Editorial Comments: Nigerian Journal of Ophthalmology, May–August 2024

Abstract

We welcome our readers to another edition of the Nigerian Journal of Ophthalmology. This issue presents a blend of articles from different aspects of Ophthalmology. In the first article, Sarimiye et al. described the distribution of intraocular pressure among 1810 adults of an indigenous community in southwest Nigeria. They found a mean intraocular pressure of 15.91 mmHg and noted that the distribution of intraocular pressure follows a Gaussian curve with a small skew to the right. They also explored the relationships between intraocular pressure and demographics as well as clinical characteristics, such as age, gender, and systemic blood pressure. Their study brings to the fore the need for further research on the genetic factors, environmental influences, and differences in ocular anatomy that contribute to ethnic variations in intraocular pressure and the risk of developing glaucoma.[1] The article by Ugalahi et al. also focused on glaucoma. It is a case series of four male children with glaucoma secondary to Sturge–Weber syndrome. Their report demonstrates the significant ocular morbidity associated with glaucoma in Sturge–Weber syndrome and typifies the myriad of complications that may attend the management of such patients. A recent report with a larger number of cases (49 eyes) also demonstrated the relatively high complication rate following glaucoma surgery in Sturge–Weber syndrome.[2] In their article, Umar et al. reported the findings of a prospective study, in which they determined the relative frequency of histologically diagnosed conjunctival lesions at a tertiary hospital in northeast Nigeria over a 12-month period. They studied a total of 73 eyes that underwent excision biopsies for suspicious conjunctival lesions and found 15 different histological diagnoses among the excised lesions, the most common being pterygium. Although malignant lesions were found in less than one-fifth of the cases, the article buttresses the importance of histological examination of excised ocular surface lesions, particularly because of the overlap in the clinical features of ocular surface squamous neoplasia and benign conjunctival lesions.[3] In a medical memorandum, Okoye et al. discussed important ethical issues and medical professionalism with particular focus on the practice of ophthalmology in Nigeria. They explored the various aspects of the ethics of the relationships of ophthalmologists with one another, with other eye care workers and with the society in general. The concerns they raise are relevant to both general and subspecialty ophthalmologists as well as those in training positions. Their article emphasized the significance of education and training in medical professionalism and ethics for Ophthalmologists. Lastly, there are two case reports; both of which demonstrated the desirability of a thorough clinical evaluation and investigation in the management of ophthalmic patients. Our subscribers are encouraged to explore the articles in this latest edition of the Journal, while we thank the contributing authors, the reviewers, and our dedicated editorial staff. We also beseech our readers to continue to submit their research findings for publication in the Nigerian Journal of Ophthalmology, the foremost ophthalmic journal in West Africa. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.