Monitoring of visual field over 6 months after active ocular toxoplasmosis.

PURPOSE: To prospectively report the perimetric defects during a 6-month follow-up (FU) in patients with initially active ocular toxoplasmosis (OT). METHODS: Twenty-four patients were studied, including 11 eyes with chorioretinal toxoplasmosis proven with a positive aqueous humor sample and 13 eyes with a biologically unproven, chorioretinal lesion. Automated 24-2 SITA-Standard visual fields were performed at baseline, at the first, and sixth months of FU. A composite clinical severity score was calculated from visual acuity (VA), severity of vitreitis, chorioretinal lesion size, location of the lesion in zone 1, the presence of an initial macular or papillary edema, and long-term scarring. This provided a relative cutoff level of severity. Nine eyes out of the 24 eyes were considered severe (3 unproven and 6 proven OT). RESULTS: Initial and final visual field parameters (mean deviation [MD] and pattern standard deviation [PSD]) were significantly correlated (r = 0.873; p < 0.001, and r = 0.890; p < 0.001, respectively). During FU, only foveal threshold [FT] was correlated with VA at baseline (r = 0.48; p = 0.01) and at the 6-month FU visit (r = 0.547; p = 0.004). The MD initial predictive value of clinical severity was 0.739 according to the ROC curve. At baseline, severe and nonsevere OT exhibited no significant difference in term of MD (p = 0.06) and PSD (p = 0.1). During the FU, taking into account all the data, MD, PSD, visual function index [VFI], and FT were associated with the severity of toxoplasmosis (p = 0.018, 0.05, 0.016, and 0.02, respectively): the unproven group had a faster recovery of MD during FU (p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Visual field parameters better reflected the chorioretinal destruction related to the toxoplasmosis lesion and the functional repercussions than VA alone. Interestingly, MD at presentation could be a discriminating factor of severity in active OT, and each visual field parameter follow-up could be a support to manage patients with active OT, especially in the severe group.

Analysis of autofluorescence pattern in birdshot chorioretinopathy.

PURPOSE: To characterize and correlate the different patterns of fundus autofluorescence (FAF) in patients with birdshot chorioretinopathy (BSCR), with functional and anatomical parameters. METHODS: Twenty-one BSCR patients were prospectively studied in 2013 and 2014. Each patient underwent visual acuity (VA) and visual field (SITA standard 30.2) testing as well as fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) B scan, enhanced depth imaging (EDI), and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging. The disease was classified as active, chronic, or quiescent. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 60.3 ± 9.2 years and 60% were female. Disease duration was 5.7 ± 3.7 years. Autofluorescence imaging showed punctiform hyper-FAF spots in 23 out of the 29 eyes (79%), which was significantly associated with a greater visual field mean deviation (-7 ± 7 versus -3 ± 2 dB, p = 0.04). Hypo-FAF was defined as peripapillary (n = 25; 86.2%), macular (n = 10; 34.5%), lichenoid (n = 17; 58.6%), and/or diffuse (n = 13; 44.8%). Lichenoid hypo-FAF was significantly associated with worse VA (0.18 ± 0.24 vs. 0.05 ± 0.07 LogMAR, p = 0.04). Macular hypo-FAF was associated with a history of macular edema (62.5%; p = 0.06). Diffuse hypo-FAF was observed more frequently (p = 0.01) in chronic disease (66.7%) than in active (0%) or quiescent disease (27.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Autofluorescence analysis in BRSC patients contributes to evaluating disease activity and could be useful to guide follow-up and treatment.

Intravitreal dexamethasone implant versus anti-VEGF injection for treatment-naïve patients with retinal vein occlusion and macular edema: a 12-month follow-up study.

