A Posttraumatic Dilated, Proptotic Eye Does Not Always Need a Lateral Canthotomy! A Review of Superior Orbital Fissure Syndrome for Emergency Physicians.

BACKGROUND: Superior orbital fissure syndrome (SOFS) is a rare constellation of findings consisting of ophthalmoplegia, ptosis, a fixed dilated pupil, forehead anesthesia, and loss of the corneal reflex. This syndrome, though rare, is most often encountered in trauma with individuals sustaining a facial fracture. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a young woman who was diagnosed with SOFS after a fall in her house, hitting her face on a nightstand. Treatment consisted of high-dose i.v. steroids followed by a taper with close follow-up in the Ophthalmology clinic. We provide a brief review of SOFS, including treatment considerations and follow-up. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: SOFS can be easily overlooked in an individual presenting to the emergency department after facial trauma with proptosis. However, a thorough examination of the eye, visual acuity, and intraocular pressure will focus the physician on SOFS rather than the need for immediate decompression via lateral canthotomy. This report describes a traumatic cause of SOFS, the pathophysiology and treatment, and summarizes existing literature.

Patient Satisfaction with Oral versus Intravenous Sedation for Cataract Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: To determine whether patient satisfaction with oral sedation is noninferior to intravenous sedation for cataract surgery. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-masked clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: A volunteer sample of patients 18 years or older from diverse backgrounds scheduled for cataract surgery. Patients who were allergic to benzodiazepines, older than 70 years with a failed delirium screening questionnaire, pregnant or nursing, using a medication inhibiting cytochrome 450 3A, or intoxicated on the day of surgery were excluded. METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive either oral triazolam with intravenous placebo or intravenous midazolam with oral placebo before surgery. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: The primary outcome was patient satisfaction, measured by a survey administered on postoperative day 1. Secondary outcomes included surgeon and anesthesia provider satisfaction, need for supplemental anesthesia, and surgical complications. RESULTS: Among the 85 patients (42 men [49.4%]; mean age, 65.8 years; standard deviation, 9.5 years) completing the study, the mean satisfaction score was 5.34±0.63 (range, 3.75-6) in the oral sedation group and 5.40±0.52 (range, 4-6) in the intravenous group. With an a priori noninferiority margin of 0.5 and a difference in mean scores between the 2 groups of 0.06 (1-tailed 95% confidence interval [CI], -infinity to 0.27), our results demonstrate noninferiority of oral sedation with a P value of 0.0004. Surgeon and anesthesia provider satisfaction was similar between the 2 groups. Intraoperative complications occurred in 16.7% in the oral group and 9.3% in the intravenous group (difference, 7.4%; 95% CI, -6.9% to 21.6%; P = 0.31). The only major intraoperative complication-a posterior capsular tear-occurred in the intravenous group. Eight patients in the oral group (19.0%) and 3 in the intravenous group (7.0%) received supplemental intravenous sedation (difference, 12.1%; 95% CI, -2.0% to 26.2%; P = 0.097). CONCLUSIONS: The use of oral sedation in cataract surgery has been suggested as a cost- and space-saving measure, potentially allowing the transition of some patients from an operating to procedure room or office-based setting. We report the noninferiority of oral compared with intravenous sedation for cataract surgery in a diverse patient population in terms of patient satisfaction.

Visual and oculomotor outcomes in children with prenatal opioid exposure.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize the visual and oculomotor outcomes in children with prenatal opioid exposure and review the effects of opioids on the developing central nervous system. RECENT FINDINGS: Animal models and imaging studies in children suggest that prenatal opioid exposure may affect neuronal survival and result in delayed maturation of white matter tracts and decreased volumes in certain brain areas. Visual evoked potential testing in children demonstrates delayed maturation of the afferent visual system in opioid-exposed groups compared with controls, though 'catch-up' development is seen with longitudinal follow-up. Strabismus and nystagmus are also more common in exposed children, and these findings appear to persist. SUMMARY: As rates of opioid dependence and prenatal opioid exposure continue to increase, it is important to evaluate the short-term and long-term effects of opioids on the developing visual system. An understanding of these risks is important when counseling the parents or guardians of opioid-exposed children, though larger studies with more long-term follow-up will improve our prognostic abilities.

Venous sinus stenting in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a safer surgical approach?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose is to summarize treatment strategies in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), a potentially sight-threatening disease, with a focus on the most current outcome data for venous sinus stenting. RECENT FINDINGS: Historically, the primary treatment options for medically refractory IIH consisted of either optic nerve sheath fenestration or cerebrospinal fluid diversion procedures. The visual outcomes of these procedures are favorable, though they tend to be associated with a high rate of complication and failure. Recent trials suggest that venous sinus stenting offers both comparable rates of efficacy - with improved papilledema in 97% of patients, resolved headache in 83%, and improved visual acuity in 78% - and improved safety and reliability relative to older surgical techniques. SUMMARY: Patients whose sight is threatened by medically refractory IIH must often consider invasive procedures to control their disease. Venous sinus stenting may offer equal efficacy and lower failure and complication rates than traditional surgical approaches such as optic nerve sheath fenestration and cerebrospinal fluid diversion.

