Hypotony Failure Criteria in Glaucoma Surgical Studies and Their Influence on Surgery Success.

PURPOSE: Review hypotony failure criteria used in glaucoma surgical outcome studies and evaluate their impact on success rates. DESIGN: Systematic literature review and application of hypotony failure criteria to 2 retrospective cohorts. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 934 eyes and 1765 eyes undergoing trabeculectomy and deep sclerectomy (DS) with a median follow-up of 41.4 and 45.4 months, respectively. METHODS: Literature-based hypotony failure criteria were applied to patient cohorts. Intraocular pressure (IOP)-related success was defined as follows: (A) IOP ≤ 21 mmHg with ≥ 20% IOP reduction; (B) IOP ≤ 18 mmHg with ≥ 20% reduction; (C) IOP ≤ 15 mmHg with ≥ 25% reduction; and (D) IOP ≤ 12 mmHg with ≥ 30% reduction. Failure was defined as IOP exceeding these criteria in 2 consecutive visits > 3 months after surgery, loss of light perception, additional IOP-lowering surgery, or hypotony. Cox regression estimated failure risk for different hypotony criteria, using no hypotony as a reference. Analyses were conducted for each criterion and hypotony type (i.e., numerical [IOP threshold], clinical [clinical manifestations], and mixed [combination of numerical or clinical criteria]). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hazard ratio (HR) for failure risk. RESULTS: Of 2503 studies found, 278 were eligible, with 99 studies (35.6%) lacking hypotony failure criteria. Numerical hypotony was predominant (157 studies [56.5%]). Few studies used clinical hypotony (3 isolated [1.1%]; 19 combined with low IOP [6.8%]). Forty-nine different criteria were found, with IOP < 6 mmHg, IOP < 6 mmHg on ≥ 2 consecutive visits after 3 months, and IOP < 5 mmHg being the most common (41 [14.7%], 38 [13.7%], and 13 [4.7%] studies, respectively). In both cohorts, numerical hypotony posed the highest risk of failure (HR, 1.51-1.21 for criteria A to D; P < 0.001), followed by mixed hypotony (HR, 1.41-1.20 for criteria A to D; P < 0.001), and clinical hypotony (HR, 1.12-1.04; P < 0.001). Failure risk varied greatly with various hypotony definitions, with the HR ranging from 1.02 to 10.79 for trabeculectomy and 1.00 to 8.36 for DS. CONCLUSIONS: Hypotony failure criteria are highly heterogenous in the glaucoma literature, with few studies focusing on clinical manifestations. Numerical hypotony yields higher failure rates than clinical hypotony and can underestimate glaucoma surgery success rates. Standardizing failure criteria with an emphasis on clinically relevant hypotony manifestations is needed. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Longitudinal Change of Cup to Disc Ratio in Premature Infants with Enlarged Cup to Disc Ratio and Normal Intraocular Pressure.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the longitudinal change of cup to disc ratio (CDR) in premature infants with enlarged CDR and normal intraocular pressure (IOP). METHODS: This retrospective, observational study included 283 eyes of 283 premature infants at single center. Infants were divided into enlarged CDR and control groups. Data on demographics, gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), vertical cup to disc ratio (vCDR), IOP, and corneal diameter were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 283 patients, 38 (13.4%) and 245 (86.6%) were in the enlarged CDR and control groups, respectively. In the enlarged CDR group, the vCDR and baseline IOP was 0.63 ± 0.12 and 12.7 ± 2.2 mmHg, respectively. In the control group, the vCDR and baseline IOP was 0.18 ± 0.05 and 10.9 ± 1.7 mmHg, respectively. The IOP at a GA of 40 weeks and at 1 and 2 years of age were significantly lower than that at baseline. The differences in vCDR between baseline and each follow-up visit were not significant. vCDR was negatively correlated with GA and BW; however, these correlations were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: The vCDR did not significantly change up to age of 2 years of age in premature infants with enlarged CDR and normal IOP. However, close follow-up is needed until other reliable glaucoma examinations, such as optical coherence tomography and visual fields, can be possible.

