Biomedical subjects

R Nowakowski

Publications and source records attributed to R Nowakowski.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

A review of theoretical and practical aspects of clinical laboratory testing.

Laboratory testing is both important and useful for primary care optometrists. Appropriate selection, performance, and interpretation of tests requires an understanding of certain statistical aspects of laboratory testing, such as test sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value, and also requires that the clinician understand practical aspects of office management for employee safety, appropriate handling of patient specimens and test reports, and maintenance of quality control when tests are performed in the office. The numbers and types of laboratory tests used by optometrists will increase in the future. When used appropriately, clinical laboratory testing will assist the clinician in providing optimal patient care.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗

PubMed1992

Urinalysis.

Urinalysis has been a component of patient assessment for centuries and continues to have great utility. The analysis of urine is a useful component in the evaluation of a variety of vision disorders and should be considered an important adjunct to the clinical examination for selected patients. The specimen is readily available, and a basic analysis is inexpensive and simple to perform in the office.

Eye Diseases↗

PubMed1992

Laboratory diagnosis of genetic disorders.

Many genetic disorders affect vision or result in ophthalmic findings. Laboratory testing plays an important role in the diagnosis of genetic disorders and in carrier testing. Recent advances in cytogenetics, biochemical genetics, and molecular genetics have increased the understanding of many diseases and have allowed some to be defined at the molecular level. Concomitantly, new laboratory tests have been developed for several important hereditary eye diseases, including some forms of retinitis pigmentosa. These developments not only herald marked advances in the understanding of disease, they also introduce new legal and ethical issues that will affect the primary care clinician when using laboratory testing for genetic disease.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗

PubMed1991

Rhodopsin mutations in autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.

DNA samples from 161 unrelated patients with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa were screened for point mutations in the rhodopsin gene by using the polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Thirty-nine patients were found to carry 1 of 13 different point mutations at 12 amino acid positions. The presence or absence of the mutations correlated with the presence or absence of retinitis pigmentosa in 174 out of 179 individuals tested in 17 families. The mutations were absent from 118 control subjects with normal vision.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1988

Management of monocular polyopia using an artificial iris contact lens.

Monocular polyopia is a relatively uncommon symptom reported to the ophthalmic practitioner. The specific etiology can be difficult to ascertain and management options may be unsatisfactory to both patient and clinician. A case is presented of a low vision patient with monocular polyopia secondary to lenticular changes. The patient was successfully managed with an opaque, artificial iris soft contact lens.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Evaluation of reading speed with four low vision aids.

Four commonly prescribed low vision aids of equivalent power were evaluated to determine maximum reading speed of normally sighted young adults. Subjects tested were fully sighted and of similar educational backgrounds. Presentation of the four aids was designed to duplicate common clinical methods of evaluating these categories of aids. Limitations imposed under these conditions on reading speed by the optics of the four systems were determined. Maximum reading speed was attained with microscopes, followed by (in order) hand magnifiers, focusable telescopes, and stand magnifiers. Results have implications on clinicians' initial performance expectations for these categories of optical aids for patients having low vision.

Adult↗