PURPOSE: The objective of his study was to compare the visual and anatomical outcomes in treatment-naïve patients with macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion after intravitreal injections of dexamethasone implants (DEX) and anti-VEGF. METHODS: One hundred two patients (64 in the anti-VEGF group, 38 in the DEX group) without previous treatment were included in this multi-center retrospective study and evaluated at baseline and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the onset of treatment. Patients were defined as "good responders" if central macular thickness (CMT) was less than or equal to 250 µm in TD-OCT or 300 µm in SD-OCT after the injections. RESULTS: At month 3 (n = 102), BCVA had increased significantly, by 0.1 ± 0.3 logMAR in the anti-VEGF group (p = 0.04) and 0.4 ± 0.4 logMAR in the DEX group (p < 0.001); the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.007). CMT decreased significantly, by 138 ± 201 µm (-19 %, p < 0.001) in the anti-VEGF group and 163 ± 243 µm (-21 %, p < 0.001) in the DEX group. After 3 months, five patients (13 %) in the DEX group and 20 (31 %) in the anti-VEGF group (p < 0.001) changed treatment. Among the 77 patients who did not switch from their initial treatment, no significant functional or anatomical difference between the two groups was observed at months 6 and 12. Elevation of intraocular pressure > 21 mmHg was more frequent in the DEX group (21 %) than in the anti-VEGF group (3 %, p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Visual acuity recovery was better in the DEX group than in the anti-VEGF group at month 3, but with no difference in CMT. In patients who did not change treatment, the long-term anatomical and visual outcome was similar between the DEX and anti-VEGF groups.

FRIENDS Group: clinical and microbiological characteristics of post-filtering surgery endophthalmitis.

PURPOSE: To study the clinical and microbiological characteristics as well as the prognostic factors for post-filtering surgery endophthalmitis. METHODS: Twenty-three eyes were included in the study in four tertiary centres between 2004 and 2010. The clinical and microbiological data were collected prospectively (minimum follow-up, 6 months). Microbiological diagnosis was based on conventional cultures and panbacterial PCR (16SrDNA amplification and sequencing). RESULTS: The onset of endophthalmitis was early (<6 weeks) in 22 % of the cases and delayed in 78 %. Elevated intraocular pressure and hypopyon were more frequent in delayed than in early presentations (p = 0.04). By combining the results of culture and panbacterial PCR, a bacterial species could be identified in 73.9 % of the cases, including 56.5 % of commensal species of the digestive tract such as Moraxella spp., oropharyngeal streptococci and Enterococcus faecalis. Good final visual acuity (VA ≥ 20/40) was correlated with initial VA greater than light perception (p = 0.05). Poor final VA (≤20/400) was correlated with a higher virulence of the infecting bacterial species (p = 0.006), and was noted in all patients with early-onset endophthalmitis. CONCLUSION: Acute early- or delayed-onset post-filtering surgery endophthalmitis is frequently caused by bacteria of the digestive tract (e.g., Streptococcus and Enterococcus spp.). The combination of conventional cultures and panbacterial PCR allowed us to identify the causative microorganism in three-quarters of the cases, i.e., 21 % more cases than through culture alone. Despite adequate antibiotic and surgical treatment, the anatomical and visual prognosis remains poor.

[Intraocular pressure elevation and intravitreal steroid implant injection: State of the art in 2023. Recommendations of the French Glaucoma Society and French Ophthalmology Society [French version]]. / Hypertonie oculaire et injection intravitréenne d'implant de corticoïde, état de l'art en 2023. Recommandations françaises SFG/SFO [version française].

These are the recommendations of French glaucoma and retina experts on the management of ocular hypertension (OHT) observed in 1/3 of cases after intravitreal steroid implant injections. They are an update to the recommendations first published in 2017. There are two implants on the French market: the dexamethasone (DEXi) and fluocinolone acetonide (FAci) implants. It is important to know the pressure status before injecting a patient with a steroid implant. Monitoring of the IOP adapted to the specific drug is necessary throughout follow-up and reinjections. Real-life studies have made it possible to optimize the management algorithm by significantly increasing the safety of use of these implants. A corticosteroid test with DEXi is necessary before switching to FAci to optimize the pressure tolerance of the latter. In addition to topical glaucoma medications, SLT laser can be considered in the therapeutic arsenal for the management of steroid-induced OHT and future injections.

