Survey of Retina Specialists' Attitudes and Practice Patterns of Screening and Management of Candida Endophthalmitis.

PURPOSE: To understand retina specialists' attitudes and practice patterns for screening for and managing Candida endophthalmitis and any impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these practice patterns. METHODS: A survey was developed on Survey Monkey and distributed to ASRS regular members via email in April 2021. RESULTS: The survey had 231 respondents, of whom 169 (73%) performed inpatient consultations. Ninety percent responded that they do not recommend routinely screening asymptomatic patients with candidemia. For unresponsive patients with candidemia that lack visible signs of endophthalmitis, 65% did not recommend routine screening.However, 85% reported their affiliated hospitals did not have a policy to defer such screening consultations; this proportion did not significantly change when asked if a policy was implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.For patients with a dilated examination without signs of endophthalmitis, 89% surveyed recommended continuing systemic antifungals and reconsult PRN, while the remainder recommended repeat examinations until off antifungals. For initial management of Candida endophthalmitis, 55% indicated systemic antifungals only; 43% indicated systemic antifungals with tap & inject, and 2% indicated systemic antifungals with vitrectomy and intravitreal antifungals. CONCLUSION: A discordance exists between the prevailing opinion among retina specialists against routine Candida endophthalmitis screening and hospital consultation policies, which were not significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In cases of diagnosed endogenous endophthalmitis, slightly more than half of surveyed retina specialists would not initiate additional treatment beyond systemic antifungals while just under half surveyed recommended initial tap and inject in addition to systemic antifungals.

Long-Term Follow-Up of Retinal Detachment Repair in Patients With Stickler Syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To report the long-term anatomic and visual outcomes of patients with Stickler syndrome undergoing retinal detachment (RD) surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective, interventional, consecutive case series of patients with Stickler syndrome undergoing RD repair from 1999 to 2017 at the Long Island Vitreoretinal Consultants, New York. Retinal attachment status and visual acuity (VA) at 1-year and last follow-up were assessed. RESULTS: Successful reattachment was achieved in 28 of 29 eyes (97%) with an average of 2.3 surgeries (including silicone oil removal surgeries). Redetachment after the first surgery occurred in 13 eyes (45%). Mean Snellen VA at initial presentation, 1-year follow-up, and last follow-up were 20/289, 20/118 (P = .012), and 20/103 (P = .022), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomic success can be achieved in most eyes. However, redetachments are common, and multiple surgeries are often required. Reasonable visual recovery is possible in many eyes. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2020;51:612-616.].

Pars plana vitrectomy in the management of patients diagnosed with endophthalmitis following intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the possible benefit of pars plana vitrectomy in the treatment of patients with endophthalmitis following antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injection. METHOD: The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients in their practice with a diagnosis of endophthalmitis from January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2011. Only those with a clinical presentation consistent with endophthalmitis after intravitreal anti-VEGF injection were included. Clinical data that were collected and recorded included visual acuities and the method of initial and subsequent treatment of endophthalmitis following anti-VEGF injection: tap and injection of intravitreal antibiotics (TAP) and tap and inject with subsequent pars plana vitrectomy (VIT). RESULTS: The authors identified 23 patients meeting criteria. Nineteen patients had received bevacizumab and four patients had received ranibizumab. The median time from last injection to presentation was 4 days (range, 1-18 days) with a median follow-up of 15 months (range, 5-48 months) after being diagnosed of endophthalmitis. Nine patients had positive cultures. The median baseline visual acuity (preendophthalmitis) was 20/70 (range, 20/25 to counting fingers at 2 ft) with a median presenting visual acuity of counting fingers at 1 ft (range, 20/50 to light perception vision). Overall, 90% (9/10) of the patients in TAP only group regained visual acuity within 1 line or better of baseline versus 46% (6 of 13) in the TAP and VIT group. Only one of the patients treated with TAP alone suffered more than one line of visual acuity loss. CONCLUSION: Patients diagnosed with endophthalmitis after anti-VEGF intravitreal injection who underwent TAP regained baseline visual acuity more often than those who underwent TAP and VIT. This study did not support a benefit for VIT in all patients, rather only in those cases who warranted it because of worsening clinical course. The study suggests that TAP is a viable primary intervention for endophthalmitis after anti-VEGF injection.

