Acute Syphilitic Posterior Placoid Chorioretinitis Misdiagnosed as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Associated Uveitis

Infectious eye disease in the 21st century-an overview

Infectious diseases affecting the eye often cause unilateral or asymmetric visual loss in children and people of working age. This group of conditions includes viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic diseases, both common and rare presentations which, in aggregate, may account for a significant portion of the global visual burden. Diagnosis is frequently challenging even in specialist centres, and many disease presentations are highly regional. In an age of globalisation, an understanding of the various modes of transmission and the geographic distribution of infections can be instructive to clinicians. The impact of eye infections on global disability is currently not sufficiently captured in global prevalence studies on visual impairment and blindness, which focus on bilateral disease in the over-50s. Moreover, in many cases it is hard to differentiate between infectious and immune-mediated diseases. Since infectious eye diseases can be preventable and frequently affect younger people, we argue that in future prevalence studies they should be considered as a separate category, including estimates of disability-adjusted life years (DALY) as a measure of overall disease burden. Numbers of ocular infections are uniquely affected by outbreaks as well as endemic transmission, and their control frequently relies on collaborative partnerships that go well beyond the remit of ophthalmology, encompassing domains as various as vaccination, antibiotic development, individual healthcare, vector control, mass drug administration, food supplementation, environmental and food hygiene, epidemiological mapping, and many more. Moreover, the anticipated impacts of global warming, conflict, food poverty, urbanisation and environmental degradation are likely to magnify their importance. While remote telemedicine can be a useful aide in the diagnosis of these conditions in resource-poor areas, enhanced global reporting networks and artificial intelligence systems may ultimately be required for disease surveillance and monitoring.

Unveiling Ocular Manifestations in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disorder characterized by immune dysregulation and multi-organ involvement. In this concise brief review, we highlight key insights into Ocular Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), an intricate autoimmune disorder with diverse organ involvement. Emphasizing the formation of autoantibodies and immune complex deposition, we delve into the inflammation and damage affecting ocular structures. Clinical presentations, ranging from mild dry eye syndrome to severe conditions like retinal vasculitis, necessitate a comprehensive diagnostic approach, including clinical exams, serological testing, and imaging studies. Differential diagnosis involves distinguishing SLE-related ocular manifestations from other autoimmune and non-inflammatory ocular conditions. The multidisciplinary management approach, involving rheumatologists, ophthalmologists, and immunologists, tailors treatment based on ocular involvement severity, encompassing corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents, and biologics. Follow-up is crucial for monitoring disease progression and treatment response. Future perspectives revolve around advancing molecular understanding, refining diagnostic tools, and exploring targeted therapies. Novel research areas include genetic factors, microbiome composition, and biotechnology for tailored and effective SLE ocular treatments.

Screening of Biological Target Molecules Related to Glucocorticoid-Induced Cataract (GIC) on the Basis of Constructing ceRNA Network

Glucocorticoid-induced cataract (GIC)-associated biomarkers were screened by ceRNA network construction. The GIC samples' GSE3040 were obtained from the NCBI-GEO database. R's Limma package was used to identify differentially expressed RNAs (DERs) between the normal and GIC samples group (4- and 16-h). The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways enrichment analysis for the mRNAs in the constructed GIC lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA regulation network was implemented. A total of 1665 and 1443 DERs were obtained in the 4- and 16-h group, respectively. At two time points, 256 overlapping DERs were identified, of which 210 (17 lncRNAs and 203 mRNAs) had significant differential expression (4 down- and 206 up-regulated). A total of 534 co-expressed ligation pairs (all up-regulated) were obtained. A ceRNA regulation network was constructed. RPS6KA5, GAB1, CCR7, CCL2, COL4A4, and PPARG were obtained and significantly enriched in the 4 KEGG signaling pathways and were featured as GIC target molecules.