Rationale and Design of VOYAGER: Long-term Outcomes of Faricimab and Port Delivery System with Ranibizumab for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Macular Edema in Clinical Practice.

Purpose: To describe the rationale and design of the VOYAGER (NCT05476926) study, which aims to investigate the safety and effectiveness of faricimab and the Port Delivery System with ranibizumab (PDS) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) or diabetic macular edema (DME) in clinical practice. VOYAGER also aims to understand drivers of clinical practice treatment outcomes by gaining novel insight into the intersection of treatment regimens, decisions, anatomic outcomes, and vision. Design: Primary data collection, noninterventional, prospective, multinational, multicenter clinical practice study. Participants: At least 5000 patients initiating/continuing faricimab or PDS for nAMD/DME (500 sites, 31 countries). Methods: Management will be per usual care, with no mandated scheduled visits/imaging protocol requirements. Using robust methodologies, relevant clinical and ophthalmic data, including visual acuity (VA), and data on treatment clinical setting/regimens/philosophies, presence of anatomic features, and safety events will be collected. Routinely collected fundus images will be uploaded to the proprietary Imaging Platform for analysis. An innovative investigator interface will graphically display the patient treatment journey with the aim of optimizing treatment decisions. Main Outcome Measures: Primary end point: VA change from baseline at 12 months per study cohort (faricimab in nAMD and in DME, PDS in nAMD). Secondary end points: VA change over time and per treatment regimens (fixed, treat-and-extend, pro re nata, and other) and number. Exploratory end points: VA change in relation to presence/location of anatomic features that impact vision (fluid, central subfield thickness, fibrosis, atrophy, subretinal hyperreflective material, diabetic retinopathy severity, and disorganization of retinal inner layers) and per treatment regimen/philosophies. The impact of regional and practice differences on outcomes will be assessed as will safety. Results: Recruitment commenced in November 2022 and will continue until late 2027, allowing for up to 5 years follow-up. Exploratory interim analyses are planned annually. Conclusions: VOYAGER is an innovative study of retinal diseases that will assess the effectiveness and safety of faricimab and PDS in nAMD and DME and identify clinician- and disease-related factors driving treatment outcomes in clinical practices globally to help optimize vision outcomes. Financial Disclosures: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Intraocular foreign body: Characteristics, visual outcomes, and predictive values of ocular trauma score.

Introduction: Retained intraocular foreign body (IOFB) remains an important cause of acquired visual impairment. The visual prognosis following treatments for eyes with retained IOFB was observed to be distinct from other mechanisms of open globe injury due to the specific nature and associated circumstances. This study evaluated the risk behaviors, visual results, and predictive values of Ocular Trauma Score (OTS) in determining visual outcomes in patients with IOFB that were not related to terrorism. Methods: Medical records of patients who underwent surgical interventions between January 2015 and December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: A total of one hundred and sixty-one patients (162 eyes) were recruited. The patients had a mean (standard deviation) age of 47.6 (14.0) years with working male predominance (93.2%). The majority of patients were injured by activities related to grass trimming (63.4%) and metallic objects were the main materials causing injuries (75.7%). Following treatments, the proportion of eyes having vision worse than 20/400 decreased from 126 eyes (77.8%) to 55 eyes (33.9%) at final visit. Ocular trauma score (OTS) had a high potential prediction for final vision in eyes in OTS categories 4 and 5. However, the discordance of final visual acuity distribution was observed in some subgroups of eyes in OTS categories 1 to 3. Conclusion: This study highlights the significance of IOFB related eye injuries in a tertiary care setting. Decision making on treatments should be carefully considered, particularly in eyes in lower OTS categories, in light of a rise in the proportion of patients who experience improved vision after IOFB removal.

COVID-19 reduced scleral buckling training in fellows and shifted young ophthalmologists' preference toward vitrectomy: An Asia-Pacific survey.

