Comparison of 110- and 145-µm Small-Incision Lenticule Extraction Cap Thickness: A Randomized Contralateral Eye Study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the visual, refractive, and biomechanical outcomes of small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) with two different cap thicknesses. METHODS: Thirty-four patients were included in this prospective, randomized, contralateral eye study. Subjects were randomized to receive SMILE surgery with a 110-m cap thickness in one eye and 145-µm cap thickness in the fellow eye. Uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity, contrast sensitivity (CS), total higherorder aberrations (THOAs) and corneal biomechanical properties were compared 3 months after surgery. RESULTS: Postoperative refractive and visual outcomes, CS and THOAs were similar between the two groups ( P > 0.05 for all parameters). At 3 months postoperatively, there was a significant difference in Corvis ST Biomechanical Index (CBI); stiffness parameter at first applanation (SP A1), and Integrated Radius between the two groups (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Eyes with thicker SMILE corneal caps showed no advantage regarding visual acuity, CS and THOAs over eyes with thinner caps. However, higher cap thickness may result in better corneal biomechanical properties postoperatively.

The effect of ptosis surgery on corneal topography and aberrometry.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the corneal topography and aberrometry and their changes following ptosis surgery in patients suffering from unilateral congenital blepharoptosis. METHODS: The study included 15 eyes of 15 patients with unilateral congenital blepharoptosis who underwent surgical correction through anterior levator resection. Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor was employed to assess Zernike coefficients and root-mean-square. Computerized corneal topography, Orbscan and aberrometry were measured pre-and 3 months post-surgery in the healthy and ptotic eyes. Aberrometric changes were compared between patients with more than one diopter of astigmatism and subjects with less amount of astigmatism. Data were analyzed using the SPSS version 16. P < 0.05 was considered as significance level. RESULTS: Following anterior levator resection, the amount of astigmatism decreased. However, the difference was not statistically significant. Changes in topographic indices were not statistically significant. Regarding tomographic indices, the change in minimum keratometry was significant. The amount of change in total higher-order aberrations (HOAs) was not statistically significant. However, there was a decrease in the amount of third-order aberrations (vertical coma and vertical trefoil) which was statistically significant for vertical coma (-0.002 ± 0.001 vs. -0.08 ± 0.02 µm, P = 0.02). Comparing aberrometric changes in patients with more than 1 diopter astigmatism and less, there was a significant difference in the amount of HOA w/o Z400. CONCLUSION: Surgical correction of ptosis could reduce the ocular aberrations, despite no significant change in astigmatism. Nonaxial high-order aberrations are mostly affected probably due to the meridional effect of ptosis on the cornea.

Evaluation of aberrometry changes following strabismus surgery in patients with horizontal strabismus.

BACKGROUND: The aim is to investigate the change in aberrations following strabismus surgery in patients with horizontal strabismus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included patients who underwent surgery for horizontal strabismus. The patients were assessed preoperatively and 1 month and 3 months after the surgery, in terms of logMAR best-corrected visual acuity, eye deviation, spherical equivalent refractive error, tomographic and aberrometric corneal changes. Corneal tomography was performed using Orbscan II device. Wavefront analyses were performed using Bausch and Lomb Zywave II. RESULTS: A total of 25 patients (48 eyes) with exotropia or esotropia were entered in this study. Mean values of exotropia in the distance and near deviations were reported as 31.42 ± 7.13 and 28.82 ± 6.96 prism diopters (PD), respectively. Mean scores of esotropia in the distance and near deviations were 25.22 ± 5.41 and 30.45 ± 9.4 PD, respectively. Evaluation of irregularity in 5 mm zone, horizontal coma, spherical aberration changes, and root mean square of higher-order aberrations (HOAs) in 6 mm, and HOA w/o Z 400 changes showed that there was a significant difference before the intervention and 1 month after the surgery (P < 0.05). However, no difference was observed in the aforementioned variables before and 3 months after the intervention (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results of the present study indicated a transient increase in HOAs and corneal irregularity following strabismus surgery on horizontal eye muscles that returned to the baseline after 3 months.

Local ocular safety of the subconjunctival injection of cetuximab in rabbits.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the safety of different doses of subconjunctival cetuximab in rabbits. METHODS: After general anesthesia rabbits received a subconjunctival injection of 2.5 mg in 0.5 ml, 5 mg in 1 ml, and 10 mg in 2 ml of cetuximab in their right eyes (two rabbits in each group). A similar volume of normal saline solution was injected subconjunctivally in the left eyes. The histopathologic changes were evaluated after enucleation with the aid of H&E staining. RESULTS: No significant difference were observed between the treated and control eyes in terms of conjunctival inflammation, goblet cell density, or limbal blood vessel density for all administered doses of cetuximab. CONCLUSION: Subconjunctival injection of cetuximab with the administrated doses in rabbit eyes are safe.