Ocular hypertension and intravitreal steroids injections, update in 2023. French guidelines of the French glaucoma society and the French ophthalmology society.

These guidelines are a consensus of French glaucoma and retina experts on the management of ocular hypertension (OHT) observed in a third of the cases after corticosteroid implant intravitreal injections. They update the first guidelines published in 2017. Two implants are marketed in France: the dexamethasone implant (DEXi) and the fluocinolone acetonide implant (FAci). It is essential to assess the pressure status before injecting a patient with a corticosteroid implant. A molecule-specific monitoring of the intraocular pressure is needed throughout the follow-up and at the time of reinjections. Real-life studies have allowed optimizing the management algorithm by significantly increasing the safety of these implants. Corticosteroid testing with DEXi should be performed before switching to FAci to optimize pressure tolerance of FAci. Beyond topical hypotensive treatments, selective laser trabeculoplasty may be considered in the therapeutic arsenal for the management of steroid-induced OHT and subsequent injections.

[Review by the French Glaucoma Society on the roles of new surgical techniques in glaucoma]. / Mise au point de la Société française du glaucome sur la place des nouvelles techniques chirurgicales dans le glaucome.

The surgical management of glaucoma has been enriched in recent years by the arrival of new surgical techniques as a group known as MIGS (minimally invasive glaucoma surgery). The objective of these new techniques is to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) while limiting the risk of complications of conventional filtering surgery and allowing faster visual recovery. MIGS can be classified into three main categories depending on the route used to promote the outflow of aqueous humor: the trabecular route, the suprachoroidal route and the subconjunctival route. MIGS using the subconjunctival route are also called minimally invasive bleb surgery (MIBS). These new techniques do not replace conventional filtering surgery, which remains the gold standard technique, but now offer new alternatives for the surgical management of glaucoma patients in combination with cataract surgery or as stand-alone procedures.

Screening of diabetic retinopathy: effect of field number and mydriasis on sensitivity and specificity of digital fundus photography.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of one- and three-field, nonmydriatic and mydriatic, and 45 degrees digital colour photography compared with mydriatic indirect ophthalmoscopy for diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening. METHODS: A group of 79 patients (158 eyes) were included in this prospective study. Colour fundus photographs were taken with a Topcon TRC-NW6S digital camera, using four different techniques--single-field nonmydriatic; three-field nonmydriatic; single-field mydriatic; and three-field mydriatic--followed by dilated ophthalmoscopy. Two independent ophthalmologists classified blinded photographs according to the presence or absence of specific diabetic retinal findings. The sensitivity, specificity and agreement (kappa analyses) of the four methods were calculated for the presence or absence of DR and for all diabetic retinal findings. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of digital photography compared with ophthalmoscopy for detection of DR were, respectively: 77 and 99% using single-field nonmydriatic; 92 and 97% using three-field nonmydriatic; 90 and 98% using single-field mydriatic; 97 and 98% using three-field mydriatic. The degrees of agreement for the four methods were 0.82, 0.90, 0.90 and 0.95, respectively. For specific retinal findings, sensitivity was greater for detection of hard exudates, nerve fibre layer haemorrhage and venous beading, and lower for detection of microaneurysms, dot-blot haemorrhage, cotton wool spots and intraretinal microvascular anomalies. CONCLUSION: The three-field strategy without pupil dilation represents a good compromise, with reasonable sensitivity and good comfort (short examination duration, able to drive after photography) favouring patient compliance with the screening programme.

