High Myopia Normative Database of Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness to Detect Myopic Glaucoma in a Chinese Population.

PURPOSE: To develop and validate the performance of a high myopia (HM)-specific normative database of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness in differentiating HM from highly myopic glaucoma (HMG). DESIGN: Cross-sectional multicenter study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1367 Chinese participants (2325 eyes) with nonpathologic HM or HMG were included from 4 centers. After quality control, 1108 eyes from 694 participants with HM were included in the normative database; 459 eyes from 408 participants (323 eyes with HM and 136 eyes with HMG) and 322 eyes from 197 participants (131 eyes with HM and 191 eyes with HMG) were included in the internal and external validation sets, respectively. Only HMG eyes with an intraocular pressure > 21 mmHg were included. METHODS: The pRNFL thickness was measured with swept-source (SS) OCT. Four strategies of pRNFL-specified values were examined, including global and quadrantic pRNFL thickness below the lowest fifth or the lowest first percentile of the normative database. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the HM-specific normative database for detecting HMG. RESULTS: Setting the fifth percentile of the global pRNFL thickness as the threshold, using the HM-specific normative database, we achieved an accuracy of 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90-0.95) and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.81-0.89), and, using the first percentile as the threshold, we acheived an accuracy of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.81-0.88) and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.65-0.75) in detecting HMG in the internal and external validation sets, respectively. The fifth percentile of the global pRNFL thickness achieved high sensitivities of 0.75 (95% CI, 0.67-0.82) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.68-0.81) and specificities of 1.00 (95% CI, 0.99-1.00) and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.97-1.00) in the internal and external validation datasets, respectively. Compared with the built-in database of the OCT device, the HM-specific normative database showed a higher sensitivity and specificity than the corresponding pRNFL thickness below the fifth or first percentile (P < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSIONS: The HM-specific normative database is more capable of detecting HMG eyes than the SS OCT built-in database, which may be an effective tool for differential diagnosis between HMG and HM. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Correction to: Automatic differentiation of Glaucoma visual field from non-glaucoma visual field using deep convolutional neural network.

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Automatic differentiation of Glaucoma visual field from non-glaucoma visual filed using deep convolutional neural network.

BACKGROUND: To develop a deep neural network able to differentiate glaucoma from non-glaucoma visual fields based on visual filed (VF) test results, we collected VF tests from 3 different ophthalmic centers in mainland China. METHODS: Visual fields obtained by both Humphrey 30-2 and 24-2 tests were collected. Reliability criteria were established as fixation losses less than 2/13, false positive and false negative rates of less than 15%. RESULTS: We split a total of 4012 PD images from 1352 patients into two sets, 3712 for training and another 300 for validation. There is no significant difference between left to right ratio (P = 0.6211), while age (P = 0.0022), VFI (P = 0.0001), MD (P = 0.0039) and PSD (P = 0.0001) exhibited obvious statistical differences. On the validation set of 300 VFs, CNN achieves the accuracy of 0.876, while the specificity and sensitivity are 0.826 and 0.932, respectively. For ophthalmologists, the average accuracies are 0.607, 0.585 and 0.626 for resident ophthalmologists, attending ophthalmologists and glaucoma experts, respectively. AGIS and GSS2 achieved accuracy of 0.459 and 0.523 respectively. Three traditional machine learning algorithms, namely support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and k-nearest neighbor (k-NN) were also implemented and evaluated in the experiments, which achieved accuracy of 0.670, 0.644, and 0.591 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our algorithm based on CNN has achieved higher accuracy compared to human ophthalmologists and traditional rules (AGIS and GSS2) in differentiation of glaucoma and non-glaucoma VFs.

RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSIONS, FROM BASICS TO THE LATEST TREATMENT.

PURPOSE: To review the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and updated treatments of retinal vein occlusions (RVOs). METHODS: A review of the literature was performed, focusing on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatments (including both medical and surgical treatments) of RVO. Based on this review, a comprehensive overview was provided regarding the topic of RVO and focused on recent treatment updates. RESULTS: Retinal vein occlusions have an age- and sex-standardized prevalence of 5.20 per 1,000 for any RVO, 4.42 per 1,000 for branch RVO, 0.80 per 1,000 for central RVO. Worldwide, an estimated 16.4 million adults are affected by RVOs, with 2.5 million affected by central RVO and 13.9 million affected by branch RVO. Retinal vein occlusion is recognized as an important cause of blindness and the diagnostic approaches and treatment options for RVO are reviewed and reported. The current treatment options including medical treatments (bevacizumab, ranibizumab, aflibercept, triamcinolone, and dexamethasone implants) and surgical alternatives were reviewed and reported with summaries on the corresponding strength of evidence. CONCLUSION: Despite the understanding of this disease entity, challenges persist in the long-term treatment of RVO-related complications and visual loss. This review provided a detailed summary on the rationality and efficacy of recently developed treatment regimes and evaluated the potential benefit of combination therapy.

