^{International Conference and Expo on} Optometry and Vision Science October 20-22, 2016 Rome, Italy

Biography:

Abstract:

Biography:

Italo Giuffre  is working as consultant  since 2009  at the Department of Ophthalmology of Catholic University (Roma – ITALY). He attended a lot of stages in Ophthalmological Department abroad (Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany …). He is author of a monograph entitled “Genetics of Eye Diseases”, I.N.C. Editor 2000 and of more than 80 papers on Italian and international peer-review journals.

Abstract:

Background: Forskolin, magnesium, homotaurin, L-carnosin, vitamins B1, B2, B6 and folic acid are the main ingredients of a food supplement commercially available. This drug contributes to a small reduction of IOP in glaucomatous patients who are poorly responsive to multitherapy treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate a possible change of visual field and pattern-electroretinogram (PERG) parameters after oral supplement of this drug.

Patients & Methods: This is a single center, retrospective study. It was conducted on files of 20 (10M, 10F) treated glaucomatous patients and 20 (10M, 10F) untreated controls. All these patients were affected by open-angle glaucoma under monotherapy but this association was supplemented twice a day to 20 patients as long as 12 months. The ophthalmological data (IOP, pachymetry, visual field assessment by FDT 30-2 strategy pattern standard deviation, PERG) were checked at time 0, 3 6, 9 and 12 months from the beginning of the oral therapy. The statistical analysis was performed by descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and Wilcoxon test. Results were considered significantly different when p<0.05.

Results: The two groups were age and sex-matched (p=0.335). The two groups were also matched as for pachymetry (p=0.187). The visual field parameter (mean deviation and pattern standard deviation by FDT 30-2 strategy) was statistically significantly different only at time 12 months (p=0.04). The PERG amplitude increases by 16.12%±2.6 at time 9 months and fovea sensitivity by 16.57%±3.2 at time 6 months (p<0.05).

Conclusions: Our preliminary data stress the neuroprotective effect of the association of forskolin, magnesium, homotaurin, L-carnosin, vitamins B1, B2, B6 and folic acid from a campimetric and electrophysiological point of view. 

Biography:

Christopher W Tyler is a visual neuroscientist specializing in visual and oculomotor function and disorders who joined City University London in 2013. He previously worked at several universities in the United States and has been a long-established researcher at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, San Francisco, where he established its Brain Imaging Center. Christopher Tyler received his training in Experimental Psychology at the Universities of Leicester, Aston and Keele before taking postdoctoral fellowships at Northeastern University, Boston, University of Bristol and Bell Laboratories. He then took up a position at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, where he retains an affiliation, and has taught courses at Northeastern, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC Berkeley and the University of Paris along the way. He has had widespread collaborations across the globe and has given numerous keynote addresses to scientific meetings across many disciplines, from microscopy to Renaissance art.

Abstract:

Introduction: The melanopsin light-signaling pathway is a recently-discovered addition to the light-processing capabilities of the vertebrate eye. Human melanopsin responses have been measured largely through pupillometric responses. Spectral analysis of electroretinographic (ERG) responses provides a further capability of assessing the functionality of the melanopsin pathway in human. Our results suggest that there is a fast melanopic response contributing to the ERG at high intensities.

Methods: To gain insight into the process of visual information in photalgic eyes, we recorded electroretinographic (ERG) from facial electrodes. High-quality ERG responses for full-field stimulation as a function of wavelength and intensity were obtainable with the approach of recording wavelength-specific ERG responses to whole-field chromatic stimuli under a full range of light-adaptation conditions. Stimulation conditions were full-field R (610 nm), G (540 nm), B (480 nm) and W (R+G+B) stimulation of 2.5 Hz square-wave modulation (200 ms on/ 200 ms off) with a maximum intensity of 265 cd/m² (W). Signals were recorded from controls and a population of individuals with photalgia subsequent to mild traumatic brain injury.

Results: Light-adapted ERGs in controls exhibit similar properties to dark-adapted ERGs as a function of flash intensity; with the b-wave speeding up from a peak time of ~250 ms when dark-adapted to ~40 ms when maximally light-adapted with a compressive reduction in the amplitude function at the higher intensities. The results at all test wavelengths conform to a single pair of functions (amplitude and time-to-peak) of melanopic intensity under most conditions, which we term the “main sequence” for ERG amplitude and times-to-peak as a function of intensity. These functional properties were significantly different across the population of photalgic individuals, who showed markedly reduced amplitudes and delayed b-wave peaks relative to the controls.