Sutureless 25-gauge vitrectomy for retinal detachment repair in a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report the successful repair of retinal detachment in a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta with sutureless 25-gauge vitrectomy. METHODS: This was a single case report. RESULTS: A patient with osteogenesis imperfecta and a retinal detachment was successfully repaired without complication using 25-gauge vitrectomy with a final visual acuity of 20/20. CONCLUSION: In light of abnormal and thin sclera in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta, small-gauge sutureless vitrectomy should be considered for the repair of retinal detachment in this subset of patients.

Vision-related quality of life in persons with unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire.

AIM: To evaluate vision-related quality of life in persons with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25). DESIGN: Observational, cross-sectional, interviewer-administered study. METHODS: 46 patients with unilateral BRVO were included in this study. Scores on the VFQ-25 were analysed and converted to scaled scores per NEI VFQ-25 algorithms. Clinical data including age, gender, employment status, living arrangements, visual acuity, number of systemic diseases and duration of BRVO were also recorded. Subscale results were compared with previously published data, and subgroup analyses were performed. RESULTS: Mean adjusted subscale responses among BRVO patients were higher (except for ocular pain) than known averages in patients with diabetic retinopathy, central retinal vein occlusion, age-related macular degeneration and low vision, but lower than known averages in a reference group of people without ocular disease. Subscale responses correlated significantly with visual acuity in the involved eye. This observation held true in eight of 12 subscales, even in patients who maintained vision of 20/25 or better in the uninvolved eye. The General Health subscale and number of systemic diseases correlated significantly with both the General Vision and Peripheral Vision subscale scores. There was no correlation between subscale responses and age. CONCLUSIONS: BRVO is a retinal vascular disease that is associated with a decrease in vision-related quality of life as determined by the VFQ-25. A decrease in VFQ-25 score is correlated with involved eye visual acuity, even when good visual acuity is maintained in the uninvolved eye.

Visual outcome and bacterial sensitivity after methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-associated acute endophthalmitis.

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency, visual outcome, and bacterial sensitivity in cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-associated acute postoperative endophthalmitis occurring after cataract surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective, consecutive, observational case series. METHODS: Sixty-four cases of acute endophthalmitis occurring within six weeks after cataract surgery were identified over a three-year interval at a single vitreoretinal practice. Cases related to MRSA were studied and visual outcomes and bacterial sensitivities were recorded. RESULTS: Thirty-three of the 64 eyes were culture positive, and six of the 33 cases (18.2%) demonstrated MRSA infection. All six eyes were started on fluoroquinolone antibiotics two or three days before surgery. Corneal abnormalities were noted in five of the six cases (83.3%), ranging from wound infection to diffuse corneal opacification. Visual acuity at last follow-up was no light perception (NLP) in two eyes, hand movements in two eyes, and 20/30 or better in two eyes. One eye with NLP vision underwent enucleation within three days of presentation because of panophthalmitis and impending sepsis. All six organisms were sensitive in vitro to both gentamicin and vancomycin. No organism was sensitive to any fluoroquinolone antibiotic, although not all organisms were tested against all fluoroquinolones. CONCLUSIONS: MRSA infection accounts for 18% of culture-positive cases of endophthalmitis in this study and was associated with a poor visual outcome in two-thirds of our patients. MRSA organisms may be resistant in vitro to all generations of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, but do seem to be sensitive to gentamicin and vancomycin. The incidence of MRSA endophthalmitis seems to have increased significantly since the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study was published in 1996.

