Topical brimonidine improves the visual outcome of laser-treated classic extrafoveal or juxtafoveal CNV, possibly by protecting the neuroretina against collateral damage caused by the laser treatment.

Purpose In some patients with macular oedema, intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection (IVTA) fails to improve visual acuity, although oedema shows clinical and angiographic improvement. Side effects can include increased intraocular pressure, cataract development, and (rarely) endophthalmitis. Our purpose was to identify prognostic factors for visual acuity improvement after IVTA. Methods Data on patients treated by IVTA for macular oedema were retrospectively reviewed. Three months postinjection, visual acuity was rated as 'improved' (two or more Snellen lines gained) or 'nonimproved' (unchanged or worsened). Comparative demographic data and pre-and post-IVTA clinical and fluorescein angiographic findings were analysed with SPSS software. Results Of 57 eyes (57 patients), 27 (47%) improved after IVTA. Initial visual acuity ('good', 'moderate', or 'poor') and aetiology of macular oedema (diabetic, venous occlusion, or pseudophakic) did not differ between the two groups. Improvement occurred in significantly more eyes with clinical or angiographic evidence of cystoid macular oedema (CME) than in those with diffuse retinal thickening (P ¼ 0.04) or diffuse leakage on fluorescein angiography (P ¼ 0.02), respectively, and in significantly more pseudophakic than phakic eyes (P ¼ 0.046). Conclusions Pseudophakia and clinical or angiographic CME, but not aetiology or initial visual acuity, were prognostic of visual acuity improvement after IVTA for macular oedema.

It is suggested that an excessive absorption and storage of dietary iron might contribute in the pathogenesis of type II diabetes mellitus and its complications. However, previous studies had methodological problems including design, lack of matched controls and unspecified inclusion criteria. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between diabetic retinopathy and serum ferritin levels in well-defined diabetic patients and controls. The study population comprised of 3 groups: patients with type II diabetes mellitus and severe diabetic retinopathy, diabetic patients without retinopathy, and non-diabetic, non-retinopathy patients. The groups were well matched by age, gender and hemoglobin levels, whereas diabetes characteristics and treatment differed. Serum iron, transferrin and ferritin levels were compared between the patients' groups. Twenty-two patients had diabetes and retinopathy, 29 patients had diabetes without retinopathy and 40 were non-diabetic, non-retinopathy patients. Serum iron or ferritin levels did not differ significantly between the 3 groups. Also, there was no correlation between HbA1c level and serum iron or ferritin levels between the 2 diabetic patients' groups. Our findings suggest that iron does not have a major role in the development of diabetes mellitus or diabetic retinopathy.