Conclusion: To extend the measurement of human melanopsin responses beyond pupillometric responses, we have developed an approach for spectral analysis of ERG responses to expand the capability of assessing the functional role of the melanopic pathway in humans. Our results suggest that there is a fast melanopic response contributing to the light-adapted ERG, with a peak time comparable with the rod and cone responses under these conditions. This melanopic response showed marked amplitude reductions and delays in the photalgic patients, potentially providing the first objective biomarker for photalgia.

Biography:

Shroug M Aldaham is a PhD candidate at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Spain. She has a BSc in Optometry from King Saud University (KSU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and a Master of Science in Vision Science from the University of Waterloo, Canada. She has joined the Optometry department at KSU as a Demonstrator (an academic position that prepares for professorship) before joining the Master program in Canada. After her Masters she returned to Riyadh and later joined the PhD program at UCM. Both of her Master and PhD studies were Saudi government-funded research grants. 

Abstract:

In diabetes, retinal neurosensory dysfunction occurs earlier before any apparent retinal vascular changes are detected. The reports on macular thickness in type 2 diabetics without retinopathy are inconsistent in terms of reporting thickness changes. Either there was a decrease, an increase, or no change in thickness compared with healthy subjects. From a visual function perspective, diabetics without retinopathy have shown visual dysfunction in some visual function tests, one of which is decreased contrast sensitivity at high spatial frequencies under photopic and mesopic luminance conditions. Little is known, however, about the extent to which contrast sensitivity is affected at low spatial frequencies in type 2 diabetics without retinopathy and its correlation with macular thickness. The purpose of this study therefore was to assess the correlation between contrast sensitivity at low spatial frequencies and macular thickness in type 2 diabetics without retinopathy and compare it with healthy subjects. The results showed a statistically non-significant difference in contrast sensitivity between healthy subjects and type 2 diabetics without retinopathy at low spatial frequencies. The central and the inner 3 mm macular subfield thicknesses were significantly thinner in the diabetics compared with the healthy controls. In type 2 diabetics without retinopathy, the central macular subfield thickness was the only macular subfield independently associated with contrast sensitivity at the spatial frequency of 0.5 cycles per degree. This presentation will further discuss this correlation between macular thickness and contrast sensitivity in type 2 diabetics without retinopathy as an element for future prediction of vision deterioration. 

Biography:

J U Seekkubadu is a Consultant Orthoptist. He is currently working as Senior Orthoptist at National Eye Hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He serves for Orthoptics related to binocular science which benefits the patient having squints & ocular motor balances. He also provides Physiological counseling.  

Abstract:

Children with congenital nystagmus (CN) have a higher incidence of astigmatism when compared to matched controls (Capto 1997). This Astigmatism is generally with-the-rule (WTRA) with the greatest minus cylinder axis at 180⁰ (±30⁰). Astigmatism is common in neonates and reduces to adult level through the process of emmetropization. This mechanism is interrupted in children with CN (Dickinson 1984). This study was undertaken prospectively using subjects with congenital nystagmus attending the Orthoptic Clinic at National Eye Hospital, Sri Lanka from Jan 2001 to May 2003. Few subjects were longitudinally followed up to 2013. Those with albinism or pathology causing sensory defect nystagmus and history of ocular surgery or contact lens wear were excluded. Full orthoptic assessments and refraction with or without cycloplegia were carried out on all subjects. Corneal topography was performed using Topcon KR 7100D auto kerato refractometer. Care was taken to take the readings between 9.30 and noon since there are well documented diurnal variations (Reynolds 1969). The experience of the first author ensured readings were taken while fixation was maintained on the internal target. 50 subjects were examined age ranging from 3-30 years. An incidence of 88.75% (WTRA) was observed with a range of -0.25 to -3.0 DC. The majority was moderate range of 2-3 DC (WTRA) suggesting morphological changes of the cornea. Our findings suggested the aetiology of the high prevalence of WTRA in CHJN is due to constant horizontal oscillation involving lateral and medial rectus causing flattening of the anterior surface of the cornea more in the 180⁰ meridians.

