External Subretinal Fluid Drainage in Scleral Buckling: Before Versus after Cryotherapy and Buckle Placement, A Pilot Study.

In this retrospective comparative case series at a teaching hospital, we reviewed adult patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment who underwent scleral buckling surgery with external drainage of subretinal fluid performed before versus after placement of the scleral buckle. Eight eyes in each group were roughly matched for age, sex, baseline visual acuity (VA), and detachment characteristics. The complication rate was 0% for the "before" group and 37% for the "after" group (p = 0.100). In the "after" group, two eyes (25%) developed iatrogenic retinal holes and one eye (12%) developed self-limited subretinal hemorrhage during external needle drainage. The duration of surgery was significantly shorter for the "before" group (mean 89 ± 16 min) compared to the "after" group (118 ± 20 min) (p = 0.008). The primary anatomic success rate was 100% for the "before" group and 75% for the "after" group (p = 0.233). Final VA was not significantly different between the groups or from baseline. In conclusion, while limited by our small sample size, this pilot study suggests that drainage of subretinal fluid before scleral buckle placement may be safer and more efficient compared to draining after buckle placement. Initial drainage may facilitate retinochoroid apposition to allow targeted cryopexy and precise buckle placement.

COCCIDIOIDAL ENDOPHTHALMITIS: EXCELLENT RECOVERY OF VISION WITH AGGRESSIVE USE OF INTRAVITREAL ANTIFUNGALS AND VITRECTOMY.

PURPOSE: To report a case of Coccidioides immitis endophthalmitis with severe vision loss and a return to excellent vision after aggressive intervention. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 41-year-old man with a history of solid organ transplantation who complained of floaters and decreased vision in the setting of disseminated Coccidioides infection was found to have presumed coccidioidal endophthalmitis with visual acuities of 20/20 in the right eye and 20/200 in the left eye. The patient was managed with intravenous amphotericin B, oral voriconazole, and intravitreal injections of amphotericin B and voriconazole in the left eye every three days. Five weeks after presentation, his visual acuity remained 20/20 in the right eye and improved to 20/40 in the left eye. The patient was transitioned to twice weekly intravitreal injections and oral voriconazole on hospital discharge. One week later, vision in the left eye decreased to 20/500 with worsening vitritis, prompting vitrectomy. Vision in the left eye subsequently improved to 20/30. Five weeks later, the patient developed a macula-on inferior rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in the left eye and underwent a second vitrectomy, with scleral buckle, laser, and gas injection. Vision in the left eye returned to 20/25. In total, the patient received 22 amphotericin B and 17 voriconazole intravitreal injections in the left eye with two vitrectomies. Vision in the right eye remained 20/20 throughout his treatment course. At four months after presentation, the patient remained on oral voriconazole with no evidence of active intraocular infection on examination. CONCLUSION: Aggressive medical and surgical management can be successful in ocular conservation and restoration of vision in coccidioidal endophthalmitis. Very mild disease may be conservatively monitored and managed with systemic antifungal therapy alone. In severe disease, early diagnosis and prompt and aggressive use of systemic and intravitreal antifungals may spare panophthalmitis and preserve vision.

Late-onset Etanercept-associated Ocular Sarcoidosis with Profound Vision Loss.

INTRODUCTION: Etanercept is a tumor necrosis factor-alpha-blocking immunosuppressive agent and carries the risk of paradoxical induction of sarcoidosis. We present a case of a 75-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis treated with etanercept who developed etanercept-associated ocular sarcoidosis after 4 years of therapy. CASE REPORT: The patient presented to clinic with visual acuity of light perception in the right eye and hand motions in the left eye. Examination revealed optic disc edema in both eyes with serous retinal detachment in the right eye. Work-up revealed an elevated serum angiotensin-converting enzyme level, and computed tomographic scan of the chest revealed innumerable bilateral peribronchial pulmonary nodules with calcifications. A diagnosis of presumed ocular sarcoidosis was made. Etanercept was stopped, and the patient was treated with oral prednisone and subcutaneous methotrexate, with clinical and visual recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Etanercept-associated sarcoidosis can occur at any time after initiating therapy and should be considered in patients on etanercept with ocular inflammation.

