Alteration of treatment choices and the visual prognosis for diabetic macular edema in the era of anti-VEGF drugs: Analysis of the STREAT-DME 2 study.

PURPOSE: To assess the real-world outcome of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) following 2-year intervention for treatment-naïve diabetic macular edema (DME) since the approval of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. METHODS: A total of 1,780 treatment-naïve eyes with DME for which intervention was initiated between 2015 and 2019, and which were followed for 2 years, were extracted from the longitudinal medical records of 37 retinal disease institutions in Japan. Interventions included anti-VEGF therapy, topical corticosteroid therapy, macular photocoagulation, and vitrectomy. The baseline and final BCVA, and the number and timing of interventions were recorded. Eyes were classified according to the year in which intervention was initiated. RESULTS: Over a 2-year period, BCVA improved annually, finally reaching 7 letters. The proportion of eyes in which good vision was maintained (BCVA >20/40) increased to 73.3% in the latest period. The administration of anti-VEGF therapy remained stable, accounting for approximately 90% of eyes. Notably, the proportion of eyes receiving anti-VEGF drugs as first-line treatment increased dramatically to approximately 80%. CONCLUSION: Anti-VEGF therapy has become the first-line treatment since the approval of anti-VEGF drugs for DME. These findings reflect the evolution of DME treatment and highlight the superiority of anti-VEGF therapy and its increased uptake over time.

RETINAL SURFACE WRINKLING AS AN INDICATOR FOR INTERNAL LIMITING MEMBRANE PEELING DURING VITRECTOMY FOR RETINAL DETACHMENT.

PURPOSE: To assess the validity of retinal surface wrinkling (RSW) as an indicator to select patients relevant for internal limiting membrane peeling during vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, to prevent postoperative visual decline due to epiretinal membrane growth. METHODS: This was a prospective, interventional case series of 78 consecutive eyes that underwent initial vitrectomy to repair rhegmatogenous retinal detachments and were followed for 6 months. The presence/absence of RSW was evaluated presurgically on en face optical coherence tomographic images. The internal limiting membrane was peeled if RSW was identified. The main outcome measure was the prevalence of postsurgical epiretinal membrane growth that caused a visual decline of 0.2 or more in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution unit. RESULTS: The internal limiting membrane was peeled for RSW appearance in 22 eyes (28.2%). Mild epiretinal membranes developed in 8 of the 56 internal limiting membrane-unpeeled eyes (10.3% of total, 6 eyes at stage 1 in the classification of Govetto); however, visual decline occurred in none of them with the mean visual acuity of these 8 eyes maintained at -0.08 ± 0.11 in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (≈20/16). CONCLUSION: Visual decline due to epiretinal membrane growth after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair was entirely prevented by peeling the internal limiting membrane in about 30% of cases selected for the presence of RSW.

THE ASSOCIATION OF EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE WITH MACULAR HOLE FORMATION AFTER RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT REPAIR.

PURPOSE: To describe the clinical and optical coherence tomography findings associated with the development of full-thickness macular holes after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair. METHODS: Retrospective, interventional case series. All patients who developed full-thickness macular holes after successful RRD repair from 3 clinical practices were reviewed. All cases of combined/simultaneous full-thickness macular hole and RRD were excluded. The main outcome measure was the presence of an epiretinal membrane at time of diagnosis of macular hole. RESULTS: Twenty-five full-thickness macular holes were diagnosed after successful retinal detachment repair. Surgical approach to RRD repair included pneumatic retinopexy (6, 24%), scleral buckle alone (5, 20%), pars plana vitrectomy only (8, 32%), and combined scleral buckle and pars plana vitrectomy (6, 24%). The preceding RRD involved the macula in 19 patients (76%) before the formation of the macular hole. The median time to full-thickness macular hole diagnosis after RRD repair was 63 days (range, 4-4,080 days). An epiretinal membrane was present in all 25 (100%) macular holes. Two macular holes (8%) spontaneously closed, whereas the other 23 (92%) were successfully closed with a single surgical procedure. Mean visual acuity improved by approximately 5 lines to 20/72 (range, 20/20 to counting fingers at 1 foot) from 20/240 (range, 20/30 to hand motions) after macular hole repair (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Full-thickness macular hole formation can occur after all types of RRD repair and is associated with an epiretinal membrane. The epiretinal membrane may play a role in the pathogenesis of secondary macular hole formation after RRD repair.

