Management of Suprachoroidal Hemorrhage during Phacoemulsification: A Comprehensive Review.

Suprachoroidal hemorrhage (SCH) is a rare and sight-threatening complication of various intraocular surgeries, including cataract surgery. Although the rate of SCH complicating cataract surgery has decreased in the era of phacoemulsification, most likely due to smaller self-sealing incisions and modern equipment, it remains a challenging complication to manage. The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence of the pathophysiology and management of SCH complicating phaco surgery. A literature review was performed using the PubMed database searching for diagnosis, therapy, and management of SCH during phacoemulsification. The evidence available on the optimal management of this condition is low, and there is no consensus so far. An early diagnosis is thought to be essential to avoid progression to the devastating stage of expulsion of intraocular contents (expulsive hemorrhage). Sudden intraoperative anterior chamber shallowing, red reflex loss, and a significant increase in intraocular pressure are highly suspicious for this severe complication. A fundus examination and ocular ultrasound are crucial to confirm the diagnosis and, if it is confirmed, stabilize the globe immediately. The initial therapeutic approach includes aggressive topical and systemic medication focused on controlling ocular inflammation and intraocular pressure, whereas the timing and the indications of surgical intervention remain controversial.

A new mutation in the PDE6C gene in achromatopsia.

PURPOSE: To report a case of achromatopsia with a new mutation in the PDE6C gene which has not been previously described. METHODS: Case report. PATIENTS: A single patient. RESULTS: A 35-year-old woman with poor vision and impaired color vision. Fundus examination of both eyes (OU) revealed small optic discs. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed photoreceptor segment defects and a disruption of the ellipsoid layer in the foveal region, with intact overlying outer limiting membrane and underlying RPE bands. The electroretinogram (ERG) showed scotopic responses: DA 0.01: normal amplitude, b-wave latency at upper limit of normal / slightly increased. DA 3 and DA 10: slightly increased b-wave latency, asymmetry in b amplitude, being lower in the left eye. Oscillatory potentials: no responses are obtained. Photopic responses: LA-3: greatly increased latencies, decreased amplitude. Subsequently, a case of incomplete achromatopsia was suspected. Therefore, a genetic study was carried out showing the homozygous presence of the undescribed pathogenic variant c.660_661del (p.Ser221Tyrfs * 15) in exon 3 of the PDE6C gene. CONCLUSION: Achromatopsia is an autosomal-recessive genetic disease characterized by decreased visual acuity, color blindness, photophobia, and nystagmus. Due to the variability of genetic mutations in achromatopsia, genetic characterization is mandatory in order to improve the efficiency in molecular diagnosis. This data may be useful in future therapeutic strategies. We present a previously undescribed mutation in the PDE6C gene in a patient with incomplete achromatopsia.

Ocular Surface Microbiota in Naïve Keratoconus: A Multicenter Validation Study.

In the field of Ophthalmology, the mNGS 16S rRNA sequencing method of studying the microbiota and ocular microbiome is gaining more and more weight in the scientific community. This study aims to characterize the ocular microbiota of patients diagnosed with keratoconus who have not undergone any prior surgical treatment using the mNGS 16S rRNA sequencing method. Samples of naïve keratoconus patients were collected with an eNAT with 1 mL of Liquid Amies Medium (Copan Brescia, Italy), and DNA was extracted and analyzed with 16S NGS. The microbiota analysis showed a relative abundance of microorganisms at the phylum level in each sample collected from 38 patients with KC and 167 healthy controls. A comparison between healthy control and keratoconus samples identified two genera unique to keratoconus, Pelomonas and Ralstonia. Our findings suggest that alterations in the microbiota may play a role in the complex scenario of KC development.

Structural and Functional Retinal Changes in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment with and without Diabetes.

Our objective is to analyze retinal changes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to characterize structural and vascular alterations. This cross-sectional study involved 117 eyes: 39 eyes from patients with MCI plus diabetes (DM-MCI), 39 eyes from patients with MCI but no diabetes (MCI); and 39 healthy control eyes (C). All patients underwent a visual acuity measurement, a structural OCT, an OCT-A, and a neuropsychological examination. Our study showed a thinning of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) and a decrease in macular thickness when comparing the MCI-DM group to the C group (p = 0.008 and p = 0.016, respectively). In addition, an increase in arteriolar thickness (p = 0.016), a reduction in superficial capillary plexus density (p = 0.002), and a decrease in ganglion cell thickness (p = 0.027) were found when comparing the MCI-DM group with the MCI group. Diabetes may exacerbate retinal vascular changes when combined with mild cognitive impairment.

Total recovery of visual acuity in a pediatric patient with compressive optic neuropathy secondary to sphenoid sinus mucocele.

We present an unusual case of a 13-year-old male pediatric patient with a diagnosis of sphenoid sinus mucocele. The patient suffered a progressive loss of visual acuity over three months followed by a total recovery of his visual acuity after surgery. The patient presented at the emergency room complaining of progressive loss of visual acuity in his left eye which decreased to hand motion over the preceding months. Imaging studies revealed a cystic mass, suggestive of sphenoid sinus mucocele, which was causing compressive optic neuropathy and proptosis. The patient was scheduled for a sphenoidectomy and resection of the mass. Three days after surgery, the patient's visual acuity in the left eye was 20/20, indicating complete recovery from his symptoms. We suggest that the excellent outcome in this patient may be attributable to his age. His ongoing physical development might have been the decisive factor in the recovery of his visual acuity following compressive optic neuropathy secondary to sphenoid sinus mucocele. Further research is needed to verify this proposed explanation.

Pseudopterygium: An Algorithm Approach Based on the Current Evidence.

