Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex, degenerative and progressive disease involving the multiple genetic and environmental factors that can result in severe visual loss. The etiology of AMD is not well understood. Many theories exist and feature mechanisms of oxidative stress, atherosclerotic-like changes, genetic predisposition and inflammation. The most recent clinical studies appointed to a great role of inflammation and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the pathogenesis of AMD. There is a large body of evidence indicating the association of CRP with endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as with lipid status disorder in AMD patients. According to recent studies, CRP is definitely not only the inflammatory marker but also a mediator of development of the vascular disorders in the retinal circulation. The results obtained from the present studies may help our understanding the pathogenesis of the retinal vascular disease associated with high levels of CRP.

Purpose: Viral agents are the most common cause of infectious anterior uveitis worldwide. The purpose of this review is to analyze the frequency, gender and racial differences of viral anterior uveitis (VAU) in various populations. Methods: Systematized literature review of epidemiological reports of VAU cited in PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library database published until June 30th, 2020. Results: A total of 12 clinical studies on epidemiology of definite VAU and 36 clinical studies of presumed VAU were identified. Members of Herpesviridae family represent the most common causes of VAU. Other less frequently reported causes, such as rubella and endemic viruses (HTLV-1, Chikungunya, Dengue, Ebola, Zika virus) were also analyzed. Conclusion: HSV, VZV are prevalent worldwide. CMV is more frequent in Asia, and rubella in the West. However, due to globalization and air travel, HTLV-1, Chikungunya, Dengue and Ebola may become important causes of VAU across the world.

There are evidence that oxidative stress and inflammation are involved in the pathogenesis of the age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The aim of this study was to analyze the antioxidant defense parameters and inflammatory markers in patients with exudative form of AMD (eAMD), their mutual correlations and association with the specific forms of AMD. The cross-sectional study, included 75 patients with the eAMD, 31 patients with the early form, and 87 aged-matched control subjects. Significantly lower SOD, TAS and albumin values and higher GR, CRP and IL-6 were found in the eAMD compared to the early form (p<0.05). Significant negative correlations were found between GPx and fibrinogen (r = -0.254), TAS and IL-6 (r = -0.999) and positive correlations between uric acid and CRP (r = 0.292), IL-6 and uric acid (r = 0.398) in the eAMD. A significant association of CRP (OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.03-1.32, p = 0.018), fibrinogen (OR: 2.21, 95% CI: 1.14-4.85, p = 0.021), TAS (OR: 7.45, 95% CI: 3.97-14.35, p = 0.0001), albumin (OR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.11-1.41, p = 0.0001) and uric acid (OR: 1.006, 95% CI: 1.00-1.02, p = 0.003) was found with the eAMD. In conclusion it may be suggested, there is a significant impairment of antioxidant and inflammatory parameter levels in eAMD patients. In addition, significant association exists between the tested inflammatory markers and antioxidant parameters with late-eAMD.

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of visual impairment in individuals over 50 years of age, with the prevalence of 0.05% before the age of 50 rising to 30% after 74 years of age. An elevated concentration of plasma lipoproteins is considered to be one of the risk factors of AMD development. The aim of our study was to analyze the concentration of serum lipoproteins – total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), non-LDL cholesterol and triglycerides – as well as apolipoproteins – apoA1, apoB and Lp(a) – along with C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with AMD in order to explore the possible association of lipid and inflammatory parameters with the pathogenesis of AMD. Material and Methods: In the cross-sectional study in the University clinical setting, 79 patients with AMD, aged 71.47 ± 7.02 years, and 84 aged-matched control subjects were included. The patients underwent complete ophthalmological examination including visual acuity assessment, color fundus photography and fluorescein angiography. Results: Statistical processing data revealed significantly higher total (p = 0.0002), LDL (p = 0.023), non-HDL cholesterol (p = 0.0014) and CRP (p = 0.049) values in AMD patients compared to control subjects. Conclusions: Based on the obtained results, it may be concluded that lipid status disorder and inflammation could play an important role in the development of AMD in elderly people.

Purpose: To analyze clinical characteristics of ocular sarcoidosis in a group of biopsy-proven sarcoid patients treated at the single referral center for sarcoidosis in Serbia. Methods: A prospective study carried out on 88 biopsy-proven sarcoid patients between January 2012 and December 2014. All patients underwent complete ophthalmological examination. Results: Ocular sarcoidosis was present in 32 patients (36.4% of all) and included: eyelid skin lesions (2.3%); orbital inflammation (2.3%); conjunctival lesions (7.9%); anterior uveitis (2.3%); intermediate uveitis (1.1%); posterior uveitis (15.9%); panuveitis (5.7%), and neuro-ophthalmologic manifestations (9.1%). Complications included cataract (20.4%); glaucoma (5.7%); cystoid macular edema (3.4%); epiretinal membrane formation (4.5%); macular atrophy (2.3%); and choroidal neovascularization (1.1%). Binocular visual impairment was present in one patient (1.1%), due to complications of posterior uveitis (macular scars). Conclusions: Patients in Serbia demonstrated ocular sarcoidosis as the first most common site of extrapulmonary sarcoid manifestations, with more often neuro-ophthalmologic lesions than in other European populations.

Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of the irreversible central visual loss among the elderly in the developed countries. Iron is considered a potent generator of the oxidative damage whose levels increase with age, potentially exacerbating the age-related diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the serum values of iron, and iron-binding proteins (transferrin, ferritin, and haptoglobin) in patients with AMD along with the parameters of the antioxidant defense: superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase, and total antioxidant status (TAS), in order to analyze the possible impact of iron and iron-binding proteins to the development of oxidative stress in AMD patients, and the association of the selected parameters with the AMD. In addition, the aim was to examine the gender differences and calculate the cutoff points of tested parameters that could be associated with AMD. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study included 55 AMD patients aged 71.7 ± 7.36 years and 65 aged-matched control subjects aged 70.25 ± 6.46 years. Results: Significantly lower ferritin (P = 0.025), SOD (P = 0.026), GPx (P = 0.019), and TAS (P < 0.004) values were found in patients with AMD compared to the controls (P < 0.05). Significant association of GPx < 27 U/gHb (odds ratio [OR]: 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.78–2.10; P = 0.049), TAS < 1.25 mmol/L (OR: 5.77; 95% CI 0.98–367.0; P < 0.000), ferritin < 84.8 pg/mL (OR: 2.52; 95% CI 1.37–4.62; P = 0.002), and haptoglobin<1.51 g/L (OR: 1.94; 95% CI 1.05–3.56; P = 0.031) was found with the AMD. According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, ferritin concentration <84.8 pg/L, GPx < 27 U/gHb, and TAS < 1.25 mmol/L have sufficient predictive ability for AMD. Conclusion: Significantly reduced capacity of the antioxidant defense system and iron-binding storage proteins (ferritin) found in AMD could have an important role in the development of increase oxidative stress in AMD patients.