Highly reflective foveal region in optical coherence tomography in eyes with vitreomacular traction or epiretinal membrane.

OBJECTIVE: To report the optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings in eyes with vitreomacular traction (VMT) or with an epiretinal membrane (ERM). DESIGN: Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-four eyes of 45 consecutive patients with subjective visual disturbances resulting from VMT or idiopathic ERM were studied. METHODS: The morphologic features of the photoreceptor layer at the foveal center were determined and the central foveal thickness (CFT) was measured by spectral-domain (SD) OCT. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The morphologic characteristics of the foveal region observed by SD OCT. RESULTS: A roundish or diffuse highly reflective region was observed between the photoreceptor inner segment/outer segment junction line and the cone outer segment tip line at the center of the fovea. This highly reflective region was present in 7 of 7 cases of VMT and 30 of 47 cases of ERM. In the ERM cases, the mean CFT of the cases with the highly reflective region was significantly thicker than that in cases without it. The highly reflective region disappeared when the inward traction on the fovea was released surgically or spontaneously. CONCLUSIONS: The highly reflective region is a characteristic sign observed in the OCT images of eyes with VMT and ERM, and it has been termed the cotton ball sign after its appearance. The presence of the cotton ball sign indicates an inward traction on the fovea and may be a predictor of visual impairment.

VALIDITY AND EFFICACY OF INTERNAL LIMITING MEMBRANE PEELING DURING INITIAL VITRECTOMY FOR RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT: VISUAL OUTCOMES IN MACULA-SPARING CASES.

PURPOSE: To compare the visual outcomes and prevalence of epiretinal membrane (ERM) growth postoperatively between eyes treated with and without internal limiting membrane peeling during vitrectomy for macula-sparing rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. METHODS: Fifty-five consecutive cases who underwent vitrectomy for macula-sparing rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were reviewed retrospectively. The inclusion criteria were a minimal 6-month follow-up postoperatively and spectral domain optical coherence tomographic images available at follow-up. Cases with any pre-existing macular condition possibly affecting the visual prognosis were excluded. All cases were divided into two groups: 22 cases without internal limiting membrane peeling (Group 1) and 33 cases with internal limiting membrane peeling (Group 2). The two groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher exact test in terms of the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) before vitrectomy, postoperative BCVA, and the presence of postoperative ERM growth. Postoperative BCVA and ERM growth were determined at 6 months, 12 months, and the last visit. The visual outcomes were also analyzed between cases with and without postoperative symptomatic ERM growth, which caused visual impairment and required surgical removal. RESULTS: The mean postoperative BCVAs were 0.00, -0.08, and -0.08 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution in Group 1, and -0.08, -0.08, and -0.08 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution in Group 2 at 6 months, 12 months, and the last visit, respectively, and did not differ significantly between the 2 groups at each time point except for at 12 months (P = 0.027). An ERM developed in 14 cases in Group 1, 7 of which were symptomatic. No cases in Group 2 had ERM growth. The prevalence of ERM growth was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in Group 1 than Group 2. The BCVA was significantly worse at 6 months (P = 0.011), 12 months (P = 0.003), and the last visit (P = 0.019) in 7 cases with symptomatic ERMs (median, 0.30, 0.15, and 0.10 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, respectively) than in 48 cases without symptomatic ERMs (median, -0.08, -0.08, and -0.08 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, respectively). CONCLUSION: Internal limiting membrane peeling did not result in decreased visual acuity postoperatively in cases with a macula-sparing rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, and the procedure significantly prevented postsurgical ERM growth. Symptomatic ERMs led to decreased visual acuity even after surgical removal. These results support the validity and efficacy of internal limiting membrane peeling for preventing ERM growth after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair.