Modified technique for trocar-based sutureless scleral fixation of intraocular lenses: A new approach to haptic externalization.

PURPOSE: To describe a modified technique of haptic externalization for trocar-based sutureless scleral fixation of intraocular lenses, in order to avoid working with forceps in the iris plane in a manner that may be unfamiliar to the vitreoretinal surgeon. METHODS: This prospective, interventional case series included four eyes of four patients with dislocated intraocular lens (IOL). The modified haptic externalization technique avoids the pitfalls of iris-plane maneuvers by intentionally dropping the IOL onto the retina and using the forceps to grasp the tips of the haptics prior to direct externalization from the same grab. RESULTS: Four patients underwent scleral fixation of IOL using modified haptic externalization technique. One patient was lost to follow up after postoperative day 1. At the last follow up, all eyes demonstrated stability and good centration of scleral fixated IOL. All three patients achieved a best corrected visual acuity same or better compared to before the operation. One patient developed vitreous hemorrhage which later spontaneously resolved. CONCLUSIONS: The modified haptic externalization technique is a simple and quick modification using maneuvers familiar to vitreoretinal surgeons. It has demonstrated safety among a small pilot group of patients.

THERAPEUTIC VITRECTOMY AS AN ADJUNCT TREATMENT TO SYSTEMIC CHEMOTHERAPY FOR INTRAOCULAR LYMPHOMA.

PURPOSE: To report the outcome of a previously vitrectomized eye having less lymphoma disease burden compared with the contralateral nonvitrectomized eye over the course of 3.5 years while on systemic chemotherapy. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 51-year-old man with vitreoretinal lymphoma with central nervous system involvement underwent vitrectomy in his left eye. Over the following 3.5 years on systemic chemotherapy, the left eye had less lymphoma disease burden compared with the contralateral nonvitrectomized right eye. CONCLUSION: Therapeutic vitrectomy may be a useful adjunct to systemic chemotherapy in vitreoretinal lymphoma, particularly in cases of vitreous predominant disease manifestation.

Insights from a Case of Vitreoretinal Lymphoma.

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to report a patient with vitreoretinal lymphoma with clinical features providing hypothesis-generating insights into the pathophysiology of this disease. METHODS: Clinical history and imaging studies (i.e., fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, and fluorescein angiography) were documented. RESULTS: A 71-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of blurred vision in the right eye and bilateral vitreous infiltrates unresponsive to topical and systemic steroids. Vitreous biopsy of the left eye was diagnostic for lymphoma. Bulky subretinal deposits in the right eye responded to systemic therapy. The left fundus showed diffuse hypoautofluorescence and punctate, hyperfluorescent sub-retinal pigment epithelial tumor deposits, which resolved leaving hypoautofluorescent atrophic retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) scars, except inferotemporally, where retinal vasculopathy had occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical features suggest that occlusion of the inferotemporal retinal arteriole prevented sub-RPE lymphomatous deposits and subsequent RPE atrophy in this area of vascular nonperfusion. This suggests that "primary" vitreoretinal lymphoma is secondary to hematogenous spread from systemic loci. This finding, together with the ocular tumor control achieved entirely by systemic therapy, indicates scope for studies investigating systemic treatment protocols, especially those including immune-modulatory agents.

Corneal Injury from Presurgical Chlorhexidine Skin Preparation.

BACKGROUND: Chlorhexidine skin preparation has been shown to provide highly effective antimicrobial presurgical skin cleansing. However, there is a significant risk of ocular toxicity when it is used in periocular areas. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe 2 cases of significant corneal damage resulting from 4% chlorhexidine gluconate preoperative skin cleanser, despite the use of protective occlusive dressing over the eyes. Because of the potential for severe corneal toxicity resulting from use of chlorhexidine, alternative agents such as 10% povidone-iodine should be considered for skin preparation near periocular areas whenever possible. CONCLUSIONS: If chlorhexidine gluconate must be employed near periocular areas, great care must be exercised to avoid contact with the eyes, and additional protective measures (e.g., absorbent eye pads along with tightly occlusive dressings) must be used whenever possible.