Objective To explore the application effect of virtual reality (VR) technology in low vision teaching for optometry students. Methods Undergraduate students majoring in optometry at West China School of Medicine of Sichuan University were selected as the research subjects. The students enrolled in 2020 adopted the traditional lecture-based learning (LBL) teaching mode (LBL teaching group), while the students enrolled in 2021 adopted the VR teaching mode (VR teaching group). Both groups of students studied the content of the same chapter on low vision, completed in-class tests after learning, and completed a questionnaire survey. Results There were 28 students in the VR teaching group and 30 students in the LBL teaching group. There was no statistically significant difference in age or gender composition between the two groups of students (P>0.05). The in-class test scores of students in the VR teaching group were higher than those in the LBL teaching group (86.43±6.10 vs. 78.10±7.69, P<0.05). Except for “subjective discomfort with this teaching mode”, the differences in other evaluation results between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). VR teaching group students generally believed that applying VR technology to low vision teaching helped understand the visual experience and daily life status of low vision patients, improved learning efficiency and hands-on ability, reduced learning burden, and hoped to use this teaching mode routinely in other subject teaching. All students in the VR teaching group believed that this teaching mode was interesting, highly innovative, and enhanced teacher-student interaction.Conclusions Applying VR technology to low vision teaching can enable students to personally experience the impact of various diseases on patients’ visual function and daily life. This teaching method not only optimizes and improves teaching effectiveness, but also has a high acceptance rate among students, which is worth further promoting in future optometry teaching.
Objective To observe the etiologies and vision outcomes of inpatients with no light perception (NLP). Methods A total of 367 inpatients (430 eyes) with NLP in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center were enrolled in this study. The visual acuity examination followed the international standard methods. NLP was detected by torch light in a dark room and the pupil light reflection state was also considered. The patients included 208 males (235 eyes) and 159 females (195 eyes). Sixtythree patients (126 eyes) were bilateral and 304 patients (304 eyes) were unilateral cases including 159 right eyes and 145 left eyes. The patients' ages ranged from 2.5 to 86.0 years, with a mean age of (40.85plusmn;18.03) years. All the patients were treated according to their diseases. The ratio of different eye disease and visual outcome were recorded and analyzed. Results Among 430 eyes, there were 157 eyes (36.5%) with optic neuritis, 68 eyes (15.8%) with uveitis, 54 eyes (12.6%) with retinal vascular disease, 35 eyes (8.1%) with ischemic optic neuropathy, 29 eyes (6.7%) with traumatic optic neuropathy, 28 eyes (6.5%) with optic atrophy, 18 eyes (4.2%) with trauma, 17 eyes (4.0%) with radiation optic neuropathy, 10 eyes (23%) with glaucoma, five eyes (1.2%) with retinal detachment, four eyes (0.9%) with compressive optic neuropathy, two eyes (0.5%) with orbital apex syndrome, two eyes (0.5%) with hysteria, and one eye (0.2%) with orbital cellulitis. After active treatment, 269 eyes (62.6%) remained NLP, 161 eyes (37.4%) got improved visual acuity, including light perception- 0.02 in 74 eyes (17.2%), ge;0.02-＜0.05 in 25 eyes (5.8%), ge;0.05 -＜0.1 in 14 eyes (3.3%), ge;0.1 -＜0.3 in 11 eyes (2.6%) and ge;0.3 in 37 eyes (8.6%). Conclusions The main causes of nonsurgical and non-trauma NLP are retinal disease and optic neuropathy. Some patients with NLP may restore useful vision if they received prompt referral and active intervention.
Macular edema (ME) secondary to central retinal vein occlusion（CRVO) often cause severe visual impairment. Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents and steroids can effectively eliminate ME and improve visual function, but the visual outcome is affected by multiple factors. Retinal blood flow, especially the macular microcirculation, has significant correlation with visual outcome. Ischemic CRVO, especially patients with severe damage in the deep and superficial vascular layer of the macular zone, usually have poor visual outcome. In addition, the integrity of the multi-layer retinal structure closely correlates with the visual outcome. Patients with intact ellipsoid zone, external limit membrane beneath the fovea have good visual recovery. Additionally, good baseline visual acuity, positive response to treatment in early phase, young age and timely treatment usually brings about better visual outcome.
ObjectiveTo observe and evaluate the predictive value of serum cystatin C (Cys-C) on the risk of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR). MethodsA non-randomized controlled cross-sectional clinical study. Ninety-two patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who were admitted to Department of Ophthalmology of Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital from January 2022 to October 2022 were included in the study. Among them, 50 were male, 42 cases were female, with the mean age of (58.24±12.49) years. The mean duration of T2DM was (13.18±8.35) years, of which 38 cases had a duration of ≥10 years. Twenty-nine cases complicated with hypertension, of which 16 cases had a duration of ≥10 years. Seventeen cases complicated with chronic kidney disease stage 2 and 23 cases were treated with lipid-lowering drugs. Hemoglobin Alc, serum Cys-C, serum lipids and renal function were tested, and urinary microalbumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) was calculated. According to the 2003 American Academy of Ophthalmology "Clinical Guidelines for Diabetic Retinopathy (DR)" and international clinical DR severity grading standards, the patients were divided into STDR and non-STDR groups, with 44 and 48 cases in each group, respectively. STDR was defined as severe non-proliferative DR, proliferative DR, and macular edema. Logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors of STDR in T2DM patients. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was used to calculate and analyze the area under ROC curve (AUC) and the predictive value of serum Cys-C and ACR in predicting STDR in T2DM patients. ResultsSerum Cys-C levels in STDR and non-STDR groups were 1.10 (0.94, 1.28) and 0.91 (0.83, 1.02) mg/L, respectively, with ACR of 4.29 (1.05, 21.89) and 1.39 (0.77, 3.80) mg/mmol, respectively. Compared with non-STDR group, serum Cys-C and ACR in STDR group were higher, and the difference was statistically significant (Z=－3.984, －3.280; P＜0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum Cys-C was an independent risk factor for STDR (odds ratio=1.337, 95% confidence interval 1.145-2.090, P=0.033), and the risk of STDR increased by 33.7% for every 0.1 mg/L increase in serum Cys-C. ROC analysis results showed that serum Cys-C＞1.065 mg/L combined with ACR＞5.84 mg/mmol predicted the AUC of STDR in T2DM patients was 0.661, with the specificity of 95.8%. ConclusionsThe high serum Cys-C level is an independent risk factor for STDR in T2DM patients. Serum Cys-C has high predictive value for the occurrence of STDR.