Prevalence of Demodex Folliculorum and Demodex Brevis in Patients with Blepharitis and Chalazion

Purpose: Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis are common ectoparasites on skin that also can lead to blepharitis and chalazion. The aim of our study is to determine the prevalence of Demodex spp. in eyelashes of patients diagnosed with chronic blepharitis and chalazion. Methods: This study included 330 patients diagnosed with chronic blepharitis, 70 patients diagnosed with chalazion and 130 volunteers without any ocular problems. Patient eyelashes were examined under a light microscope at magnifications of × 40, × 100 and × 400. Demodex spp. were determined. Results: Parasite prevalence was significantly higher in blepharitis (75.5%) and chalazion groups (70%) compared to the control group (16.2%) (p <0.001). The prevalence of D. folliculorum in the blepharitis group and D. brevis in the chalazion group was found to be significantly higher compared to other groups (p <0.05). The average number of mites per eyelash was found to be significantly higher in patients with Demodex positive blepharitis (p = 0.001) and in chalazion patients (p = 0.047) than in the control group. It has been determined that mite positivity increases with age in blepharitis and control groups (p <0.05). In the group with blepharitis, it was found that mite positivity was significant in the presence of symptoms (p = 0.0001) and Demodex positivity decreased as the education level of individuals increased (p = 0.039). Conclusion: The results of the study show that Demodex acari infestations should be considered in chronic blepharitis and chalazion.

Occurrence of Demodex infestation in chronic blepharitis in a tertiary care hospital in North-East India

Background: Chronic blepharitis is frequently encountered by ophthalmologists. Demodex mites (Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis) can play a role in its pathogenesis, especially in treatment-resistant cases. Demodex infestation often remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. Definitive diagnosis can be made with lash-sampling. Objective of the study was to find the association between Demodex infestation and chronic blepharitis.Methods: The study included 80 patients diagnosed with chronic blepharitis and 80 controls without blepharitis. Four eyelashes were epilated from each lower and upper lids of the right and left eye (a total of sixteen samples) of each participant. Eyelash samples were examined under a light microscope and Demodex species were identified and counted.Results: Demodex mites were detected in 45 cases (56.25%) and 14 controls (17.5%). Significant association was found between demodex infestation and blepharitis as odd’s ratio was found to be 6.0612 and p value <0.0001. D. folliculorum was detected in 42 cases, D. brevis in 2 cases while in one case, both were detected. The mean age for Demodex positive cases and controls were 49.78±13.25 and 64±7.86 years, respectively. Amongst the cases, Demodex was detected in 57.69% males (30 out of 52) and 53.55% females (15 out of 28).Conclusions: There is significant co-relation between Demodex infestation and chronic blepharitis. Demodex infestation should be part of the differential diagnosis of chronic blepharitis.

New Hyaluronic Acid Preparations in the Treatment of Children with Dry Eye Syndrome

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the preparations Optinol® Express Moisture (0.21 %) and Optinol® Deep Moisture (0.4 %) in the treatment of children with dry eye syndrome (DES) and to determine the indications for prescribing these drugs for various etiologies and clinical course of the disease.Patients and methods. The study involved 56 children aged 4–17 years with DES, which were divided into 3 groups, depending on its pathogenetic type. The first consisted of 24 children with DES, which developed on the basis of chronic blepharitis, the second — 12 children with neuroparalytic keratitis, and the third — 18 children with chronic uveitis, in whom DES was caused by prolonged instillations of eye drops with benzalkonium chloride. Each group was divided into 2 more equal subgroups, the first of which was prescribed the drug Optinol® Express Moisture, and the second — Optinol® Deep Moisture with a frequency of 4 times a day.Results. In all children, from the very first days of instillation of the studied drugs, a decrease in the severity of subjective signs of DES (OSDI) was noted, as well as a gradual decrease in the degree of xerotic changes in the ocular surface (severity of its staining with vital dyes) and an increase in the stability of the tear film (M.Norn). At the same time, the positive dynamics of the controlled parameters increased with the continuation of therapy, reaching a maximum by the 30th day of treatment. Moreover, the effectiveness of therapy depended on the severity of xerosis of the ocular surface: it was maximal in children with mild, and minimal in children with an extremely severe form of xerosis (with neuroparalytic keratitis). Moreover, the drug Optinol® Express Moisture was more effective in the treatment of children with mild and extremely severe forms of DES, and Optinol® Deep Moisture — with moderate and severe xerosis.Conclusion. The preparations Optinol® Express Moisture and Optinol® Deep Moisturization are effective in the treatment of children with DES, which has developed on the basis of pathology of the ocular surface of neurotrophic and artifact genesis, as well as increased volatility of the precorneal tear film against the background of chronic blepharitis.

Ophthalmological changes in patients with COVID-19 associated pneumonia

Definition of COVID-19 (CoronaVirusDesease 2019) is a severe acute respiratory infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). On March 11, 2020, WHO announced the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Rospotrebnadzor in Russia, the disease is asymptomatic in 23% of patients, 63% have manifestations of acute upper respiratory tract infection, and 14% pneumonia occurs. The average mortality rate in the world is about 3%. The first cases of the disease were reported in Wuhan (Hubei province, in the southeast of China) in December 2019.Despite the measures taken to prevent the spread of the new infection, in February the epidemic covered many countries, including Italy, South Korea, Iran, and in March it turned into a pandemic. Objective: to identify ophthalmological changes in patients who have had COVID-19 associated pneumonia. Materials and methods: 153 patients over 18 years of age with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 associated pneumonia were examined 3 months after discharge from the hospital. Results and discussion: 7.84% – chronic blepharitis, 5.88% – chronic conjunctivitis, 60.0% – dry eye syndrome, 5.8% – degenerative conjunctival changes (5.88%) and 100% changes in conjunctival hemodynamics characteristic of hypercoagulation syndrome. Conclusions: in all cases of observation, a violation of hemodynamic changes in the conjunctiva was detected.