Long-term Treatment Outcomes for Malignant Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To report the contributing factors to the successful long-term treatment outcomes of a large series of patients with malignant glaucoma (MG). DESIGN: Retrospective, interventional, consecutive case series. PARTICIPANTS: This study used data collected from 1997 to 2022 from the Glaucoma Division of the Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). All patients with MG who underwent treatment at UCLA were enrolled. METHODS: The following demographic and clinical data were collected and analyzed for their relevance to successful treatment: age, gender, ethnicity, glaucoma family history, visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), lens status, prior glaucoma diagnosis, prior ocular surgery, prior use of antiglaucoma agents, ultrasonic axial length, qualitative anterior chamber (AC) depth, and treatment methods and outcomes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Anatomical success was defined as restoration of normal AC depth, indicating relief of the MG episode. Complete success was defined as anatomical success and the reduction of IOP to < 21 mmHg without further surgery, with or without medications. RESULTS: A total of 74 eyes of 73 patients were identified with a diagnosis of MG. The median (interquartile range) age of the patients at the time of MG presentation was 70 years (19.5) and 49 (75.4%) patients were female. The most common prior diagnosis before MG was primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) (34 eyes, 51.5%). The initiating event for 30 eyes (45.5%) was glaucoma surgery and for 21 eyes (31.8%) was cataract surgery. Most eyes were pseudophakic (57, 86.4%). Fifty-six eyes underwent medical treatment; MG resolved in 2 eyes with medical treatment alone. Nine eyes (7 eyes = treatment naïve; 2 eyes = failed medical treatment) underwent laser treatment and MG resolved in 5 eyes. Among the 55 eyes which had surgical treatment, 52 eyes failed medical treatment and 3 eyes were treatment naïve. The anatomical success rate with surgical treatment was 96.4% and the most commonly performed surgical procedure was combined pars plana antero-central vitrectomy, hyaloido-zonulectomy, and iridectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Female gender, PACG, and glaucoma surgery were predisposing factors for the development of MG. Medical treatment alone for MG was inadequate in the vast majority of cases. A surgical technique consisting of combined pars plana antero-central vitrectomy, hyaloido-zonulectomy and iridectomy consistently produced high long-term success. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Comparison between primary Ahmed valve implantation and primary trabeculectomy with mitomycin C in pseudophakic patients with exfoliative glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety of primary Ahmed valve implantation (AVI) and primary trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC) in patients with pseudophakic exfoliative glaucoma (XFG). METHODS: All enrolled patients were divided into two groups: the TRAB group, comprising patients who underwent trabeculectomy with MMC, and the AVI group, comprising patients who underwent AVI. Intraocular pressure (IOP), mean deviation (MD), endothelial cell density of cornea (ECD), and the number of topical anti-glaucoma agents used during study period were retrospectively analyzed. Surgical success rates were compared between two groups using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Three levels of surgical success were defined as follows: (1) IOP ≤ 18 mmHg and an IOP reduction of 20% without medication; (2) IOP ≤ 15 mmHg and an IOP reduction of 25% without medication; and (3) IOP ≤ 18 mmHg and an IOP reduction of 20%, irrespective of medication. RESULTS: The TRAB and AVI groups comprised 40 and 36 patients, respectively. At 36 months postoperatively, IOP was 15.7 ± 2.8 mmHg in the TRAB group and 16.9 ± 3.3 mmHg in the AVI group (p = 0.140). Surgical success rates in the TRAB group were 47.5, 37.5, and 77.5% and those in the AVI group were 41.6, 33.3, and 75.0% at 36 months for surgical criteria 1, 2, and 3, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the success rates between the two groups. However, regarding surgical criteria 2, the success rate of the AVI group at 1 year was significantly better than that of the TRAB group (p = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: Primary AVI was not inferior to primary trabeculectomy with MMC in medically uncontrolled patients with XFG.

Visual field prediction using a deep bidirectional gated recurrent unit network model.

Although deep learning architecture has been used to process sequential data, only a few studies have explored the usefulness of deep learning algorithms to detect glaucoma progression. Here, we proposed a bidirectional gated recurrent unit (Bi-GRU) algorithm to predict visual field loss. In total, 5413 eyes from 3321 patients were included in the training set, whereas 1272 eyes from 1272 patients were included in the test set. Data from five consecutive visual field examinations were used as input; the sixth visual field examinations were compared with predictions by the Bi-GRU. The performance of Bi-GRU was compared with the performances of conventional linear regression (LR) and long short-term memory (LSTM) algorithms. Overall prediction error was significantly lower for Bi-GRU than for LR and LSTM algorithms. In pointwise prediction, Bi-GRU showed the lowest prediction error among the three models in most test locations. Furthermore, Bi-GRU was the least affected model in terms of worsening reliability indices and glaucoma severity. Accurate prediction of visual field loss using the Bi-GRU algorithm may facilitate decision-making regarding the treatment of patients with glaucoma.

