Objective: To investigate the effect of axial length on optic disc and macular vessel densities (VDs) in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods: Patients with POAG were consecutively recruited in this case-control study from June 2019 to November 2019 in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center. Eyes with POAG were divided into 2 groups based on a medium axial length (ranging 22.51-25.50 mm) and a long axial length (>25.51 mm). Then the two groups were matched by age and severity of glaucoma. Only one eye in each participant was selected. A total of 42 eyes of 42 patients were enrolled in the medium axial length group, and 37 eyes of 37 patients were enrolled in the long axial length group. All participants underwent visual field, OCT and OCTA examinations. Both radial peripapillary capillary vessel density (RPC VD) and macular superficial VD were evaluated with OCTA. A Student's t test and Pearson correlation were used for analysis. Results: The ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness of the long axial-length eyes with glaucoma was lower by a statistically significantly amount than in the medium axial-length eyes with glaucoma (74.5±9.6 μm vs. 80.5±13.6 μm; t=2.244, P=0.028), while there was not a statistically significant difference in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness between these two groups. All macular VD parameters, including whole-image VD, parafoveal VD, perifoveal VD, were lower in the long axial-length eyes than in the medium axial-length eyes. A statistically significant difference was only found in the temporal perifoveal VD (t=2.235, P=0.028). The overall average and all quadrants of RPC VD between groups did not have a statistically significant difference (all P>0.05). Axial length had a statistically significant negative correlation with GCC and macular VD parameters (axial length and GCC: r=0.333, P=0.003; axial length and macular VD parameters: r ranged from -0.333 to -0.282, all P<0.05), while no statistically significant correlation between axial length and RPC VD was found. Conclusions: Axial length elongation in POAG eyes can damage the macular structure and vessel density, while it has little effect on optic disc vessel density.
Objective: To study the relationship between intraocular pressure (IOP) and myopic refractive error in children. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 2 126 grade 6 primary school students from the Anyang Childhood Eye Study, with an average age of 12.2±0.4 years, were included. The study was conducted in Anyang, Henan Province, from March to July 2017. Cycloplegic refraction was measured using an autorefractor, and spherical equivalent (SE) was calculated. IOP was examined by non-contact tonometry. Ocular biometry, including axial length, central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, and lens thickness, was measured using Lenstar LS900. IOP levels were divided into low (IOP<14 mmHg), moderate (14 mmHg≤IOP≤16 mmHg), and high (IOP>16 mmHg) using population tertiles. Emmetropia was def ined as SE between -0.5 and +0.5 D, hyperopia as greater than +0.5 D, and myopia as SE less than -0.5 D. Low myopia was defined as -0.5 D≤SE<-3.0 D, moderate myopia as -6.0 D≤SE<-3.0 D, and high myopia as SE<-6.0 D. Only the data for the right eye was used. The relationship between IOP and refractive errors was analyzed using an independent samples t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a post hoc Scheffé test and linear regression analysis. Results: The IOP of all subjects was 15.06±3.40 mmHg, and the SE was -1.36±2.08 D. The myopic refractive error in the low, moderate and high IOP level groups gradually increased and the difference was statistically significant (F=3.863, P=0.021). The SE (-1.22± 1.96 D) in the low IOP level group was significantly lower than the SE (-1.52±2.22 D) in the high IOP level group (P=0.021). The difference in IOP among different categories of refractive errors was statistically significant (F=2.695, P=0.029). The lowest IOP was 14.77±3.31 mmHg in the hyperopia group, and the highest IOP was 16.32±3.55 mmHg in the high myopia group. The IOP difference between the two groups was 1.55 mmHg (P=0.047). Using IOP as the dependent variable, the linear regression model after adjusting for other covariates showed that a higher IOP was significantly associated with a higher degree of myopia (β=-0.168, P=0.013). Conclusions: A higher intraocular pressure is significantly associated with a higher degree of myopia. Intraocular pressure may play a role in the development of myopia in children, but the causality still needs further study.
Objective: To study the early growth response gene-1 (EGR1) on the inflammatory response of lens epithelial cells (LECs) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) after cataract surgery in mice. Methods: In this experimental study, 10-16 week-old EGR1 knockout mice (EGR1-/-) and wild-type mice (WT) were chosen for cataract surgery, and were sacrificed at 0 h, 3 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 4 d, and 5 d after modeling. The eyeballs were harvested for frozen section. Immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the expression of the EGR1 protein, CD11b, LCN2, CXCL1 and αSMA in the lens capsule and the fluorescence intensity was quantified by Image J. A paired t-test and one-way analysis of variance were used for comparison between groups and within groups. Results: The expression of the EGR1 protein in LECs after modeling in WT mice was up-regulated, as well as the expression of the inflammatory markers (CD11b, LCN2 and CXCL1). No difference in the level of EGR1 protein was observed in EGR1-/- mice after modeling, and the levels of CD11b, LCN2 and CXCL1 in the EGR1-/- mice were significantly lower than those in the WT mice (all P<0.01). In addition, the expression of αSMA (a marker of EMT) and the number of tangible cells in the lens capsule of EGR1-/- mice were also significantly less than those of WT mice (72 h, 4 d and 5 d after modeling, all P<0.05). Conclusions: Cataract surgery canactivate EGR1 in LECs at an early stage after surgery. Activated EGR1 participates in regulating the inflammatory response and the EMT of LECs. Knocking out EGR1 can reduce the above-mentioned inflammatory response and EMT.