Effectiveness and Safety of Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant (Ozurdex) in Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema: A Real-World Experience.

INTRODUCTION: There are few real-life studies on the intravitreal 0.7-mg dexamethasone implant for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) conducted in Latin America. We aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of this implant in clinical practice. METHODS: Twenty-seven centers from Brazil and one from Argentina provided information on patients with DME treated with Ozurdex. The efficacy outcome variables were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in Snellen and central retinal thickness (CRT). Safety was assessed by the elevation in intraocular pressure (IOP), occurrence of cataracts, and adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 329 eyes (both treated cases and naïve eyes) from 282 patients underwent treatment. The time since diagnosis of DME ranged from 1 to 156 months. The median BCVA was 0.7 logMAR/50 letters at baseline and 0.3 logMAR/70 letters after treatment (both p < 0.001). Median CRT values decreased from 425 µm at baseline to 270 µm after treatment (p < 0.001). Increases in IOP of at least 10 mm Hg were observed in 7.4% of eyes, and 4% of eyes had cataract evolution. No cases of endophthalmitis were reported. CONCLUSION: These real-life results suggest that the intravitreal dexamethasone implant is effective and safe for eyes with DME.

Helical intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide implant: a 6-month surgical feasibility study in rabbits.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To investigate the surgical feasibility and safety of a long-term intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (TA) sustained delivery system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pigmented rabbits were implanted with sustained-release formulations containing 925 microg of TA within a non-biodegradable polymer coating: Dose A (n = 15) with a slow delivery rate of 1 to 2 microg/day and Dose B (n = 15) releasing 3 to 5 microg/day. Additionally, a control group (n = 10) using a device coated with polymer only was implanted. The devices were surgically implanted through a 30-gauge sclerotomy into the vitreous cavity. The animals were clinically observed for up to 6 months after the surgery with complete ophthalmologic examinations. Histologic evaluation of a subset of eyes was performed at the conclusion of the study. RESULTS: Implants were successfully implanted in all 40 eyes. Ocular examinations revealed excellent implant tolerability. In all eyes, there was no significant postoperative inflammation at 1 week of follow-up. There was no increase in intraocular pressure during the follow-up period and histologic evaluation demonstrated no significant abnormalities. Minimal and localized vitreous hemorrhage was observed in 22.5% of implanted eyes and mostly cleared at 1 month after surgery. During the 6 months of follow up, localized lens opacities associated with physical implant contact developed in 66.6% of eyes. CONCLUSION: The surgical procedure using the intravitreal TA sustained delivery device is feasible. Surgical complications were generally mild, with lens opacities attributable to unique anatomical features of the rabbit eye. Long-term follow-up and histology revealed excellent implant tolerability.

Arboviruses and the eye.

Arthropod-borne viruses, or arboviruses, are viruses that are transmitted through the bites of mosquitoes and ticks. There are numerous arboviruses throughout the world capable of causing human disease spanning different viral families and genera. Recently, dengue, chikungunya, and zika viruses have emerged as increasingly important arboviruses that can cause human disease, however no specific treatment or vaccine is available for them. In addition, ocular manifestations of these diseases have become more prevalent over the past few years. This review highlights the current understanding on the pathogenesis, systemic changes and ocular findings, emphasizing the retinal manifestations related to dengue, chikungunya, and zika viruses.

Fabrication, implantation, elution, and retrieval of a steroid-loaded polycaprolactone subretinal implant.

A subretinal drug delivery system was developed to overcome the limitations of current treatments for retinal disease. A rod-shaped implant was made by embedding the corticosteroid triamcinolone acetonide within a biodegradable polycaprolactone polymer matrix. The implant was fabricated by homogeneously mixing the polymer and drug in solvent. The mixture was then dried, melted, and extruded, and the prepared solid form was drawn into a filament. The rods were mechanically sectioned to a length of 2 mm with a diameter of up to 320 microm. The rods were successfully implanted into the subretinal space of six rabbits. No complications were observed during the 4-week follow-up period. Initial observations of the implantation and elution characteristics revealed that polycaprolactone is well tolerated by the retinal tissue and that the implant can elute steroid for a period of at least 4 weeks without eliciting inflammatory response or complications. In vitro drug elution rates of different polymer to drug ratios and geometries into a balanced salt solution/bovine serum albumin (1%) solution showed an early rapid-release phase and late first-order phase. Histology and device retrieval after implantation revealed minimal encapsulation and good preservation of cellular morphology during the follow-up period and a more fibrous polymer microstructure of the implant.

