In the absence of disease, the vasculature of the mammalian eye is quiescent, in part because of the action of angiogenic inhibitors that prevent vessels from invading the cornea and vitreous. Here, an inhibitor responsible for the avascularity of these ocular compartments is identified as pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), a protein previously shown to have neurotrophic activity. The amount of inhibitory PEDF produced by retinal cells was positively correlated with oxygen concentrations, suggesting that its loss plays a permissive role in ischemia-driven retinal neovascularization. These results suggest that PEDF may be of therapeutic use, especially in retinopathies where pathological neovascularization compromises vision and leads to blindness.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/285/5425/245.full.pdf

Pigment epithelium-derived factor: a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis.

Human corneal thickness and its impact on intraocular pressure measures: a review and meta-analysis approach.

The Wisconsin age-related maculopathy grading system.

Methods for evaluation of retinal microvascular abnormalities associated with hypertension/sclerosis in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/14697409/2001ProgNeurobiolFarkas.pdf

Cerebral microvascular pathology in aging and Alzheimer's disease.

The retinal circulation

Ocular Neovascularization: The Krill Memorial Lecture

Neovascularization of the iris (rubeosis iridis)

25 years ago systemic lupus erythematosus was a relatively obscure entity. Much has since been published and lupus has achieved the status of a well-recognized and not uncommonly diagnosed condition. It is a multi-system disorder classified with the \"collagen diseases\", and its manifestations are protean. The joints, skin, kidneys, and cardiopulmonary system are most commonly affected. In addition, there may be involvement of the eye, blood, liver, spleen, bones, lymph nodes, nervous tissue, and gastrointestinal system (Dubois and Tuffanelli, I964; Larson, I96I). Though the precise aetiology is obscure, it appears that abnormal immunological processes play a part in its pathogenesis. In the present study we report the results of ocular examinations in a series of 6 I patients with systemic lupus, and contrast our findings with those of a number of earlier series. We emphasize that the concept ofa fairly high incidence ofocular manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus is no longer valid. It was based on earlier studies in which patients were, for the most part, either not treated or inadequately treated by current standards. Today's patients, treated more successfully for systemic lupus, rarely present with ocular signs or symptoms.

https://bjo.bmj.com/content/bjophthalmol/56/11/800.full.pdf

Paul Henkind

Papers

The retinal circulation

Ocular Neovascularization: The Krill Memorial Lecture

Neovascularization of the iris (rubeosis iridis)

Ocular findings in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Ultrastructure and clinicopathologic correlation of idiopathic preretinal macular fibrosis.