Multiplex cytokine levels of aqueous humor in acute primary angle-closure patients: fellow eye comparison.

BACKGROUND: The existing literature contains no information regarding inflammatory cytokine expression in unilateral acute primary angle-closure (APAC) affected eyes and fellow eyes with primary angle closure suspect (PACS). To measure levels of various inflammatory cytokines in the aqueous humor (AH) of APAC affected eyes and fellow eyes with a diagnosis of PACS (18 unilateral APAC eyes and 18 fellow eyes with PACS), and determine the underlying correlation between them. METHODS: The total levels of 12 cytokines including granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, MCP-3, macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1ß, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) etc. were assessed using the multiplex bead immunoassay technique. The level of cytokines in different groups was analyzed by a 2-related-samples nonparametric test. Data on patient demographics, preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP), number of glaucoma medications, as well as several ocular biological parameters were also collected for correlation analysis. RESULTS: The APAC patients had significantly higher levels of G-CSF, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, MCP-3, MDC, MIP-1ß, and VEGF in the AH samples from unilateral APAC affected eyes than in fellow eyes with PACS (all P < 0.05). The cytokines showed positive correlations between each other (P < 0.0071). CONCLUSIONS: Cytokine networks in the AH may have critical roles in the progression of APAC. Thus, different cytokine expression in both eyes of the same patient may help us to understand the different pathology in APAC and PACS.

A survey of perceived training differences between ophthalmology residents in Hong Kong and China.

BACKGROUND: To study the differences in ophthalmology resident training between China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). METHODS: Training programs were selected from among the largest and best-known teaching hospitals. Ophthalmology residents were sent an anonymous 48-item questionnaire by mail. Work satisfaction, time allocation between training activities and volume of surgery performed were determined. RESULTS: 50/75 residents (66.7 %) from China and 20/26 (76.9 %) from HKSAR completed the survey. Age (28.9 ± 2.5 vs. 30.2 ± 2.9 years, p = 0.15) and number of years in training (3.4 ± 1.6 vs. 2.8 ± 1.5, p = 0.19) were comparable between groups. The number of cataract procedures performed by HKSAR trainees (extra-capsular, median 80.0, quartile range: 30.0, 100.0; phacoemulsification, median: 20.0, quartile range: 0.0, 100.0) exceeded that for Chinese residents (extra-capsular: median = 0, p < 0.0001; phacoemulsification: median = 0, p < 0.0001). Chinese trainees spent more time completing medical charts (>50 % of time on charts: 62.5 % versus 5.3 %, p < 0.0001) and received less supervision (≥90 % of training supervised: 4.4 % versus 65 %, p < 0.0001). Chinese residents were more likely to feel underpaid (96.0 % vs. 31.6 %, p < 0.0001) and hoped their children would not practice medicine (69.4 % vs. 5.0 %, p = 0.0001) compared HKSAR residents. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, ophthalmology residents in China report strikingly less surgical experience and supervision, and lower satisfaction than HKSAR residents. The HKSAR model of hands-on resident training might be useful in improving the low cataract surgical rate in China.

Effect of intraocular pressure reduction on progressive high myopia (PHM study): study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In adult patients with high myopia (HM), progressive axial elongation poses a significant risk for the development of subsequent ocular complications that may lead to visual impairment. Effective strategies to reduce or prevent further axial elongation in highly myopic adult patients have not been available so far. Recent studies suggested that medically lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) may reduce axial elongation. OBJECTIVE: This clinical randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to evaluate the efficacy of medical IOP reduction in adult patients with progressive HM (PHM). TRIAL DESIGN: Single-centre, open-label, prospective RCT. METHODS: This RCT will recruit 152 participants with PHM at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (ZOC). Randomised in a ratio of 1:1, participants will receive IOP-lowering eyedrops (intervention group) or will be followed without treatment (control group) for 12 months. Follow-up visits will be conducted at 1, 6 and 12 months after baseline. Only one eye per eligible participant will be included for analysis. The primary outcome is the change in axial length (AL) within the study period of 12 months. Secondary outcomes include the incidence and progression of visual field (VF) defects, changes in optic disc morphology and incidence and progression of myopic maculopathy. Difference in AL changes between the two groups will be analysed using linear regression analysis. For the secondary outcomes, a multifactor Poisson regression within a generalised linear model will be used to estimate the relative risk of progression in VF defects and myopic maculopathy, and the rate of thinning in retinal nerve fibre layer and ganglion cell-inner plexiform will be assessed through Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Full ethics approval for this trial has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of ZOC, Sun Yat-sen University, China (ID: 2023KYPJ110). Results of this trial will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05850936.