Long-Term Satisfaction of Oral Sedation versus Standard-of-Care Intravenous Sedation for Ocular Surgery.

Purpose: Long-term patient satisfaction may influence patients' perspectives of the quality of care and their relationship with their providers. This is a follow up to a comparative effectiveness study investigating oral to intravenous sedation (OIV study). The OIV study found that oral sedation was noninferior in patient satisfaction to standard intravenous (IV) sedation for anterior segment and vitreoretinal surgeries. This study aims to determine if patient satisfaction with oral sedation remained noninferior long term. Patients and Methods: Patients were re-interviewed using the same satisfaction survey given during the OIV study. Statistical analysis involved t-tests for noninferiority of the long-term mean satisfaction score of oral and IV sedation. We also compared the original mean satisfaction score and the follow-up mean satisfaction score for each type of sedation and for both groups combined. Results: Participants were interviewed at a median of 1225.5 days (range 754-1675 days) from their surgery. The original mean satisfaction score was 5.26 ± 0.79 for the oral treatment group (n = 52) and 5.27 ± 0.64 for the intravenous treatment group (n = 46), demonstrating noninferiority with a difference in mean satisfaction score of 0.015 (p < 0.0001). The follow-up mean satisfaction score was 5.23 ± 0.90 for oral sedation and 5.60 ± 0.61 for IV sedation, with a difference in the mean satisfaction score of 0.371 (p = 0.2071). Satisfaction scores did not differ between the original mean satisfaction score and the follow-up mean satisfaction score for the oral treatment group alone (p = 0.8367), but scores in the intravenous treatment group increased longitudinally (p = 0.0004). Conclusion: In this study, long-term patient satisfaction with oral sedation was not noninferior to satisfaction with IV sedation, unlike our findings with short-term patient satisfaction in our original study. Patient satisfaction also remained unchanged over time for the oral treatment group, but patients in the intravenous treatment group reported higher long-term satisfaction with their anesthesia experience compared to the immediate post-operative period.

Gaze-Evoked Vision Changes.

We describe an atypical presentation of aberrant regeneration of the 3rd cranial nerve causing vision changes with ocular motility. Abnormal communication between axons destined for the medial rectus and those destined for muscles involved in the accommodative response resulted in simultaneous pupil constriction and myopic shift of approximately 2.5 diopters with adduction. While there have been several reports of this pupillary response (Czarnecki sign), no cases have documented the change in refraction from ciliary muscle involvement.

Diverse Research Teams and Underrepresented Groups in Clinical Studies.

Importance: Several ophthalmic diseases disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority patients, yet most clinical trials struggle to enroll cohorts that are demographically representative of disease burden; some barriers to recruitment include time and transportation, language and cultural differences, and fear and mistrust of research due to historical abuses. Incorporating diversity within the research team has been proposed as a method to increase trust and improve engagement among potential study participants. Objective: To examine how demographic factors of potential research participants and personnel may be associated with patient consent rates to participate in prospective ophthalmic clinical studies. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study included patients from an urban, academic hospital who were approached for consent to participate in prospective ophthalmic clinical studies conducted between January 2015 and December 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: Multivariable logistic regression assessing associations between patient and research personnel demographics and rates of affirmative consent to participate was used. Results: In total, 1380 patients (mean [SD] age, 58.6 [14.9] years; 50.3% male) who were approached for consent to participate in 10 prospective ophthalmic clinical studies were included. Of prospective patients, 566 (43.5%) were Black; 327 (25.1%), Hispanic or Latino; 373 (28.6%), White; 36 (2.8%), other race and ethnicity; and 78 (5.8%) declined to answer. Black patients (odds ratio [OR], 0.32; 95% CI, 0.24-0.44; P < .001) and Hispanic or Latino patients (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.20-0.47; P < .001) were less likely to consent compared with White patients. Patients with lower socioeconomic status were less likely to consent than patients with higher socioeconomic status (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.33-0.53; P < .001). Concordance between patient and research staff race and ethnicity was associated with increased odds of affirmative consent (OR, 2.72; 95% CI, 1.99-3.73; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, patients from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and those with lower socioeconomic status were less likely to participate in ophthalmic clinical studies. Concordance of race and ethnicity between patients and research staff was associated with improved participant enrollment. These findings underscore the importance of increasing diversity in clinical research teams to improve racial and ethnic representation in clinical studies.

Intracranial Corkscrew Angiopathy.

