YOU ARE NOW CONNECTED TO THE TOXLINE (1981 FORWARD, NON-ROYALTY) FILE. ==EYE GEL FLOATERS== 1 AUTHOR Takano Y AUTHOR Oida K AUTHOR Kohri Y AUTHOR Taguchi Y AUTHOR Tomii K AUTHOR Matsumura Y AUTHOR Mino M AUTHOR Gohma I AUTHOR Inoue T AUTHOR Kobashi Y TITLE [A case of lung cancer with choroidal metastasis] SOURCE Nippon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi; VOL 33, ISS 6, 1995, P674-7 ABSTRACT A 72-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of a mass shadow in the left upper lobe on chest roentgenograms. She had noticed floaters in both visual fields 2 months before admission. Percutaneous aspiration of the lung lesion was done, and revealed poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Metastatic tumors were noted in the choroid of both eyes and in both kidneys. These lesions responded partially to systemic chemotherapy and the floaters disappeared. There have been few reports of metastatic choroidal tumors, but most cite the lung and the breast as the primary sites. We should pay attention to ophthalmologic findings because lung cancer may metastasize to the choroid. YOU ARE NOW CONNECTED TO THE MEDLINE (1994 - 97) FILE. 2 AUTHOR Vrabec TR TITLE Ocular manifestations of AIDS. SOURCE J Ophthalmic Nurs Technol 1996 Sep-Oct;15(5):205-12 ABSTRACT 1. Cytomegalovirus retinitis is the leading cause of AIDS-related blindness. 2. Patients with reduced CD4 counts are at risk of developing cytomegalovirus retinitis and should be informed of symptoms (floaters, scotoma) and should have periodic dilated retina examinations. 3. AIDS patients who develop herpes zoster should be monitored for progressive outer retinal necrosis. 5 AUTHOR Dayan MR AUTHOR Jayamanne DG AUTHOR Andrews RM AUTHOR Griffiths PG TITLE Flashes and floaters as predictors of vitreoretinal pathology: is follow-up necessary for posterior vitreous detachment? SOURCE Eye 1996;10 ( Pt 4):456-8 ABSTRACT PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to determine whether patients presenting with an isolated posterior vitreous detachment require follow-up to identify retinal breaks not apparent at presentation and whether some histories are more predictive of associated serious posterior segment pathology. METHODS: The notes of 295 patients presenting to eye casualty with flashes and/or floaters were reviewed. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-nine patients (64%) had isolated posterior vitreous detachments, 49 (16.6%) had retinal detachments and 31 (10.5%) had flat retinal tears. Three new breaks (3.3% of all tears found, 1.9% of review appointments) were identified only at follow-up. Although a subjective reduction in vision and a history of less than 6 weeks' duration were strongly predictive of retinal breaks, the large group of patients presenting with floaters alone (124/295, 42%) still harboured a significant proportion (26.7%) of the retinal breaks. CONCLUSIONS: A follow-up visit for patients with an isolated posterior vitreous detachment can be justified to detect the small percentage of asymptomatic retinal breaks. Although a subjective reduction of vision is the symptom most predictive of serious posterior segment pathology, it would be unsafe to identify particular subgroups of patients alone for careful examination. 22 AUTHOR Byer NE TITLE Natural history of posterior vitreous detachment with early management as the premier line of defense against retinal detachment [see comments] SOURCE Ophthalmology 1994 Sep;101(9):1503-13; discussion 1513-4 ABSTRACT PURPOSE: This study was designed to elucidate various aspects of the natural history of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), in particular the relation between symptomatology and prognosis as it relates to management of patients with the earliest symptoms of PVD. METHODS: A prospective study of 350 consecutive patients with PVD was performed, excluding all patients referred from an ophthalmologist, those with symptoms of more than 3 months in duration, and those with a history of ocular trauma, except for cataract surgery. Aphakia was present in 21 eyes, and 50 patients were bilaterally involved. RESULTS: Of 163 patients who had one to two floaters as their presenting symptom, with or without light flashes, a retinal tear developed in 12 (7.3%). Of 31 phakic eyes with secondary retinal tears on initial examination, 9 (29%) had one to two floaters and light flashes as the only symptoms. Of eight phakic eyes that initially, or eventually, had a retinal detachment, three (37%) had an interval of 2 1/2 to 3 weeks before visual field loss, during which they noticed only one to three visual floaters plus light flashes as their only symptoms. This early stage in which symptoms are detectable is crucial in terms of providing an opportunity for early treatment that might prevent retinal detachments. CONCLUSIONS: The prompt and conscientious vitreoretinal examination of each patient older than 45 years of age who experiences vitreous floaters, even though limited to one or two, should be undertaken without delay. This practice, combined with expeditious treatment of any secondary retinal tears, provides the most effective known means of preventing rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, and currently it appears to be neglected. A national public educational effort should be pursued to publicize the importance of these symptoms.