[Retinal pigment epithelium--the point about safety of antimalarial agents]

The antimalarial agents Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine are used for the treatment of inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus erythematosus. The first published reports of retinal toxicity appeared in 1959. Despite a low incidence for low doses and a short period of time, a regular ophthalmological screening is recommended to detect this maculopathy early. High risk criteria are: > 3 mg/kg/d of Chloroquine or > 6.5 mg/kg/d of Hydroxychloroquine, duration of treatment > 5 years, obesity, renal or hepatic disease, old age or pre-existing macular disease. Annual screening, and in some cases every 6 months, is recommended for high risk patients. Low risk patients will have an ophthalmologic examination every 18 months. The baseline examination includes visual acuity, Amsler grid, biomicroscopy, automated perimetry (central 10 degrees), color vision testing and fundus. Fluoroangiography and (multifocal) electroretinography should be considered if baseline screening is doubtfull or if toxicity is suspected. If relative paracentral bilateral scotomas or subtle alterations of retinal pigmentary epithelium are documented, the drug should be stopped. The collaboration with the internist and good information to the patient are necessary.

[Cure of post-traumatic bilateral paralysis of the cranial nerve IV]

We relate our own experience about bilateral inferior rectus recession as first surgery for traumatic bilateral superior oblique palsy. An adjustable suture is performed on one side. This procedure is combined or not with an inferior oblique recession. Measurements of ocular deviation and torsion, Lancaster tests and binocular single vision fields are reported pre- and postoperatively. Reduction of diplopia, cyclodeviation and V esotropia with an expansion of the binocular single vision field is achieved in all cases, relieving patients' complaints. This surgery is easy to perform and free of important secondary effects. We think it represents a valuable choice for that kind of pathology.

[Vitrectomy for diabetic macular edema associated with hyaloid posterior traction]

The vitreomacular relationship has been demonstrated to play a role in the physiopathology of the diabetic macular edema. We review the functional and anatomic results of vitrectomy performed on four eyes of three patients with diabetic cystoid macular edema unresolved by photocoagulation. The preoperative visual acuity was "finger counting" at one meter to 1/20. After surgery, for three eyes, the visual acuity raised between 2/10 and 4/10. There was no change for one eye, which presented a subretinal fibrosis. The macular edema resolved in three eyes and improved in one eye. The mean postoperative follow-up is 13 months. The vitrectomy may be effective in cases of diabetic macular traction and edema without posterior vitreous detachment.

[Sympathetic ophthalmia versus Harada disease]

An algerian woman presents with a panuveitis of the right eye. Main features of this uveitis are exudative retinal detachments. That happened several months after a corneal ulcer of unknown aetiology on the left eye. Immunologic, neurologic and infections workup associated with previous ocular injury points to the diagnosis of sympathetic ophthalmia. However, the diagnosis of Harada disease can also be considered in this case because of similarities regarding the clinical and the histologic aspects which are exposed. If corticosteroids are the drug of choice, enucleation is still indicated for sympathetic ophthalmia.

[Is treatment with corticotherapy or radiotherapy effective for involvement of ocular motility and for reduction of exophthalmos in Basedow's disease?]

It is acknowledged that high-dose corticotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgical decompression of the orbit are often efficient in dysthyroid optic neuropathy. Corticotherapy and radiotherapy are also given to patients with dysfunction of eye-muscle motility and/or proptosis in the absence of visual loss. The latter indication has been retrospectively evaluated in 13 patients. The limited character of our series is partially explainable by strict inclusion criteria (objective evaluation of muscle dysfunction and proptosis). We failed to demonstrate any significant functional improvement after oral corticotherapy and/or radiotherapy. It thus appears that our study sheds doubt on the actual efficacy of these treatments in patients presenting with not very evolutive involvement of eye-muscle motility. A larger study aimed at comparing the benefits and drawbacks of these treatments is consequently to be encouraged.