Electroretinography (ERG) is commonly used to assess the physiological status of the retina. It has been extensively studied in inherited RETINAL and choroidal diseases, and is a main paraclinical examination in the diagnosis and follow‑ up of patients affected by RETINAL and choroidal dystrophies. [1‑ 3] Other possible clinical applications of ERG include, but are not limited to, assessing the toxicity of ocular drugs [4] and evaluating the potential for vision in blind eyes...

Dear Editor, I read the photo essay titled “ Unilateral Myelinated RETINAL Nerve Fibers” with interest. [1] The authors reported a case of unilateral extensive myelination with amblyopia, with partial improvement after occlusion therapy. However, there was no comment about the status of the optic nerve head. Several reports have suggested that myelinated nerve fibers are associated with optic nerve dysplasia. [2] Williams proposed that RETINAL myelination leads to a decrease in the ganglion cells, which causes optic nerve hypoplasia, resulting in decreased visual acuity. [3] Holland and Anderson postulated that the myelinated nerve fibers induce overall disorganization of neural elements, leading to a disc anomaly, which is responsible for refractory amblyopia...

Gene therapy has a growing research potential particularly in the field of ophthalmic and RETINAL diseases owing to three main characteristics of the eye; accessibility in terms of injections and surgical interventions, its immune-privileged status facilitating the accommodation to the antigenicity of a viral vector, and tight blood-ocular barriers which save other organs from unwanted contamination. Gene therapy has tremendous potential for different ocular diseases. In fact, the perspective of gene therapy in the field of eye research does not confine to exclusive monogenic ophthalmic problems and it has the potential to include gene based pharmacotherapies for non-monogenic problems such as age related macular disease and diabetic retinopathy. The present article has focused on how gene transfer into the eye has been developed and used to treat RETINAL disorders with no available therapy at present.

Introduction: Neurosphere-free transdifferentiation of bone marrow stem cells into RETINAL Pigment Epithelium (RPE) and RETINAL Cells (RCs) in vitro could offer an exceptional opportunity to study cell replacement in degenerative eye diseases. Thus, a simple and efficient protocol for RETINAL cells production from transdifferentiation of rat BMSCs in the neurosphere-free state is reported. Methods: Extracted BMSCs from hooded pigment rats were exposed to a single-step protocol, including neurosphere-free, containing a cocktail medium that induced transdifferentiation into RETINAL Pigment Epithelium (RPE) and RETINAL cells. Results: The results showed morphological differentiation changes in vitro. Also, the expressed RETINAL pigment epithelium and RETINAL cell markers, such as RETINAL orthodenticle homeobox 2 (23. 45%), RETINAL pigment epithelium protein 65 (91. 54%), cellular RETINALdehydebinding protein (91. 21%), vascular endothelial growth factor (94. 79%), rhodopsin (57. 19%), glial fibrillary acidic protein (28. 33%), and neurofilament 200 (24. 55%). Conclusion: Overall, these findings showed that a protocol without using basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and B-27 supplements could generate RPE and RETINAL cells in vitro.

Purpose: To evaluate the correlation between the RETINAL nerve fiber layer (RNFL), particularly the temporal RNFL (TRNFL), and visual outcomes following surgery for rhegmatogenous RETINAL detachment (RRD). Methods: This retrospective study was performed at a tertiary center; 32 patients underwent single and successful vitrectomy for total RRD using silicone oil as tamponade. Data were collected after oil removal. RNFL thickness and central foveal thickness (CFT) were measured using spectral domain optical coherence tomography. RNFL thickness and CFT of normal eyes were acquired as a control to calculate percentage changes in the affected eyes. The correlation between postoperative best‑ corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and TRNFL changes was the primary outcome measure. Results: Postoperative BCVA correlated negatively with RETINAL detachment (RD) duration (Pearson coefficient 0. 56, P = 0. 001) and percentage loss in TRNFL thickness (Pearson Coefficient 0. 41, P = 0. 02). The macula lost the maximum RNFL thickness (26%). The mean percentage loss of TRNFL was significantly higher in patients with postoperative BCVA <6/60 (42. 63% vs. 24. 06%, P = 0. 009). Patients with postoperative BCVA <6/60 had a significantly longer mean RD duration (29 days) than those with postoperative BCVA >6/60 (17. 5 days) (P = 0. 026). Conclusion: When eyes with RRD are successfully repaired using silicone oil tamponade, the thickness of the RNFL decreases, particularly in the macula, and less macular neuronal loss is associated with better visual outcomes.

Objective (s): The aim of this study was to evaluate distribution and changes of glycoconjugates of RETINAL photoreceptors during both pre- and postnatal development.Materials and Methods: Tissue sections from days 15 to 20 of Wistar rat embryos and 1 to 12 postnatal days of rat newborns including developing eye were prepared for lectinhistochemistry technique. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) -labeled lectins including Vicia villosa (VVA), peanut agglutinin (PNA), Maclura pomifera (MPA) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA-ІІ) were used. Alcian blue (pH 2.5) was used for counterstaining.Results: Interphotoreceptor matrix (IPM) plays a crucial role in photoreceptors differentiation and acts as a mediator in interactions between photoreceptors and RETINAL pigment epithelium (RPE). Specific cell surface glycoconjugates secreted from cone cells could help us to distinguish these cells from rod photoreceptors. Our results for the first time revealed the strong reaction of cone photoreceptors with the cone-specific lectin (PNA) at postnatal day 12 (P12). Postnatal day 12 can be determined as the final differentiation of cone photoreceptors.Conclusion: According to our findings, we suggest that the generation of the eye photoreceptors begins from pre- natal period and their final differentiations will continue to postnatal period. Glycoconjugates including (b-D-Gal [1–3] -D-GalNac) and (b-D-Gal) terminal sugars play a critical role in the pre- and postnatal development and differentiation of RETINAL photoreceptors.