BACKGROUND: To assess rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) surgery trends and training among young ophthalmologists (YOs, vitreoretinal fellows or attendings/consultants with ≤10 years of independent practice) and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was completed by 117 YOs in the Asia-Pacific regarding their RRD surgery experiences in 2021-2022. RESULTS: To achieve a 90% probability of surgical competency, 91 vitrectomy and 34 scleral buckling (SB) completions during fellowship were needed. In total, 49 (41.9%) YOs had fellowship affected by COVID-19. In the COVID versus pre-COVID era, however, the volume of SB completions per fellowship year decreased significantly (median [IQR] 3.3 [1.5, 9] vs. 13 [6.5, 23]; p < 0.001) and was lower than the required volume to achieve competency. YOs were less confident in conducting SB versus vitrectomy (3.5 ± 1.1 vs. 4.2 ± 0.8, p < 0.001), and they reported a decrease in the proportion of SB (-3.1%, p = 0.047) and an increase in the proportion of vitrectomy (+4.8%, p < 0.001) after the pandemic outbreak. Apart from RRD clinical characteristics, surgical confidence is among the main factors that affect surgical method decisions. During the pandemic, more YOs may have avoided SB due to the need for general anaesthesia, leading to longer surgical time and risk of viral transmission during intubation/extubation. CONCLUSIONS: SB surgical exposure is suboptimal in most fellowship programs in the 11 Asia-Pacific countries/regions we surveyed and further declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. YOs are less confident in performing SB, leading to a trend toward primary vitrectomy since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Clinical and Microbiological Manifestations of Endogenous Endophthalmitis in Tertiary Care Hospital, Northern Thailand.

PURPOSE: To determine the characteristics, primary sources, pathogens, risk factors, and visual outcomes in patients with endogenous endophthalmitis (EE). METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 61 consecutive patients with EE (74 affected eyes) and reported on prevalence, clinical courses, prognostic factors and visual outcomes. RESULTS: Prevalence of EE was 5% of all patients with endophthalmitis. Among culture-positive cases (89%), Gram-positive species dominating (69%) followed by Gram-negative with 22% and fungal species with 9%. Regarding to visual outcomes, the mean visual acuity (VA, ETDRS letters) at baseline, 3-months, 6-months and 1-year follow-up was 0.85, 9, 8 and 9, respectively. Initial VA of hand movement or better (P 0.007) and bilateral infection (P 0.004) were associated with better visual outcome. CONCLUSION: The prognosis for EE remained poor despite aggressive and immediate treatment. The high suspicion, early diagnosis and prompt treatment are important factors that might lead to the better outcome.

Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy: Updates on Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and Treatments.

There have been recent advances in basic research and clinical studies in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). A recent, large-scale, population-based study found systemic factors, such as male gender and smoking, were associated with PCV, and a recent systematic review reported plasma C-reactive protein, a systemic biomarker, was associated with PCV. Growing evidence points to an association between pachydrusen, recently proposed extracellular deposits associated with the thick choroid, and the risk of development of PCV. Many recent studies on diagnosis of PCV have focused on applying criteria from noninvasive multimodal retinal imaging without requirement of indocyanine green angiography. There have been attempts to develop deep learning models, a recent subset of artificial intelligence, for detecting PCV from different types of retinal imaging modality. Some of these deep learning models were found to have high performance when they were trained and tested on color retinal images with corresponding images from optical coherence tomography. The treatment of PCV is either a combination therapy using verteporfin photodynamic therapy and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), or anti-VEGF monotherapy, often used with a treat-and-extend regimen. New anti-VEGF agents may provide more durable treatment with similar efficacy, compared with existing anti-VEGF agents. It is not known if they can induce greater closure of polypoidal lesions, in which case, combination therapy may still be a mainstay. Recent evidence supports long-term follow-up of patients with PCV after treatment for early detection of recurrence, particularly in patients with incomplete closure of polypoidal lesions.

Open Globe Injury in a Tertiary Hospital of Northern Thailand: No Vision Survival and Ocular Trauma Score.

