"Blue Scrub Lid Retraction": Changes in Eyelid Position on the Day of Surgery.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that margin-reflex distance 1 (MRD1) on the day of surgery will be higher than the MRD1 measured at the in-clinic consult visit among patients undergoing blepharoptosis repair due to an increased sympathetic drive. METHODS: Patients evaluated for involutional blepharoptosis repair were prospectively enrolled over a 12-month period in this single-center, self-controlled study. Three investigators independently determined MRD1 using cropped photos taken of patients at the in-clinic consult visit and on the day of surgery. A difference in height was tested for by using the 2-tailed Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS: Evaluated in this study were 76 eyelids from 38 patients. Over 3-quarters of study participants had a higher MRD1 in the right and OSs on the day of surgery than at their in-clinic consultation visit (p < 0.001). The mean increase in MRD1 for the right eyelid and left eyelid was 1.0 mm (range: 0-3.15 mm) and 1.1 mm (range: 0-2.7 mm), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with involutional blepharoptosis, we conclude that MRD1 is higher on the day of surgery as compared with the in-clinic consult visit. This may be secondary to the stress of surgery and an associated increase in sympathetic drive. In some cases, this change in eyelid position led to resolution of apparent involutional ptosis altogether. Caution should be used when considering deferral of ptosis repair on the basis of exam findings present on the day of surgery.

CHORIORETINITIS SCLOPETARIA AND ORBITAL EMPHYSEMA CAUSED BY A HIGH-VELOCITY LIQUID MISSILE.

PURPOSE: To highlight a case of chorioretinitis sclopetaria, with concomitant macular hole formation and orbital emphysema, caused by a commercial-grade pressure washer. METHODS: This is a retrospective case report. RESULTS: A 19-year-old man presented to the emergency department with a left eye injury, incurred after being sprayed with a commercial-grade pressure washer. He endorsed ipsilateral blurred vision, pain, and linear floaters. Left eye visual acuity was 20/40. Dilated fundus examination showed inferior vitreous hemorrhage, retinal whitening, and preretinal, intraretinal, and subretinal hemorrhages, consistent with chorioretinitis sclopetaria. Optical coherence tomography revealed a full-thickness macular hole. Computed tomography scan of the orbits showed subcutaneous and postseptal orbital emphysema. Two months after injury, vitreous and retinal hemorrhages and macular hole resolved. Five months after injury, visual acuity improved to 20/20. CONCLUSION: Chorioretinitis sclopetaria is defined as a full-thickness chorioretinal disruption resulting from a high-velocity projectile passing adjacent to or into the orbit without penetrating the globe. Chorioretinal deformation and ocular comorbidities are influenced by the velocity of the missile and its spatial relationship to the orbit. Although this pattern of injury is typically associated with indirect trauma to the globe by a BB or a bullet, this is the first report of chorioretinitis sclopetaria precipitated by a high-velocity liquid missile.

Outcomes of Patients With Thyroid Eye Disease Partially Treated With Teprotumumab.

PURPOSE: In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, teprotumumab production was temporarily halted with resources diverted toward vaccine production. Many patients who initiated treatment with teprotumumab for thyroid eye disease were forced to deviate from the standard protocol. This study investigates the response of teprotumumab when patients receive fewer than the standard 8-dose regimen. METHODS: This observational cross-sectional cohort study included patients from 15 institutions with active or minimal to no clinical activity thyroid eye disease treated with the standard teprotumumab infusion protocol. Patients were included if they had completed at least 1 teprotumumab infusion and had not yet completed all 8 planned infusions. Data were collected before teprotumumab initiation, within 3 weeks of last dose before interruption, and at the visit before teprotumumab reinitiation. The primary outcome measure was reduction in proptosis more than 2 mm. Secondary outcome measures included change in clinical activity score (CAS), extraocular motility restriction, margin reflex distance-1 (MRD1), and reported adverse events. RESULTS: The study included 74 patients. Mean age was 57.8 years, and 77% were female. There were 62 active and 12 minimal to no clinical activity patients. Patients completed an average of 4.2 teprotumumab infusions before interruption. A significant mean reduction in proptosis (-2.9 mm in active and -2.8 mm in minimal to no clinical activity patients, P < 0.01) was noted and maintained during interruption. For active patients, a 3.4-point reduction in CAS ( P < 0.01) and reduction in ocular motility restriction ( P < 0.01) were maintained during interruption. CONCLUSIONS: Patients partially treated with teprotumumab achieve significant reduction in proptosis, CAS, and extraocular muscle restriction and maintain these improvements through the period of interruption.

A Case of the Blues-Colored Pencil Orbitopathy in an 18-Month-Old Boy.

