With an amino acid analyzer, we measured amino acids and related compounds in serum and aqueous humor from normal Chinese and some patients with extreme myopia or senile cataracts. Forty peaks were well resolved, and their areas were used to quantify each compound. In the myopic patients, glutamate, alpha-aminoadipate, and methionine concentrations in serum were 10-fold those in the normal subjects. Values for most of the other amino acids and related compounds were also higher in myopic patients' sera. In the cataract patients, concentrations of most of these compounds were lower in serum but higher in aqueous humor than for the normal subjects. Tryptophan was present in significant amounts in sera from the normal subjects, but was not detectable in the senile-cataract patients. The ratio of amino acid concentration in aqueous humor to that in the serum (Ch/Cs) was higher in the cataract patients than in normal subjects for almost all of the compounds we measured.

A newly synthesized topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, 6-hydroxyethoxy-2-benzothiazole sulfonamide (6-HS), was administered systemically and topically to alpha-chymotrypsin-induced glaucoma rabbits to evaluate its ocular hypotensive effect. A significant IOP lowering effect was observed after topical application of 50 pi of 3% 6-HS gel, but a dose of 50 p.1 of 3% 6-HS suspension failed to reduce IOP. The maximal magnitude of reduced IOP after topical gel instillation was 24.4%, very close to the result obtained following intravenous injection of 6 mg/Kg of 6-HS (23.3%). However, the blood levels of 6-HS after topical instillation with 3% 6-HS gel was much lower than that following 6 mg/Kg of 6-HS injected intravenously (less than 5%). Since a lower dose of 6-HS (1 mg/Kg) administered intravenously did not cause a significant drop in IOP, it is reasonable to deduct that the ocular hypotensive effect of 6-HS applied topically can then be attributed to the inhibition of intraocular carbonic anhydrase activity. It was also noted that a larger dose of intravenous administration of 6-HS (20 mg/Kg) had a more profound IOP and blood pressure reducing effect with moderate metabolic acidosis.

PurposePediatric strabismus surgery has low success rates and high reoperation rates because of difficult alignment measurements and the nature of different strabismus types. Furthermore, adjustable sutures are not easily employed in children on an OPD basis.MethodsThis was a retrospective comparative case study of children less than 12 years old who underwent strabismus surgery and were followed up at least 6 months postoperatively. We proposed a novel method that combines adjustable sutures and corneal light reflexes in regular strabismus surgery to improve surgical results. Efficacy and safety were evaluated and compared with those in a regular fixed-suture group.ResultsIn total, 128 children (88: exotropia and 41: esotropia) in the novel method group (Group 1) and 109 (71: exotropia and 38: esotropia) in the regular fixed-suture group (Group 2) were enrolled. The primary outcome was the immediate target angle (for esotropia within 4 PD of orthotropia and exotropia within 8 PD of esotropia within the first week postoperatively); the secondary outcome was success at the 6-month visit (angle of deviation < 10 PD). Consequently, there was a significantly higher proportion of achieving the immediate target range and success rate in both exotropic and esotropic patients in Group 1 than in Group 2. A significantly lower reoperation rate was also demonstrated in Group 1. No complications were noted in either group.Conclusions: The novel method enabled a higher proportion of subjects to achieve an immediate target range and success rate and a lower chance of reoperation among both esotropic and exotropic patients.

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