Genetic association of TIE2 with diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the associations of the TIE2 gene with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME). METHODS: This study included a Chinese cohort of 285 non-proliferative DR patients and 433 healthy controls. The DR patients were classified further into those with or without DME. Thirty haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TIE2 were genotyped using TaqMan technology. Associations of DR and subtypes were analyzed by logistic regression adjusted for age and sex. Stratification association analysis by sex was performed. RESULTS: TIE2 rs625767 showed a nominal but consistent association with DR [odds ratio (OR) = 0.71, P = 0.005] and subtypes (DR without DME: OR = 0.69, P = 0.016; DME: OR = 0.73, P = 0.045). SNP rs652010 was consistently associated with overall DR (OR = 0.74, P = 0.011) and DR without DME (OR = 0.70, P = 0.016), but not with DME. Moreover, SNPs rs669441, rs10967760, rs549099 and rs639225 showed associations with overall DR, whilst rs17761403, rs664461 and rs1413825 with DR without DME. In stratification analysis, three SNPs, rs625767 (OR = 0.62, P = 0.005), rs669441 (OR = 0.63, P = 0.006) and rs652010 (OR = 0.64, P = 0.007), were associated with DR in females, but not in males. Moreover, one haplotype T-T defined by rs625767 and rs669441 was significantly associated with DR in females only. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed TIE2 as a susceptibility gene for DR and DME in Chinese, with a sex-specific association in females. Further validation should be warranted.

Optic neuropathy in high myopia: Glaucoma or high myopia or both?

Due to the increasing prevalence of high myopia around the world, structural and functional damages to the optic nerve in high myopia has recently attracted much attention. Evidence has shown that high myopia is related to the development of glaucomatous or glaucoma-like optic neuropathy, and that both have many common features. These similarities often pose a diagnostic challenge that will affect the future management of glaucoma suspects in high myopia. In this review, we summarize similarities and differences in optic neuropathy arising from non-pathologic high myopia and glaucoma by considering their respective structural and functional characteristics on fundus photography, optical coherence tomography scanning, and visual field tests. These features may also help to distinguish the underlying mechanisms of the optic neuropathies and to determine management strategies for patients with high myopia and glaucoma.

Impact of peripheral anterior synechiae on the outcome of combined phacoemulsification, goniosynechialysis and goniotomy for primary angle-closure glaucoma and cataract: a multicenter observational study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of the extent of peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS) on the effectiveness and safety of combined phacoemulsification (PEI), goniosynechialysis (GSL), and goniotomy (GT) in eyes with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) and cataract. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included patients diagnosed with PACG and cataract who underwent combined PEI and 120 degrees GSL plus GT (PEI+GSL+GT) between April 2020 and October 2022 at 10 ophthalmic institutes. Eligible patients were divided into three groups based on the extent of PAS: 180°≤PAS<270°, 270°≤PAS<360°, and PAS=360°. Data on intraocular pressure (IOP), the number of ocular hypotensive medications, and complications were collected and compared. The study defined complete success as postoperative IOP within the 6-18 mmHg range and a 20% reduction from baseline without the use of topical medications. Qualified success was defined in the same way as complete success, but it allowed for the use of ocular hypotensive medications. RESULTS: Three hundred and four eyes of 283 patients were included. The mean follow-up was 12.50±1.24 months. All groups experienced a significant reduction in IOP after the surgery (P <0.05). There were no significant differences in final IOP, number of medications, and cumulative complete and qualified success rates among the three groups (P >0.05). The groups with 270°≤PAS<360°had a higher frequency of hyphema compared to 180°≤PAS<270° (P = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: PEI+GSL+GT has proven to be an effective treatment for PACG with cataract over one year period. However, the outcome was not correlated with preoperative extent of PAS. PRCIS: The combination of phacoemulsification, goniosynechialysis and goniotomy is an effective treatment for primary angle-closure glaucoma patients with cataract, and this is not linked to the extent of preoperative peripheral anterior synechiae.

