Giant cell arteritis
Clinical background Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a serious and relatively common systemic vasculitis that occurs in adults older than 50 years. The key symptoms and signs of GCA include…
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (idiopathic pseudotumor cerebri)
Clinical background Key symptoms and signs The signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) are headache, subjective pulse-synchronous bruit, and papilledema ( Box 39.1 ). Papilledema can cause fleeting…
Abnormal ocular motor control
Clinical background Five eye movement systems are utilized to achieve clear vision: (1) saccadic; (2) smooth pursuit; (3) optokinetic; (4) vestibulo-ocular; and (5) vergence. Four systems generate conjugate movements, called…
Intraoperative floppy iris syndrome
Overview Intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS) was first characterized by Chang and Campbell in 2005. It is associated with the use of systemic α-receptor blockers, such as tamsulosin (Flomax), used…
Restoration of accommodation
Clinical background Accommodation refers to a process whereby a change in position as well as increased curvature of the crystalline lens increases the conjugation power of the eye, i.e., its…
Optic neuritis
Clinical background Optic neuritis is an inflammatory disorder of autoimmune optic nerve demyelination. It is often the first clinical sign of multiple sclerosis (MS). Optic neuritis is second only to…
Presbyopia
Overview Presbyopia (from the Greek presbys , elder or old, and, – ops , eye) is a progressive condition where the ability to focus on nearby objects is gradually lost…
Blood flow changes in glaucoma
Clinical background The idea that factors other than elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) contribute to the pathophysiological processes underlying glaucoma was formulated more than 150 years ago. Von Graefe was the…
Steroid-induced cataract
Clinical background Since the successful use of steroids in 1948 in the suppression of clinical manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis, numerous compounds with glucocorticoid activity have been synthesized. Today, they represent…
Diabetes-associated cataracts
Clinical background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an expanding major health problem. By the year 2030, it is anticipated that the worldwide incidence of DM will roughly double to 366 million,…
