The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the American and European population is estimated to be extremely high. Although fewer people today suff er from serious health problems related to calcium and phosphate metabolism resulting from vitamin D deficiency, there are more and more studies suggesting that calcitriol may play an important role in the pathogenesis of other diseases in virtually every body system. A growing body of research shows that through its ubiquitously expressed receptor, calcitriol displays potent anti-angiogenic an anti-inflammatory activity. Th is review summarizes recent discoveries regarding these non-classical eff ects of vitamin D and their clinical implications. Data collection focused on the prevention and treatment of ocular diseases as well as on the underlying mechanisms.

Papillophlebitis is an uncommon disease in clinical practice. We would like to present a case of a 29-year-old patient with atypical orbital pain and fl ashings, presenting relative aff erent pupillary defect and already typical of the disease entity: ophthalmoscopic picture of the fundus and big blind spot in perimetry. We present a complex and interdisciplinary diagnostic process that excludes general diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, coagulation disorders and neurological causes. We leave the only identifiable abnormality and potential source in the infl ammatory process of periodontal infl ammation and sinus jaw changes. We also describe the process of remitting the changes and fi nally a favorable end result of the primarily a very disturbing clinical picture that this disease may present.