocular pressure (Icare-ONE) and blood-pressure
monitoring.

Cho SY(1), Kim YY(2), Yoo C(3), Lee TE(3).

Author information: 
(1)Department of Ophthalmology, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju,
Korea. (2)Department of Ophthalmology, Korea University College of Medicine,
Seoul, Korea. yongykim@korea.ac.kr. (3)Department of Ophthalmology, Korea
University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of preservative-free (PF) tafluprost on diurnal
variation of intraocular pressure (IOP) and ocular perfusion pressure (OPP),
measured by use of home IOP and blood-pressure (BP) monitoring devices, for
primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients.
METHODS: Twenty-two eyes from 22 patients with POAG were studied. Initially, IOP 
was measured at the hospital by Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) and
Icare-ONE rebound tonometry. Each patient was then instructed how to use the
Icare-ONE and BP home monitoring devices. IOP and BP were measured at home by the
patients, every 4 h, before and 2 weeks after once daily treatment with PF
tafluprost (0.0015 %) ophthalmic solution.
RESULTS: Intraclass correlations between different IOP measurements were greater 
than 0.8. PF tafluprost reduced mean diurnal IOP significantly for patients with 
POAG, from 15.7 ± 1.2 mmHg at baseline to 12.5 ± 0.6 mmHg 2 weeks after treatment
(p < 0.001). It increased mean diurnal OPP from 48.5 ± 7.3 mmHg at baseline to
51.3 ± 7.0 mmHg post-treatment (p < 0.017).
CONCLUSIONS: Icare-ONE enables glaucoma patients to measure their own diurnal IOP
fluctuations. Patient-measured Icare-ONE IOP readings showed that PF tafluprost
effectively reduced diurnal IOP in eyes with POAG.

PMID: 26411460   [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]


6. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2015 Sep 25. [Epub ahead of print]

Neuroprotective effect of water-dispersible hesperetin in retinal ischemia
reperfusion injury.

Shimouchi A(1), Yokota H(2), Ono S(1), Matsumoto C(1), Tamai T(3), Takumi H(3),
Narayanan SP(4), Kimura S(5), Kobayashi H(5), Caldwell RB(4), Nagaoka T(1),
Yoshida A(1).

Author information: 
(1)Department of Ophthalmology, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka Higashi
2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan. (2)Department of Ophthalmology, Asahikawa
Medical University, Midorigaoka Higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan.
atokoy18@asahikawa-med.ac.jp. (3)Institute of Health Sciences, Ezaki Glico Co.,
Ltd, Osaka, Japan. (4)Vascular Biology Center, Georgia Regents University,
Augusta, GA, USA. (5)Division of Immune Pathology, Department of Pathology,
Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.

PURPOSE: To determine whether water-dispersible hesperetin (WD-Hpt) can prevent
degeneration of ganglion cell neurons in the ischemic retina.
METHODS: Ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury was induced by increasing the
intraocular pressure of mice to 110 mmHg for 40 min. Mice received daily
intraperitoneal injections with either normal saline (NS, 0.3 ml/day) or WD-Hpt
(0.3 ml, 200 mg/kg/day). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was assessed by
dihydroethidium and nitrotyrosine formation. Inflammation was estimated by
microglial morphology in the retina. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2
cells were used to explore the anti-inflammatory effect of WD-Hpt on activated
microglia by quantifying the expression of IL-1β using real-time quantitative
reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Ganglion cell loss was assessed 
by immunohistochemistry of NeuN. Glial activation was quantified with glial
fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity. Apoptosis was evaluated with a
terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TUNEL) assay and immunohistochemistry of
cleaved caspase-3. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase
(p-ERK) was surveyed by western blotting.
RESULTS: WD-Hpt decreased I/R-induced ROS formation. WD-Hpt alleviated microglial
activation induced by I/R and reduced mRNA levels of IL-1β in LPS-stimulated
BV-2. I/R resulted in a 37 % reduction in the number of ganglion cells in the
NS-treated mice, whereas the reduction was only 5 % in the WD-Hpt-treated mice.
In addition, WD-Hpt mitigated the immunoreactivity of GFAP, increased expression 
of cleaved caspase-3, increased number of TUNEL positive cells and p-ERK after
I/R.
CONCLUSIONS: WD-Hpt protected ganglion cells from I/R injury by inhibiting
oxidative stress and modulating cell death signaling. Moreover, WD-Hpt had an
anti-inflammatory effect through the suppression of activated microglia.

PMID: 26407617   [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]


7. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2015 Sep 14. [Epub ahead of print]

The microbiome, HLA, and the pathogenesis of uveitis.

Rosenbaum JT(1,)(2), Lin P(3), Asquith M(4).

Author information: 
(1)Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, 3375 S.W.
Terwilliger Blvd., Portland, OR, 97239, USA. rosenbaj@ohsu.edu. (2)Legacy Devers 
Eye Institute, Portland, OR, 97210, USA. rosenbaj@ohsu.edu. (3)Casey Eye
Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, 3375 S.W. Terwilliger Blvd.,
Portland, OR, 97239, USA. (4)Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science
University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.