Supracor Multifocal Corneal Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis Procedure for the Correction of Presbyopia in Hyperopic Eyes.

Purpose: To investigate the outcomes of unilateral Supracor treatment to enhance near vision while maintaining good distance vision in hyperopic eyes. Methods: This prospective interventional study includes consecutive hyperopic patients with presbyopia. All eyes underwent femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis treatment for hyperopia with an additional Supracor multifocal treatment algorithm in nondominant eyes. Monocular and binocular uncorrected and spectacle-corrected distance visual acuity (UCDVA and SCDVA), monocular and binocular uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA), and distance-corrected near visual acuity at 40 cm and high-order aberration changes and complications were evaluated for 6 months. Results: Sixty-four patients with a mean age of 51.91 ± 3.64 were enrolled. After 6-month follow-up, the mean binocular UCDVA and UNVA were 0.03 ± 0.05 and 0.04 ± 0.06 logMAR, respectively. UCDVA (logMAR) of nondominant and dominant eyes was 0.30 ± 0.18 and 0.03 ± 0.05, respectively. Preoperative and postoperative mean ± standard deviation manifest refraction spherical equivalent was +1.84 ± 0.75 and -0.48 ± 0.57, respectively, in nondominant eyes and +1.77 ± 0.69 and +0.12 ± 0.33, respectively, in dominant eyes. No complications were observed. Conclusion: Supracor procedure in nondominant eyes may improve functional near, intermediate, and distance vision without significant photic phenomena in presbyopic patients with low and moderate hyperopia.

Applications of bupivacaine in the non-surgical treatments of strabismus: a review.

Bupivacaine (BUP) is an anesthetic from the family of aminoacyl anesthetics and has the highest myotoxicity among other groups of anesthetics. Intramuscular injection of BUP first causes acute libriform lysis and subsequently with the regeneration process, stronger myofibrils are formed within 3-4 weeks. Satellite cells, which are actually myogenic stem cells, are preserved in the early stage and during the destruction of muscle fibers. In fact, these cells are responsible for the subsequent regeneration of fibers. BUP is one of the few medicines that is able to increase muscle strength. In animal studies on rabbits, a decrease has been observed in the diameter of the global layer in the first week and an increase in type-I myosin occurs after 60 days, especially in the global muscle layer. There are numerous studies according to BUP injection for the non-surgical management of horizontal strabismus. To intensify the effects of the injection, botulinum toxin injection can also be used simultaneously in the antagonist muscles. In general, although the rate of improvement in strabismus varied among different studies, BUP injection alone corrects about 5-8 prism diopters. Together with botulinum toxin, BUP corrects about 15 prism diopters. The stability of this improvement is up to 10 years after injection. No significant difference has been observed in response rate between patients with esotropia and exotropia. Unlike the large molecule of botulinum toxin, which spreads slowly to its site of action, the BUP molecule is small and must be in direct contact with myofibrils before absorption into the bloodstream to exert its effect. Therefore, the injection volume should be about 3 cc with a concentration of 0.75 g per deciliter. Although BUP is promising non-surgical strabismus management, especially in small angle and residual horizontal strabismus, however, it has its own limitations. The need for direct infusion of a relatively large volume of BUP may be one of its major drawbacks that limits its usage in an office method.

Improvement of pseudophakic cystoid macular edema with subconjunctival injections of interferon α2b:a case report.

Purpose: To report a patient with resistant cystoid macular edema after an uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery who responded to subconjunctival interferon α2b injections. Observations: This report describes a 60-year-old male patient with pseudophakic cystoid macular edema that was unresponsive to multiple courses of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids during the follow-up period. Weekly subconjunctival interferon α2b (5 MIU/ml) was administered four times. Cystoid macular edema completely resolved after the 4th injection.During a six-month follow-up period, cystoid macular edema did not recur. No adverse local and systemic side effects were observed. Conclusions and importance: Weekly subconjunctival interferon α2b injections might be a safe and effective treatment modality in the treatment of stubborn pseudophakic cystoid macular edema to conventional treatment.

Medial Rectus Plication in the Management of Dissociated Horizontal Deviation: Case Report and Literature Review.