Retinal pigment epithelium tears after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (avastin) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

BACKGROUND: Intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA) treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has become an important part of clinical retinal practice. We describe retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tears that were noted after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. METHODS: In this multimember, retrospective case series, data on eyes that developed RPE tears after intravitreal bevacizumab injection were collected and analyzed. Previous treatments, type of lesion, time to tear, and preinjection and final visual acuities were all compared. The total numbers of bevacizumab injections were available from all four institutions and compiled to estimate the incidence rate. RESULTS: Four retina centers administered a total of 1,455 intravitreal 1.25-mg bevacizumab injections for neovascular AMD during the 9-month study period. Twelve patients presented with RPE tears within 4 days to 8 weeks of injection (mean +/- SD, 24.3 +/- 15.2 days from injection to tear). In each case, the RPE tear was preceded by an RPE detachment, and all had a component of serous sub-RPE fluid. On the basis of our collective data, we estimate an incidence rate of approximately 0.8%. CONCLUSIONS: RPE tears can occur after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. The low incidence of this adverse event should not preclude anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy counseling for patients with neovascular AMD, but eyes with serous RPE detachments appear to be most vulnerable to this adverse event.

Visual improvement following intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) in exudative age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: To study the visual and anatomic outcome of intravitreal bevacizumab injection in the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: Retrospective review of patients who received one or more intravitreal bevacizumab injections for exudative AMD. Outcome measures include standardized visual acuity, optical coherence tomography (OCT), macular thickness and volume, intraocular pressure, and blood pressure at 24 or more weeks follow-up. RESULTS: Fifty eyes of 48 patients were identified. Patients were observed for a median length of follow-up of 34 weeks (range, 24-50 weeks). Thirty-six eyes (72%) had prior treatment with pegaptanib (Macugen) and/or photodynamic therapy (PDT) and 14 eyes (28%) were treatment-naive. Mean visual acuity increased by 6.5 letters (P < 0.01) at 4 weeks and 5.3 letters (P < 0.01) at 24 weeks after initial bevacizumab injection. At 24 weeks, naive eyes had a mean increase of 14.2 letters (P < 0.001) and previously treated eyes had a mean increase of 2.8 letters (P = 0.06). Overall, mean OCT macular thickness and volume decreased by 73 micro m (P < 0.001) and 1.0 mm3 (P < 0.001) respectively at last follow-up. At last follow-up, all eyes received an average of 3.5 injections and experienced an average of 1.08 recurrences. There was no incidence of severe vision loss or adverse effect. CONCLUSION: Intravitreal bevacizumab has the potential for improvement in vision in both naive and previously treated eyes for at least 6 months. The benefit is more pronounced in eyes without prior pegaptanib and/or PDT.

Acute endophthalmitis in eyes treated prophylactically with gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin.

PURPOSE: To study the use of prophylactic fourth-generation fluoroquinolone antibiotics, gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin, and bacterial sensitivity in cases of acute postoperative endophthalmitis following cataract surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective, consecutive, observational case series. METHODS: Forty-two eyes of 42 patients with acute endophthalmitis occurring within six weeks after cataract surgery were identified. All patients were seen in a referral vitreoretinal practice over a two-year time interval. The number of patients using prophylactic gatifloxacin or moxifloxacin and results of bacterial culture and sensitivity to all fluoroquinolone antibiotics were recorded. RESULTS: Thirty-one of 42 eyes (74%) were treated with perioperative gatifloxacin or moxifloxacin and 24 eyes (57%) were continuously taking one of these antibiotics at the time of diagnosis. Nineteen eyes (45%) had a positive bacterial culture. The most frequent organism isolated was coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. Sensitivities were performed for 14 gram-positive organisms, and sensitivities to ciprofloxacin (50%), ofloxacin (44%), levofloxacin (46%), gatifloxacin (38%), and moxifloxacin (38%) were noted. Five organisms were resistant to gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 8 microg/ml. All gram-positive organisms were sensitive to vancomycin. Median visual acuity improved from hand motions to 20/40 at last follow-up. CONCLUSION: Acute endophthalmitis can develop after cataract surgery despite the prophylactic use of fourth-generation fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Gram-positive organisms causing acute endophthalmitis are frequently resistant to all fluoroquinolones, including a significant number of cases resistant to gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin.