Biography:

Mark Willcox is currently working at Brien Holden Vision Institute as a Professor of Experimental Optometry, School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Abstract:

The tear film is a relatively uncomplicated body fluid that has the potential to contain biomarkers for various diseases. Tears contain around 1500 proteins. Tears might be useful in the diagnosis and/or management of various diseases including dry-eye disease, keratoconus, diabetes and cancer. Whilst the proteome of tears is less complicated than that of plasma/serum, there are challenges when using tears. Several proteins, called regulated proteins, are released into the tear film with the aqueous component and their concentration does not change between the three tear types. Other proteins, such as sIgA, are constitutively produced and their concentration drops in reflex tears. Other proteins leak into the tear film from the ocular vasculature and so become more concentrated in closed-eye tears. Therefore, it may be important to control and time tear collection, and to analyze at least one prominent protein of each tear type so that you can control for different types of tear collection. We published the first 2D-gel proteomic analysis of tears in 1997. During this study we identified that tears contain lacryglobin, also known as mammaglobin B. Mammaglobin B has been reported to be a marker in plasma for metastatic breast cancer. Lacryglobin is phosphorylated in tears, and lacryglobin is expressed in primary and metastatic cancer cell lines and tissues but not in normal breast tissues. In tears, lacryglobin was present in patients with various cancers (83-100%) compared to tears from controls (60%). Using tears from dogs with various cancers including breast cancer, we found that a protein presumptively identified as lacryglobin was over-expressed in tears of dogs with cancer. We have recently shown using MRM analysis that the concentration of MUC16 (also calledCA125) in tears is significantly increased in patients with metastatic breast cancer compared to healthy age-matched controls. We have examined tears of contact lens wearers using MRM/MS or ELISA and shown that concentration of sPLA2 and lipocalin increased in contact lens discomfort, along with changes to the tear lipidome. Using combinations of ELISA, LC-MS/MS and antibody arrays has shown that tears of people with Keratoconus have reductions in lactoferrin, immunoglobulin receptor, fibrinogen, cystatin S, cystatin SN, but increased cathepsin B, MMP-1,-3,-7,-13, IL-4,-5,-6,-8 and TNF-α,-β. Using antibody arrays and western blotting, tears of diabetics have increased levels of cytokines IP-10 and MCP-1,but the ratio of anti-angiogenic/angiogenic cytokines IFN-γ/MCP-1 and IL-4/MCP-1 were significantly reduced. Tear concentrations of AGE modified proteins were significantly elevated in DR and DNR groups. These findings will be presented and their significance discussed.

Biography:

Luis Fernando Barba Gallardo has completed his PhD from Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes (UAA), School of Basic Sciences. He is the Secretary of Research and Post-graduate student of Science of Health in UAA. He has published more than 10 papers in many different journals, and has been serving as a Reviewer of manuscripts.

Abstract:

Introduction: Impression cytology is a technique that allows the conjunctiva collecting surface layers of conjunctival epithelium for morphological examination of the ocular surface. The use of contact lenses causes changes in the behavior of the tear for which it must recognize the presence of goblet cells and/or quality in the training of its secretion in contact lens wearers.

Objective: Correlating the relationship of tear quality contact lens wearers and computer users with respect to tear quality.

Methodology: Conjunctival surfaces and tear quality of 100 users of contact lenses, 100 patients and computer users were studied, and 120 controls all without history of ocular pathology making impression cytology, tear breakup time, green lissamine, test ferning and Schirmer test was done. The quality of goblet cells was evaluated by means of impression cytology, the sample was taken from the upper bulbar conjunctiva using Millipore HAWP304 (paper dex nc) (with a pore size of 0.45 microns) 5x5 mm in size, then PAS stained with hematoxylin. And epithelial goblet cells were observed under microscope where five fields were averaged. The severity of dry eye disease was assessed using Nelson criteria.

Results: The experimental patients and controls had a significant difference in tests, comparing the ratio of cell count between computer users and non-users a value of P was statistically significant (P=0.00).

Conclusions: The use of contact lenses has a ratio decrease in goblet cell and poor tear quality. And there is a significant correlation of tear quality and goblet cells in computer users.