Orbital penetrating injuries from pencils are rare. This report describes a case of penetrating orbital injury in a young child with a retained blue-colored pencil core foreign body, which led to rapid onset of orbital abscess requiring surgical drainage. Intraoperatively, orbital tissues were stained a bright-blue color. Histopathological study of specimen also highlighted bright blue aggregates of foreign material infiltrating the orbital tissues. Cultures grew Streptococcus mitis and Exophiala jeanselmei , which are rare causes of orbital abscess. Unique properties of retained colored pencil core as compared to graphite pencil core are herein discussed. Due to differences in composition, colored pencil core foreign bodies may require more timely surgical intervention compared to noncolored graphite pencil core.

Emerging therapies in the medical management of thyroid eye disease.

Introduction: Thyroid eye disease (TED) is an immune-mediated disorder associated with a heterogenous array of manifestations that may unfavorably impact vision and quality of life. As understanding of this entity's complex pathogenesis has evolved, so have therapies with novel molecular targets offering promise for improved patient outcomes. Results: Emerging immunologic therapies for the management of thyroid eye disease have diverse mechanisms of actions and routes of administration. Different conventional and biological immunosuppressive agents have been studied as mediators of the autoimmune and autoinflammatory pathways in thyroid eye disease. Teprotumumab - an anti-IGF-1R monoclonal antibody that has recently emerged as a first-line therapy for active, moderate-to-severe TED - has demonstrated statistically significant improvements in proptosis, diplopia, clinical activity score, and quality of life compared to placebo. Currently under investigation are several other agents, with varying administration modalities, that aim to inhibit IGF-1R: VRDN-001 (intravenous), VRDN-002 or VRDN-003 (subcutaneous), lonigutamab (subcutaneous), and linsitinib (oral). Tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody of interleukin 6, has played a role in the management of multiple autoimmune and inflammatory conditions and may offer promise in TED. Another incipient biologic target for TED management is the neonatal Fc receptor, inhibition of which has potential to decrease recycling of immunoglobulin and antibody levels; agents addressing this target including monoclonal antibodies as well as antibody fragments. Finally, hypolipidemic agents may play a role as mediators of TED-associated inflammation. Conclusion: Among the agents under investigation that aim to decrease ocular morbidity associated with TED are agents that IGF-1R, interleukin 6, and the neonatal Fc receptor. The management of TED continues to expand with novel immunologic approaches for disease therapy.

Delayed-Onset Inflammatory Optic Nerve Sheath Mass and Perineuritis Following Cessation of Ipilimumab and Nivolumab Therapy.

A 65-year-old male presented with headaches and painless episodes of unilateral vision loss. He had a history of renal cell carcinoma, in remission following surgery and immunotherapy with ipilimumab and nivolumab, discontinued 2 years and 3 months before presentation, respectively. MRI revealed an optic nerve sheath mass and perineuritis. After 1 month of corticosteroid therapy, there was a robust clinical and radiographic response, which relapsed dramatically following cessation. An optic nerve sheath biopsy showed chronic mild inflammation, and extensive work-up for alternative etiologies of orbital inflammation was negative. Following a prolonged taper of corticosteroids, he demonstrated complete response. In the setting of ocular immune privilege, ophthalmic immune-related adverse events (irAE) are rare, although multifarious. While on-treatment irAE are well-characterized, posttreatment irAE have become increasingly recognized across multiple organ systems. We report a case of a delayed-onset inflammatory optic nerve sheath mass and perineuritis after cessation of immunotherapy.

Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis With Immunoglobulin G4 Involvement in Lacrimal Sac Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Lacrimal sac squamous cell carcinoma is a rare but life-threatening disease that is often a delayed diagnosis secondary to difficulty in differentiating from other causes of dacrocystitis and acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Chronic inflammation, including that of an underlying autoimmune disease, prior instrumentation, and poor wound healing, may be risk factors in the development to lacrimal sac squamous cell carcinoma. The authors present the first case of lacrimal sac squamous cell carcinoma associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis and immunoglobulin G4 positivity. Rather than an overlap syndrome between antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis and immunoglobulin G4-related disease, high immunoglobulin G4 positivity may be considered an inflammatory marker of disease severity in the setting of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis and underlying malignancy. Inflammation-mediated tumorangiogenesis should be considered in the development of malignancy and red flags of chronic uncontrolled inflammation should warrant a lower threshold for further workup.