Retinal tears and retinal detachment as factors affecting visual outcome after cataract extraction complicated by posteriorly dislocated lens material.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence and effect on visual acuity of complicating factors such as retinal tears (RTs) and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in eyes with posteriorly dislocated lens fragments after cataract extraction. METHODS: Retrospective consecutive series of patients presenting at a referral vitreoretinal practice with posteriorly dislocated lens material after cataract extraction over a period of 8 years. The presence of RT, RRD, endophthalmitis, and choroidal hemorrhage was noted, and their effect on visual outcome was studied. RESULTS: A total of 307 eyes with posteriorly dislocated lens material after cataract extraction were identified. Fifty-eight eyes (19%) were managed medically (Group I), whereas the other 249 eyes (81%) underwent pars plana vitrectomy for removal of the lens material (Group II). Indications for surgical management included uncontrolled inflammation, elevated intraocular pressure, and large lens fragments. No eyes in Group I developed RT or RRD. Of the 249 Group II eyes, 13 (5%) were found to have RT, and 25 (10%) developed RRD. In Group II, choroidal hemorrhage and endophthalmitis were noted in 12 (5%) and 4 (2%) eyes, respectively. Fifty-one (88%) of 58 eyes in Group I and 138 (55%) of 249 eyes in Group II achieved a final visual acuity of 20/40 or better. Seven (54%) of the 13 eyes with RT and 9 (36%) of the 25 eyes with RRD achieved a final visual acuity of 20/40 or better. In the RRD group, 9 (56%) of the 16 macula-on eyes achieved a final visual acuity of 20/40 or better, whereas none of the 9 macula-off eyes had a final visual acuity of 20/40 or better. None of the 4 eyes with endophthalmitis and only 1 (8%) of the 12 eyes with choroidal hemorrhage had a final visual acuity of 20/40 or better. Five (62%) of eight eyes with retinal detachment treated with pneumatic retinopexy needed further treatment with scleral buckle to achieve anatomical reattachment. CONCLUSION: A good visual outcome (20/40 or better) is possible in eyes with posteriorly dislocated lens fragments after cataract extraction, even when retinal tears or macula-on retinal detachment is present. The presence of a macula-off retinal detachment, however, has a significant adverse effect on the visual outcome. Pneumatic retinopexy is not associated with retinal reattachment in many cases and is not preferred.

Management of macular holes that develop after retinal detachment repair.

PURPOSE: To study the characteristics and management of macular holes that develop after prior rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD) repair. DESIGN: Retrospective, interventional, consecutive case series. METHODS: The setting was a clinical practice. The case records of all of our patients (n = 12) who developed a new full-thickness macular hole after prior RD repair over an 8-year period were examined. Patients who developed a macular hole after prior RD repair were offered either surgical repair of the macular hole or continued observation. For eyes that underwent macular hole repair, main outcome measures included macular attachment status and postoperative visual acuity. RESULTS: Twelve full-thickness macular holes were detected in a series of 2,380 eyes (0.5% prevalence), which had undergone surgery for prior primary RD. Ten macular holes developed after scleral buckling surgery, two after pneumatic retinopexy, and none were seen after primary vitrectomy. The fovea had been detached in 11 of the 12 eyes at the time of RD. The median time to macular hole diagnosis after RD repair was 3.4 months (range, 0.3-161 months). Eight of the eight eyes (100%) undergoing surgical repair achieved macular reattachment with a median of 3.5 lines of visual improvement at a median of 14.8 months of follow-up. Seven of these eight eyes had an improvement in visual acuity of at least 3 Snellen lines, and four of the eight had at least 20/40 visual acuity postoperatively. Four eyes with macular holes were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Macular holes developed in less than 1% of eyes that had previously undergone repair of rhegmatogenous RD. In our series, these atypical holes were seen predominantly after macula-off detachments, most commonly occurring after scleral buckling procedures. They were effectively repaired using conventional pars plana vitrectomy with long-acting gas tamponade and a variety of adjuvant therapies. A good visual outcome is possible with this approach.

