Risk Factors for Retinopathy of Prematurity in Preterm Infants in Kerman, Iran.

Purpose: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the main cause of blindness in premature infants. Despite developments in neonatal care and management guidelines, ROP is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. Hence, the identification of risk factors for ROP is critical to diminish the burden of the disease. Methods: This cross-sectional study included all infants with gestational age ≤ 36 weeks referred to the ophthalmology clinic at Shafa hospital, Kerman, Iran from 2014 to 2015. Ophthalmologic examinations were performed followed by demographic and ophthalmic data collection and analysis. Results: A total of 579 preterm neonates were screened including 325 boys and 254 girls. The incidence of ROP was 17.96%. Mean birth weight (BW) and gestational age (GA) were 1668.0 grams and 31.2 weeks, respectively. The results indicated that BW, GA, duration of hospitalization and oxygen therapy were significantly related to the development of ROP, however, after multivariate logistic regression analysis, only BW and duration of hospitalization remained significant. There were no significant associations between gender, type of delivery, or assisted reproductive technologies, and ROP (P = 0.461, 0.461, and 0.826, respectively). Conclusion: BW and duration of hospitalization were significant risk factors for ROP in the current study. BW was also strongly associated with the need for therapy.

Efficacy of Oral Dextrose versus Acetaminophen versus Placebo on Pain Relief during Retinopathy of Prematurity Eye Examinations: A Randomized, Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial.

Purpose: To assess the effect of oral dextrose versus acetaminophen versus placebo in pain relief in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) examination. Methods: In this prospective randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trial study performed in the ophthalmology clinic of Shafa Hospital (referral hospital for eye disease), Kerman, Iran, 105 premature neonates with birth weight ≤2000 g and gestational age between 28 and 34 weeks were studied. Pain score measurement with Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R) during ROP examination in three intervention groups, acetaminophen group (15 mg/kg oral acetaminophen), dextrose group (one cc of oral dextrose 50%), and placebo group (one cc of distilled water), was done. Results: Out of 105 infants, 33 infants received acetaminophen drops, 35 infants received dextrose drops, and 37 infants received placebo. The mean pain score of the group receiving acetaminophen was 11.39, dextrose 12.17, and placebo 11.54. The acetaminophen group had a lower average PIPP-R score. This difference was not significant between the three groups (P = 0.38). Conclusions: Acetaminophen and dextrose in comparison with distilled water did not show a significant difference in reducing neonatal pain during ROP examinations. However, the PIPP-R score in the acetaminophen group was lower compared to the other groups.

Retinopathy of Prematurity-assist: Novel Software for Detecting Plus Disease.

PURPOSE: To design software with a novel algorithm, which analyzes the tortuosity and vascular dilatation in fundal images of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) patients with an acceptable accuracy for detecting plus disease. METHODS: Eighty-seven well-focused fundal images taken with RetCam were classified to three groups of plus, non-plus, and pre-plus by agreement between three ROP experts. Automated algorithms in this study were designed based on two methods: the curvature measure and distance transform for assessment of tortuosity and vascular dilatation, respectively as two major parameters of plus disease detection. RESULTS: Thirty-eight plus, 12 pre-plus, and 37 non-plus images, which were classified by three experts, were tested by an automated algorithm and software evaluated the correct grouping of images in comparison to expert voting with three different classifiers, k-nearest neighbor, support vector machine and multilayer perceptron network. The plus, pre-plus, and non-plus images were analyzed with 72.3%, 83.7%, and 84.4% accuracy, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The new automated algorithm used in this pilot scheme for diagnosis and screening of patients with plus ROP has acceptable accuracy. With more improvements, it may become particularly useful, especially in centers without a skilled person in the ROP field.

Orbicularis Oculi Myectomy as a Treatment for Blepharospasm in a Case of Schwartz Jampel Syndrome.

PURPOSE: To describe a patient with Schwartz Jampel vel Aberfeld syndrome (SJS) who underwent orbicularis oculi myectomy as a treatment for blepharospasm. CASE REPORT: A 4-year-old child with SJS did not respond to an injection of a single dose of botulinum toxin after one month, so orbicularis myectomy was then performed under general anesthesia. During the procedure, orbicularis vermiform movements were a useful guide for the extent of myectomy that the patient needed. He responded very well to this procedure and experienced significant relief of blepharospasm documented in follow-up visits for up to 6 months. CONCLUSION: Blepharospasm in patients with SJS can be treated with orbicularis oculi myectomy as a good functional method with faster and durable response in comparison to botulinum toxin injection.

Bupivacaine Injection for Management of Lagophthalmos Due to Long-Standing Idiopathic Facial Nerve Palsy.

PURPOSE: To report the results of bupivacaine injection into the orbicularis oculi muscle to treat lagophthalmos in patients with long-standing Bell palsy. METHODS: In this prospective interventional case series, bupivacaine, 5 ml of a 0.750% solution, was injected into the preseptal and pretarsal area of the orbicularis oculi in each of 10 patients with idiopathic peripheral facial nerve palsy. The measures of vertical eyelid apertures during open and closed eyes were made before the procedure and 1, 3, and 6 months after injection. RESULTS: A total of 10 eyes including 2 men and 8 women with an average age of 43 years (26-64 years) were studied. The mean amount of lagophthalmos before injection and after 6 months of follow up were 3.9 mm and 2.3 mm, respectively (p = 0.01)). The mean amount of corneal exposure before injection and after 6 months of follow up was 1.05 mm and 0.25 mm, respectively (p < 0.01). The mean scleral show in open eyes before injection and after 6 months of follow up were 1.20 mm and 0.75 mm, respectively (p = 0.08). The mean scleral show in closed eyes before injection and after 6 months of follow up were 1.95 mm and 1.15 mm, respectively (p = 0.01). All the patients reported significant decrease in epiphora. CONCLUSION: Bupivacaine injection in the paretic orbicularis oculi muscle improves eyelid closure and lagophthalmos and epiphora.

Intacs Followed by MyoRing Implantation in Severe Keratoconus.

PURPOSE: To describe the outcome of complete intrastromal ring (MyoRing, DIOPTEX GmBH, Linz, Austria) implantation following intrastromal corneal ring segment (Intacs, Addition Technology, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) implantation for severe keratoconus. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A MyoRing was implanted in a keratoconic patient who had undergone a previous Intacs implantation surgery 4 years previously without Intacs explantation and had residual refractive error. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. After 1 year; mean keratometric power decreased from 50.3 to 43.6 diopters, uncorrected distance visual acuity improved from 20/400 to 20/50, and corrected distance visual acuity improved from 20/200 to 20/30. CONCLUSIONS: In selected severe keratoconus cases with high myopia and steep keratometry previously treated with Intacs implantation, if significant residual refractive error is observed, secondary implantation of MyoRing over Intacs may improve vision and refraction.