Pseudopterygium is a non-progressive conjunctival adhesion to the peripheral cornea secondary to a corneal-limbus damage. According to the literature, the main etiology is a previous eye trauma. Nevertheless, this could be biased by the existence of other underdiagnosed causes of pseudopterygium, some of which may have severe consequences for the integrity of the eye and patient's life. This comprehensive literature review was performed based on a search on the PubMed and Google Scholar databases of relevant pseudopterygium published papers according to our current knowledge and seeks to gather the existing evidence about its diverse etiologies and clinical features, as well as to propose a diagnostic algorithm to simplify its correct approach.

Glasses-Assisted 3D Display System-Guided Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty Tissue Preparation.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) tissue preparation using a glasses-assisted 3-dimensional (3D) display system and to compare it with a conventional surgical microscope. METHODS: Healthy pairs of human corneas suitable for penetrating keratoplasty surgery were selected for this study. The tissues were randomly divided into 2 groups. Each pair of corneas had 1 cornea (group 1) prepared with NGENUITY (Alcon) with a 5-second staining time with vision blue, and the fellow cornea (group 2) was prepared using a OPMI Lumera 700 surgical microscope (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany) with a 30-second staining time. DMEK graft preparation time, speed of stripping, graft width, and endothelial cell loss were evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-eight pairs of corneas were included in this study. The graft preparation time was significantly higher in the 3D group than in the conventional group (498 ± 147 vs. 418 ± 85 seconds, P value = 0.031). The mean speed of stripping was 0.59 ± 0.081 mm/s in group 1 and 0.089 ± 0.005 mm/s in group 2 ( P value = 0.024). The mean endothelial cell density in group 1 and group 2 before tissue preparation was 2162 ± 115.21 and 2153 ± 122.45, respectively ( P value > 0.1). After tissue preparation, the endothelial cell density reduced to 1911 ± 150.72 in group 1 and 1998 ± 90.72 in group 2 ( P value = P value > 0.05). The graft width was 5.05 ± 0.71 mm in group 1 and 4.92 ± 0.23 mm in group 2 ( P value > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: DMEK tissue preparation with 3D display system NGENUITY is feasible with a slightly increased preparation time. The improved visualization allows a reduced staining time that could be beneficial for eye banks because it may reduce the toxic effect of staining colorants.

Delayed care in carotid-cavernous fistula due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Direct carotid-cavernous fistula is a high-flow communication between the internal carotid artery and the cavernous sinus that requires early transarterial embolization for its resolution. We report a case of a patient with a direct carotid-cavernous fistula who subsequently developed a central retinal vein thrombosis due to a delay in treatment related to the health collapse experienced in the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic in Spain.

Total recovery of visual acuity in a pediatric patient with compressive optic neuropathy secondary to sphenoid sinus mucocele / Recuperação total da acuidade visual na neuropatia óptica compressiva secundária à mucocele do seio esfenoidal em paciente pediátrico

ABSTRACT We present an unusual case of a 13-year-old male pediatric patient with a diagnosis of sphenoid sinus mucocele. The patient suffered a progressive loss of visual acuity over three months followed by a total recovery of his visual acuity after surgery. The patient presented at the emergency room complaining of progressive loss of visual acuity in his left eye which decreased to hand motion over the preceding months. Imaging studies revealed a cystic mass, suggestive of sphenoid sinus mucocele, which was causing compressive optic neuropathy and proptosis. The patient was scheduled for a sphenoidectomy and resection of the mass. Three days after surgery, the patient's visual acuity in the left eye was 20/20, indicating complete recovery from his symptoms. We suggest that the excellent outcome in this patient may be attributable to his age. His ongoing physical development might have been the decisive factor in the recovery of his visual acuity following compressive optic neuropathy secondary to sphenoid sinus mucocele. Further research is needed to verify this proposed explanation.

RESUMO Apresentamos um caso incomum de paciente pediátrico com diagnóstico de mucocele de seio esfenoidal, que apresentou perda progressiva da acuidade visual ao longo de três meses, resultando em recuperação total da acuidade visual após a cirurgia. Paciente do sexo masculino, 13 anos, procurou o pronto-socorro, queixando-se de perda progressiva da acuidade visual do olho esquerdo nos últimos três meses. Exames de imagem revelaram uma massa cística sugestiva de mucocele de seio esfenoidal, causando neuropatia óptica compressiva e proptose. O paciente foi agendado para esfenoidectomia e ressecção da massa. Três dias após a cirurgia, a acuidade visual do paciente no olho esquerdo era de 20/20, apresentando recuperação completa dos sintomas. Diante dos resultados de nosso paciente, sugerimos que a idade do paciente pode ser decisiva na recuperação da acuidade visual de uma neuropatia óptica compressiva secundária à mucocele de seio esfenoidal. Mais pesquisas são necessárias para verificação desses dados.

Delayed care in carotid-cavernous fistula due to the Covid-19 pandemic / Atraso no atendimento de casos de fístula carótido-cavernosa devido à pandemia de Covid-19

ABSTRACT Direct carotid-cavernous fistula is a high-flow communication between the internal carotid artery and the cavernous sinus that requires early transarterial embolization for its resolution. We report a case of a patient with a direct carotid-cavernous fistula who subsequently developed a central retinal vein thrombosis due to a delay in treatment related to the health collapse experienced in the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic in Spain.

RESUMO A fístula carótido-cavernosa direta é uma comunicação de alto fluxo entre a artéria carótida interna e o seio cavernoso que requer embolização trans-arterial precoce para sua resolução. É relatado aqui o caso de um paciente com fístula carótido-cavernosa direta que posteriormente desenvolveu uma trombose da veia central da retina devido a um atraso no tratamento relacionado ao colapso de saúde experimentado nos primeiros meses da pandemia de Covid-19 na Espanha.