Vision-related quality of life in people with central retinal vein occlusion using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: To study visual function and vision-related quality of life in persons with central retinal vein occlusion using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25). METHODS: Interviewer-administered study of persons with central retinal vein occlusion. Scores on the VFQ-25 were analyzed and converted to a 100-point scale in which 100 represents the best possible score and 0 represents the worst. Subscale results were compared with previously published data, and a subgroup analysis was performed. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients participated. The mean adjusted subscale responses were significantly lower than those from a reference group of patients without ocular disease but not significantly different from patients with diabetic retinopathy. Responses to the VFQ-25 correlated most strongly with visual acuity in the better-seeing eye, number of systemic medical conditions, and patients' opinions about their general health. Responses did not correlate with visual acuity in the involved eye. CONCLUSIONS: Central retinal vein occlusion is an ocular disease that is associated with a decreased vision-related quality of life as measured by the VFQ-25. A decrease in VFQ-25 scores is related to the degree of visual loss in the better-seeing eye and the overall systemic health of the patient.

Ischemic optic neuropathy as the first manifestation of elevated cholesterol levels in young patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between idiopathic nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and serum lipid levels in patients /= 240 mg/dl) with NAION was 3.3 (95% confidence interval, 1.4-7.8), and the likelihood increased when the comparison was restricted to nondiabetic patients. Diabetes mellitus was more common in cases than controls (P = 0.027), but systemic hypertension was not significantly different (P = 0.63). No patient (0 of 24) had a magnetic resonance imaging study consistent with optic neuritis or central nervous system demyelination. Visual improvement was uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that hypercholesterolemia is associated with NAION in younger patients. NAION may be the first manifestation of a lipid disorder, a previously unrecognized syndrome. These patients have experienced a focal, microvascular central nervous system ischemic event at a relatively young age. Aggressive treatment of lipid abnormalities in these patients may be warranted.

Recovery of visual function in patients with biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the visual function of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) who had visual loss from either anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) or central retinal artery occlusion and had a subsequent improvement in visual acuity after treatment with corticosteroids. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational case series. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two consecutive patients with biopsy-proven GCA treated at one institution between January 1992 and December 1997. INTERVENTION: Treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone 250 mg every 6 hours for 3 days, followed by oral prednisone 1 mg/kg daily for at least 4 weeks duration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The number of patients with an improvement in visual acuity after treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone; neuro-ophthalmic evaluation, including visual acuity, funduscopy, and visual field examination of these patients. RESULTS: Improvement in visual acuity occurred in 5 of 39 eyes (13%) with visual loss from biopsy-proven GCA, and all 5 patients had AION. Despite the improvement of visual acuity in these 5 patients, perimetry revealed marked constriction of the visual field in each affected eye. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis for visual improvement in GCA is poor. Although an improvement in visual acuity occurred in 5 of our patients, marked constriction of the visual field was present in all of them.

Intraoperative choroidal hemorrhage in the Osler-Rendu-Weber syndrome.

PURPOSE: To describe a patient with Osler-Rendu-Weber syndrome who developed a nonsimultaneous intraoperative choroidal hemorrhage in each eye. METHOD: Interventional case report. A 65-year-old Caucasian woman with Osler-Rendu-Weber syndrome developed a choroidal hemorrhage in the left eye during vitrectomy for a complicated retinal detachment with a poor visual outcome. Fifteen years later, she developed a macula on retinal detachment in the right eye, which also had a dense cataract. Immediately after uncomplicated phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation, under monitored anesthesia care and retrobulbar block, and without valsalva stress, ophthalmoscopy demonstrated a choroidal hemorrhage. A planned scleral buckle was replaced by pneumatic retinopexy. RESULTS: Seven months postoperatively, the retina remained attached with resolution of the choroidal hemorrhage. Visual acuity was 20/30. CONCLUSION: Choroidal hemorrhage may occur more commonly in individuals with Osler-Rendu-Weber syndrome. Recognition of this possible association and institution of appropriate intraoperative precautions may facilitate a good visual outcome.