Quantitative evaluation of digital-image enhancement during heads-up surgery.

Image-processing is an advantage of heads-up surgery and expected to facilitate ophthalmic surgeries. To evaluate image-processing quantitatively, we analyzed the surgical images of twenty eyes that underwent vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling assisted by Brilliant Blue G (BBG). Still images of the peeling procedure were obtained from the surgical video, and the color difference was calculated between two adjacent spots inside and outside the ILM-peeling contour, i.e., without and with BBG staining, respectively. The color differences were compared between the two settings with and without image-processing, delivered by an algorithm to enhance the color and contrast. Color differences were calculated using two methods: the Euclidean distance based on RGB values (RGB distance) and the Delta-E00 formula provided by the International Commission on Illumination. In five cases, minimum light intensities required to recognize the contour of ILM-peeling were compared during surgeries between the two settings with and without enhancement. Image-processing increased the mean color difference significantly (P < 0.001) from 15.47 and 4.49 to 34.03 and 8.00, respectively, for the RGB distance and Delta-E00. The minimum light intensity was reduced from 15 to 5 on average by image-enhancement. These results showed image-processing enhances color differences and reduces light intensities during vitrectomy.

Macular dysfunction in patients with macula-on rhegmatogenous retinal detachments.

AIMS: To assess macular function in patients with macula-on rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs) using focal macular electroretinography (FMERG). METHODS: This is a prospective, observational case series of 27 patients diagnosed with a macula-on RRD. Foveal attachment was confirmed on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Eyes with any macular disorder, cataract, vitreous opacity or vitreous haemorrhage were excluded. FMERG was recorded in the affected and fellow eyes using a round stimulus 15° in diameter. The status of four retinal factors in the affected eyes was examined, that is, the number of involved quadrants, number of quadrants with retinal breaks, presence of an RRD invading the vascular arcade, and presence of a giant retinal tear. The implicit time and amplitude of the a-wave, b-wave and oscillatory potentials (OPs) were compared between the affected and fellow eyes using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The influence of the four retinal factors on each FMERG component of the affected eyes was also evaluated using Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: Significant reductions in the amplitudes of the a-waves (p=0.001), b-waves (p<0.001) and OPs (p=0.001) were observed in the affected eyes compared with the fellow eyes. There was no significant difference between the affected and fellow eyes in the implicit times of any components. None of the four retinal factors affected the parameters in the affected eyes. CONCLUSION: Altered FMERG responses suggested the presence of macular dysfunction in eyes with macula-on RRDs.

Advanced quantitative analysis of the sub-retinal pigment epithelial space in recurrent neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

To quantitatively evaluate changes in the sub-retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) space and determine the association with recurrent neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Twenty-two eyes treated with intravitreal aflibercept for treatment-naïve neovascular AMD were studied retrospectively. The sub-RPE area, volume, and central retinal thickness (CRT) were evaluated 1 and 2 months after the loading phase using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Recurrence was defined as newly detected neovascular activity during the 6 months after the loading phase. In eyes with recurrent AMD, the sub-RPE area increased significantly (P = 0.036) from 1 to 2 months after the loading phase and the sub-RPE volume increased marginally (P = 0.06). Subgroup analysis showed significant (P = 0.008 and P = 0.016, respectively) increases in the sub-RPE area and volume in typical AMD. In eyes with no recurrence, no significant changes occurred in the two parameters. No significant CRT changes occurred in eyes with or without a recurrence. A quantitative analysis demonstrated an increased likelihood of the sub-RPE space shortly after the loading phase in eyes with recurrent AMD; no changes occurred in eyes without a recurrence. These early changes in the sub-RPE space could indicate disease activity and are valuable for predicting recurrences of neovascular AMD.

Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling to Prevent Post-vitrectomy Epiretinal Membrane Development in Retinal Detachment.

