Early-Phase Perceptions of COVID-19's Impact on Ophthalmology Practice Patterns: A Survey from the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic affected medical practice worldwide due to interventions to prevent spreading. Its effect on ophthalmology practices in Latin America has not yet been explored. We aimed to assess the perceptions about the pandemic from countries' ophthalmological national and subspecialty retina societies affiliated to the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO). Patients and Methods: A survey-based study of leaders of national ophthalmological and retinal societies was conducted. The survey was sent by email to 30 societies, from which 20 responded (12 countries, 66.6% response rate). It included closed- and open-ended questions about (1) operational capacity and precautions, (2) telemedicine and virtual care, (3) procedures, and (4) post-pandemic considerations. Results: There was a marked decline in ophthalmology patient visits (80-95%) and elective surgeries (90%) during 2020 compared to before the pandemic. Precautions like temperature checks, mask usage, and social distancing were widely implemented while personal protective equipment (PPE) availability varied. Telemedicine use was limited due to lack of experience with it. Reopening plans focused on maintaining precautions and gradually resuming activities. Economic and security concerns were raised, and adherence to guidelines was emphasized. Respondents acknowledged the need to adapt to a "new normal". Long duration drugs, fewer imaging studies, and shorter wait times were preferred; however, availability of long duration drugs was limited. Conclusion: The pandemic impacted ophthalmology in Latin America, with reduced patient visits, procedures, and surgeries. Delayed treatment and complications were likely the result of the pandemic.

Intravitreal bevacizumab monotherapy in myopic choroidal neovascularisation: 5-year outcomes for the PAN-American Collaborative Retina Study Group.

PURPOSE: To report the long-term anatomical and visual outcomes of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) monotherapy in naive choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) caused by myopia. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of naive CNV secondary to myopia that underwent antivascular endothelial growth factor monotherapy was performed. Collected data included demographic details, clinical examination details including visual acuity at presentation and follow-up with imaging and treatment details. Main outcome measures were resolution of CNV activity at the last visit. Secondary outcomes included change in visual acuity, number of injections and adverse events. RESULTS: Thirty-three eyes of 31 subjects with a mean age of 51.48±16.4 years were included. The mean follow-up was 66.47 months. 27 eyes had type 2 CNV and the rest seven eyes had type 1 CNV. The mean number of IVB injections per eye was 4.9. Mean visual acuity at baseline reduced from 0.65±0.33 logMAR units (Snellen equivalent=20/89) to 0.73±0.50 logMAR units (20/107) at final follow-up (p=0.003). The mean central macular thickness decreased from 309.31±86 µm at baseline to 267.5±70.89 µm at the last visit (p=0.03). However, visual acuity was maintained (±1 line of baseline) in 13 eyes (39.4%), ≥2 line improvement in nine (27.3%) eyes and more than two lines worsening in 11 eyes (33.3%). Foveal atrophy was observed at baseline and last visit in 6 (12.5%) and 14 (29.1%), respectively (p=0.007). No systemic adverse events were observed. CONCLUSION: IVB monotherapy is safe and effective for long-term treatment of CNV secondary to myopia in real life.

Mycophenolate Mofetil Therapy in Refractory Inflammatory Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: To study the efficacy and incidence of treatment-related side effects of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) therapy in patients with noninfectious inflammatory eye diseases. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of 27 Chilean patients treated for noninfectious inflammatory eye diseases using MMF therapy over a 10-year period. Main outcome measures were: ability to control ocular inflammation and to taper prednisone to ≤10 mg daily (treatment success); incidence of treatment-related side effects. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with sustained control of inflammation was 81.48% at 6 months. Additionally 55.56% and 22.22% of patients succeeded in tapering their prednisone to 5-10 mg/day and <5 mg/day, at 6 months. Two patients developed a neoplasia during MMF therapy; however, this cohort is too small to interpret the significance of this relation to MMF treatment. CONCLUSIONS: MMF seems to be an effective corticosteroid-sparing agent with an acceptable safety profile.

Residual internal limiting membrane after epiretinal membrane peeling: results of the Pan-American Collaborative Retina Study Group.

