Careful vitreous examinations of all patients with branch retinal vein occlusion give us important information about the prognosis and patient management.

Tear samples of 20 patients who were determined to have positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) after an acute hepatitis B infection and aqueous humor samples of 10 patients who were HBsAg carriers were tested for HBsAg, and the results obtained for serum and these fluids were compared. In 85% of the 20 patients who were HBsAg positive, HBsAg was found to be positive in tear samples. In 50% of the other 10 patients in aqueous humor was also found to be HBsAg positive. Our findings show that tears and aqueous humor are important in the spreading of hepatitis B infections.

This study investigates the T lymphocyte role in the production of the specific immunosuppressive environment that occupies the anterior segment of the eye. Aqueous and peripheral venous blood samples were taken from 23 patients who were operated because of senile cataract. In all samples, T helper/T suppressor ratios were established and differences between aqueous and blood samples were investigated by t statistic and Mann-Whitney U test. We found significantly more T suppressor cell activity in aqueous humor than in peripheral blood (p < 0.05). We think that high T suppressor concentration in aqueous humor plays an important role in the induction of the immunosuppressive microenvironment that occupies the anterior chamber of the eye.