The Central Bright Spot Sign: A Potential New MR Imaging Sign for the Early Diagnosis of Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy due to Giant Cell Arteritis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A rapid identification of the etiology of anterior ischemic optic neuropathy is crucial because it determines therapeutic management. Our aim was to assess MR imaging to study the optic nerve head in patients referred with anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, due to either giant cell arteritis or the nonarteritic form of the disease, compared with healthy subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with giant cell arteritis-related anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and 15 patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy from 2 medical centers were prospectively included in our study between August 2015 and May 2016. Fifteen healthy subjects and patients had undergone contrast-enhanced, flow-compensated, 3D T1-weighted MR imaging. The bright spot sign was defined as optic nerve head enhancement with a 3-grade ranking system. Two radiologists and 1 ophthalmologist independently performed blinded evaluations of MR imaging sequences with this scale. Statistical analysis included interobserver agreement. RESULTS: MR imaging scores were significantly higher in patients with giant cell arteritis-related anterior ischemic optic neuropathy than in patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (P ≤ .05). All patients with giant cell arteritis-related anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (15/15) and 7/15 patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy presented with the bright spot sign. No healthy subjects exhibited enhancement of the anterior part of the optic nerve. There was a significant relationship between the side of the bright spot and the side of the anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (P ≤ .001). Interreader agreement was good for observers (κ = 0.815). CONCLUSIONS: Here, we provide evidence of a new MR imaging sign that identifies the acute stage of giant cell arteritis-related anterior ischemic optic neuropathy; patients without this central bright spot sign always had a nonarteritic pathophysiology and therefore did not require emergency corticosteroid therapy.

[Vascular factors in glaucoma]. / Facteurs vasculaires du glaucome.

The exact pathophysiology of glaucoma is not fully understood. Understanding of the vascular pathophysiology of glaucoma requires: knowing the techniques for measuring ocular blood flow and characterizing the topography of vascular disease and the mechanisms involved in this neuropathy. A decreased mean ocular perfusion pressure and a loss of vascular autoregulation are implicated in glaucomatous disease. Early decrease in ocular blood flow has been identified in primary open-angle glaucoma and normal pressure glaucoma, contributing to the progression of optic neuropathy. The vascular damage associated with glaucoma is present in various vascular territories within the eye (from the ophthalmic artery to the retina) and is characterized by a decrease in basal blood flow associated with a dysfunction of vasoregulation.

[Managing antithrombotic therapy in vitreoretinal surgery]. / Comment gérer les antithrombotiques en chirurgie vitréorétinienne ?

Given the growing number of patients on antithrombotic therapy we are increasingly confronted with the management of this therapy before, during and after vitreoretinal surgery. In the absence of a consensus, the decision to withdraw antithrombotic therapy is based on the cardiovascular thromboembolism risk versus the theoretical risk of bleeding if the antithrombotic treatment is continued. As suggested by the literature, antiplatelet therapy (acetylsalicylic acid or clopidogrel) may be safely continued for vitreoretinal surgery, including retinal detachment repair. However, the risk/benefit ratio for patients being treated with two antiplatelet therapies is unknown. It appears that an International Normalized Ratio (INR) less than 3 for patients treated with anticoagulant therapy does not increase the perioperative risk of ocular bleeding. This risk has not been evaluated in patients treated by new antithrombotic therapies (prasugrel, ticagrelor as antiplatelet medication, or dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban as anticoagulant therapy), and there is a need to study it further.

Correlation between clinical data and antibiotic resistance in coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species isolated from 68 patients with acute post-cataract endophthalmitis.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) cause the majority of post-cataract endophthalmitis, which can lead to anatomical and/or functional loss of the eye. This study reports the antibiotic susceptibilities of CNS isolates associated with acute post-cataract endophthalmitis cases and correlates antibiotic resistance with severity and outcome of infection in these patients. Clinical data (initial ocular examination, final prognosis, antibiotic treatment) and the antibiotic susceptibilities of the isolated CNS strains were obtained from 68 patients with post-surgical endophthalmitis recruited during a 7-year period by the FRench Institutional ENDophthalmitis Study (FRIENDS) group. The CNS strains displayed 100% susceptibility to vancomycin, 70% to fluoroquinolones, 83% to fosfomycin, 46% to imipenem and 18% to piperacillin. The most effective antibiotic combinations were fosfomycin plus a fluoroquinolone and imipenem plus a fluoroquinolone, which were considered adequate in 80% and 58% of patients, respectively. Methicillin resistance was significantly associated with older age (p 0.001), diabetes mellitus (p 0.004), absence of fundus visibility (p 0.06), and poor visual prognosis (p 0.03). Resistance to fluoroquinolones was significantly associated with absence of fundus visibility (p 0.05) and diabetes mellitus (p 0.02). This large prospective study demonstrates that methicillin resistance and, to a lesser extent, fluoroquinolone resistance in CNS strains causing postoperative endophthalmitis are both prevalent in France and associated with a poorer visual prognosis. These results emphasize the need for an effective surveillance of this antibiotic resistance and the development of new diagnostic tools for rapid detection for early optimization of antibiotic therapy in endophthalmitis patients.

