Glucosamine treatment provides multiple levels of retinal protection, including antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative benefits. More research on the role of GlcN as a potential agent for the prevention and treatment of glaucoma is warranted.

Background: To report on an 11-year-old boy with a painless slow-growing temporal bulbar conjunctival mass of his left eye. Methods: A case report and review of the literature. Results: An 11-year-old boy presented with a painless slow-growing mass in the temporal bulbar conjunctiva of his left eye, which had been noted for 1 year. After ophthalmic and systemic evaluations, the clinical differential diagnosis at the time included amelanotic naevus, amelanotic melanoma, myxoma, fibrous histiocytoma, reactive lymphoid hyperplasia and lipoma. This lesion was excised under local anaesthesia. From the histopathological features, conjunctival myxoma was confirmed. After 12 months, the patient remained healthy, with no recurrence or metastasis of the conjunctival lesion or evidence of a systemic abnormality. Conclusion: We report this case to emphasize that conjunctival myxoma can appear as a well-circumscribed, translucent, yellow-pink conjunctival mass in teenage patients. Successful healing is usually achieved by complete surgical resection. Cardiac, endocrine, and family screening is required to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical features, visual acuity outcomes and the most appropriate intervention time in patients with retained lens fragments managed by pars plana vitrectomy. Methods: This was a retrospective review of the records of 78 patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy for retained lens fragments at the Tri-Service General Hospital from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2006. Results: The mean age of the patients was 70 years (range, 24–92 years). There were 40 men (51%) and 38 women (49%). The mean follow-up period after surgery was 13.8 months. Forty-five patients (58%) had vitrectomy within 1 day of phacoemulsification (group A), 22 (28%) within 1 week (group B) and 11 (14%) after more than 1 week (group C). No patients in group A developed complications, and 76% achieved a final visual acuity of 6/12 or better. In group B, all patients had elevated intraocular pressure, and 45% achieved a final visual acuity of 6/12 or better. In group C, all patients presented with corneal edema, moderate or severe uveitis, and elevated intraocular pressure. Of these patients, 27% had cystoid macular edema, 36% developed retinal detachment, and 27% had a final visual acuity of 6/12 or better. Conclusion: Pars plana vitrectomy performed immediately after cataract surgery for retained lens fragments is a viable option and may achieve a better visual outcome, with reduced risk of secondary glaucoma, retinal detachment or cystoid macular edema.

ABSTRACT.Purpose: To explore the effect of glucosamine (GlcN) on transforming growth factor (TGF)-b signalling and several processes involved in proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Methods:We evaluated the surface levels of TGF-b receptor and its binding of TGF-b in ARPE-19 cells. Release of cytokines and collagen, and expression of signalling intermediates were quantified. Migration was qualitatively and quantitatively examined. The morphology of cells undergoing PVR in vitro and in a mouse PVR model was observed.Results: Glucosamine reduced the surface levels of TGF-b receptor and the ability of ARPE-19 cells to bind TGF-b. In ARPE-19 cells, TGF-b1 plus epidermal growth factor (EGF) or TGF-b2 increased the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA) and decreased the expression of zona occludens protein (ZO-1). Transforming growth factor-(b2) also caused the release of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and type 1 collagen and increased the phosphorylation of SMAD2 and SMAD3. Platelet-derived growth factor and CTGF stimulated cell migration, and TGF-b2 stimulated wound closure, contraction of collagen and changes in cell morphology. Conclusions:Treatment with GlcN counteracted all of these effects, and its administration in the mouse model reduced the morphologic appearance of PVR. Glucosamine could inhibit the TGF-b signalling pathway in retinal pigment epithelium cells and several of the downstream events associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and PVR.