Efficacy and Safety of Surgical Peripheral Iridectomy, Goniosynechialysis, and Goniotomy for Advanced Primary Angle-closure Glaucoma without Cataract: One-year Results of a Multicenter Study.

PRCIS: The combination of surgical peripheral iridectomy, goniosynechialysis, and goniotomy is a safe and effective surgical approach for advanced primary angle-closure glaucoma without cataract. PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of surgical peripheral iridectomy (SPI), goniosynechialysis (GSL), and goniotomy (GT) in advanced primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) eyes without cataract. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective multicenter observational study was performed for patients who underwent combined SPI, GSL, and GT for advanced PACG without cataract. Patients were assessed before and after the operation. Complete success was defined as achieving intraocular pressure (IOP) between 6-18 mm Hg with at least a 20% reduction compared to baseline, without the use of ocular hypotensive medications or reoperation. Qualified success adopted the same criteria but allowed medication use. Factors associated with surgical success were analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 61 eyes of 50 advanced PACG were included. All participants completed 12 months of follow-up. Thirty-six eyes (59.0%) achieved complete success, and 56 eyes (91.8%) achieved qualified success. Preoperative and postsurgical at 12 months mean IOPs were 29.7±7.7 and 16.1±4.8 mm Hg, respectively. The average number of ocular hypotensive medications decreased from 1.9 to 0.9 over 12 months. The primary complications included IOP spike (n=9), hyphema (n=7), and shallow anterior chamber (n=3). Regression analysis indicated that older age (odds ratio [OR]=1.09; P=0.043) was positively associated with complete success, while a mixed angle closure mechanism (OR=0.17; P=0.036) reduced success rate. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of SPI, GSL, and GT is a safe and effective surgical approach for advanced PACG without cataract. It has great potential as a first-line treatment option for these patients.

Phacogoniotomy versus phacotrabeculectomy for advanced primary angle-closure glaucoma with cataract: A randomized non-inferiority trial.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of phacogoniotomy versus phacotrabeculectomy (PVP) among patients with advanced primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) and cataracts. DESIGN: Multicenter, randomized controlled, non-inferiority trial. METHODS: A total of 124 patients (124 eyes) with advanced PACG and cataracts were enrolled, with 65 in the phacogoniotomy group and 59 in the phacotrabeculectomy group. Patients were followed up for 12 months with standardized evaluations. The primary outcome was the reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) from baseline to 12 months postoperatively, of which a non-inferiority margin of 4 mmHg was evaluated. Secondary outcomes included the cumulative surgical success rate, postoperative complications, and changes in the number of glaucoma medications. RESULTS: After 12 months, phacogoniotomy demonstrated non-inferiority to phacotrabeculectomy in terms of IOP reduction, with mean IOP reductions of - 26.1 mmHg and - 25.7 mmHg (P = 0.383), respectively, from baseline values of around 40 mmHg. Both groups experienced a significant reduction in the mean number of medications used postoperatively (P < 0.001). The cumulative success rate was comparable between the groups (P = 0.890). However, phacogoniotomy had a lower rate of postoperative complications and interventions (12.3% and 4.6%) compared to phacotrabeculectomy (23.7% and 20.3% respectively). The phacogoniotomy group reported shorter surgery time (22.1 ± 6.5 vs. 38.8 ± 11.1 min; P = 0.030) and higher quality of life (EQ-5D-5 L) improvement at 12 months (7.0 ± 11.5 vs. 3.0 ± 12.9, P = 0.010) than the phacotrabeculectomy group. CONCLUSIONS: Phacogoniotomy was non-inferior to phacotrabeculectomy in terms of IOP reduction for advanced PACG and cataracts. Additionally, phacogoniotomy provided a shorter surgical time, lower postoperative complication rate, fewer postoperative interventions, and better postoperative quality of life.