Biography:

Tran Thi Kim Ngan has finished her Bachelor of Optometry from SEGi University, Malaysia in 2015. She is now working at Hai Yen Eye Clinic as an Optometrist, besides she is an Assistant Lecturer at Pham Ngoc Thach University at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 

Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to assess and compare the clinical characteristics of the tear film in subjects who spend their working hours differently in air-conditioned environment. Cross-sectional study of 90 subjects from 18 to 35 years old in SEGI University and Kota Damansara area were selected. The tear film quantity and quality were assessed by standard clinical tests like: blinking rate, invasive and non-invasive tear break-up time, corneal staining with fluorescein and lissamine green, phenol red thread and Schirmer’s strips test. The Oculus Keratograph 5M was used to perform non-invasive tear break-up time. Additionally, the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire was used to classify subjects with symptomatic dry eye and those with no symptoms of dry eye. Only one eye of each subject was examined. IBM SPSS Statistical 22 (USA) was used to analyze the collected data. The descriptive statistic was conducted to determine the following means and standard deviation; blinking rate, non-invasive and invasive TBUT, Schirmer’s test, phenol red thread, corneal fluorescein and lissamine green staining. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test of the normality was conducted to determine if the data was normally distributed. Parametric independent t-test was conducted if the data was normally distributed, whereas non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was conducted if the data was not normally distributed. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. 

Biography:

J U Seekkubadu is a Consultant Orthoptist. He is currently working as Senior Orthoptist at National Eye Hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He serves for Orthoptics related to binocular science which benefits the patient having squints & ocular motor balances. He also provides Physiological counseling.  

Abstract:

Accommodative esotropia is a result of a fight between acuity vs. binocular single vision (BSV). If acuity principle wins (subject prefers acuity is paramount important than BSV), esotropia occurs. If BSV principle wins (subject prefers BSV based on fusion), the subject may not develop esotropia but bilateral form vision deprivation amblyopia may occur. But maintaining BSV in anisometropia is extremely difficult along with the ever-increasing demand for better visual acuity. This leads to decompensation of heterophorias or acquired manifest squints. Therefore, the management of such cases are extremely difficult and should be handled very carefully in an organized procedure. This was a case study which longitudinally followed up at National Eye hospital, Colombo, Sri Lanka since 2011–2013. Initial presentation was at 5 years of age with a history of a sudden onset convergent squint with diplopia for 1 week. Acquired esotropia with horizontal diplopia on all gazes with mild incomitancy to left gazes; compelled to investigate the subject neuro-radiologically. This was to exclude the diagnosis of developing (L) lateral rectus paresis. But routine investigations revealed uncorrected (L) anisohypermetropia with form vision deprivation amblyopia. The challenge of improving acuity, to regain fusion and esotropia correction was a multidisciplinary approach. Maximum anisometropic correction, occlusion therapy, Fresnel prisms, 2 esotropia corrective surgeries and fine tuning of refractions made the child back to BSV with almost equal vision and esophoria. The process of gaining acuity, reducing binocular rivalry and gaining fusion are key points on managing of acquired squints in this nature despite of prolonged subnormal BSV.

Biography:

Amila Chandrasekara has completed Ophthalmic Assistant Certificate in the year 2011 and has done his Diploma in Optometry in 2015 from Vision Care Optical Services Academy. Currently, he is working in the Retinal Diagnosis Unit at Vision Care Optical Services (Pvt) Ltd., Sri Lanka.

Abstract:

Introduction: An age-related macular degeneration (AMD) result in loss of central vision and it is of two types: dry and wet AMD. Dry form: Cellular debris (drusen) accumulates between the retina and choroid, causes damages in retina.

Purpose: The Objectives of this study are to understand the relationship between dry AMD, long-term hypertension, diabetic mellitus, obesity and high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, and to compare the percentages of developing AMD in healthy population and patients with the above factors.

Methods: In this study, based on 3000 patients for a period from 2014 January till 2016 March with a age range between 50-70 years, analysis of retinal photographs and MPOD values on Visucam 500, thickness of drusens with optical coherence tomography cirrus, history of BP, FBS, LDL cholesterol and BMI parameters were carried out for each patient, and were categories into six groups each containing 500 subjects and AMD was graded into 3 stages by, number of drusens >63 μm.