Purpose: To determine characteristics and factors associated with no vision survival (included no light perception, enucleation, and evisceration) following open globe injury (OGI) and to correlate the proportion of final vision to predictive values of ocular trauma score (OTS). Patients and Methods: The medical records of consecutive patients diagnosed as OGI between January 2015 and December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included demographics, mechanisms and modes of injuries, ophthalmic presentations, managements, and visual outcomes at the final visit. Results: Three hundred and seventy-one patients with a mean (standard deviation, SD) age of 44.0 (17.4) years were included. Male with workplace injury was the most frequent scenario. High-velocity metallic objects were the predominant causative materials. Following treatments, fifty-six eyes (14.9%) obtained no vision survival. Factors associated with no vision survival following OGI were low presenting vision, globe perforation, larger wound, presence of relative afferent pupillary defect, retinal detachment, and vitreous hemorrhage. Compared to OTS predictive values, eyes in OTS categories 1 and 2 had a lower proportion of no vision survival. Conclusion: This study identified the importance of workplace injuries. Overall, there were comparable final visions between OTS and this study. However, a reduced proportion of no vision survival among severely injured eyes signifies the challenges of OGI management.

Pars plana vitrectomy and subretinal tissue plasminogen activator for large exudative submacular hemorrhage: a case series.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate anatomical and functional outcomes of patients with large submacular hemorrhage (SMH) who treated by pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in combination with subretinal tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) injection, intraocular gas tamponade, and with additional post-operative interventions. METHODS: Medical records of 9 patients who presented with large SMH secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and underwent PPV, subretinal TPA injection, and gas tamponade at Chiang Mai university hospital between January 2012 and January 2020 were reviewed. Collected data included preoperative visual acuity (VA), SMH extent and duration, intraoperation and post-operation complications, post-operative anatomical and VA responses, and the need for administer post-operation additional treatments. RESULTS: Overall, five patients were male and four patients were female with a mean (SD) age of 66.9 (7.7) years and a mean (SD) follow-up of 21.1 (16.1) months. A mean (SD) duration of SMH was 15.1 (10.9) days with a mean (SD) extent of SMH was 6.2 (3.4) disc diameters. At 1-month post-operation, complete SMH displacement was noted in eight (88.9%) patients. The mean (SD) VA significantly improved from LogMAR 1.9 (0.4) to 1.1 (0.4), (P = 0.004). During follow-up, eight patients (88.9%) were given additional therapy (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) monotherapy, photodynamic therapy, or in combination). At final follow-up, a mean (SD) LogMAR VA of 0.9 (0.4) was significantly improved compared to baseline (P = 0.004). For intra- and post-operation complications, none developed intraoperative retinal break and retinal detachment. CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy with subretinal TPA injection, intraocular gas tamponade, and additional post-operation treatments provide benefit for anatomical and visual outcomes for patients with large SMH. It may consider as one of effective treatment in this group of patients.

Optical Coherence Tomography Features for Identifying Posttreatment Complete Polypoidal Regression in Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy.

PURPOSE: To determine accuracy and relative risk (RR) of posttreatment optical coherence tomography (OCT) features in identifying complete or incomplete polypoidal regression in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). DESIGN: Validity analysis. METHODS: Treatment-naive PCV eyes undergoing OCT and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) at baseline and posttreatment were included. Two graders confirmed diagnosis and identified posttreatment complete or incomplete regression on ICGA. Two other graders classified OCT characteristics of pigment epithelial detachment (PED) (polypoidal lesion) based on 5 prespecified features: "A," no PED; "B," PED with internal homogeneous reflectivity with predominant "BUN" (blended retinal pigment epithelium with underlying structure) sign; "C," PED with internal homogeneous reflectivity with minimal "BUN"; "D," heterogeneous PED; and "E," PED with hyporeflectivity. RESULTS: Among 130 polypoidal lesions (65 pretreatment and 65 posttreatment) of 39 PCV eyes (39 patients; 54% female; mean age±SD: 64.6±8.2), all pretreatment lesions showed feature D on OCT. Posttreatment lesions with complete regression (31 lesions) showed OCT features A, B, C, D, and E in 32%, 45%, 13%, 10%, and 0%, respectively. Posttreatment lesions with incomplete regression (34 lesions) showed OCT features A, B, C, D, and E in 0%, 6%, 15%, 79%, and 0%, respectively. Presence of either feature A or B had highest accuracy (86%; 95% confidence interval: 75%-93%); 77% sensitivity; 94% specificity; RR 5.0 (3.5-7.1, P<0.001) for complete regression. Presence of feature D had highest accuracy (85%; 95% confidence interval: 74%-92%); 79% sensitivity; 90% specificity; RR 4.6 (3.0-6.9, P<0.001) for incomplete regression. CONCLUSIONS: Without ICGA, OCT features could provide high accuracy in identifying posttreatment complete or incomplete polypoidal regression in PCV.

Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy Based on Non-ICGA Criteria in White Patients With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

PURPOSE: To determine prevalence of probable polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) among White patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) using non-indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) criteria DESIGN: Multicenter, multinational, retrospective, cross-sectional study. METHODS: A total of 208 treatment-naive eyes from Hispanic and non-Hispanic White individuals diagnosed with nAMD were included. All underwent color fundus photography (CFP), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography (FFA). De-identified images of study eyes were sent to 2 groups of graders. Group 1 reviewed CFP, OCT, and FFA to confirm nAMD diagnosis. Group 2 reviewed CFP and OCT to determine highly suggestive features for PCV. Probable PCV diagnosis defined as the presence of ≥2 of 4 highly suggestive features for PCV: notched or fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment (PED) on CFP, sharply-peaked PED, notched PED, and hyperreflective ring on OCT. RESULTS: Eleven eyes were excluded because of poor image quality (6) or non-nAMD diagnosis (5). Of 197 eligible eyes (197 patients), the mean age (SD) was 78.8 years (8.9), 44.2% were men, 26.4% were Hispanic, and 73.6% were non-Hispanic White individuals; 41.1%, 23.4%, 9.1%, and 2.5% had ≥1, ≥2, ≥3, and 4 highly suggestive features. Results showed that 23.4% (95% CI, 17.6%-29.9%) had probable PCV diagnosis. Predominantly occult CNV was more frequently found in probable PCV than nAMD subgroup (84.8% vs 64.9%, P = .01). Hispanic White individuals had a lower prevalence of probable PCV than non-Hispanic White individuals (9.6% vs 28.2%, P = .006) CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that probable PCV occurs between 17.6% and 29.9% in White individuals with nAMD, and more commonly in non-Hispanic than in Hispanic White individuals.

Reference Database of Inner Retinal Layer Thickness and Thickness Asymmetry in Healthy Thai Adults as Measured by the Spectralis Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

INTRODUCTION: The study aimed to determine a reference database of the thickness and intraocular thickness asymmetry of total retina, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), and inner plexiform layer (IPL) in healthy Thai subjects measured by the Spectralis spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited the healthy subjects age ≥18 years, having spherical refraction within ±6 diopters and cylindrical refraction ±3 diopters, from a hospital's personnel and the people visiting the ophthalmology department. Only 1 eye of each subject was randomly selected for an analysis. Macular images were obtained using posterior pole thickness scan protocol over a 24° × 24° area at the center of the fovea. The automated retinal thickness segmentation values of total retina and three inner retinal layers were calculated for the mean and the mean intraocular thickness difference between superior and inferior retinal hemispheres. The influence of age, gender, and axial length on thickness and thickness asymmetry of individualized retinal layer was evaluated. RESULTS: 252 subjects were included in study with a mean (SD) age of 46.7 (15.8) years, and 120 (47.6%) were males. According to the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study map, the inner ring area was the thickest location of the total retina (range; 326.0-341.5 µm), GCL (range; 47.7-52.7 µm), and IPL (range; 39.9-42.1 µm), whereas the thickest location of RNFL was at the outer ring area (range; 18.8-47.5 µm). For posterior pole intraocular thickness asymmetry, the greatest mean ± SD difference was observed for total retina (9.0 ± 2.2 µm), followed by RNFL (9.9 ± 3.2 µm) and GCL (2.7 ± 0.6 µm), and the lowest mean difference was noted for IPL (2.4 ± 0.5 µm). The thickness and thickness asymmetry of each retinal layer were variably influenced by age, gender, and axial length; however, these factors had a minimal influence on the thickness asymmetry maps of GCL and RNFL. CONCLUSION: The reference database of the macular thickness and thickness asymmetry from this study would be beneficial in determining physiologic variations of the OCT parameters in the healthy Thai population.