Longitudinal Assessment of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer and Ganglion Cell Complex Thicknesses in Patients With Large Optic Disc Cups and Normal Intraocular Pressure and Visual Fields.

PRCIS: The thicknesses of the circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) did not change during 5 years in physiological large disc cupping. PURPOSE: We evaluated longitudinal changes in the thicknesses of the cpRNFL and GCC in large disc cupping with a normal intraocular pressure (IOP) (<21 mm Hg) and visual field. METHODS: This retrospective, consecutive case series study included 269 eyes of 269 patients with large disc cupping and normal IOP. We analyzed patient demographics, IOP, central corneal thickness, vertical cup-to-disc ratios using color fundus photography, the thicknesses of the cpRNFL and GCC using RTVue-100, and mean deviation using visual field examinations. RESULTS: The differences in IOP, vertical cup-to-disc ratios, and mean deviation between the baseline and each follow-up visit were not statistically significant. The baseline average and mean average at 60 months follow-up of the cpRNFL thickness were 106.5±8.5 and 105.1±9.3 µm, respectively; differences between the baseline and each follow-up visit were not statistically significant. The baseline average and mean average at 60 months follow-up of the GCC thickness were 82.8±9. and 81.5±9.2 µm, respectively; differences between baseline and each follow-up visit were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The thicknesses of the cpRNFL and GCC did not change in well-maintained optic nerve head findings with normal IOP and visual field during a 5-year follow-up period. Optical coherence tomography evaluations of the thicknesses of the cpRNFL and GCC help accurately diagnose physiological optic disc cupping.

Data Preprocessing and Augmentation Improved Visual Field Prediction of Recurrent Neural Network with Multi-Central Datasets.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine whether data preprocessing and augmentation could improve visual field (VF) prediction of recurrent neural network (RNN) with multi-central datasets. METHODS: This retrospective study collected data from five glaucoma services between June 2004 and January 2021. From an initial dataset of 331,691 VFs, we considered reliable VF tests with fixed intervals. Since the VF monitoring interval is very variable, we applied data augmentation using multiple sets of data for patients with more than eight VFs. We obtained 5,430 VFs from 463 patients and 13,747 VFs from 1,076 patients by setting the fixed test interval to 365 ± 60 days (D = 365) and 180 ± 60 days (D = 180), respectively. Five consecutive VFs were provided to the constructed RNN as input and the 6th VF was compared with the output of the RNN. The performance of the periodic RNN (D = 365) was compared to that of an aperiodic RNN. The performance of the RNN with 6 long- and short-term memory (LSTM) cells (D = 180) was compared with that of the RNN with 5-LSTM cells. To compare the prediction performance, the root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) of the total deviation value (TDV) were calculated as accuracy metrics. RESULTS: The performance of the periodic model (D = 365) improved significantly over aperiodic model. Overall prediction error (MAE) was 2.56 ± 0.46 dB versus 3.26 ± 0.41 dB (periodic vs. aperiodic) (p < 0.001). A higher perimetric frequency was better for predicting future VF. The overall prediction error (RMSE) was 3.15 ± 2.29 dB versus 3.42 ± 2.25 dB (D = 180 vs. D = 365). Increasing the number of input VFs improved the performance of VF prediction in D = 180 periodic model (3.15 ± 2.29 dB vs. 3.18 ± 2.34 dB, p < 0.001). The 6-LSTM in the D = 180 periodic model was more robust to worsening of VF reliability and disease severity. The prediction accuracy worsened as the false-negative rate increased and the mean deviation decreased. CONCLUSION: Data preprocessing with augmentation improved the VF prediction of the RNN model using multi-center datasets. The periodic RNN model predicted the future VF significantly better than the aperiodic RNN model.

Clinical performance of presbyopia correction with a multifocal corneoscleral lens.