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling during vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) regarding post-vitrectomy epiretinal membrane (ERM) development and visual outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective, interventional, comparative case series. METHODS: Setting: Institutional. STUDY POPULATION: One hundred and two consecutive eyes with RRD treated with vitrectomy and followed for at least 6 months. ILM was peeled without using dye such as indocyanine green (ICG). Observational Procedures: Patients were divided into 2 groups based on postoperative ERM development: Group 1, 81 eyes without ERM formation; Group 2, 21 eyes with ERM development. Patients also were divided into 2 subgroups: those with and without ILM peeling (58 and 44 eyes, respectively). Statistical analyses were performed between the 2 groups with/without ERM formation and between the 2 subgroups with/without ILM peeling for 5 preoperative factors including foveal involvement of the RRD, 4 intraoperative factors including ILM peeling, baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and final BCVA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: An association of ILM peeling with ERM prevention and the influence of ILM peeling on visual outcomes. RESULTS: ILM peeling was significantly (P < .001) associated with ERM prevention. There was no significant difference in the final BCVA between subgroups with and without ILM peeling. CONCLUSIONS: ILM peeling without ICG staining during the initial vitrectomy for RRDs may prevent postoperative ERM formation with favorable visual outcomes.

One-year outcome of intravitreal aflibercept injection for age-related macular degeneration resistant to ranibizumab: rapid morphologic recovery and subsequent visual improvement.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the 1-year efficacy of aflibercept in Japanese patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who were resistant to ranibizumab treatment. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS: Fourteen consecutive eyes of 14 patients with AMD were enrolled who had no substantial response or developed resistance to intravitreal ranibizumab injections. METHODS: All patients were subcategorized into one of two subtypes of AMD: seven patients with occult choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and seven with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Serial intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) injections were administered. Comprehensive ophthalmic examinations, including optical coherence tomography, were conducted at baseline and at follow-up examinations at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the initial IVA injection. The best-corrected visual acuity converted to logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) and central macular thickness (CMT) at each follow-up visit were compared with the baseline values. The anatomic response was also assessed with absorption or reduction of fluid in the subretina or subretinal pigment epithelial space. RESULTS: The logMAR best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly at 3, 6, and 12 months in the total cohort: at 3 and 6 months in patients with occult CNV and at 3 and 12 months in patients with PCV. The CMT decreased significantly at all follow-up visits in the total cohort as well as in both subtypes, except for the CMT at 6 months in PCV patients. The anatomic improvement was also demonstrated in all cases, and pigment epithelial detachments tended to be resolved more rapidly in patients with PCV than in patients with occult CNV. CONCLUSION: Conversion to IVA was effective in patients with AMD resistant to ranibizumab, showing rapid morphologic improvement. The logMAR visual acuity was raised significantly within 12 months, and the clinical course of visual acuity improvement may differ according to the AMD subtypes.

Surgical repair of orbital fat prolapse by conjunctival fixation to the sclera.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study described here was to report the outcomes of surgery for orbital fat prolapse by conjunctival fixation to the sclera. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-three consecutive eyes of 19 patients with orbital fat prolapse were retrospectively reviewed. All cases were treated with the same simple procedure without resection through conjunctival incision: fixation of conjunctiva to the sclera with interrupted sutures of 10-0 nylon in two rows located approximately 12-14 mm posterior to the limbus. These sutures formed an embankment to keep the prolapsed fat posteriorly. Postoperative results were determined by slit-lamp examination and recurrence of prolapse was defined as the presence of orbital fat anterior to the embankment. RESULTS: During the mean follow-up period of 19 months (range: 1-59 months), one case experienced recurrence which required further surgery. None of the other cases experienced recurrence, and there were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Conjunctival fixation to the sclera was a simple and effective surgical technique for orbital fat prolapse, with less invasion compared to the conventional method that requires conjunctival incision.

Macular Hole Associated with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease at the Acute Uveitic Stage.