Objectives: The objective of this case report was to describe a rare presentation of corkscrew cerebral angiopathy presenting as subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Methods: We present a young woman who presented with a thunderclap headache, found to have a nonaneurysmal SAH. Results: Cerebral angiogram revealed corkscrew angiopathy in medium-sized vessels and multiple micro-occlusions with collateralization. No intracranial aneurysm was detected. Extensive workup for vasculitis and genetic causes for vasculopathy was unrevealing. The patient had no neurologic deficits, and her symptoms resolved. Discussion: This is an extremely rare presentation of subarachnoid hemorrhage due to corkscrew angiopathy.

Patient Satisfaction With Oral vs Intravenous Sedation for Vitrectomy Surgery: A Randomized, Noninferiority Clinical Trial.

Purpose: This work aims to determine whether patient satisfaction with oral sedation is noninferior to intravenous (IV) sedation in vitrectomy surgery. Methods: This prospective, randomized, double-masked, noninferiority clinical trial measured patient satisfaction in 84 participants receiving oral or IV sedation during vitrectomy surgery under monitored anesthesia care. Patients were excluded if they were unable to receive benzodiazepines. Results: The primary outcome was patient satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included surgeon and anesthesia provider satisfaction, need for supplemental anesthesia, and surgical complications. Among the 84 patients (46 [54.8%] men; mean [SD] age, 57.0 [12.7 years]), mean patient satisfaction scores were 5.22 ± 0.81 (range, 3.08-6; scale 1-6) with oral and 5.25 ± 0.63 (range, 3.83-6; scale 1-6) with IV sedation. With an a priori noninferiority margin of 0.5 and a difference in mean scores between the groups of 0.03 (1-tailed 95% CI, infinity to 0.29), our results demonstrated the noninferiority of oral sedation (P = .002). There were no significant differences in surgeon or anesthesia satisfaction or major intraoperative complications. Five patients receiving oral (11.9%) and 3 receiving IV (7.1%) sedation required supplemental IV sedation (difference, 4.8%; P = .46). Conclusions: Patient satisfaction for oral sedation was noninferior to IV sedation for vitrectomy surgery.

A Pilot Study of Automated Pupillometry in the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: A rough, visual estimate of pupil size is used in grading the severity of opioid withdrawal. Few studies have examined the clinical utility of more precise automated pupillometry measurements. METHODS: This prospective cohort study enrolled 27 patients receiving opioid agonist therapy (OAT) to treat cravings or withdrawal during an acute hospitalization. Six sets of automated pupillometry measurements were obtained at regular intervals before and after administration of OAT. Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale measurements were performed pre and post OAT. Primary outcomes included pupil size in dark and bright illumination (mm). Latency of the pupillary light response (s), constriction and dilation velocity (mm/s), and percent constriction (%) were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The mean predosing pupil size in dark and bright illumination was 4.33 ±â€Š1.40 mm and 2.96 ±â€Š0.79 mm, respectively. A significantly decreased mean pupil size was first detected at 15 minutes postdosing (4.01 ±â€Š1.34 mm, P = 0.0115 for dark illumination; 2.71 ±â€Š0.72 mm, P = 0.0003 for bright illumination) and this reduction in pupil size persisted at later postdosing timepoints. Those with Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale <5 after dosing had a greater decrease in dark pupil size (10.6% ±â€Š13.2 vs 3.2% ±â€Š3.2, P = 0.043). There was no significant change in the remaining pupil reactivity parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Automated pupillometry demonstrated a small but significant change in mean pupil size that occurred within 15 minutes of OAT dosing and was associated with low withdrawal scores. This pilot may inform future work to incorporate pupillometry measurement into OAT dosing assessments.

Don't Miss This! Red Flags in the Pediatric Eye Exam: Pupils.

The pupillary exam in the pediatric population is a vital part of any clinician's workup. In the right clinical setting, pupillary abnormalities such as anisocoria, light-near dissociation, an afferent pupillary defect, and paradoxic pupillary constriction in the dark can be red flags that trigger further examination and workup. Through both careful physical examination and detailed history-taking and observation, potentially vision- and life-threatening conditions can be detected.

Novel homozygous OPA3 mutation in an Afghani family with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria type III and optic atrophy.