Predictive Modeling of New-Onset Postoperative Diplopia Following Orbital Decompression for Thyroid Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: To identify risk factors for the development of new-onset, postoperative diplopia following orbital decompression surgery based on patient demographics, clinical exam characteristics, radiographic parameters, and surgical techniques. METHODS: We conducted a multi-center retrospective chart review of patients who underwent orbital decompression for thyroid eye disease (TED). Patient demographics, including age, gender, smoking history, preoperative exophthalmometry, clinical activity score (CAS), use of peribulbar and/or systemic steroids, and type of orbital decompression were reviewed. Postoperative diplopia was determined at a minimum of 3 months postoperatively and before any further surgeries. Cross-sectional area ratios of each extraocular muscle to orbit and total fat to orbit were calculated from coronal imaging in a standard fashion. All measurements were carried out using PACS imaging software. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was performed using Stata 14.2 (StataCorp, College Station, TX). RESULTS: A total of 331 patients without preoperative diplopia were identified. At 3 months postoperatively, 249 patients had no diplopia whereas 82 patients developed diplopia. The average postoperative follow-up was 22 months (range 3-156) months. Significant preoperative clinical risk factors for postoperative diplopia included older age at surgery, proptosis, use of peribulbar or systemic steroids, elevated clinical activity score, and presence of preoperative compressive optic neuropathy. Imaging findings of enlarged cross-sectional areas of each rectus muscle to the overall orbital area also conferred a significant risk of postoperative diplopia. Regarding surgical factors, postoperative diplopia was more common among those undergoing medial wall decompression, bilateral orbital surgery, and balanced decompression, whereas endoscopic medial wall decompression was found to be relatively protective. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies risk factors associated with the development of diplopia following orbital decompression using multivariable data. This study demonstrates that several characteristics including age, clinical activity score, the cross-sectional muscle to orbit ratios, in addition to the type of orbital decompression surgery, are predictive factors for the development of new-onset postoperative diplopia.

Orbital volume changes during growth and development in human children assessed using cone beam computed tomography.

OBJECTIVES: To measure growth-related changes in orbital volume from childhood to the late teenage years using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study involved 65 (24 male, 41 female) healthy Caucasian children (ages 6-18 years) with existing serial craniofacial CBCT scans. CBCT scans were available for 292 orbits. Each orbit was transformed into a closed space with well-defined boundaries, and orbital volume was measured using manual segmentation. A novel statistical analysis was applied to extract the maximum amount of longitudinal information from the data. Intra- and inter-operator correlation coefficients were calculated from replications performed on a random subset of 10% of the sample. RESULTS: Orbital volume increased at a rate of 1-2% annually until the late teenage years. Intra- and inter-operator agreement between repeated measurements were >90%. CONCLUSIONS: Orbital volume increases by 1-2% per year throughout childhood continuing until the late teenage years. This annual increase is large enough to be clinically relevant as it may lead to less-than-optimal long term surgical outcomes when reconstructive surgery for the pediatric anophthalmic socket is required.

Development of Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus in an Immunocompetent Pediatric Patient Following Facial Trauma.

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) is a neuro-oculo-dermic infection caused by reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus in the dorsal root ganglia of the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. Although a rare diagnosis in an otherwise healthy, vaccinated pediatric patient, this entity may occur with increasing frequency among those with preceding trauma, particularly in the month prior to presentation. Herein, we highlight a case of HZO in a vaccinated, immunocompetent adolescent in the setting of recent facial trauma.

Intraorbital Graphite Foreign Body With a Delayed Presentation of Optic Neuropathy.

Traumatic penetrating injuries to the orbit from pencils, while uncommon, have a plethora of presentations, both acute and delayed. With the most incidents occurring in the pediatric population where obtaining a detailed history is difficult, the ability to effectively evaluate and diagnose these injuries is cumbersome, yet important. The authors report a patient who presented with optic neuropathy, blepharoptosis, and strabismus 10 months after an orbital injury with pencil graphite.

Thyroid eye disease presenting with superior rectus/levator complex enlargement.

Purpose: To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with thyroid eye disease (TED) who present with predominate superior rectus/levator complex involvement.Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective review was performed to identify patients with TED who presented with superior isolated or predominate rectus/levator involvement. Baseline and subsequent visits were reviewed to characterize the clinical course.Results: Nineteen patients were identified. All patients had imaging demonstrating an enlarged levator/superior rectus complex. At presentation, the mean clinical activity score (CAS) was 2.1 (range: 0-5). Nineteen (100%) patients had proptosis on the affected side. Lid abnormalities, including upper/lower eyelid retraction and ptosis were higher on affected side compared to the unaffected side. Eleven (58%) patients had vertical misalignment. Mean thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) was 3.7 (range: 1-7.1). Mean follow-up time was 18 months (range: 0-60 months). At last follow-up, the mean CAS was 1.3 (range 0-5). Ten (53%) patients had proptosis. Eleven (58%) patients had vertical misalignment. Repeat imaging in eight patients showed interval enlargement of other extraocular muscles.Conclusions: The presentation of TED with superior rectus/levator complex enlargement may be under-appreciated. Orbital imaging, as well as laboratory evaluation, may help support a diagnosis of TED. In the setting of abnormal TSI and/or thyrotropin receptor antibody, presence of upper eyelid retraction, and an otherwise unremarkable laboratory and systemic evaluation, a presumptive diagnosis of TED may be made, and the patient can be followed closely, as he/she is likely to develop involvement of other extraocular muscles, consistent with a more typical presentation of TED.