Idiopathic Epiretinal Membranes: Visual Outcomes and Prognostic Factors

Objectives: To evaluate the associations between anatomical changes and visual outcomes in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). Materials and Methods: We performed a prospective study of 130 consecutive idiopathic ERM patients and report their visual outcomes and the factors associated with visual outcome and anatomical changes. Results: Of 130 eyes of 130 patients, 87 eyes underwent surgery, while the remaining 43 eyes were observed. At 6-month follow-up, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) increased in the whole population. Mean Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letter score changed from 51 to 65 in the surgical group and from 67 to 68 in the non-surgical group. The surgical group had improvement in BCVA at all ERM stages and grades of disorganization of the retinal inner layers (DRIL) (p<0.01). In multivariable analysis of the surgical group, factors associated with BCVA of ETDRS 60 letters or more were no or mild DRIL and the absence of ellipsoid zone disruption at baseline (p=0.002 and p=0.034, respectively) and this statistically significant positive correlation was still maintained at 12-month follow-up. Conclusion: Baseline DRIL grade and presence of ellipsoid zone disruption were the most informative prognostic factors in patients with idiopathic ERMs. Patients with severe DRIL and/or advanced ERMs had improved vision after ERM removal.

Timing of Complete Polypoidal Regression after Intravitreous Aflibercept Treatments in Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy.

PURPOSE: To understand timing of complete polypoidal regression on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) after aflibercept injections for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). DESIGN: Multicenter prospective study. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with treatment-naïve PCV. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, participants were enrolled and followed up for 1 year, from Apr 1, 2016, through Dec 30, 2018, at 2 university-based centers in Thailand. Diagnosis of PCV was based on the Efficacy and Safety of Verteporfin Photodynamic Therapy in Combination with Ranibizumab or Alone versus Ranibizumab Monotherapy in Patients with Symptomatic Macular Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy criteria. Eligible eyes received fixed-dose aflibercept injections (3 monthly then every 8 weeks), or monthly if fluid persisted on OCT. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was administered when fluid persisted despite 6 consecutive injections. Indocyanine green angiography was performed at baseline and then every 8 weeks. The 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) was administered at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year. Two retina specialists reviewed posttreatment ICGA, categorized into: complete regression (complete disappearance of polypoidal lesions), partial regression (reduced in size or number), or no regression. Disagreements were resolved through open adjudication. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Timing of complete regression over 1 year. RESULTS: Final analysis included 40 eyes (39 participants; 100% Thai, 59% women; mean age±standard deviation, 64 ± 8.3 years). At baseline, 90% had 5 or more polypoidal lesions. Ninety-five percent received aflibercept monotherapy, and 5% received rescue PDT per protocol. Polypoidal statuses at 1 year were 55% complete, 40% partial, and 5% no regression. Cumulative rates of complete regression at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months were 28%, 33%, 43%, and 55%. Of 22 eyes with complete regression at 1 year, complete regression was identified first at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 months in 50%, 9%, 18%, 5%, 9%, and 9%, respectively. Cumulative rates of complete regression among these eyes at 2, 6, and 12 months were 50%, 77%, and 100%, respectively. Median duration of complete regression was 3 months (interquartile range, 2-6 months). Median visual acuity improved from 20/125 (Snellen equivalent) to 20/50; median NEI VFQ-25 scores improved from 80 to 93 from baseline to 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Complete polypoidal regression could occur as early as 2 months after aflibercept injections. Most PCV eyes with complete polypoidal regression at 1 year already showed complete regression within the first 6 months. These findings support consideration of aflibercept for PCV to achieve both anatomic and visual outcomes.