Anterior chamber angle imaging with swept-source optical coherence tomography: measuring peripheral anterior synechia in glaucoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) for measuring the area and degree of peripheral anterior synechia (PAS) involvement in patients with angle-closure glaucoma. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three eyes with PAS (detected by indentation gonioscopy) from 20 patients with angle-closure glaucoma (20 eyes had primary angle-closure glaucoma and 3 eyes had angle-closure glaucoma secondary to chronic anterior uveitis [n = 2] and Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome [n = 1]). METHODS: The anterior chamber angles were evaluated with indentation gonioscopy and imaged by swept-source OCT (Casia OCT, Tomey, Nagoya, Japan) in room light and in the dark using the "angle analysis" protocol, which was composed of 128 radial B-scans each with 512 A-scans (16-mm scan length). The area and degree of PAS involvement were measured in each eye after manual detection of the scleral spur and the anterior irido-angle adhesion by 2 masked observers. The interobserver variability of the PAS measurements was calculated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The agreement of PAS assessment by gonioscopy and OCT, the area and the degree of PAS involvement, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of interobserver PAS measurements. RESULTS: The area of PAS (mean ± standard deviation) was 20.8 ± 16.9 mm(2) (range, 3.9-74.9 mm(2)), and the degree of PAS involvement was 186.5 ± 79.9 degrees (range, 42-314 degrees). There was no difference in the area of PAS (P = 0.90) and the degree of PAS involvement (P = 0.95) between images obtained in room light and in the dark. The interobserver ICCs were 0.99 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98-1.00) for the area of PAS and 0.99 (95% CI, 0.97-1.00) for the degree of PAS involvement. There was good agreement of PAS assessment between gonioscopy and OCT images (kappa = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.67-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: Swept-source OCT allows visualization and reproducible measurements of the area and degree of PAS involvement, providing a new paradigm for evaluation of PAS progression and risk assessment for development of angle-closure glaucoma. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Choroidal thickness measurement in myopic eyes by enhanced depth optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE: To measure choroidal thickness (CT) in myopic eyes using enhanced depth imaging (EDI). DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-six consecutive patients with spherical equivalent refractive error of at least 6 diopters (D) were evaluated. METHODS: Enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (OCT) images were obtained by positioning the spectral-domain OCT device close enough to the eye to acquire an enhanced signal of the choroidal layer. Choroidal depth was measured as the distance between the outer reflective retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer and the inner sclera border. Measurements were made in a horizontal fashion across the fovea at 500-µm intervals of the sections. The CT was measured at the subfoveal region in a horizontal fashion, 3 mm temporal to fovea and 3 mm nasal to fovea. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Correlations among CT with age, refractive error in diopters, and visual acuity in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) were analyzed with linear mixed models. RESULTS: The mean age of the 56 patients was 50.4 years (± 2.03 years standard deviation; interquartile range [IQR], 42-62 years), and the mean refractive error was -8.7 D (IQR, -6.1 to -11 D). The mean subfoveal CT was 118 µm (± 68 µm) and correlated negatively with age (P = 0.032) and refractive error (P = 0.011). Regression analysis suggested that subfoveal CT decreased by 11.9 µm for each decade of life and by 6.205 µm for each diopter of myopia. The subfoveal CT was inversely correlated with the logMAR visual acuity (P = 0.008), and visual acuity improved by 0.02 (logMAR) in a 10-µm increase in CT. CONCLUSIONS: Choroidal thickness decreases with age and severity of myopia. Visual acuity decreases in line with decreasing subfoveal CT. A reduction in CT is related to aging and the severity of myopia, whereas visual acuity depends on subfoveal CT. Our study supports the theory that choroidal abnormality may play a key role in the pathogenesis of myopic degeneration. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Phacoemulsification versus trabeculectomy in medically uncontrolled chronic angle-closure glaucoma without cataract.

OBJECTIVE: To compare phacoemulsification versus trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin C in medically uncontrolled chronic angle-closure glaucoma (CACG) without cataract. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty medically uncontrolled CACG eyes without cataract of 50 patients. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomized into undergoing either phacoemulsification or trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin C. After surgery, patients were followed up every 3 months for 2 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraocular pressure (IOP) and requirement for glaucoma drugs. RESULTS: Twenty-six CACG eyes were randomized to receive phacoemulsification, and 24 eyes underwent trabeculectomy with mitomycin C. Phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy resulted in significant and comparable IOP reduction at 24 months after surgery (reduction of 8.4 mmHg or 34% for phacoemulsification vs. 8.9 mmHg or 36% for trabeculectomy; P=0.76). Over first 24 months, trabeculectomy-treated eyes required on average 1.1 fewer drugs than phacoemulsification-treated eyes (P<0.001). However, trabeculectomy was associated with significantly more surgical complications than phacoemulsification (46% vs. 4%; P=0.001). Eight (33%) of 24 trabeculectomy eyes demonstrated cataract during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Both phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy are effective in reducing IOP in medically uncontrolled CACG eyes without cataract. Trabeculectomy is more effective than phacoemulsification in reducing dependence on glaucoma drugs, but is associated with more complications. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Implementation of a free cataract surgery program in rural China: a community-based randomized interventional study.

