Valentin Fulga MD, Ben-Ami Sela PhD and Michael Belkin MA MD
Background: Most corneal damage induced by contact lenses is due to interference with corneal oxygenation.
Objective: To investigate the effect on the rabbit cornea of a rigid gas-permeable contact lens with a newly designed periphery.
Method: We fitted New Zealand white rabbits (n=12) with RGP contact lenses that were identical in all respects except for the design of the periphery. In each animal, one contact lens had an innovative periphery consisting of a microscopic diffractive relief lathed on the back surface; the other contact lens was of a conventional design. The lenses were worn continuously for 7 days. During this experimental period and for 1 additional week we assessed the corneal damage by daily testing lactic dehydrogenase activity in the tears.
Results: On the last day of the experimental week and the first 3 days of the healing period, mean tear LDH activity was significantly lower in the eyes with the new contact lens design than in eyes with the conventional lenses.
Conclusions: The novel periphery design reduces corneal damage resulting from contact lens wear, as reflected by LDH levels in the tears. The new design probably facilitates the flow and exchange of tears under the contact lens, resulting in improved metabolism of the cornea. These findings may also prove applicable to soft contact lenses.
Zalmzn Kaufman MSc, Irit Cohen-Manheim MSc and Manfred S. Green MD MPH PhD
Background: Although influenza is usually a mild self-limiting disease it can cause serious complications in high risk groups. The economic costs of influenza are large due to the burden on the health system and absenteeism from work. There is evidence that the vaccine is underused in groups targeted for vaccination.
Objectives: To estimate: a) the compliance rate with the influenza vaccination in Israel during the winter seasons of 1998/1999 and 1999/2000, b) the role of health care personnel and the media in influencing compliance, and c) the reasons for lack of compliance in the elderly.
Methods: Two national population-based random telephone surveys of 1,500 households were performed during October 1999 and January 2000 to survey influenza vaccination compliance prior to the winters of 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 respectively. Each survey was performed during four successive evenings. The response rate was 78.1% for the first survey and 79.1% for the second.
Results: Vaccination compliance was similar in both surveys. The average rate of vaccination was 6% for the population under 65 years and 50% for the population of 65 years and above. The overall vaccination rate was around 10%. The family physician was the main authority to recommend the vaccination, followed by the community nurse. Absence of recommendation and lack of faith in the efficacy of the vaccine were the main reasons for non-compliance.
Conclusion: Compliance rates with influenza vaccine in targeted groups in Israel remain relatively low. Health care personnel should be more involved in promoting the vaccine.
Michael Blumenthal, MD and Moshe Schwartz, OD
Haim Paran, MD, Ivan Shwartz, MD and Uri Freund, MD
Raana Shamir, MD, Aaron Lerner, MD, MHA and Edward A. Fisher, MD, PhD
A. Lerner, MD, MHA and Raanan Shamir, MD
Gili Regev-Yochay, MD, Eran Segal, MD and Eithan Rubinstein, MD
Shlomo Lustig PhD, Menachem Halevy MSc, Pinhas Fuchs PhD, David Ben-Nathan PhD, Bat-El Lachmi PhD, David Kobiler PhD, Eitan Israeli PhD and Udy Olshevsky PhD