USEFULNESS OF THE LASER FLARE CELL METER (LFCM, KOWA FC-1000) IN CLINICAL-PRACTICE

The Laser Flare Cell Meter (LFCM, Kowa FC-1000), an instrument measuring aqueous flare and cells in a quantitative, objective and non-invasive way, has been mainly used so far to measure inflammation in clinical and experimental research. In the light of some illustrative examples, its practical clinical usefulness is presented; the LFCM was found to be specially helpful in 3 types of situations. 1. In acute anterior uveitis (AAU) patients, precise LFCM monitoring of inflammation made it possible to avoid excessive corticosteroid therapy, mainly by more rapid and controlled tapering at the end of an inflammatory episode, so possibly minimizing steroid side effects in a group of patients prone to numerous uveitis recurrences. In a steroid-responder patient it allowed successful treatment of a flare-up of AAU with a combination of systemic and topical diclofenac (Voltarene(R)), a potent nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug. 2. LFCM monitoring of inflammation in patients undergoing laser treatments allowed optimal adjustment of antiinflammatory therapy. Diclofenac drops (Voltarene Ophta(R)), were sufficient to treat inflammation in all patients, undergoing Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy or Argon laser trabeculoplasty. 3. In patients with acyclovir treated herpes simplex or herpes zoster uveitis corticosteroid treatment should be avoided whenever possible, because of the tendency to develop steroid dependency. LFCM monitoring of this group of patients gave a precise evolutionary pattern of inflammation and permitted to avoid steroid treatment in many patients.