PURPOSE: To identify effective methods to increase the number of cataract surgeries in a rural setting in Pucheng County of Shaanxi Province, northwestern China. DESIGN: Community-based randomized interventional study. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred thirty-two patients 50 years of age or older with operable cataract who had not undergone surgery 3 months after participation in a cataract outreach screening program. METHODS: Three hundred fifty-five (82.2%) patients eligible for surgery, but not scheduling it on their own, were contacted and were assigned randomly into 4 groups. Participants in group 1 (n = 86) were given informative reminders by telephone or in person by a trained facilitator about undergoing low-cost cataract surgery. Group 2 (n = 86) was offered free cataract surgery. Group 3 (n = 90) was offered free surgery and reimbursement of transportation expenses. Group 4 (n = 93) was provided with free rides from home to hospital in addition to the reminder and free surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of participants undergoing cataract surgery after interventions. RESULTS: In total, 94 patients (26.5%) underwent cataract surgery after interventions. In group 1, 13 patients (14.4%) underwent surgery, which was significantly lower than the number in group 2 (n = 25 [27.8%]; P = 0.027), group 3 (n = 28 [31.1%]; P = 0.012), and group 4 (n = 26 [28%]; P = 0.038). There were no significant differences between groups 2 and 3 (P = 0.768) or between groups 2 and 4 (P = 0.869). CONCLUSIONS: Provision of free cataract surgery was twice as effective as giving patients an informative reminder when it came to increasing the uptake of cataract surgery. However, offering reimbursement of transportation expenses or provision of free rides had minimal added impact on the response rate of participants to undergo cataract surgery.

Prevalence of blindness and outcomes of cataract surgery in Hainan Province in South China.

OBJECTIVE: To define the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment (VI) in people in rural Hainan using the rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB) and to report the outcomes of cataract surgery among the residents. DESIGN: Population-based, cross-sectional survey. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 6482 rural residents of the Hainan province. METHODS: A total of 136 clusters, each of which consisted of 50 people aged ≥50 years, were selected through probability-proportionate-to-size sampling. Door-to-door visits were performed by 2 outreach teams. Visual acuity (VA) was measured on site, and those with VA <6/18 in either eye were examined by an ophthalmologist. Causes of blindness and VI were determined. The causes of poor visual outcome after cataract surgery were evaluated. Information regarding barriers to receiving surgery was collected by trained interviewers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence and causes of blindness (VA <3/60), severe VI (SVI) (VA <6/60 but ≥3/60), and VI (VA <6/18 but ≥6/60) based on presenting VA (PVA) were assessed. Outcomes of cataract surgery performed in public and private hospitals and charitable organizations were compared. RESULTS: A total of 6482 subjects were examined (response rate, 95.3%). The sample prevalence of blindness was 4.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0-6.8). The prevalence of SVI and VI was 1.9% (95% CI, 0-4.3) and 9.9% (95% CI, 7.6-12.2), respectively. Age and sex were associated with increased prevalence of blindness, SVI, and VI. Overall, cataract accounted for approximately 60% of blindness and SVI. Of the 524 eyes that had received cataract surgery, 87.2% had intraocular lenses implanted, 21% had a poor visual outcome (PVA <6 /60), and 20% had a borderline visual outcome (PVA <6/18 but ≥6/60). Eyes that received surgery in charitable organizations had a higher rate of intraocular lens implantation and good visual outcome (VA ≥6/18) compared with eyes that were operated on elsewhere. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of blindness, SVI, and VI was high among rural residents in Hainan. Cataract remained the leading cause of avoidable blindness. Outcomes of cataract surgery performed in public hospitals were suboptimal. Quality-control initiatives should be introduced to improve cataract surgery outcomes.

