No abstract

al Antitrypsin is an a1 globulin protease inhibitor (Pi) produced by the liver, which controls the proteolytic action of several enzymes including elastase, collagenase, and trypsin.

A case of bilateral orbital mass and xanthelasma of the eyelids is presented. Histology confirmed it to be a form of histiocytosis, possibly an Erdheim-Chester disease. This was further confirmed by the presence of a retroperitoneal mass and hydronephrosis, which resolved with treatment. A review of the literature on and pathological features of this rare fatal disease is presented.

To conduct a prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial to assess the efficacy, stability and safety of the use of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) to correct myopia of greater than -6.00 diopters (D) in Singapore. Two hundred thirty-three eyes of 176 patients with a mean preoperative spherical equivalent refraction of -8.70 ± 2.30 D (range, -5.75 D to -18.13 D) underwent PRK with a 193nm ArF excimer laser (ExciMed, Summit) for myopic corrections of between -6.20 D and -11.90 D. The first 66 of 233 eyes that reached at least 1 year of postoperative follow up are reported. One year postoperatively, the mean manifest spherical equivalent refraction was -1.50 D ± 1.90 D (range -6.25 D to +3.25 D); 34% of eyes were within ± 1.00 D of attempted correction; uncorrected visual acuity was 20/40 or better in 75% of eyes. No eyes lost two or more Snellen lines of spectacle corrected visual acuity. Central corneal haze was mild in 20% of eyes and moderate in 3% of eyes. Five eyes developed ocular hypertension that subsequently resolved with treatment. Excimer laser PRK is reasonably effective and safe in the treatment of -6.00 D to -12.00 D of myopia. However, it is less accurate than PRK in eyes with low to moderate myopia and is more likely to result in significant corneal haze. [J Refract Surg. 1995;11(suppl.):S286-S292.]