Currently, ozone therapy is a method of treatment used in various fields of medicine, e.g., in treatment of neuropathies, liver diseases, as well as in cosmetology, surgery, traumatology, obstetrics, gynecology, urology, cardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, neurology, dentistry, otorhinolaryngology, ophthalmology. Recently, ozone therapy is increasingly used clinically as a complement to the classical treatment, which is contributed by the low cost and relative safety of the method. Ozone therapy as a modern and effective method of treatment continues to evolve, finding new areas of application, mechanisms of its action are being clarified, new techniques and new indications are offered. The main properties of ozone therapy are the stimulation of the antioxidant defense system, hypoxia reduction and metabolism activation, including carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and improving blood circulation. Currently papers devoted to the application of ozone in ophthalmology in treatment of age-related macular degeneration, viral conjunctivitis and keratitis, corneal degenerations, purulent corneal ulcer, pigmentary retinal degeneration, optic neuritis and atrophy, degenerative changes of the choroid, high myopia, hemophthalmia, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy are known.

Chronic alcoholism is a disease affecting all the vital organs, including development of functional and organic eye disorders in 2-70% of cases. Alcoholic (ethanol) amblyopia with such features as slow gradient visual acuity decrease in both eyes (although visual acuity can decrease down do a very low grade, the complete blindness is rare) is among the disorders in patients with chronic alcoholism. Fundus of the eye at the beginning of the disease is normal in most of the cases, sometimes an optic nerve congestion and mild features of optic neuritis can be observed. Sometimes optic nerve hyperemia or anemia can be observed. Simple optic nerve atrophy seen as the temporal parts or the entire disc blanching can be seen at the late stages. Alcohol toxicity can also result as peripheral vision decrease, with degree of it increasing depending on the clinical manifestations of the alcoholism. Generally, eye disorders in patients with chronic alcoholism in most of the cases manifest as central retinal area damage and combination of retinal and optic nerve involvement.

An intensive man-made emission is typical for a modern world. Air pollution has a great impact on public health. Children are the most vulnerable to the influence of unfavorable environmental factors that affect different organs and systems. Not only physical, but also mental health is affected. There are little data on the impact of environmental pollution on the eye diseases in children available. When analyzing the eye diseases in children living in unfavorable environment, functional and organic changes of visual system were found as an evidence of negative role of air pollution. Microcirculation and metabolism impairments affecting the characteristics of the sclera can occur. The influence of man-made pollution on children’s eye may be indirect and cause different eye diseases including development of refractive vision defect.

Aim. To study the features of tear production in patients with chronic hepatitis C, depending on the duration of infection. Methods. 40 patients (80 eyes) with chronic hepatitis C infection (first group - 11 patients, chronic hepatitis C duration up to 3 years, second group - 10 patients, chronic hepatitis C duration 3 to 5 years, third group - 19 patients, chronic hepatitis C duration over 5 years). The control group consisted of 20 healthy subjects (40 eyes). All study subjects underwent standard ophthalmic examination, a set of clinical, epidemiological and laboratory studies; the level of total tear production was examined by the Schirmer’s test. Results. Eye pathologies were determined in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Total tear production in patients with chronic hepatitis C was 1.82±0.09 mm compared to 2.2±0.06 mm in the control group. At the early stages of chronic hepatitis C (duration up to 3 years) tear production has changed diversely: it increased in 27.2% of patients and decreased in 18.8% of patients. At the later stages of chronic hepatitis C (duration over 5 years) tear production increased only in 15.8% of patients and decreased in 52.6% of patients. Conclusion. In patients with chronic hepatitis C total tear production changes depending on the duration and the severity of infection, which should be considered in the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of ophthalmic diseases in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.

Aim. To study the change of electrical impedance measurements in brain in patients with the «dry» form of age-related macular degeneration before and after combined treatment with polarized polychromatic non-coherent light and dynamic electromyostimulation. Methods. Two groups of patients with the «dry» form of age-related macular degeneration were examined. 40 patients (80 eyes) from the main group were treated using combined treatment and 39 patients (78 eyes) in the group of control who were treated conventionally. Results. Before the treatment, decreased blood flow in the internal carotid artery was found in 77.2%, and in the vertebral arteries in 82.2% of patients. Peak amplitude and the stress ratio index at rheoencephalography in the anterior cerebral circulation were 0.83±0.04 Ω and 27.46±0.40%, in the posterior cerebral circulation - 0.70±0.04 Ω and 23.78±0.35%. Peak amplitude values and the stress ratio index have improved significantly right after treatment and after 6 months in the main group compared to the control group. Mean visual acuity in the main group before treatment was 0.87±0.02, right after the treatment - 0.96±0.01 (p 0.001), 2 months after the treatment - 0.95±0.01 (p 0.001), 6 months after the treatment - 0.96±0.01 (p 0.001), 12 months after the treatment - 0.95±0.01 (p 0.001). In the control group mean visual acuity was 0.91±0.02 before the treatment, 0.95±0.02 (p 0.05) - right after the treatment. 2 months after the treatment - 0.94±0.02 (p 0.05), 6 months after the treatment - 0.92±0.02 (p 0.05). 12 months after the treatment mean visual acuity decreased and equaled 0.89±0.02. Decrease of anterior cerebral circulation was found in 77.2% of patients with the «dry» form of age-related macular degeneration, mean peak amplitude value was 0.83±0.04 Ω and the stress ratio index was 27.46±0.40%, decrease of posterior cerebral circulation was found in 82.2% of patients, mean peak amplitude value and the stress ratio index were 0.70±0.04 Ω and 23.78±0.35%. Conclusion. In patients with the «dry» form of age-related macular degeneration posterior cerebral circulation has improved significantly and visual acuity has improved 6 months after combined treatment with polarized polychromatic non-coherent light and dynamic electromyostimulation.