Ultrasonic Aspiration for Debulking Infiltrative Masses of the Orbit.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the utility of an ultrasonic aspirator (Sonopet, Stryker Corporation; Kalamazoo, MI) for debulking firm, soft tissue masses of the orbit. METHODS: Case series. The ultrasonic aspirator was used to debulk firm, soft tissue masses in 3 cases. The initial patient had a large orbitofacial mass extending to the inferior and lateral orbital apex secondary to IgG4 disease. The second patient had a lacrimal sac adenocarcinoma extending to the medial orbital apex. The third patient had a large orbital mass extending to the apex secondary to granulomatosis with polyangiitis. RESULTS: The ultrasonic aspirator facilitated debulking of infiltrative firm soft tissue masses of the orbit. The device's ability to emulsify, irrigate, and aspirate, along with its small footprint, facilitated precise sculpting and debulking to an extent which would have been difficult otherwise due to location. CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasonic aspirator allows precise sculpting of infiltrative firm soft tissue masses in the orbit and is particularly useful in cases with challenging anatomical access.

In Vivo Assessment of Retinal Biomarkers by Hyperspectral Imaging: Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease.

A noninvasive and cost-effective means to detect preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) and monitor disease progression would be invaluable. The retina is a developmental extension of the brain and has been viewed as a window to evaluate AD-related pathology. Cross-sectional studies have shown structural changes in the retina of AD patients that include thinning of the retinal nerve-fiber layer and changes in retinal vasculature. However, such changes do not manifest in early stages of the disease nor are they specific biomarkers for AD. Described herein is the utilization of our retinal hyperspectral imaging (rHSI) technique as a biomarker for identification of AD-related early pathological changes in the retina. Specifically, this account concerns the translation of our rHSI technique from animal models to human AD subjects. The underlying principle is Rayleigh light scattering, which is expected from low-order Aß aggregates present in early pathology. Recruitment was restricted to AD subjects (N = 19) and age-matched controls, with no family history of AD (N = 16). To limit the influence of skin pigmentation, subjects were restricted to those with skin pigmentation values of 2-3 on the Fitzpatrick scale. The largest spectral deviation from control subjects, rHSI signature, was obtained at the MCI stage with MMSE scores ⩾22, suggesting higher sensitivity of this technique in early disease stages. The rHSI signature observed is unaffected by eye pathologies such as glaucoma and cataract. Age of the subjects minimally influenced the spectral signatures. The rHSI technique shows promise for detection of preclinical AD; it is conducted in a truly noninvasive manner, without application of an exogenous label, and is thus potentially suitable for population screening.

Optic Nerve Sheath Fenestration for Treatment of Retrolaminar Silicone Oil Migration.

The authors report the case of a 75-year-old man with preexisting glaucoma and recurrent retinal detachment who underwent intraocular silicone oil placement OD resulting in subsequent retrolaminar silicone oil migration to the optic chiasm and vision loss OS. MRI showed silicone oil tracking posteriorly along the right optic nerve to the chiasm. He was placed on high-dose corticosteroids and underwent a successful optic nerve sheath fenestration with improvement of vision in the contralateral eye. Clinicians should be cognizant of the potential for translaminar posterior migration of intraocular silicone oil, as well as the utility of optic nerve sheath fenestration to decompress the anterior visual pathways and restore vision.

Periocular Asymmetry in Infants with Deformational Posterior Plagiocephaly.

PURPOSE: To analyze the clinical significance of the periorbital features associated with the facial asymmetry that is common in deformational posterior plagiocephaly (DPP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified 32 patients with DPP, photographed their faces and tops of their head, and performed a complete eye examination. Four examiners analyzed the patient's periorbital features on the photographs. RESULTS: Median age was 6.5 months (range 3-12 months). Pseudoptosis was identified in 30 patients and pseudo-brow ptosis in 19. Pseudoptosis was marked in 17 patients. Five patients were misdiagnosed with congenital blepharoptosis and received regular follow-ups for amblyopia checks until the diagnosis of pseudoptosis was established. All patients had normal levator function and symmetric eyelid crease. One patient with pseudoptosis and physiologic anisocoria was diagnosed with pseudo-Horner syndrome after a negative 10% cocaine test. None of the patients developed meridional or occlusion amblyopia. CONCLUSION: DPP is the most frequent form of skull deformation in infants. Its main features are occipital flatness and facial asymmetry. Infants with DPP may present with pseudoptosis and pseudo-brow ptosis on the contralateral side of the occipital flatness. The pseudoptosis in DPP is non-amblyogenic, therefore, ophthalmologic intervention and regular follow-ups are not necessary unless other abnormalities co-exist.