AIM: To assess the clinical performance of a multifocal corneoscleral lens for the presbyopia correction. METHODS: A prospective clinical trial of the Onefit™ A multifocal corneoscleral lens was conducted with 40 participants with presbyopia. At 4wk of continuous wear of the corneoscleral lens, changes in the distance, intermediate, and near visual acuity (VA) were evaluated. The safety of the corneoscleral lens, central corneal thickness (CCT), corneal endothelial cell count, binocular stereopsis, tear film break-up time (BUT), corneal staining, corneal edema, corneal neovascularization (NV), and conjunctival hyperemia were examined. In addition, a subjective questionnaire addressing satisfaction (rated from 1 to 5 points) and discomfort (rated from 1 to 5 points) was administered. RESULTS: Forty participants were enrolled in this study. Six participants were excluded because of poor compliance with lens fitting (n=2) and loss to follow-up (n=4). The mean age of the participants was 53.0±4.9y. At 4wk of continuous wear of the corneoscleral lens, the best corrected far, intermediate, and near VA was 0.08±0.11, 0.10±0.12, and 0.10±0.12 logMAR, respectively. These results were significant improvements over the baseline uncorrected VA (far: P=0.004; intermediate: P=0.004; near: P=0.002). CCT, corneal endothelial cell count, binocular stereopsis, BUT, corneal staining, corneal edema, corneal NV, and conjunctival hyperemia were not significantly different between baseline and after corneoscleral lens use. The average satisfaction scores for fit sensation; corrected far, intermediate, and near VA; and ease of handling were 4.1, 3.4, 3.6, 3.5, and 3.4, respectively. The average discomfort scores for dryness, irritation, foreign body sensation, redness, fogging, and halo were 1.7, 1.8, 1.5, 1.7, 1.7, and 1.3, respectively. CONCLUSION: Far, intermediate, and near VA are improved in presbyopic patients with the multifocal corneoscleral lens compared to uncorrected baseline VA, without adverse ocular effects. This evidence supports the safety and effectiveness of presbyopia correction with multifocal corneoscleral lenses.

Efficacy and Safety of Primary Glaucoma Device Implantation Surgery in Exfoliative Glaucoma: A Retrospective Consecutive Case Series.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of primary glaucoma drainage implant (GDI) surgery for exfoliation glaucoma (XFG). METHODS: This study was a retrospective, consecutive case series study including 36 eyes of 36 patients with XFG who underwent primary GDI surgery. Intraocular pressure (IOP), the mean deviation (MD) from the visual field exam, corneal endothelial cell density (ECD), and the number of topical antiglaucoma agents used during the preoperative and postoperative periods were retrospectively analyzed. Surgical success was defined by the following criteria: (1) IOP ≤ 18 mmHg and an IOP reduction of 20% with 1 or no medication; (2) IOP ≤ 15 mmHg and an IOP reduction of 25% with 1 or no medication; and (3) IOP ≤ 12 mmHg and an IOP reduction of 30% with 1 or no medication. The probability of success of GDI surgery was determined via Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: The preoperative IOP was 25.9 ± 4.7 mmHg, and the postoperative IOP at 24 months was decreased to 14.2 ± 3.6 mmHg (p value < 0.001). The postoperative MD and ECD were similar to baseline (MD p value = 0.155; ECD p value = 0.055). However, a significant reduction in the number of antiglaucoma agents was observed (p value < 0.001). The surgical success rates were 77.8%, 63.9%, and 55.6% at 24 months for criteria 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Early hypotony (4 patients, 11.1%) and persistent corneal edema (5 patients, 13.9%) were the most common early and late postoperative complications, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In XFG, primary GDI surgery reduced IOP by 45.2% and had a 77.8% success rate according to criteria 1 at 24 months postoperatively. However, considering that ECD reduction continues to decline over time, primary GDI surgery should be carefully considered in XFG.

Clinical Manifestations of Strabismus in Patients with Primary Congenital Glaucoma.