Purpose: To report a case of medial rectus plication for the management of dissociated horizontal deviation (DHD). Methods: We introduce medial rectus plication for improving the control of exoshift of DHD. Results: A 20-year-old woman with a chief complaint of left eye outward deviation since childhood was referred to the strabismus clinic. The diagnosis of DHD was made according to the detection of asymmetric slow abduction of the left eye (50 prism diopter) during visual inattention or cover testing. The left lateral rectus (LR) was recessed 8 mm with a posterior fixation suture (PFS). In the early postoperative period, the control of DHD improved; however, after 6 months, the patient and her parents complained of frequent observation of the exoshift of the left eye (30 prism diopter). For better control of DHD, medial rectus plication (5 mm) of the left eye was considered the second operation. After 12 months of follow-up, the control of deviation improved, and there was no manifest deviation. Conclusions: The literature's recommended procedure for unilateral DHD without a duction deficit is to perform a unilateral LR muscle recession. Some authors have proposed adding PFS to augment the effect of LR recessions. Although recurrence may occur, medial rectus plication can be considered one of the reversible options and can be used in recurrences of DHD after the first surgical procedure.

Trabeculectomy in patients with diabetes: subconjunctival Mitomycin C with or without intravitreal bevacizumab.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the success of Mitomycin C (MMC) augmented trabeculectomy with or without intravitreal bevacizumab in patients with diabetes without neovascular glaucoma. METHODS: Fifty-six patients with diabetes who needed trabeculectomy were randomised to either combination of 2.5 mg intravitreal bevacizumab and subconjunctival MMC (group A, 28 eyes) or subconjunctival MMC alone (group B, 28 eyes). The main outcome measures were intraocular pressure (IOP), number of antiglaucoma medications, bleb morphology and success probability. Surgical success was defined as complete according to two levels of IOP (≤18 and <15 mm Hg) and at least 20% reduction from preoperative IOP without antiglaucoma medications and qualified as complete success but with antiglaucoma medications. Total success was the sum of complete and qualified success. RESULTS: The mean age was 65.2±12.9 and 67.4±10.2 years in groups A and B, respectively (p=0.50). All patients completed at least 1 year of follow-up. The mean 1-year IOP decreased from 25.2±12.0 mm Hg to 10.1±2.8 in group A and from 26.4±11.6 mm Hg to 15.2±6.9 in group B (all p<0.001). Overall, postoperative IOP measurement was statistically significantly lower in group A at month 12 (p=0.001). The number of medications in groups A and B at month 12 was 0.3±0.8 and 1.0±1.2, respectively (p=0.02). The cumulative probability of success at month 12 was not statistically significant (89.3% group A, 78.6% group B; p=0.27). CONCLUSION: In patients with diabetes with primary trabeculectomy, combined administration of intravitreal bevacizumab and subconjunctival MMC resulted in lower IOP and number of antiglaucoma medication compared with subconjunctival MMC alone.

Comparison of video-based observation and direct observation for assessing the operative performance of residents undergoing phacoemulsification training.

Purpose: To compare the video observation of procedural skills (VOPS) method with the direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS) method in the assessment of senior residents' performance utilizing the International Council of Ophthalmology's Ophthalmology Surgical Competency Assessment Rubric for phacoemulsification (ICO-OSCAR; phaco). Methods: This is a prospective comparative study conducted at a university-affiliated hospital. Six ophthalmology residents of postgraduate year 4 participated. Their performance in phacoemulsification was rated via DOPS and later in a masked manner through VOPS by a single faculty assessor. Results: Seventy-one surgeries were evaluated. There were no statistically significant differences between the scores of VOPS and DOPS regarding all ICO-OSCAR indices except "instrument insertion into the eye" in which DOPS had higher scores (P = 0.035). A significant correlation was observed in total scores of "task-specific" (r = 0.64, P < 0.001) and "global" (r = 0.38, P = 0.003) indices between VOPS and DOPS while some subscales did not show a correlation between the two methods of assessment. The Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated that nearly all data points of total "task-specific" and "global" scores fell within the 95% limits of agreement ([-5.84, 6.87] and [-4.78, 4.86], respectively). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that VOPS holds promise for a general rating of residents' performance.

Postoperative Blepharoptosis after Trabeculectomy versus Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Implantation.

