Hemicrania continua is an uncommon primary headache disorder, characterized by continuous unilateral pain, where pain exacerbations are associated with cranial autonomic features. The hallmark of this condition is the absolute response to indometacin. We describe the phenotype of this condition in a large series of patients. Thirty-six (92%) patients had side-locked pain and 3 (8%) had side-alt...

INTRODUCTION Anisocorias are a relatively frequent reason for consultation in neuro-ophthalmology units. They remain a diagnostic challenge for specialists as they may be due to several etiological factors. In the absence of other accompanying symptoms, anisocorias are usually due to benign processes. Benign episodic mydriasis (BEM) is an isolated cause of intermittent pupil asymmetry, in which...

Botulinum toxin (BoTx) has been clinically used in the treatment of localized dystonic states such as blepharospasm, as well as in strabismus. Reported side effects have included primary excessive weakness of neighboring extraocular muscles. To evaluate possible involvement of the iris, we injected BoTx into the retrobular space of albino rats. Ipsilateral mydriasis with cholinomimetic supersen...

Ocular examination was normal except for internal ophthalmoplegia of the left eye. The left pupil did not constrict when pilocarpine drops of either 0.125% or 1% were applied to the eye suggesting pharmacological origin of the condition and excluding an Adie’s pupil and a third nerve palsy respectively. A detailed medical history helped to the final diagnosis of pharmacological mydriasis by rev...

ATROPINE, perhaps the drug most used in ophthalmology, is prone to cause contact-irritation, often at a time when continued mydriasis is essential, in patients on long-term treatment. Unfortunately, most substitutes are less effective in producing mydriasis, and not infrequently contact-irritation is developed to these substitutes in rapid succession. Lachescine (E3) was developed in Great Brit...

AIM To ascertain the impact of the Health Technology Board for Scotland's grading model on referrals to ophthalmology services. METHODS An analysis was performed of the screening outcomes of 5575 consecutive patients, who were screened by the Grampian Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme between March and September 2003 according to the recommendations of the Health Technology Board and t...

The Arden contrast sensitivity was investigated in normal persons, cataract eyes, and glaucoma patients with only plates 6 and 7 of the Arden grating set. The mean score of 90 normal eyes on plate 6 was 9.50 +/- 2.29 and on plate 7 it was 9.44 +/- 2.32. The mean scores of patients with early cataract were 14.51 +/- 2.99 on plate 6 and 13.74 +/- 3.26 on plate 7. Several patients with cataract mi...

Tropicamide (muscarinic receptor antagonist) and phenylephrine (α-adrenergic receptor agonist) are commonly used to dilate the pupils by topical application. These two eye drops are often used, singly or in combination, to dilate the pupil and perform acute light-evoked physiological experiments (electroretinography, for example), before and after intravitreal injections of pharmacological agen...