[Ocular syphilis]. / Atteinte oculaire de la syphilis.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum. Previously known as the "great imitator", this disease can have numerous and complex manifestations. The ophthalmologist should suspect the diagnosis in patients with uveitis or optic neuropathy and high-risk sexual behavior and/or another sexually transmitted disease (such as HIV) or those presenting with posterior placoid chorioretinitis or necrotising retinitis. Ocular involvement in acquired syphilis is rare, tending to occur during the secondary and tertiary stages of the disease. Syphilis may affect all the structures of the eye, but uveitis (accounting for 1-5% of the uveitis in a tertiary referral center) is the most common ocular finding. Granulomatous or non-granulomatous iridocyclitis (71%), panuveitis, posterior uveitis (8%) and keratouveitis (8%) are often described. In the secondary stage, the meninges and the central nervous system can be affected, sometimes with no symptoms, which justifies performing lumbar puncture in patients with uveitis and/or optic neuropathy. The diagnosis of ocular syphilis requires screening with a non-treponemal serology and confirmation with a treponemal-specific test. Parenterally administered penicillin G is considered first-line therapy for all stages of ocular syphilis. Systemic corticosteroids are an appropriate adjunct treatment for posterior uveitis, scleritis and optic neuritis if ocular inflammation is severe. Prolonged follow-up is necessary because of the possibility of relapse of the disease. With proper diagnosis and prompt antibiotic treatment, the majority of cases of ocular syphilis can be cured.

[Glaucoma medications, preservatives and the ocular surface.] / Traitement du glaucome, conservateurs et surface oculaire.

Several clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated that ocular surface disease is common in glaucoma patients receiving chronic glaucoma drops, and that the preservatives in these drops play a major role in the occurrence of ocular surface disease. These ocular surface changes may induce both symptoms reported by the patients and anterior segment clinical signs, and should be systematically assessed by history and exam in all glaucoma patients. In these patients with ocular surface disease, reducing the amount of preservatives administered to the eye should be strived for, rather than adding additional eye drops to alleviate or mask the side effects of the glaucoma drops.

[Iridoschisis, a special form of iris atrophy]. / L'iridoschisis, une forme particulière d'atrophie irienne.

Iridoschisis is a rare degenerative disease characterized by the separation of the anterior iris stroma from the posterior layer. The anterior layer splits into strands, and the free ends float freely in the anterior chamber. We report the case of a 57-year-old man, in whom we incidentally discovered isolated unilateral iris atrophy. The patient had no history of the common causes of atrophy (herpes, pigment dispersion, ocular trauma, etc.). During follow-up, the atrophy gradually worsened, with an increase in the number and bilaterality of the lesions. Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) of anterior chamber showed thinning of the anterior iris and cleavage of the iris into two layers, an imaging result which, to our knowledge, has not yet been reported in the literature. Familiarity with iridoschisis is important, due to its frequent association with glaucoma, so that appropriate screening can be carried out at the time of diagnosis and on follow-up.

Balancing efficacy and tolerability of prostaglandin analogues and prostaglandin-timolol fixed combinations in primary open-angle glaucoma.