Purpose: To determine the clinical manifestations and risk factors of developing strabismus in primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) patients who underwent glaucoma surgery. Methods: A retrospective case-series study of 54 PCG patients who were followed for at least 3 years after glaucoma surgery. The subjects were divided into 2 groups based on the occurrence of strabismus. Age at glaucoma diagnosis and surgery, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, amblyopia, cup-disc ratio, and orthoptic status were compared between the 2 groups. Results: Twenty of 54 patients (37.0%) developed strabismus after glaucoma surgery. The mean ages at the time of glaucoma diagnosis and surgery were 3.2 ± 2.7 months and 3.4 ± 2.8 months in the strabismus group and 24.3 ± 19.1 months and 26.4 ± 18.9 months in the non-strabismus group, respectively (p < .05). In addition, the mean logMAR visual acuities were 0.87 ± 0.38 in the strabismus group and 0.24 ± 0.21 in the non-strabismus group (p < .05). The proportion of patients experiencing amblyopia was 90.0% in the strabismus group. Low visual acuity and young age at glaucoma surgery were significant predictors of developing strabismus. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that the probability of developing strabismus after glaucoma surgery was 50.6% at 10 years post-surgery. Conclusions: PCG patients who developed strabismus after glaucoma surgery were diagnosed with glaucoma and underwent surgery at a younger age, exhibited a worse mean best corrected visual acuity, and exhibited a higher amblyopia incidence than did patients in the non-strabismus group.

Comparison of different combinations of maximum medical therapy for lowering intraocular pressure in primary open angle glaucoma: 12-month retrospective consecutive case series.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety of two combinations of maximum medical therapy for lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective consecutive case series. METHODS: A retrospective consecutive case series study including 82 eyes of 82 subjects with POAG treated with maximum medical therapy to lower IOP. Enrolled patients were divided into 2 groups: the triple maximum medical therapy (TMT) group, comprising POAG patients who were treated with tafluprost, brimonidine and the fixed drug combination (FDC) brinzolamide/timolol; and the double maximum medical therapy (DMT) group, comprising POAG patients who were treated with the FDCs tafluprost/timolol and brinzolamide/brimonidine. We compared the demographics, baseline IOP, IOP reduction rate, and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) between the 2 groups. RESULTS: While the mean IOP reduction rate after 12 months was higher in the TMT group (52.7%) than in the DMT group (50.4%), the difference was not significant (p-value = 0.615). In the TMT group, the rate of proceeding to laser or surgical therapy was 22.2% (DMT group = 37.8%). In the TMT group, the time duration between beginning maximum medical therapy and proceeding to laser or surgical therapy was 10.7 ± 1.3 months (DMT group = 10.3 ± 1.5 months). No serious ADRs were reported in either group. However, the incidence rate of conjunctival hyperemia and dry eye was significantly lower in the DMT group than in the TMT group. CONCLUSION: DMT is safe and effective for lowering IOP in POAG patients. DMT is not inferior to TMT in POAG patients.

The Efficacy and Safety of the Fixed Combination of Brinzolamide 1% and Brimonidine 0.2% in Normal Tension Glaucoma: An 18-Month Retrospective Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate efficacy and safety of brinzolamide (1%)/brimonidine (0.2%) fixed combination (BBFC) in normal tension glaucoma (NTG). METHODS: This retrospective study included NTG patients treated with BBFC as their primary therapy, NTG patients who had changed their medication to BBFC from brinzolamide or brimonidine, and NTG patients who had changed their medication to BBFC from concomitantly using brinzolamide and brimonidine. The intraocular pressure (IOP), mean deviation value, and adverse drug reactions were evaluated. RESULTS: In the BBFC primary therapy group, the baseline IOP was 17.1 ± 1.4 mmHg, and the mean IOP at 18 months after using BBFC was 12.4 ± 1.8 mmHg. In the brinzolamide monotherapy group, the baseline IOP was 16.2 ± 1.4 mmHg, the mean IOP using brinzolamide was 13.4 ± 1.6 mmHg, and the mean IOP at 18 months after changing to BBFC was 12.3 ± 1.4 mmHg. In the brimonidine monotherapy group, the baseline IOP was 16.5 ± 1.5 mmHg, the mean IOP using brimonidine was 13.3 ± 1.6 mmHg, and the mean IOP at 18 months after changing to BBFC was 12.4 ± 1.4 mmHg. In the unfixed brinzolamide and brimonidine group, the baseline IOP was 17.5 ± 1.3 mmHg, the mean IOP when using unfixed brinzolamide and brimonidine was 12.4 ± 1.4 mmHg, and the mean IOP at 18 months after changing to BBFC was 12.6 ± 1.5 mmHg. There were no serious adverse drug reactions. CONCLUSIONS: BBFC provides a significant IOP reduction and is a safe antiglaucoma medication for NTG patients.

