Blepharitis, defined as inflammation of the eyelids, is a common eye condition and affects both children and adults. Blepharitis can be categorized in several different ways. First, categorization is based on the length of disease process: acute or chronic blepharitis. Second, categorization is based on the anatomical location of disease: anterior, or front of the eye (e.g. staphylococcal and seborrheic blepharitis), and posterior, or back of the eye (e.g. meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)). This review focuses on chronic blepharitis and stratifies anterior and posterior blepharitis. There were 34 studies (2169 participants with blepharitis) included in the review, 20 of which included participants with anterior blepharitis and 14 of which included participants with posterior blepharitis. For anterior blepharitis, topical antibiotics provided some symptomatic relief and were effective in clearing bacteria from the eyelid margins. There was no difference between the types of topical antibiotics used. Topical steroids also provided some symptomatic relief; however, they were ineffective in eliminating bacteria. Lid hygiene, including warm compresses and lid scrubs, showed some symptomatic relief in both anterior and posterior blepharitis. Overall, there was no strong evidence for any of the treatments in terms of curing chronic blepharitis. Further research should be done to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments for blepharitis, with particular attention paid to adequate diagnosis and classification of the disease.

Ocular surface burns vary in severity from mild and self-limiting to devastating injuries characterised by failure of regeneration of the ocular surface, leading to blindness and disfigurement. The historical use of amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) to treat eye burns during the acute phase has re-emerged in recent years, although its precise effects on the healing process have not been proven by randomised controlled trials (RCTs). One RCT conducted in India included a subset of patients who fulfilled the criteria for analysis in this review. The participants included 68 men and women of all ages with chemical or thermal burns to the ocular surface, who were randomised to treatment with conventional medical therapy alone or to medical therapy and AMT in the first seven days after injury. Conventional medical therapy included topical steroids, antibiotics, sodium ascorbate, sodium citrate, tear substitutes and cycloplegic drops, and oral vitamin C. Pressure-lowering drops and/or oral acetazolamide were prescribed if required. Data from the RCT were analysed to compare corneal wound closure rates by the 21st day after the injury and visual outcomes at final follow-up. The burns were classified as moderate or severe. In the moderate category, the AMT group had a higher proportion of eyes with complete epithelial closure by day 21 (not statistically significant) and significantly better visual acuity at final follow-up. There was a high risk of bias resulting from the uneven characteristics of the control and treatment eyes at presentation and from the failure to mask personnel and outcome assessors involved in the study. This reduced confidence in the study findings.

Mitochondria are found within every human cell and are responsible for the majority of each cell's energy production. When the mitochondria do not function properly, they cause diseases affecting many of the body's organs. Usually, these are the organs with the highest energy needs, such as muscle, brain, the eyes, and heart, although these diseases are highly variable. As a group these conditions are referred to as mitochondrial disorders, and they can cause significant disability or early death. We conducted this review of treatment for mitochondrial disorders to determine whether any available treatments are effective. We identified 12 randomised controlled trials that were of high enough quality to be included in the review. Of these, eight were new studies that had been published since the previous version of this review. Two studies which were included in the previous version of this review were excluded because of a high risk that the study results may be biased.

Is there evidence to support the use of antiepileptic drugs for the primary and secondary prevention of seizures after stroke?

The virus herpes simplex (herpes) causes a rare but devastating disease in the newborn that can range from skin and eye infection to shock, organ failure, brain infection, and death. Newborn herpes infection is an uncommon complication of active genital herpes in the mother around the time of delivery or after direct contact with a herpes blister ("fever blister", "cold sore") of an infected caregiver. We reviewed five studies conducted to assess the effects of antiviral agents (medications that reduce the spread of virus in the body) on mortality and long-term complications of herpes disease in the newborn. Antiviral agents were shown to reduce mortality from the condition, but the reduction was not statistically significant due to the small number of infants in the study. There was insufficient trial data to guide caregivers regarding the duration of antiviral therapy or dose.

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Document and learn online with Ausmed's online portfolio and organiser app. All countries and health professions supported. Free to document, subscribe to learn.