Visual acuity and anatomical changes following vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane foveoschisis: a case series.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the visual outcome and macular anatomic structures on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) of patients with epiretinal membrane (ERM) foveoschisis who underwent vitrectomy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort, interventional, case series. PARTICIPANTS: Fourteen patients (14 eyes) with central vision loss from an ERM foveoschisis underwent vitrectomy at Chiang Mai University Hospital from 2017 to 2018 and had a follow-up period of 12 months. INTERVENTIONS: The 23G vitrectomy with ERM and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling was performed by a single surgeon. MAIN OUTCOMES: Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and anatomic appearance on SD-OCT were assessed at the time of preoperative evaluations and post-operative follow-ups at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: Fourteen patients with a mean (SD) age of 67.9 (7.9) years and a mean (SD) visual acuity (VA) of 0.6 (0.1) LogMAR units were included in this study. Significant VA improvements were observed at the 3-month (0.43 (0.14) LogMAR unit), 6-month (0.45 (0.16) LogMAR unit) and 12-month (0.37 (0.21) LogMAR unit) post-operative visits compared to baseline, all with P-values < 0.001. At month 12, there were vision improvements of ≥3 lines in 8 (57.2%) patients, vision improvements of 1 or 2 lines in 2 (14.3%) patients, vision remained at the same line of pre-operation in 3 (21.4%) patients, and vision decreased by 1 line in 1 (7.1%) patient. Regarding the anatomical outcomes, 13 (92.9%) patients achieved anatomical foveal restoration, while one had persistent intraretinal schisis at the 12-month follow-up. The median time to achieve a foveal restoration was 3 months. No significant visual impairments were observed post-operatively. CONCLUSION: In patients with central vision loss from ERM foveoschisis, vitrectomy with ILM stripping tended to improve both visual and anatomical outcomes.

Treat-and-Extend Regimens for the Management of Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration and Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy: Consensus and Recommendations From the Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society.

PURPOSE: Review and provide consensus recommendations on use of treat-and-extend (T&E) regimens for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) management with relevance for clinicians in the Asia-Pacific region. METHODS: A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases, and abstract databases of the Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society, European Society of Retina Specialists, American Academy of Ophthalmology, and Controversies in Ophthalmology: Asia-Australia congresses, was conducted to assess evidence for T&E regimens in nAMD. Only studies with ≥100 study eyes were included. An expert panel reviewed the results and key factors potentially influencing the use of T&E regimens in nAMD and PCV, and subsequently formed consensus recommendations for their application in the Asia-Pacific region. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies were included. Studies demonstrated that T&E regimens with aflibercept, ranibizumab, or bevacizumab in nAMD, and with aflibercept in PCV, were efficacious and safe. The recommendation for T&E is, after ≥3 consecutive monthly loading doses, treatment intervals can be extended by 2 to 4 weeks up to 12 to 16 weeks. When disease activity recurs, the recommendation is to reinject and shorten intervals by 2 to 4 weeks until fluid resolution, after which treatment intervals can again be extended. Intraretinal fluid should be treated until resolved; however, persistent minimal subretinal fluid after consecutive treatments may be tolerated with treatment intervals maintained or extended if the clinical condition is stable. CONCLUSIONS: T&E regimens are efficacious and safe for nAMD and PCV, can reduce the number of visits, and minimize the overall burden for clinicians and patients.

Risk factors and outcomes of post-traumatic endophthalmitis: a retrospective single-center study.

BACKGROUND: To describe the epidemiology, characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes of post-traumatic endophthalmitis. MAIN BODY: Medical records of consecutive open globe injury patients admitted and primarily treated between January 2006 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were defined as having or not having associated endophthalmitis. Data of demographics, injury characteristics, clinical presentations, and visual outcomes were collected. The potential risks and significant factors for visual outcomes of post-traumatic endophthalmitis were determined. There were 591 patients included in this study. Among these, 118 patients were clinically diagnosed as having accompanied endophthalmitis. Higher proportions of intraocular foreign body (IOFB) (55.1% vs. 27.3%) and injury related to high-velocity objects (55.9% vs. 32.6%) were noted in patients with endophthalmitis compared to patients without endophthalmitis. Anterior wound location (odds ratio [OR], 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1 to 3.7; P = 0.020), presence of IOFB (OR, 1.9; 95% CI 1.2 to 3.0; P = 0.005), and delayed presentation of > 24 h (OR, 3.9; 95% CI 2.3 to 6.4; P < 0.001) were significant risk factors for associated endophthalmitis. Final visual acuity (VA) of the overall population improved significantly from 2.4 (0.6) logMAR to 1.4 (0.1) logMAR, P < 0.001, however, patients in the endophthalmitis group achieved a worse final VA than the non-endophthalmitis group (66.1% vs. 43.5%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: High proportions of post-traumatic endophthalmitis patients had subsequent poor visual outcomes. Therefore, safety and protective measurements, especially when performing activities related to high-velocity objects, and the institution of prophylactic antibiotics in high-risk groups should be promptly considered to reduce the incidence.