BACKGROUND: Lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) is currently the only therapeutic approach that preserves visual function in primary open-angle glaucoma. In making treatment decisions for first- and second-line therapy, the clinician needs to provide an appropriate balance of efficacy and tolerability. Prostaglandin analogues (PGAs) are frequently used as first-line monotherapy, because of their efficacy and low risk of systemic side effects. Similarly, PGA-based fixed combinations are frequently used in patients who progress or fail to achieve the target IOP. SCOPE: We have reviewed the literature on the management of primary open-angle glaucoma with PGAs, both as monotherapies and in fixed combinations. FINDINGS: In the clinical trial and meta-analysis data identified, bimatoprost 0.03% seems to be associated with a greater overall ability to lower IOP compared with latanoprost, travoprost or tafluprost, at the cost of a slightly higher incidence of conjunctival hyperaemia. Studies indicate that patients' adherence to treatment is generally better with PGAs than with many other monotherapies. In patients requiring more than one IOP-lowering agent, fixed combination treatments may provide improved adherence and tolerability benefits compared with concomitant use of individual treatments. Bimatoprost/timolol fixed combination appears to be slightly more efficacious than latanoprost/timolol or travoprost/timolol, and tolerability differences between the fixed combinations appear to be slight, probably because the addition of timolol to the PGA component lessens the associated hyperaemia. Surveys on EU physician attitudes appear largely in line with these clinical data. CONCLUSION: An appropriate balance between efficacy and tolerability ensures optimum IOP lowering and reduces the risk of non-adherence. PGAs largely fulfil this need as monotherapies and as components of combinations.

[Risk factors of glaucoma progression: intraocular pressure fluctuations]. / Facteurs de risque : les fluctuations de la pression intraoculaire.

Intraocular pressure is not a fixed value and varies both over short-term periods and periods of several months or years. In healthy subjects, the circadian fluctuations in intraocular pressure are moderate, generally not exceeding 5 mmHg. In patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension, intraocular pressure fluctuations are greater and circadian rhythms may be inverted. These fluctuations are probably involved in the conversion of ocular hypertension to glaucoma or glaucoma progression. Large observational clinical studies, however, are not unanimous on the role played by intraocular pressure fluctuations on the risk of conversion from ocular hypertension to glaucoma or glaucoma worsening. Nevertheless, it is important for each patient to estimate the short-term and long-term fluctuations and to prioritize a treatment that minimizes these fluctuations.

[Ocular blood flow in glaucoma]. / Le flux sanguin oculaire dans le glaucome.

In clinical practice, the vascular factor seems to be essential in glaucoma. Nevertheless, the various studies investigating the relations between the changes in ocular blood flow and risk of glaucoma often have diverse and contradictory conclusions. The variety of the methods in studies on ocular blood flow, the absence of a reference examination, and the absence of large clinical studies probably explain the problems bringing to light an indisputable relation. However, it remains essential, in any glaucoma, to look for and treat the vascular risk factor and most particularly to decrease intraocular pressure, the treatment that currently remains the most reliable to improve ocular blood flow.

[Managing treatment side effects: the respective roles of the active ingredient and the preservative]. / Gérer les effets secondaires des traitements : les rôles respectifs de la molécule et du conservateur.

The side effects of glaucoma hypotensive treatments usually remain moderate and limited to local side effects - conjunctival hyperemia, itching, discomfort after instillation - but are very often a leading source of poor compliance to treatment and thereby may decrease its efficacy. Moreover, these symptoms usually reflect progressive and irreversible major ocular surface changes. These ocular surface changes induced by glaucoma eyedrops may include subconjunctival fibrosis, increasing the risk of failure of a further glaucoma surgery. All the components of the hypotensive eye drops, including the active ingredient, the preservatives, and the excipients, may be involved in the occurrence of these side effects. It is therefore important to identify the agents involved and the mechanisms of these side effects, in order to choose a treatment minimizing their risk and the discomfort felt by patients, and therefore increasing the likelihood of good compliance. When available, preservative-free solutions should be considered.