PURPOSE: To investigate the frequency of persistent postoperative ptosis (PP) following trabeculectomy or Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation and to analyze the associated factors. METHODS: It is a prospective observational study on glaucoma patients who underwent trabeculectomy or AGV implantation from October 2015 to June 2017 in a tertiary center. Margin reflex distance 1 and 2 (MRD1 and 2) and levator function were measured before and at least 6 months, postoperatively. Clinically significant ptosis was defined as ≥2 mm drop of MRD1. RESULTS: One hundred and fourteen patients (124 eyelids) including 76 patients (87 eyelids) with trabeculectomy and 35 patients (37 eyelids) with AGV implantation were included. The mean age was 55.50 (standard deviation = 17.54) years. Most of the surgeries were performed under general anesthesia (87.9%, 109/124) between 30 and 60 min (53.2%, 66/124) by residents (39.5%, 49/124). Trabeculectomy and AGV groups did not differ in terms of pre, intra, and postoperative variables (0.1≤ P ≤0.9) except duration of surgery (P = 0.01) and sex (P = 0.04). Clinically significant persistent PP was observed in 12.9% (16/124) in total, 13.7% (12/87) in the trabeculectomy group, and 10.8% (4/37) in the AGV group (P = 0.6). Male gender (ß coefficient = 2.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.76-0.36, P = 0.02) and a higher preoperative MRD1 (ß coefficient = 1.24, 95% CI = 0.52-1.95, P = 0.001) were the only factors affecting the frequency of clinically significant PP. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative blepharoptosis occurred in 12.9% of eyes after glaucoma procedures. Male gender and higher preoperative MRD1 were significantly associated with a higher frequency of postglaucoma surgery blepharoptosis.

Long-Term Visual and Refractive Stability and Ocular Biometric Changes after Laser-Assisted Subepithelial Keratomileusis for Correction of Myopia: An 8-Year Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: To assess the long-term visual and refractive stability and ocular biometric changes in low to moderate myopic subjects treated by laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK). METHODS: It is a prospective, interventional study. Included were 70 eyes of 35 patients who underwent LASEK for correction of ≤6 diopters (D) myopia. The uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity (UDVA and CDVA), manifest refractions, and ocular biometric indices (by Lenstar-LS900, Haag-Streit AG, Koeniz, Switzerland) including keratometry, anterior chamber depth (ACD), aqueous depth (AD), axial length (AL), central corneal thickness (CCT), and lens thickness (LT) were assessed preoperatively and after 6 months and 8 years. RESULTS: Mean preoperative spherical equivalent was -3.99 (standard deviation [SD] =1.38) D which improved to 0.02 (SD = 0.27, P < 0.001) D and -0.10 (SD = 0.31, P < 0.001) D at 6 months and 8 years, respectively. The preoperative AL was not different from postoperative measures at 6 months (P = 0.15) and 8 years (P = 0.47). The ACD and AD decreased during 8 years, while LT increased (all P ≤ 0.001). The changes of LT inversely correlated with changes of ACD (rs = -0.67, P = 0.001 at 6 months and rs = -0.87, P < 0.001 at 8 years) and AD (rs = -0.76, P < 0.001 at 6 months and rs = -0.86, P < 0.001 at 8 years). The CCT and keratometry values reduced at 6 months postoperatively (all P < 0.001) and then did not change up to 8 years (0.21 ≤ P ≤ 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: The post-LASEK myopic regression is 0.1 D over 8 years. Ocular biometric values like keratometry, CCT, ACD, AD, and LT have been changed for a long period after LASEK in low to moderate myopia except AL.

Disruption of blood-aqueous barrier in dry eye disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate level of flare in aqueous humor of dry eye disease (DED) and compare it with normal controls. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we compared the anterior chamber flare between 28 patients with DED (the DED group) and 27 normal age- and gender-matched controls (the control group). DED group was divided in SjÓ§gren's syndrome dry eye (SDE, n = 10) and non- SjÓ§gren's syndrome dry eye (non-SDE, n = 18) groups. RESULTS: This study enrolled 55 participants including 28 patients with DED and 27 normal controls. The mean age was 53.4 ± 14.7 years in the DED group and 48.5 ± 14.7 years in the control group (P = 0.086). Mean flare was significantly higher in DED group (12.1 ± 10.2 ph/ms, range 2.7-68.3) compared to the control group (5.0 ± 3.9 ph/ms, range 1.30-30.0, P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the flare intensity between the SjÓ§gren syndrome dry eye (SDE) group (14.5 ± 14.4 ph/ms) and the non-SjÓ§gren dry eye (non-SDE) group (10.8 ± 6.9 ph/ms, P = 0.330). A significant correlation was observed between the flare intensity and the ocular surface staining in the SDE group (r = 0.62, P = 0.018). CONCLUSION: There is a significant increase in aqueous humor flare in patients with DED. Such finding, which is a marker of disruption of blood-aqueous barrier, demonstrates deeper tissue involvement than ocular surface in these patients.

