G. Heacock

To evaluate if topical bupivacaine 0.75% provides better pain control after excimer laser over topical tetracaine 1% without affecting corneal wound healing, refractive outcome of visual function. A prospective, double-masked trial was conducted in which 38 patients were randomized to receive either tetracaine or bupivacaine every 30 minutes for 24 hours post-operatively. Pain was recorded over a four day period using a Visual Analogue Pain Scale. The rate of epithelial healing was assessed during digitized retro-illumination photography. Visual performance was recorded using best corrected Snellen acuity, objective measurements of haze, halo and glare over a six month period. Tetracaine afforded better pain control (p = 0.05). Full epithelial closure occurred in all patients within 72 hours and no statistically significant difference was recorded in any of the parameters measured. Contrary to our expectation, the longer acting anaesthetic, bupivacaine, was inferior to tetracaine. L...

Imaging of chorodial features is possible through an undilated pupil, and without the use of dye by employing a new device which scans a laser line over the patients fundus to form real time video images. Further adjustments allow the device to produce images having fields of view from 60 to 15 degrees in width. Additionally, diode laser sources provide illumination wavelengths of 532, 635, 670, 690, and 820 nm. The combined functions of line scanning, adjustable focus depth in the z plane, and switchable illumination wavelength produce greyscale video images which clearly show detailed features of the patients choroid. In addition, the optic nerve head geometry is shown with very high resolution.

A slitlamp comparator device has been developed to project the image of a 35mm angiogram frame into the field of view of a standard slitlamp during macular photocoagulation. The image may be varied in brightness, magnification, and position, and viewed either on a black background or superimposed on a slitlamp fundus image. The comparator is a useful alternative to conventional angiogram projection systems and suggests the utility of more sophisticated "heads-up" display devices.