PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

N H Barker

Publications and source records attributed to N H Barker.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Current Australian practice in the prevention and management of corneal allograft rejection.

PURPOSE: To determine current practices in the prevention and management of corneal allograft rejection in Australia. METHODS: A questionnaire was circulated to attendees at the 1998 Eye Bank Meeting in Adelaide. Twenty-four responses were received and analysed. RESULTS: All respondents used topical corticosteroids for routine prophylaxis and to treat established rejection episodes. Prednisolone acetate was the most frequently prescribed topical corticosteroid. Systemic non-steroidal immunosuppression was prescribed almost exclusively for high-risk grafts. Seventy-five per cent of surgeons used systemic antiviral agents for the treatment of graft rejection in patients with Herpes simplex keratitis. CONCLUSION: There was a wide variation amongst surgeons in the choice of therapy for routine prophylactic immunosuppression as well as for the treatment of established corneal allograft rejection.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1993

Manchineel keratoconjunctivitis.

The Manchineel tree is an evergreen widely distributed in tropical regions. The toxic nature of Manchineel has been known since the early sixteenth century. Contact with its milky sap (latex) produces bullous dermatitis and acute keratoconjunctivitis. We identified 19 patients who had ocular injuries caused by Manchineel between 1985 and 1990 and were able to review 12. All of these patients had been treated by lavage, cycloplegia, and topical antibiotics. Of 20 episodes of exposure 14 affected both eyes. The cornea was damaged in 16 episodes, the extent varying from large corneal epithelial defects to superficial punctate keratitis. The epithelial changes had resolved in a mean period of 3.75 days (range 1 to 14 days). Two episodes caused stromal infiltration to appear and in one of these a stromal opacity remained 5 years later. The final visual acuity was 6/9 or better in all eyes except in one patient who had visual impairment because of glaucoma. Our results suggest that despite the severity of the acute reaction, the long term visual prognosis is excellent in Manchineel keratoconjunctivitis. The historical and toxicological literature on Manchineel is reviewed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Spontaneous subconjunctival haemorrhage--a sign of hypertension?

The relationship between the condition of spontaneous subconjunctival haemorrhage (SCH) and hypertension was investigated. Seventy eight patients with SCH and 78 controls with unrelated ophthalmic conditions were compared. Blood pressure (BP) was significantly higher at presentation in the group with SCH at 149 (SD 27)/89 (SD 15) versus 142 (SD 25)/81 (SD 12). The proportion of hypertensives by WHO criteria (systolic blood pressure > 160 and/or diastolic blood pressure >95) was 46% on presentation compared with 23% of the control group. The morphology of the lesion did not influence the association with hypertension although there was a suggestion that the group with raised haemorrhages had a tendency to higher systolic blood pressure. It is recommended that all patients with SCH have their BP checked; this will result in the diagnosis of a significant number of new hypertensives.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Changes in corneal topography after laser in situ keratomileusis for myopia.

OBJECTIVE: To define qualitative patterns of corneal topography after excimer laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and to assess whether epithelial hyperplasia occurred after LASIK. METHODS: A consecutive series of 18 myopic eyes of 10 patients having refractive surgery in an academic practice at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia was followed prospectively after LASIK. Four eyes were treated with the VISX 20/20 excimer laser and 14 eyes were treated with the Nidek EC5000 excimer laser. Videokeratography was performed on each eye at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. The common digital subtraction topographic patterns were classified and used to speculate whether epithelial hyperplasia occurred. RESULTS: After LASIK, 83% of subtraction maps at 1 month and 81% at both 3 and 6 months showed steepening in the ablation zone. There was no clear correlation between the topographic maps and spectacle-corrected visual acuity or regression of the initial effect after surgery. CONCLUSION: Corneal topographic changes similar to those seen after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) occur after LASIK for myopia.

Adult↗