Corneal endothelial assessment in xeroderma pigmentosum: a case-control study.

PURPOSE: To analyze and compare corneal endothelial mosaic in terms of endothelial cell population, morphology and irregularity in patients with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) with clear corneas with normal age and sex matched subjects using specular microscopy. METHODS: Nine patients with XP without corneal involvement were evaluated in the study. An age and sex matched group of nine healthy subjects participated as control group. Evaluation of corneal endothelial layer was performed using specular microscopy. RESULTS: Each study group consisted of five males and four females with total mean age of 28 ± 11.3 years (12-46 years). Endothelial cell density was significantly lower in patients with XP in comparison with controls (P < 0.002). Maximum and minimum cell areas were significantly higher in XP group (P < 0.016 and P < 0.029, respectively). Although central corneal thickness was higher in controls, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.106). Furthermore, our study showed that the patients with XP had no difference with controls in terms of coefficient of variation of cell areas. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that endothelial cell population can decrease in patients with XP, although other specular microscopic variables such as coefficient of variation and central corneal thickness may remain within normal values.

Diabetic versus non-diabetic rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the characteristics and outcomes of rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) in diabetic versus non-diabetic patients. METHOD: It is a retrospective comparative case series on consecutive patients with biopsy-proven ROCM. Systemic and ophthalmic manifestations, imaging, management and final outcomes were compared between diabetic versus non-diabetic ROCMs referred the eye clinic of a university-based hospital (2008-2016). RESULTS: Forty-three diabetics (55 eyes) with mean age of 54.6 (SD:12.5) years and 20 non-diabetics (24 eyes) with mean age of 57.5 (SD:13.8) years were enrolled. Patients' survival was observed in 51% of diabetics and 70% of non-diabetics (P = .1). The mortality rate was 7.4 times (CI95%: 1.85-29.96) higher in diabetic ROCM treated with non-liposomal amphotericin (P = .01). Exenteration did not significantly change the mortality rate in either group. Globe survival was 40% and 50% in diabetics and non-diabetics (P = 1), respectively. Vision survival was observed in 20% of diabetics and 37% of non-diabetics (P = .2). CONCLUSION: Patients', globe and vision survivals were not different between diabetic and non-diabetic patients with ROCM. They were 51%, 40% and 20% in diabetic and 70%, 50% and 37% in non-diabetic ROCM.

Keratopigmentation: a comprehensive review.

Corneal keratopigmentation (KTP) has a long history of use in management of patients suffering from disfiguring corneal opacities. Due to progresses and modifications in KTP surgical techniques and its low rate of complications, it is taken into consideration to be used in selected groups of patients for therapeutic or functional indications. In this paper we present an overview on clinical applications of KTP in both cosmetic and functional aspects and also, we discuss the outcomes of KTP and its characteristics in experimental and histopathological studies.

Postoperative Blepharoptosis After Modern Phacoemulsification Procedure.

PURPOSE: To investigate the frequency of transient (1 month) and persistent (at least 6 months) postoperative ptosis following clear corneal sutureless phacoemulsification and to analyze the factors affecting them. DESIGN: Cohort study. METHODS: Patients who underwent phacoemulsification cataract surgery from October 2016 to June 2018 in a tertiary center were enrolled. Margin reflex distance 1 (MRD1), MRD2, and levator function were measured and facial photography was taken before, 1 month, and at least 6 months after the surgery. Clinical ptosis was defined as any postoperative drop of MRD1 and clinically significant ptosis as MRD1 drop of ≥2 mm. Photo-based ptosis was assessed by a masked oculofacial plastic surgeon at the end of the study. RESULTS: A total of 234 patients (313 eyelids) were included. The majority of surgeries were performed by senior residents (65.5%, 205/313) and under topical anesthesia (78.0%, 244/313). Persistent clinical, clinically significant, and photo-based ptosis were 25.4% (71/279), 3.2% (9/279), and 3.3% (9/276). Eyelids with persistent postoperative ptosis showed a significantly (P = .03) lower preoperative levator function (13.9 vs 15.8 mm). No other factor was significantly different between the eyelids with and without postoperative ptosis. CONCLUSION: Persistent clinically significant ptosis was observed in more than 3% of patients undergoing clear corneal sutureless phacoemulsification cataract surgery. It should be counseled preoperatively. Lower preoperative levator function was significantly associated with a higher frequency of postoperative ptosis. Duration of surgery, level of surgeons, and other variables did not have any significant effect on the frequency of postoperative ptosis.