Evaluation of corneal endothelium and correlation with disease severity in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy: A specular microscopy-based study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the possible corneal endothelial damage in Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) and its relationship with GO activity. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 101 eyes of 55 patients with GO. Each eye was assigned a specific clinical activity score (CAS). Accordingly, they were classified as active (CAS ≥ 3) or inactive (CAS< 3). The corneal endothelium was measured using a non-contact specular microscope (Tomey EM-4000; Tomey Corp.). Endothelial cell density (ECD), average cell area (ACA), standard deviation of cell area (SD), coefficient of variation in cell area (CV), hexagonal cell ratio (HEX), and central corneal thickness (CCT) were recorded. RESULTS: Among the eyes included in the study, 71 had inactive GO and 30 had active GO. ACA and HEX levels were lower (p<0,001) and CV values were higher (p<0.001) in patients with GO than in healthy subjects. Corneal endothelial cell morphology was altered in active GO compared to inactive GO. The SD (p = 0,009) and CV (p<0,001) were significantly higher in active GO than in inactive GO. When the parameters examined were correlated with CAS, a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between proptosis (p = 0,036, r = 0,385) and CV (p = 0,001, r = 0,595). CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed that morphological changes occur in the corneal endothelium of patients with GO. CV and SD values, in conjunction with CAS, can be used as non-invasive and quantitative indices to examine the activity status of GO. The demonstration of endothelial changes even in GO eyes with low CAS may be considered an incentive to include non-contact specular microscopy in the routine clinical evaluation of all patients with GO.

Importance of etiology in canalicular obstruction surgery.

PURPOSE: The treatment options for canalicular obstruction remain controversial, and there are different approaches. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the success of balloon dilatation and silicon tube intubation according to the etiology in patients with canalicular obstruction. METHODS: The files of 91 patients with isolated monocanalicular obstruction were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were grouped according to surgical methods (Group A: both balloon dilatation and silicon tube intubation; Group B: Only balloon dilatation) and etiologies (topical anti-glaucomatous usage-related, inflammatory, chemotherapy-related, radiotherapy-related, trauma-related, idiopathic). Preoperative and postoperative Munk scores and lacrimal irrigation results were noted in all cases. RESULTS: Munk score was found to be statistically significantly lower in the 1st year in both groups. The patency rate with lacrimal syringing was found to be statistically significantly higher in group A. Success rates both in the munk score and lacrimal passage patency were found to be statistically significantly lower in inflammatory etiology than other etiologies. CONCLUSIONS: Both techniques can be used as first-line therapies for canalicular obstruction. It should be considered that recurrence may develop in stenosis of inflammatory origin and more invasive surgery may be required.

Evaluation of corneal topographic parameters in patients with psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate corneal topographic parameters in patients with psoriasis. METHODS: This prospective, cross-sectional study included 50 right eyes of 50 patients with psoriasis and 50 right eyes of 50 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. Detailed dermatological and ophthalmological examinations were performed in all cases. Noninvasive tear break-up time (NIBUT), meibography, keratometry values, and high-order corneal aberrations (HOAs) were obtained using corneal topography and compared to healthy subjects. These values were also evaluated according to anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNF-α) use, the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, psoriasis duration, and patient age. The chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Pearson correlation test were used for statistical assessment. RESULTS: Lower NIBUT and higher meibomian gland loss (MGL) were detected in psoriasis patients compared to healthy controls. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of corneal HOAs. Higher MGL was detected in patients using anti-TNF-α than in patients not using it. A positive correlation was found among topographic parameters, especially between PASI score and the patient's age. No correlations were found between the disease duration and the other parameters. CONCLUSION: NIBUT and MGL are more common in psoriasis patients than in healthy subjects. The relationship between anti-TNF-α use, PASI score, patient age, and corneal parameters should be considered in the follow-up and treatment of ocular findings in psoriasis patients.

The electromyographic analysis of orbicularis oculi muscle in epiphora.

Purpose: Functional epiphora is a clinical condition that presents with the complaint of watery eyes, but without anatomical stenosis in the lacrimal drainage system. Although the mechanism is not clear, there are various possibilities involving the movement of the orbicularis oculi muscle, especially its deeper segment (Horner's muscle). We aimed to evaluate the function of the orbicularis oculi muscle in patients with patent, but dysfunctional lacrimal drainage system using a quantitative motor unit potential (MUP) analysis. Methods: Twenty-eight patients with functional epiphora (mean age = 59 years) and a control group of 28 volunteers were included in the study. Inclusion criteria were persistent and symptomatic epiphora or wiping >10 times per day and diagnosis confirmation by lacrimal irrigation test. Electromyography (EMG) was performed on the deeper segment of the orbicularis oculi muscle (medial and lateral parts). MUP parameters (duration time, amplitude, number of phases, number of turns, area, rise time, and thickness) were evaluated in both groups. Any increase in amplitude, prolongation time (>14 ms), number of turns, and satellite potential was taken as characteristic of the neurogenic type of epiphora, whereas shortened motor unit duration time, increased phase number, and low amplitude are the features of myopathic type. Results: Upon MUP analysis of the medial and lateral orbicularis oculi muscle, the increase in duration and thickness values in the medial part and the increase in duration, amplitude, area, and thickness values of the lateral part were found to be statistically significant in the patient group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). In the evaluation of the patients' medial and lateral orbicularis oculi muscle, the increase in phase values and decrease in amplitude, area, and rise time values were found to be statistically significant (P = 0.024, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.010, respectively). Conclusion: These data show that functional epiphora is due to neurogenic damage of the orbicularis oculi muscle and should be investigated in more detail.

The impact of delayed anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment for retinal diseases during the COVID-19 lockdown.

PURPOSE: To assess the clinical status of treatment-naive patients who had to delay 3-dose loading anti-VEGF (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor) injections during the COVID-19 lockdown, and to evaluate the effect of the delayed visual acuity treatment on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) parameters. METHOD: A total of 55 eyes of 46 patients who were received in the study period participated in this retrospective study, including 28 patients (37 eyes) with diabetic macular edema (DME), 11 patients (11 eyes) with retinal vein occlusion (RVO), and 7 patients (7 eyes) with wet age-related macular degeneration (wet-AMD). The patients were diagnosed with DME, RVO, or wet-AMD in February 2020 and had planned 3-dose loading injections in March, April, and May 2020, but could not be injected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: From the patients' initial examination in February 2020, the mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.72 ± 59 logMAR. After the patients' lockdown visit in July 2020, the mean BCVA was 0.76 ± 64 logMAR. BCVA was stable in 11 eyes, decreased in 12 eyes, and increased in 14 eyes for patients with DME. BCVA was stable in 6, decreased in 3, and increased in 2 eyes for patients with RVO, and it was stable in 4 eyes and decreased in 3 eyes for patients with wet-AMD. CONCLUSION: We concluded that 6-month delay in treatment of DME patients with non-proliferative DRP had no adverse effect on the visual acuity. However, the loading dose in wet-AMD and RVO patients should be applied as soon as possible.