An understanding of the microbiome is emerging as an exciting and novel way to
elucidate the regulation of the immune system. Since the immune system plays a
major role in the pathogenesis of many diseases including most forms of uveitis, 
it is critical to clarify the relationship between our immune system and the
commensal bacteria that coexist in every human being.

PMID: 26370944   [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]


8. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2015 Sep 11. [Epub ahead of print]

Evaluation of lamina cribrosa thickness and depth in ocular hypertension.

Han JC(1), Choi DY(1), Kwun YK(1), Suh W(2), Kee C(3).

Author information: 
(1)Department of Ophthalmology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University
School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-710, Korea. (2)Department
of Ophthalmology, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of
Medicine, Seoul, Korea. (3)Department of Ophthalmology, Samsung Medical Center,
Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul,
135-710, Korea. ckee@skku.edu.

PURPOSE: To investigate the differences in thickness and depth of the lamina
cribrosa (LC) between ocular hypertension (OH) patients and normal control
subjects, using enhanced depth imaging (EDI) spectral-domain optical coherence
tomography (SD-OCT).
METHODS: EDI-OCT data were obtained from the subjects in a cross-sectional
analysis of data from a retrospective study. After IOP correction according to
central corneal thickness (CCT), we divided the OH patients into two groups based
on the corrected IOP (cIOP) - OH with lower IOP (OH-L; cIOP < 23 mmHg) and OH
with higher IOP (OH-H; cIOP ≥ 23 mmHg). Comparisons of LC thickness and depth
among three groups were performed.
RESULTS: Seventy-four OH patients and 45 normal control subjects were included in
the analysis. Among the 74 OH patients, 41 were included in the OH-L group and 33
were included in the OH-H group. LC thickness was thicker in the OH-H group
compared to normal controls both in superior (P = 0.02) and inferior (P = 0.01)
portions. However, no difference was found in LC depth among the three groups in 
any portion (P = 0.36; P = 0.44; P = 0.31, respectively).
CONCLUSION: OH patients may have a thicker LC than normal control subjects,
especially in OH with definite high IOP.

PMID: 26361960   [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]


9. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2015 Sep 9. [Epub ahead of print]

Subfoveal choroidal thickness in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy after
switching to intravitreal aflibercept injection.

Saito M(1,)(2), Kano M(3), Itagaki K(3), Ise S(3), Imaizumi K(3), Sekiryu T(3).

Author information: 
(1)Department of Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 
Fukushima, Japan. masaaki@med.akita-u.ac.jp. (2)Department of Ophthalmology and
Visual Sciences, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo Akita,
Akita, 010-8543, Japan. masaaki@med.akita-u.ac.jp. (3)Department of
Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan.

PURPOSE: To investigate the changes in subfoveal thickness after switching to
intravitreal aflibercept injection for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).
METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 66 eyes of 65 PCV patients (mean age
75.7 years) which were refractory to ranibizumab. The choroidal thickness was
measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) using an enhanced depth imaging
technique. Intravitreal aflibercept (2 mg/0.05 ml) was administered with three
consecutive monthly injections as a loading dose, followed by further injections 
bimonthly (every two months).
RESULTS: The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness significantly decreased from
203 μm at baseline to 171 μm at month 6 (P < 0.0001). The mean logMAR
best-corrected visual acuity levels significantly improved from 0.40 at baseline 
to 0.33 at 6 months (P < 0.001). The central retinal thickness significantly
decreased from 249 μm at baseline to 161 μm at 6 months (P < 0.0001). At month 6,
41 (62.1 %) eyes had dry macula by OCT. Of 46 eyes with polypoidal lesions at
baseline, complete regression of polypoidal lesions was achieved in 26 (56.5 %)
eyes at 3 months.
CONCLUSIONS: The choroidal thickness in PCV eyes significantly decreased after
switching to intravitreal aflibercept injection. Aflibercept may help prevent
choroidal neovascularization near or under the retinal pigment epithelium, which 
might help achieve greater occlusion of polypoidal lesions compared with
ranibizumab.

PMID: 26350229   [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]


10. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2015 Nov;59(6):436. doi: 10.1007/s10384-015-0414-0.

Erratum to: Comparison of microincision vitrectomy and conventional 20-gauge
vitrectomy for severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Yokota R(1), Inoue M(2), Itoh Y(1), Rii T(1,)(3), Hirota K(1), Hirakata A(1).

Author information: 
(1)Kyorin Eye Center, Kyorin University School of Medicine, 6-20-2 Shinkawa,
Mitaka, Tokyo, 181-8611, Japan. (2)Kyorin Eye Center, Kyorin University School of
Medicine, 6-20-2 Shinkawa, Mitaka, Tokyo, 181-8611, Japan. inoue@eye-center.org. 
(3)Department of Ophthalmology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei,
Taiwan.

Erratum for
    Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2015 Sep;59(5):288-94.

PMID: 26346116   [PubMed - in process]