Purpose: To describe and distinguish clinical phenotypes with the overlapping feature of optic atrophy caused by distinct mutations in the same gene, OPA3. We report 3 affected siblings in a consanguineous family harboring a novel OPA3 mutation causing 3-methylglutaconic aciduria type III with optic atrophy.Methods: Retrospective case series.Results: Three siblings (2 male, 1 female) among 6 children in a consanguineous Afghani family developed decreased vision from early childhood. Both parents and all extended family members were unaffected. All 3 affected siblings suffered from severe visual impairment ranging from visual acuities of 20/150 to counting fingers. All had spastic lower extremity weakness and ataxia. Two of the three affected siblings also had a history of seizures, and the female sibling had limited cognition with diffuse atrophic changes on brain MRI. Two of the three individuals also had migraine-like headaches. Urine organic acid analysis revealed mildly elevated 3-methylglutaconic acid for the male siblings. Whole exome sequencing and subsequent PCR confirmation revealed a novel variant in OPA3 (intron1, c.142 + 2_142 + 3dupTG), affecting the consensus sequence of the splice site, for which all 3 clinically affected siblings were homozygous.Discussion: Mutations in OPA3 can cause optic atrophy in a dominant pattern of inheritance associated with cataract or in a recessive pattern associated with spastic paresis and ataxia. The novel recessive mutation and clinical presentations described herein further support how different mutation types affecting OPA3 can produce distinct clinical phenotypes and underscore the critical and susceptible role of mitochondrial health in optic nerve function.

A Review of Visual and Oculomotor Outcomes in Children With Posterior Fossa Tumors.

Tumors of the posterior fossa represent the most common solid malignancy of childhood and can affect the visual system in several ways. This article outlines the relevant visual anatomy affected by these tumors and reviews the visual and oculomotor outcomes associated with the following 3 most common tumor types-medulloblastoma, juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma, and ependymoma. The available data suggest that the rate of permanent vision loss is low (5.9%-8.3%), with patients having juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma demonstrating the best outcomes. The rate of long-term strabismus (25%-29.1%) and nystagmus (12.5%-18%) is higher and associated with significant morbidity.

Uveitis-glaucoma-hyphema syndrome secondary to a Soemmerring ring.

We report the case of a patient who developed the uveitis-glaucoma-hyphema (UGH) syndrome secondary to extensive fibrosis (Soemmerring ring) around the haptics of the single-piece intraocular lens (IOL) in the capsular bag. The development of significant capsule fibrosis caused the IOL to tilt out of the iris plane, leading to haptic-iris and haptic-ciliary body chafing. The mechanisms described should prompt clinicians to consider the UGH syndrome even in the setting of a single-piece IOL properly placed in the capsular bag. Anterior segment imaging with ultrasound biomicroscopy can be used to evaluate the position of the IOL haptics in suspected cases.

Visual and ocular motor outcomes in children with posterior fossa tumors.

PURPOSE: To describe the clinical characteristics and visual and ocular motor outcomes of a large cohort of pediatric patients treated for tumors of the posterior cranial fossa. METHODS: The medical records of all patients with posterior fossa tumors evaluated by the ophthalmology services at two large tertiary care academic hospitals between 2005 and 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Data abstracted for each study patient included demographic information, presenting signs and symptoms, pathologic diagnosis, and results of the most recent ophthalmology examination. RESULTS: A total of 139 patients were included. Visual outcomes were categorized as "good" (bilateral acuity of 20/20-20/40) in 101 patients (72.7%), "fair" (<20/40-20/200 in one or both eyes) in 12 patients (8.6%), or "poor" (<20/200 in one or both eyes) in 9 patients (6.5%). Patients with medulloblastoma and ependymoma had a significantly greater risk of a poor or fair visual outcome than those with juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (both P < 0.05), independent of age and sex. Thirty-two patients (23.0%) developed nystagmus, and 59 patients (42.4%) developed strabismus. Twenty-four patients (17.3%) underwent eye muscle surgery for persistent strabismus. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients had good visual outcomes, although ocular motor abnormalities were common. Tumor type was a significant risk factor for permanent vision loss.

Radiation optic neuropathy and retinopathy with low dose (20 Gy) radiation treatment.

PURPOSE: To report a case of optic neuropathy and retinopathy from a dose of radiation traditionally thought to be safe to the visual system and discuss strategies for preventing vision loss when using radiation to treat intraocular tumors. OBSERVATIONS: A 44-year-old woman presented with new, painless vision loss in the left eye eighteen months after receiving proton beam radiotherapy (20 Gy dose delivered in two 10 Gy fractions) for a uveal metastasis of lung cancer. The dilated funduscopic examination revealed optic disc swelling and retinal hemorrhages and an MRI of the brain and orbits demonstrated enhancement of the left optic nerve head, findings consistent with radiation optic neuropathy (RON) and retinopathy. Risk factors for developing RON included coincident use of oral chemotherapy and relatively large fractionated doses of radiation. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Though cumulative radiation doses to the anterior visual pathway of less than 50 Gy are traditionally felt to be safe, it is important to consider not just the total exposure but also the size of individual fractions. The single-dose threshold for RON in proton beam treatment has yet to be defined. Our case suggests that fractions of less than 10 Gy should be delivered to minimize the risk of optic nerve injury.