PURPOSE: To determine the degree of residual internal limiting membrane (ILM) after idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) peeling and the usefulness of staining with brilliant blue G. METHODS: A prospective, multicenter, observational study of 98 eyes undergoing pars plana vitrectomy and membrane peeling for idiopathic ERM. All eyes underwent core vitrectomy (20, 23, or 25 gauge) followed by intravitreal triamcinolone to verify that the posterior hyaloid had been removed. Brilliant blue G (0.2 mL of 0.25 mg/mL) was injected into the vitreous cavity and washed out immediately. The ERM was peeled and then the surgeon observed and recorded the characteristics of the underlying ILM. The posterior pole was restained with brilliant blue G (0.2 mL of 0.25 mg/mL), and the same observations on the characteristics of the ILM were recorded. Peeling of the remaining ILM was performed. The main outcome measured was the status of the ILM after ERM peel. Secondary outcomes included best-corrected visual acuity and central macular thickness at 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: After ERM peel, all of the eyes had residual ILM. In 74 eyes, the ILM was present and damaged, whereas in 24 eyes, the ILM was present and undamaged. In 37 eyes, the operating surgeon was unable to determine the status of the ILM before brilliant blue G staining. At 6 months, the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity improved from 0.75 ± 0.39 at baseline to 0.31 ± 0.26 (P < 0.0001). The central macular thickness also improved from 460 ± 91 µm at baseline to 297 ± 102 µm (P < 0.003). CONCLUSION: Internal limiting membrane is frequently still present after ERM peeling. Staining with brilliant blue G facilitates its identification.

Endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy: results of the Pan American Collaborative Retina Study Group.

PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of endophthalmitis after 20-, 23-, and 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomies (PPVs). METHODS: Retrospective comparative case series of consecutive patients who underwent 20-, 23-, or 25-gauge PPV at 11 centers from Latin America between 2005 to 2009. Pars plana vitrectomy cases were identified through a search of the billing records of each institution. Cases of PPV performed in the management of trauma, endophthalmitis, and combined PPV phacoemulsification cases were excluded. Endophthalmitis was diagnosed by clinical criteria regardless of the microbiologic results. The incidence of post-PPV endophthalmitis was compared between 20-, 23-, and 25-gauge PPVs. RESULTS: A total of 35,427 cases of PPV were identified during the study period (n = 19,865 for 20 gauge, n = 10,845 for 23 gauge, and n = 4,717 for 25 gauge). The 5-year post-PPV endophthalmitis incidence rates were 0.020% (4 of 19,865), 0.028% (3 of 10,845), and 0.021% (1 of 4,717) for 20 gauge, 23 gauge, and 25 gauge, respectively (P = 0.9685). CONCLUSION: Small-gauge transconjunctival PPV does not appear to increase the rates of post-PPV endophthalmitis.

Comparison of the clinical efficacy of two different immunosuppressive regimens in patients with chronic vogt-koyanagi-harada disease.

PURPOSE: To prospectively compare 2 immunosupressive regimens in patients with active Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease in spite of systemic glucocorticoid treatment. METHODS: Forty-four patients were diagnosed between 1998 and 2005. Twenty-one developed chronic intraocular inflammation in spite of glucocorticoid treatment and were randomized to receive either prednisone and azathioprine (AZA) (n = 12) or prednisone and cyclosporine (CyA) (n = 9). RESULTS: In the AZA group Tyndall score decreased from 1.21 +/- 1.10 to 0.29 +/- 0.62 (p < .01), and visual acuity (LogMAR) improved from 0.32 +/- 0.35 to 0.09 +/- 0.16 (p < .001). In the CyA group Tyndall score decreased from 1.67 +/- 1.08 to 0.16 +/- 0.51 (p < .001), and visual acuity improved from 0.41 +/- 0.40 to 0.25 +/- 0.42 (p < .001). Patients in the AZA group needed a significantly higher average prednisone dose and total cumulative dose than those in the CyA group, p < .01 for each comparison. CONCLUSIONS: Both regimens showed a good clinical efficacy, but CyA seems to be a better glucocorticoid-sparing agent than AZA.

Desprendimiento retinal pseudofáquico experiencia de la fundación oftalmológica los Andes / Pseudophakic retinal detachment fundación oftalmológica los Andes experience

Objetivo: Evaluar resultados anatómicos y funcionales de 89 pacientes con desprendimiento retinal pseudofáquico (DRP) operados en la Fundación con diversas técnicas. Determinar principales factores de riesgo de DRP en este grupo. Método: Estudio retrospectivo de 93 ojos de 89 pacientes con DRP operados entre enero 2000 y abril de 2002. Protocolo de datos del paciente, factores de riesgo, características fundoscópicas. Técnicas quirúrgicas, visión final y complicaciones. Resultados: Grupo de predominio masculino, de 57 años promedio. Principal factor de riesgo fue la rotura capsular intraoperatoria (42 por ciento). Técnica de elección fue vitrectomía pars plana en 96 por ciento. Éxito anatómico primario de 80 por ciento, y de 97,8 por ciento con dos o más cirugías. Agudeza visual final promedio de 0,25 Snellen. Conclusión: Resultados anatómicos y funcionales comparables a otras series publicadas. La vitrectomía es la técnica de elección por la posibilidad de superar las dificultades quirúrgicas asociadas a la condición de pseudofaquia.