Results: Study group presence with 23.76% (1188 pt’s) AMD subjects, AMD presentation in each groups shows; High BP: 1^st stage-19%, 2^nd stage-33.4%, 3^rd stage-18.6%; Diabetes: 1^st stage-18%, 2^nd stage-26.8%, 3^rd stage-14.2%; High BMI: 1^st stage-16%, 2^nd stage-25.4%, 3^rd stage-13.2%; High LDL cholesterol: 1^st stage-18.2%, 2^nd stage-17.8%, 3^rd stage-17%; Family history of AMD: 1^st stage-9.4%, 2^nd stage-11.6%, 3^rd stage-8.6%; and Healthy: 1^st stage-1.8%, 2^nd stage-2.6%, 3^rd stage-2.2%.

Conclusion: Population of 50-70 years with above diseases is at a considerable risk of developing AMD compare to normal. Long team hypertension is the highest risk group. 2^nd stage contains more patients compare to others; a healthy lifestyle prevents earlier manifestations of AMD.

Biography:

Kumale Tolesa Daba has completed her degree in Doctor of Medicine from Jimma University School of Medicine and Ophthalmology and has done her specialty from Jimma University Department of Ophthalmology. She is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology in Jimma University. She has published 1 paper on reputed journals and has 3 more pending publications. She has inclination towards Glaucoma and Pediatrics Ophthalmology. She did a short term, 3 months Fellowship on Pediatrics Ophthalmology and Strabismus at Gachon University Gil Hospital, South Korea. 

Abstract:

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that have in common a characteristic optic neuropathy with associated visual function loss. The different types of glaucoma were calculated to be responsible for 15% of blindness, placing glaucoma as the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, following cataract. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is one of the primary risk factor. The other risk factors of glaucoma are: central corneal thickness, vascular dysregulation, systemic blood pressure and old age (40 years and above). The role of central corneal thickness (CCT) measurement in the clinical evaluation of glaucoma is well established. CCT is believed to influence the intraocular pressure (IOP) measured through the cornea with an overestimation in thicker corneas and an underestimation in thinner ones. There are also suggestions of the influence of CCT that is not tonometry-related, having thin CCT associated with development and progression of glaucoma. Corneal thickness is among the most highly heritable aspect of ocular structures, suggesting that the gene(s) controlling this ocular structure may vary among populations. Comparison of measurements from a range of ethnic groups has provided strong evidence that ethnicity influences CCT. Corneas of black Africans and African Americans are reported to be thinner than that of Caucasians. While patients with ocular hypertension (OHT) generally have thicker corneas than normal, there is a conflicting report in the literature, on the differences of CCT among different glaucoma sub-types.

Biography:

Maitreyee Roy is a Senior Lecturer and a Deputy Director of Optics & Radiometry Laboratory at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Australia. She was awarded her PhD in Physical Optics from School of Physics at the University of Sydney. She is an accomplished Optical Physicist with broad experience in government and academic institutions with strong R&D background particularly in optical metrology, 3D optical imaging and nano-particle metrology. One of her major contributions was to demonstrate the fundamental principle of geometric phase in optics and its achromatic nature, which has opened up new insights in to broadband interferometry with application ranging from biological systems, electronics to astronomy. 

Abstract:

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a well-established technique for biological imaging, mainly used in the field of ophthalmology for routine corneal and retinal clinical examinations. The conventional OCT system produces longitudinal images by performing an axial scan and builds a two-dimensional xz or yz images. A variant of OCT called full-field optical coherence tomography (FF-OCT) is an emerging non-invasive, label-free, interferometric technique that has the inherent ability of providing rapid en face (xy) images of the object by using a detector array (CCD or CMOS), thus avoiding the necessity for using the instrumentationally complex, lateral point scanning scheme. In most FF-OCT systems, en face OCT images are constructed by using a conventional phase-shifting technique that involves shifting of the reference beam phase with a piezoelectric translator. However, with the use of a broadband source in FF-OCT, the phase shifts of different spectral components are not the same, resulting in systematic errors for reconstruction of tomographic images. To solve the problem, an achromatic phase shifter based on the geometric phase principle has been proposed which can be realized by cyclic change of the polarization state of the light beam through rotating a wave plate or polarizer using a stepper motor. However due to the slow response of stepper motor, real-time biomedical imaging is not attainable. We present a prototype FF-OCT system based on geometric phase that incorporates fast switchable ferroelectric liquid-crystal technology. It has a fast response time and can accurately map and produce 3D images of complex biological samples.