Comparison of longitudinal changes in circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell complex thickness after acute primary angle closure: a 12-month prospective study.

PURPOSE: To compare longitudinal changes in circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thicknesses and factors that are related to changes in cpRNFL and GCC thicknesses after acute primary angle closure (APAC). STUDY DESIGN: A prospective consecutive case series. METHODS: This study was a prospective, consecutive case series study including 64 eyes of 64 subjects with APAC. cpRNFL and GCC thicknesses were measured by RTVue-100 OCT. To measure cpRNFL and GCC thicknesses, the "three-dimensional (3D) optic disc scan and ONH scan" and "GCC" scan mode were used. Differences in cpRNFL and GCC thicknesses between the affected eye and fellow eye were compared, and logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the factors associated with longitudinal changes in cpRNFL and GCC thicknesses. RESULTS: The average, superior and inferior cpRNFL, and GCC thicknesses were thicker in the affected eye than in the fellow eye within 1 week after remission and gradually decreased up to 12 months after remission. Compared with the cpRNFL and GCC thicknesses at 1 week after remission, the cpRNFL and GCC thicknesses at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after remission were significantly thinner. Logistic regression analysis revealed that a longer duration from the onset of symptoms to adjustment of treatment (cpRNFL: odds ratio = 0.865, p = 0.003) (GCC: odds ratio = 0.824, p = 0.001) was associated with abnormal cpRNFL and GCC thicknesses. CONCLUSION: A week after APAC both cpRNFL and GCC thicknesses were thicker in the affected eye than in the fellow eye and further decreased up to 12 months post APAC. A longer duration from the onset of symptoms to adjustment of treatment was associated with cpRNFL and GCC loss after APAC.

Classification of Lacrimal Punctal Stenosis and Its Related Histopathological Feature in Patients with Epiphora.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the classification of punctal stenosis based on the shape of the external punctum, clinical characteristics and histopathologic features. METHODS: Patients who experienced tearing and were diagnosed with punctal stenosis were evaluated in this study. Punctal stenosis was classified according to the shape of the lower external punctum, which included membranous type, slit type, horseshoe type, and pinpoint type. Tear meniscus height, 2% fluorescein dye disappearance test and lacrimal pathway irrigation were measured or performed. For treatment, a punctal snip operation and silicone tube placement were performed, and the peripunctal histopathological findings were evaluated. RESULTS: Punctal stenosis was classified into four types: membranous type (17 eyes, 21.5%), slit type (11 eyes, 13.9%), horseshoe type (25 eyes, 31.6%), and pinpoint type (26 eyes, 32.9%). The tear meniscus was significantly higher, and the 2% fluorescein dye disappeared significantly more slowly in the punctal stenosis group. However, correlation of the tear meniscus height and 2% fluorescein dye disappearance test with the punctum shape was not statistically significant. A history of previous chemotherapy was significantly associated with the occurrence of punctal stenosis, especially the membranous type (p < 0.05). Histopathologic evaluation of the punctum showed differences between the punctum types. Pinpoint puncta exhibited a high density of muscle fibers, while they were faintly visible in the membranous type. CONCLUSIONS: Acquired punctal stenosis has various shapes, and the major types of stenotic puncta exhibited unique histopathologic features. Punctal stenosis and its pathophysiology may be related to multiple factors, such as age and systemic 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy history.

Long-Term Clinical Course of Normal-Tension Glaucoma: 20 Years of Experience.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term clinical course of NTG patients who initiated intraocular pressure- (IOP-) lowering therapy. Methods. The present study included 72 normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) patients. The mean deviation (MD) was measured with visual fields. Nocturnal hypotension with weighted standard deviation (wSD) was determined by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. To identify risk factors for NTG progression, linear logistic regression analysis was employed. Results. The mean follow-up period was 21.2 ± 1.1 years. The mean MD progression rate was -0.28 ± 0.24 dB/year. The mean ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) was 52.1 ± 5.9 mmHg. The mean wSD was 14.5 ± 2.2. In the univariate model, disc hemorrhage (RR 7.12; P = 0.004), IOP reduction rate (RR 2.12; P = 0.045), and OPP (RR 1.94; P = 0.027) were associated with glaucomatous visual field progression. However, in the multivariate model, the IOP reduction rate (RR 2.45; P = 0.048) and OPP (RR 2.02; P = 0.004) were detected to be significant factors associated with progression. Conclusions. The mean rate of visual field progression was -0.28 dB/year in NTG patients treated with medical therapy. The IOP reduction rate and OPP were associated with glaucomatous visual field progression.

