Issue 5 at a glance;

Muftuoglu et al. report a large series of 21 cases of corneal chemical burns, including 6 with bilateral involvement. They present their results for an average follow-up time of five years and discuss a wide range of therapies, from medical treatment to amniotic membrane application, autogenic and allogenic stem cell transplantation and penetrating keratoplasty, their rationale for treatment preferences and the outcomes. Because this type of ocular surface injury, which cannot be prevented given the current state of Turkey, requires a long-term and broad spectrum therapeutic approach, we believe the experience shared in this article will be very valuable for our colleagues.

In Bozkurt et al.’s morphometric analysis of the corneal endothelium and anterior segment of 52 cataract patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome, they show that glaucoma, which develops frequently in eyes with pseudoexfoliation syndrome, is more strongly associated with endothelial cell count than the presence of exfoliation. Their results have important implications for routine cataract surgery.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a systemic disease that also affects eye physiology. Adam et al.’s investigation of the conjunctival flora of DM patients revealed that compared to non-diabetics, diabetics had similar bacterial isolation rates, but the isolates from the diabetic group tended more often to be gram-negative bacteria and more frequently contained more than one species of bacteria. These are significant results indicating that different approaches are necessary for diabetics than non-diabetics in regards to endophthalmitis prophylaxis prior to intraocular surgery in diabetic eyes and for the evaluation of diabetic patients as cornea donors.

Yurdakul et al. report that they found no difference in the dose-response results between symmetric and asymmetric surgery for infantile esotropia.

Erdogan and Ugurlu report a series of 12 eyes (11 patients) with marginal entropion, an often overlooked malposition of the eyelid. The condition is frequently misdiagnosed as trichiasis; however, the authors emphasized the importance of differential diagnosis to avoid incorrect treatment and to facilitate the appropriate treatment, which is correction of the eyelid malposition.

Epiphoria can be the result of ‘functional nasolacrimal drainage obstruction’, a condition in which the lacrimal system is anatomically patent yet nonfunctional. Simsek et al. reports the success rate of dacryocystorhinostomy in 26 eyes of 23 patients with this condition as 77% over a mean follow-up period of 6 years. As a dacryocystorhinostomy indication is debatable for these patients, the high long-term success rate of the surgery may influence our approach.

This issue’s review will guide our professional attitude toward a very special period of life. Yenerel and Kucumen’s review entitled “Pregnancy and the Eye” encompasses the physiological and pathological ocular changes as well as medication use during pregnancy.

The series of three external ophthalmomyiasis cases presented by Sundu et al. has particular relevance and value for our colleagues practicing in areas where livestock are common.

Sahan et al. present a detailed report of the ocular findings in a case of dengue fever, a flavivirus infection transmitted by mosquito which should come to mind in patients who have travelled to countries in which it is endemic.

In their case report, Mangan et al. remind us that when it comes to the theater, medical precautions should be taken into account as much as artistic concerns. They present four pediatric cases of keratitis that occurred after the children had watched the same theater show. This series of photokeratitis, which is believed to be the result of ultraviolet light from the lamps used in the theater, is as noteworthy for the arts community as for the ophthalmology community.

Sincerely on behalf of the Editorial Board,
Sait Eğrilmez, MD