Purpose This study aimed to determine if near visual acuity measurements using a Philippine peso bill are comparable to a standard Jaeger chart. Study Design This is a cross-sectional study comparing the near visual acuity measurements of a Philippine peso bill and a Jaeger chart among sixty subjects. Methods LogMAR scores from the two methods were analyzed using Wilcoxon Mann–Whitney test. The relationship of the logMAR scores between these methods was determined using Spearman rank order correlation. The Bland-Altman plot was used to determine the comparability between quantitative measurements for near visual acuity using the standard Jaeger chart (reference) and the Philippine peso bill. Results There were no significant differences in the proportion of Jaeger scores and mean logMAR equivalents between the two methods (p > 0.05). The scatter plot diagram shows a positive upward trend with a very strong and significant correlation between logMAR scores of Jaeger chart and Philippine peso bill methods (r = 0.9258, p < 0.0001). With a concordance correlation coefficient of 0.9505, there is a high agreement between these two measures. The Philippine peso bill overestimates the Jaeger chart visual acuity by 0.04 logMAR units. We suspect that the contrast between the background color and the serial numbers of the peso bill may have brought about this outcome. Conclusion The Philippine peso bill may be used as an alternative measuring tool for near visual acuity. However, there is a tendency to overestimate the scores obtained using the Philippine peso bill. Future studies are recommended to validate the results in a tele-ophthalmology setting.

Purpose This study aimed to compare the success and complication rates among patients implanted with Ahmed Glaucoma Valve (AGV) using the short and long tunnel technique through retrospective chart review. Patients and Methods We reviewed 54 charts of adult patients who underwent AGV implantation using a Short-Needle Track (SNT) or Long-Needle Track (LNT) technique. Intraocular pressures (IOP), Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) and number of medications were recorded pre-operatively, and at Day 1, 3, 7, Month 1, 3, 6 post-operatively. Treatment success, occurrence of Hypertensive Phase (HP), complication and procedures done after AGV implantation were compared between the two groups using one-tailed Z-test of proportions. Results A total of 20 (LNT) and 21 (SNT) charts were included in the study. There was no significant difference between the median postoperative IOP, BCVA, and number of anti-glaucoma medications between the two groups at each time interval. The comparison between the occurrence of HP (P = 0.435) and success rates (P = 0.476) between the two groups yielded no significant difference. Flat/shallow anterior chamber (AC) was seen exclusively in three eyes (14%) in the SNT group (P = 0.039). There was one occurrence of plate exposure in the LNT group (P = 0.149). Conclusion The LNT technique of AGV Implantation may be used as an alternative to the traditional SNT (with autologous graft). The long needle track offers the advantage reducing the risk of complications arising from shallow anterior chamber post-operatively.

Memes have successfully disseminated various information on social media, albeit in a humorous tone. Journalism and journalists, however, remain uncertain in using memes as part of news work. Previous studies have revealed that variables related to journalism such as news values, participatory culture, public opinion, disinformation and credibility may be relevant in decisions to use memes in journalistic work. This survey from the Philippines employed partial least squares–structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to determine the factors that Filipino journalists (N = 138) consider in using political memes as a journalistic tool. This study is theoretically anchored on the theory of planned behaviour and the multilevel model of meme diffusion. It was found that the variables public opinion, news values, participatory culture and disinformation indirectly affect the production of political memes through mediation by intention. However, credibility was found to be insignificant. As well, results show that intention has a direct effect on the production of political memes. These results indicate that regardless of the degree of the variables’ existence, journalists still carry some intentions to produce political memes. Study results can provide reflections should journalists and their news organizations employ memes as a tool for credible news production, not as tools for disinformation.