Retinoscopes:Past and present

BACKGROUND Retinoscopy is arguably the most important method in the eye clinic for diagnosing and managing refractive errors.Advantages of retinoscopy include its noninvasive nature,ability to assess patients of all ages,and usefulness in patients with limited cooperation or communication skills.AIM To discuss the history of retinoscopes and examine current literature on the subject.METHODS A search was conducted on the PubMed and with the reference citation analysis(https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com)database using the term"Retinoscopy,"with a range restricted to the last 10 years(2013-2023).The search string algorithm was:"Retinoscopy"(MeSH Terms)OR"Retinoscopy"(All Fields)OR"Retinoscopes"(All Fields)AND[(All Fields)AND 2013:2023(pdat)].RESULTS This systematic review included a total of 286 records.Publications reviewed iterations of the retinoscope into autorefractors,infrared photo retinoscope,television retinoscopy,and the Wifi enabled digital retinoscope.CONCLUSION The retinoscope has evolved significantly since its discovery,with a significant improvement in its diagnostic capabilities.While it has advantages such as non-invasiveness and broad applicability,limitations exist,and the need for skilled interpretation remains.With ongoing research,including the integration of artificial intelligence,retinoscopy is expected to continue advancing and playing a vital role in eye care.

Possible viral agents to consider in the differential diagnosis of blepharoconjunctivitis

BACKGROUND Blepharoconjunctivitis poses a diagnostic challenge due to its diverse etiology,including viral infections.Blepharoconjunctivits can be acute or chronic,selflimiting,or needing medical therapy.AIM To review possible viral agents crucial for accurate differential diagnosis in cases of blepharoconjunctivitis.METHODS The PubMed database was searched for records relating to viral blepharoconjunctivitis.The search string generated was“("virally"[All Fields]OR"virals"[All Fields]OR"virology"[MeSH Terms]OR"virology"[All Fields]OR"viral"[All Fields])AND"Blepharoconjunctivitis"[All Fields]".RESULTS A total of 24 publications were generated from the search string.Reference lists from each relevant article were also searched for more information and included in this review.Viral etiologies such as adenovirus,herpes simplex virus(HSV),varicella-zoster virus(VZV),and Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)are frequently implicated.Adenoviral infections manifest with follicular conjunctivitis and preauricular lymphadenopathy,often presenting as epidemic keratoconjunctivitis.HSV and VZV infections can result in herpetic keratitis and may exhibit characteristic dendritic corneal ulcers.EBV,although less common,can cause unilateral or bilateral follicular conjunctivitis,particularly in immunocompromised individuals.Other potential viral agents,such as enteroviruses and molluscum contagiosum virus,should also be considered,especially in pediatric cases.CONCLUSION Prompt recognition of these viral etiologies is essential for appropriate management and prevention of complications.Thus,a thorough understanding of the clinical presentation,epidemiology,and diagnostic modalities is crucial for accurate identification and management of viral blepharoconjunctivitis.