We describe a case with macular hole (MH) associated with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. A 71-year-old Japanese woman presented with visual loss and headaches. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.02 in the right eye (RE) and 0.1 in the left eye (LE). The patient was diagnosed with VKH based on circumferential choroidal detachments, multiple serous retinal detachments, and optic disc hyperemia. The multiple serous retinal detachments improved with high-dose corticosteroid therapy and gradual tapering. The BCVA was recovered to 1.2/0.7 in the RE/LE. Six weeks after the initial administration of steroid, vitreomacular traction was found by optical coherence tomography in the LE, which progressed to stage 4 MH with the BCVA of 0.2 in the LE. Twenty-three weeks after the initial treatment, vitrectomy was performed with the standard surgical procedures, including inner limiting membrane peeling around the fovea and air tamponade. The MH was closed successfully and the BCVA was 0.4 in the LE 5 weeks after the vitrectomy. This is the first report of a case with MH secondary to the acute uveitic stage of VKH. Successful closure of MH was achieved with the standard surgical intervention for an idiopathic MH. To conclude, at the early stage of VKH, there is a possibility of MH formation due to the rapid progress of vitreous traction following the inflammation, and the surgical procedure could be effective to resolve this secondary disorder.

Haptic breakage after transscleral fixation of a single-piece acrylic intraocular lens.

PURPOSE: To report the case of a patient with a damaged haptic of an acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) after transscleral IOL fixation. METHODS: This is a retrospective and descriptive case report. RESULTS: A 40-year-old man presented with sudden visual loss in the left eye. He had undergone phacoemulsification/aspiration and IOL implantation 3 years previously and IOL repositioning with transscleral fixation 2 years before the initial visit. His visual acuity was 0.3 in the left eye due to corneal edema caused by a foreign body, i.e., the severed haptic tip of the single-piece acrylic IOL, which was surgically removed. The IOL itself was tilted and therefore explanted. The surface of the tip of the haptic suggested that the monofilament suture thread had exerted continuous force across the haptic. CONCLUSIONS: The haptics of acrylic IOLs can be damaged after transscleral fixation.

Clinical course of focal choroidal excavation in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

We describe focal choroidal excavation (FCE) in a case of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease and compare the findings with different chorioretinal conditions. A 55-year-old man was diagnosed with VKH based on panuveitis and exudative retinal detachments. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography demonstrated a dome-shaped protrusion with a nonconforming pattern at the fovea, which had been detected as a conforming pattern 1 year before the onset. The FCE pattern returned into a conforming pattern following corticosteroid therapy. These findings suggest that the natively existent FCE could be affected by pathophysiological changes of VKH as well as other chorioretinal conditions.

Outer retinal morphology and visual function in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between the morphology of the fovea and visual acuity in patients with an untreated idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). METHODS: We examined 52 eyes of 45 patients diagnosed with an ERM. The morphology of the foveal area was determined by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. The relationships between the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and 8 optical coherence tomography features, central retinal thickness, cone outer segment tip (COST) line, photoreceptor inner/outer segment (IS/OS) junction line, foveal bulge of the IS/OS line, external limiting membrane, inner limiting membrane, foveal pit, and ERM over the foveal center, were evaluated. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis showed that intact COST line, IS/OS junction line, and external limiting membrane independently and significantly contributed to the BCVA. The standardized partial regression coefficient ß was 0.415 for the COST line, 0.287 for the IS/OS junction line, and 0.247 for the external limiting membrane. However, the other features, eg, foveal bulge, inner limiting membrane, foveal pit, and ERM, were not significantly associated with the BCVA. The central retinal thickness was significantly correlated with the BCVA (r2=0.274; P< .01). CONCLUSIONS: At an early stage of an ERM, only the photoreceptor structures are significantly associated with the BCVA, and the appearance of the COST line was most highly associated. Detailed examinations of the photoreceptor structures using optical coherence tomography may help find photoreceptor dysfunction in cases of idiopathic ERM.