The Effects of Nocturnal Dip and Blood Pressure Variability on Paracentral Scotoma in Early Open-Angle Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of nocturnal dip and blood pressure (BP) variability on paracentral scotoma in early open-angle glaucoma. METHODS: The present study included 72 early normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) patients and 34 early primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients. Nocturnal dip and weighted standard deviation (wSD) were determined by 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (24-hr ABPM). The mean deviation (MD) and pattern deviation (PD) were measured with visual field. Correlations between nocturnal dip and/or BP variability and paracentral scotoma were assessed using Student's t-test, Pearson's correlation test, and linear logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The systolic and diastolic nocturnal dip and paracentral scotoma occurrence demonstrated a statistically significant correlation in the early NTG group (systolic nocturnal dip: p=0.047, diastolic nocturnal dip: p=0.011). In the early NTG group, the subgroup with paracentral scotoma had a greater nocturnal dip than those patients without paracentral scotoma (systolic nocturnal dip: p=0.000; diastolic nocturnal dip: p=0.000). In the early NTG group, the subgroup with paracentral scotoma had higher wSD of SBP than the patients without paracentral scotoma (p=0.003). In the logistic regression analysis of the factors that can affect paracentral scotoma SBP dip and SBP, wSD appeared to significantly affect the occurrence of paracentral scotoma in the early NTG group. CONCLUSIONS: Early NTG patients with paracentral scotoma have nocturnal dip and large BP variability. Therefore, in early glaucoma patients, particularly in early NTG with paracentral scotoma, nocturnal dip and BP variability should be assessed with 24-hr ABPM.

Effects of upper lid blepharoplasty on visual quality in patients with lash ptosis and dermatochalasis.

AIM: To assess the effects of upper lid blepharoplasty on visual quality. METHODS: Seventy-three eyelids of 39 patients were subjected to upper lid blepharoplasty. Pre- and post-operative contrast sensitivity, visual acuity, vertical palpebral aperture and the degree of lash ptosis were measured. RESULTS: The mean log contrast sensitivities under photopic (P=0.017) and scotopic conditions (P=0.009) were improved after surgery, and these differences were significant. The degree of lash ptosis was also decreased after blepharoplasty (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: In our study, a significant increase in contrast sensitivity was found after surgery. These results suggest that upper lid blepharoplasty can be helpful for improving visual quality.

Clinical evaluation of the effect of diquafosol ophthalmic solution in glaucoma patients with dry eye syndrome.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of diquafosol on intraocular pressure (IOP) and dry eye symptoms in glaucoma patients with dry eye syndrome (DES). METHODS: This study evaluated a total of 138 glaucoma patients with DES who were treated with diquafosol ophthalmic solution (DIQUAS(®)). Before treatment and 1, 4, 12, 36, and 52 weeks after treatment, IOP, ocular surface disease index (OSDI), tear film break-up time (BUT), Schirmer I test scores, fluorescein staining, conjunctival impression cytology, and adverse drug reactions were evaluated. RESULTS: Throughout the treatment period, the mean IOP for all the patients remained stable after treatment with diquafosol (15.4 ± 2.8 mmHg at baseline and 16.0 ± 2.8 mmHg at 52 weeks). The mean OSDI score improved significantly at 4, 12, and 52 weeks after diquafosol treatment. The BUT and Schirmer I test scores were significantly increased after diquafosol treatment. The Oxford scheme score was significantly decreased at 1, 4, 12, 36, and 52 weeks after diquafosol treatment. A significant improvement in goblet cell density was observed after 4 weeks of treatment with diquafosol. Adverse drug reactions were reported in 22 (15.9 %) patients. There were no serious adverse drug reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Diquafosol was effective in improving objective and subjective symptoms and maintained a stable IOP in glaucoma patients with DES. Therefore, the addition of diquafosol treatment in glaucoma patients with DES or ocular surface side effects using anti-glaucoma medication may be beneficial.