Forty-two workers from a chemical plant producing inorganic mercury compounds were evaluated for neurologic, nephrotic, and ophthalmologic toxicity. Despite elevated blood and urinary mercury levels, routine clinical testing such as physical examination, blood chemistries, and urinalysis were generally normal. These findings from the routine examination are in contrast to the complaints of neuropsychological symptoms, elevated urinary n-acetyl B-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) levels, decreased motor nerve conduction velocities, and the presence of lenticular opacities on slit-lamp examination that were found, when organ systems known to be affected by mercury were targeted. More sensitive but objective indicators of toxicity need to be included in routine medical screening so as to help diagnose the etiology of neuropsychological symptoms and prevent long-term sequelae in workers exposed to mercury.

No abstract

Two hundred sixty eyes of 195 patients having extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) with insertion of a posterior chamber intraocular lens were studied retrospectively. Of these cases, 160 eyes had preexisting glaucoma while 100 had no ocular pathology except for cataract. Intraocular pressure decreased significantly after ECCE in both groups and slowly returned to baseline within two years. The average postoperative visual acuity was better in the control group than in the glaucoma group. Patients with glaucoma were controlled with less medication after surgery. We believe that ECCE with insertion of a posterior chamber intraocular lens can be safely performed in glaucoma patients and has a beneficial effect on the control of glaucoma.

No abstract