Factors associated with 1-year visual response following intravitreal bevacizumab treatment for diabetic macular edema: a retrospective single center study.

BACKGROUND: To explore the association of clinical characteristics and retinal microstructural features on optical coherence tomography in predicting 1-year visual response following intravitreal bevacizumab injections in eyes with visual impairment from center-involved diabetic macular edema (CI-DME). METHODS: Medical records of patients with visual impairment from CI-DME, who initiated intravitreal bevacizumab injections between Jan 2012 and Dec 2016 and were followed for a minimum of 12 months were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The study included 226 eyes with a mean (SD) baseline visual acuity (VA) of 51.8 (19.1) letters. At week 12, following the three initial treatments, a mean (SD) VA improved to 61.7 (17.8) letters. Visual gain ≥ 10 letters was observed in 109 eyes (48.2%), while a limited early visual gain < 5 letters was noted in 80 eyes (35.4%). At one year, 110 eyes (48.7%) achieved a good VA gain ≥ 10 letters. In addition, eyes with poor baseline VA had a higher proportion of eyes that obtained limited early VA gained at week 12 (< 5 letters) and maintained in this visual response category at moth 12 compared to eyes with better baseline VA (74.1% versus 59.1%). In the multivariable logistic regression, the following factors reduced the probability of 1-year visual gain ≥ 10 letters: elderly (p = 0.040), better baseline vision (p = 0.001), and limited early visual gain < 5 letters at week 12 (p < 0.001). In multivariable linear regression, male (p = 0.010) and eyes with the presence of hyperreflective foci on baseline OCT (p = 0.010) were likely to have higher VA improvement. However, eyes with better baseline VA (p = 0.002), limited early VA gain at week 12 (p < 0.001), and a presence of EZ disruption at week 12 (p = 0.002) were likely to have less VA improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Although bevacizumab is considered as effective management for CI-DME, variability in treatment responses is expected. This study revealed that baseline characteristics and visual responses at week 12 might help predict the long-term treatment response. Eyes with characteristics at risk of limited long-term visual outcome may require attention in optimizing their individual treatment strategies.

GRAding of functional and anatomical response to DExamethasone implant in patients with Diabetic Macular Edema: GRADE-DME Study.

To analyze functional and anatomical response patterns to dexamethasone (DEX) implant in diabetic macular edema (DME), to describe proportion of responders and non-responders, and to propose a new DME grading system. Retrospective, multicenter, observational cohort study. Naïve and non-naïve DME patients were treated with DEX, with visual acuity (VA) ≥ 0.2 logMAR and central subfield thickness (CST) of ≥ 300 µm. Functional and anatomical responses were graded after 2 and 4 months, and categorized as early and stable improvement, early and progressive improvement, pendular response, delayed improvement, and persistent non-response. 417 eyes were included (175 treatment naïve eyes). Compared to non-naïve eyes, naïve eyes showed a very good functional response (VA gain ≥ 10 letters) more frequently after 2 and 4 months (56% and 57% [naïve] vs. 33% and 28% [non-naïve], p < 0.001). A VA gain < 5 letters (non-response) after 2 and 4 months was seen in 18% and 16% of naïve eyes, and in 49% and 53% of non-naïve eyes (p < 0.001). A lack of anatomical response was rare in both groups, but more frequently in non-naïve eyes (12% vs. 4%, p = 0.003). Functionally and anatomically, naïve eyes showed most frequently an early and stable improvement (functionally: 77/175 44%; anatomically: 123/175 eyes, 70%). Most non-naïve eyes experienced no significant improvement functionally (97/242 eyes, 40%), despite a mostly early and stable improvement anatomical response pattern (102/242 eyes, 42%). Functional but not anatomical response patterns were influenced by baseline VA. Naïve and non-naïve eyes show different functional and anatomical response patterns to DEX implant. Functional non-responders are rare in naïve eyes, whereas anatomical non-response is unusual in both groups.