Eyelid tumours and pseudotumours in Hong Kong: a ten-year experience.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with eyelid tumours in Hong Kong. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: A tertiary eye centre in Hong Kong. PATIENTS: A computerised retrieval system was used to identify all patients who underwent eyelid mass excisions with histological reports, encountered in the period 2000 to 2009, in a tertiary eye centre. The demographics (age, gender), clinical features (laterality, tumour topography), and the pathological diagnosis of each patient were documented. Descriptive statistical tabulation and analyses were performed on the data. RESULTS: In all, 198 patients were identified; all were Chinese. Their mean age was 54 years for benign lesions and 68 years for malignant ones. Women were more commonly affected. Benign tumourous lesions occurred more commonly on the upper (n=91; 54%) than lower eyelid (n=79; 47%), whereas malignant lesions more often affected the lower (n=17, 61%) than upper (n=11, 39%) eyelid. The distribution of left and right eye involvement was similar (103 vs 101, respectively). In six patients, there were bilateral benign lesion. Regarding benign masses, 45 (27%) were intradermal neavi, 38 (22%) were squamous papillomas, 25 (15%) were seborrhoeic keratosis lesions, 14 (8%) were epidermoid cysts, and 7 (4%) were compound naevi. Regarding malignant eyelid tumours, the most common was basal cell carcinomas (n=12, 43%), 5 (18%) were squamous cell carcinomas, 3 (11%) were actinic keratosis lesions, and 2 (7%) each were sebaceous gland carcinomas and melanomas. CONCLUSION: Benign lesions constituted the majority of these eyelid tumours. Among the malignant lesions, basal cell carcinoma was the commonest type, with lower lid involvement in majority. Sebaceous gland carcinoma is not rare, which is in contrast to Caucasian populations. The relative frequencies of the most common malignant tumours in Hong Kong differed substantially from those reported in other Asian studies.

Outcomes of Goniotomy With or Without Secondary Intraocular Lens Implantation in Pediatric Glaucoma Following Cataract Surgery: A Prospective Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of a 120-degree goniotomy (GT) with or without secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in glaucoma following cataract surgery (GFCS). DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. METHODS: Pediatric patients with GFCS who underwent standalone 120-degree GT or 120-degree GT combined with secondary IOL implantation (GT+IOL) from March 2022 to August 2022 at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center were recruited. Primary outcomes were intraocular pressure (IOP) and the number of ocular hypotensive medications. A secondary outcome was the surgical success rate. Success was defined as a postoperative IOP within the range of 5-21 mm Hg. Complete and qualified successes were defined, as the above, without and with ocular hypotensive medications, respectively. RESULTS: Thirty-two eyes of 22 patients were included. The mean age at the time of GT was 68.5 ± 29.3 months. The mean follow-up duration was 12.2 ± 2.3 months (9-15 mo). Mean IOP decreased from 30.9 ± 4.8 mm Hg on 2 (interquartile range = 1) medications at baseline to 15.8 ± 3.6 mm Hg on 0 (interquartile range = 1.5) medication at the latest visit in all eyes. The overall complete and qualified success rates were 68.8% and 90.6%, respectively. There were no significant differences in IOP, number of medications, and complete and qualified success rates between the standalone GT and GT+IOL groups at the latest follow-up at 9 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: To reduce the need for additional surgery, 120-degree GT was a safe and effective surgical treatment for GFCS in children, which could be combined with secondary IOL implantation in aphakic eyes with GFCS.

Bilateral synchronous conjunctival myxoma and review of the literature.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report the clinicopathological features and management of the first case of bilateral synchronous conjunctival myxoma. METHODS: This study was a case report and literature review. RESULTS: A 66-year-old Chinese male with past ocular history of uncomplicated bilateral phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOLs) 3 years ago prior to presentation presented with bilateral red and swollen conjunctiva for over a year. On examination his corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) was 25/20 in the right eye 20/20 in the left eye. Slit lamp examination revealed swollen temporal conjunctiva bilaterally which appeared as painless, well-circumscribed, salmon-pink, fleshy patches. The lesion in the right eye was subsequently excised, followed by excision of the lesion in the left eye at 3-week interval. Microscopically, histopathological examination of both excised specimens revealed hypocellular conjunctival mucosa covered by non-dysplastic epithelium, with presence of myxoid degeneration in the subepithelial stroma and immunostaining findings consistent with conjunctival myxoma. At his latest follow-up at 24 months, there were no recurrences of the conjunctival masses and the CDVA was the same as preoperatively.