Intravitreal Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy for Diabetic Macular Edema in Clinical Practice of Single Center: Three-Year Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to explore visual and anatomical outcomes in patients who underwent intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injection for visual impairment from center-involved diabetic macular edema (CI-DME) in clinical practice. METHODS: Medical records of consecutive CI-DME patients who initiated treatment with intravitreal bevacizumab injection between January 2012 and December 2016 and were followed for at least 12 months were retrospectively reviewed. Visual and anatomical changes after treatment over a 36-month period were evaluated. RESULTS: There were 286 patients (423 eyes) with a mean (standard deviation, SD) age of 56.8 (8.5) years included in this study. One hundred and forty-six (51%) patients were female, and 137 (47.9%) patients received bilateral eye treatment. Mean (SD) presenting visual acuity (VA) of overall eyes was 50.2 (19.6) letter scores. Stratified by baseline vision, eyes with initial VA worse than 20/40 achieved a statistically significant VA improvement, compared to baseline, by +8.4, +6.9, and +5.4 letters at 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively, with all p values <0.001. However, when initial VA was 20/40 and better, a non-statistically significant change in mean VA by +2.0, -3.5, and -3.6 letters were noted at the same time point (p value between 0.078 and 0.273). Unlike visual changes, a statistically significant decline in central subfield thickness compared to baseline was noted at the end of months 12, 24, and 36 in both initial VA subgroups (all p values <0.001). Nevertheless, even though the median number of given injections considerably decreased from 6 in the first 12 months to 2 in the second 12-month period and 1 in the final 12-month interval, required ophthalmic clinic visits decreased in frequency with median numbers of 10, 7, and 6 appointments in each consecutive 12-month duration. CONCLUSION: This study supports the benefits of practical intravitreal anti-VEGF utilization to manage CI-DME in real-world settings. The improvement of vision in eyes presenting with poor baseline VA and maintenance of vision in eyes with better baseline VA were demonstrated through the 3-year review of each case. However, the burden of frequent monitoring warrants further evaluation of long-term compliance and efficacy.

Trends in occupational-related open globe injury presenting to a tertiary referral centre of Northern Thailand.

PURPOSE: To determine characteristics of occupational-related open globe injury (OGI) in a tertiary referral centre within an agricultural activity endemic area. METHODS: The medical records of patients diagnosed as open globe injury received during work and admitted to Chiang Mai University Hospital, Thailand from January 2006 to December 2016, were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Six hundred and fifteen patients were included in this analysis with a mean (SD) age of 44.6 (14.1) years and a median (IQR) follow-up of 6.5 (2.5 to 17) months. Males were predominant (92%). The highest risk groups were patients in the age range of 40 to 59 years (52%). The common locations of injuries were gardening/farming (52%) followed by work at construction/industrial site (32%). Over the study period, there was an increasing proportion of intraocular foreign body (IOFB), while the proportion of penetrating injuries decreased (p = 0.001). An increasing frequency of injuries from mowing were noted (p = 0.003). Types of injury also varied in different working settings as follows: while higher proportion of penetrating OGI occurred at the office (86%), IOFB occurred more frequently at gardening/farming site (59%). Work setting did not influence either the initial visual acuity (VA) (p = 0.53) or the final VA (p = 0.73). Significant improvements in final VA were demonstrated across all work settings, but 46% of patients still had a final visual acuity worse than 20/400. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of occupational-related OGI in this study were related to agricultural work. A high incidence of injuries during mowing and a high frequency of IOFB should be considered when discussing guidelines and public recognition should be raised regarding safety protective measures at work.

Latest Developments in Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy: Epidemiology, Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment.

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a condition characterized by multiple, recurrent, serosanguineous pigment epithelial detachments, and neurosensory retinal detachments due to abnormal aneurysmal neovascular lesions. It is generally considered as a variant of neovascular age-related macular degeneration, but there are some differences between the clinical presentation, natural history, and treatment response between patients with PCV and typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration patients. Over the past decade, new research and technological advancements have greatly improved our understanding of the PCV disease process and the management of PCV. This review aims to summarize the recent research findings to highlight the epidemiology, pathogenesis, genetics, the application of various diagnostic tools for PCV, and the available treatment options for PCV.