Intravitreal gas injection for the treatment of experimental vitreous hemorrhage in rabbits.

PURPOSE: To determine the effectiveness of intravitreous gas injection in the management and clearing of experimental vitreous hemorrhage. METHODS: A total of ten New Zealand white rabbits received an injection of 0.4 ml of autologous blood into the vitreous of the right eye. After 24 hours of the vitreous hemorrhage simulation, six eyes were randomly assigned for treatment with na intravitreous injection of 0.2 ml of 100% perfluoropropane gas (C3F8) (group A), while four eyes received a control injection of an equivalent volume of balanced salt solution (group B). The persistence of vitreous opacification, which was graded at pre-established time points during 32 days of follow-up, was evaluated on the basis of visibility of retinal details in each of the four quadrants. RESULTS: In the gas-treated group (A), a partial view of the retina in the four quadrants was possible at 15 days, while at 32 days, the vitreous cavity was completely free of blood in all eyes, allowing unobstructed observation of the fundus. No retinal details could be observed in the control group after 32 days of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Gas injection proved effective in the treatment of experimental vitreous hemorrhage. It was significantly better than the injection of balanced salt solution, according to criteria of extension, intensity, and clearing time. Its technical facility, lack of complications, and low cost encourage additional research into gas injection to add knowledge to this initial study and to clarify its potential usefulness to treat persistent vitreous hemorrhage as well as to elucidate some unique pathophysiology features of blood catabolism in the vitreous.

Farmacologia ocular aplicada no tratamento de doenças do vítreo, retina e coróide / Ocular pharmacology in the treatment of vitreous, retina and choroid diseases

As doenças que acometem o vítreo, retina e coróide são frequentes causas de cegueira irreversível em nosso meio. O aprofundamento do conhecimento científico permitiu o desenvolvimento de novos medicamentos com ação específica na patogênese dessas doenças, com resultados clínicos superiores aos obtidos no passado. O desenvolvimento da farmacologia ocular exige do médico oftalmologista conhecimentos específicos de biologia molecular, bioquímica e epidemiologia. Entretanto, o tratamento farmacológico das doenças oculares tem sido limitado às formas convencionais de administração de fármacos. Através de revisão da literatura sobre farmacologia ocular e vias de administração de medicamentos, os autores apresentam atualização de importantes aspectos relacionados à prática clínica.

Retinal diseases are frequently causes of impaired visual acuity and blindness. Recent progress in ocular pharmacology leads to the development of new promising drugs and better functional outcomes. Drug delivery and local management of diseases affecting the choroid and retina should enable better a natomical and functional outcomes. An overview of ocular pharmacology, emerging drug technologies and drug delivery is provided. Some relevant clinical features are discussed.

Corpo estranho orgânico intra-orbitário: avaliaçäo tomográfica e conduta / Intraorbital organic foreign body: tomography evaluation and management

Introduçäo: A apresentaçäo clínica do corpo estranho intra-orbitário (CEIO) é variada. A conduta e o prognóstico väo depender da composiçäo do corpo estranho, localizaçäo e presença ou näo de infecçäo. Objetos metálicos e de vidro säo os mais frequentes e bem tolerados, ao passo que os orgânicos causam maior reaçäo inflamatória, podendo levar a sérias complicaçöes. É frequantemente difícil identificar e localizar o corpo estranhointra-orbitário apesar dos modernos métodos de exames de imagem. Objetivo: Avaliar a contribuiçäo dos exames de imagem no diagnóstico bem como a conduta adotada em pacientes com corpo estranho intra-orbitário orgânico. Métodos: Foram avaliados 3 pacientes com corpo estranho intra-orbitário de natureza orgânica após trauma penetrante. Resultados: todos os pacientes forma submetidos à remoçäo do corpo estrnho, apresentando melhora do quadro clínico. A tomografia computadorizada (TC) foi essencial na avaliaçäo, identificaçäo e localizaçäo do corpo estranho. Conclusäo: A identificaçäo pré-operatória, com auxílio da tomografia computadorizada, do corpo estrnho intra-orbitário foi útil para a conduçäo do caso. A remoçäo do corpo estranho de natureza orgânica deve ser feita com o objetivo de minimizar possíveis complicaçöes.

Projeto Catarata: uma soluçäo para saúde pública ocular / Pojeto Catarata: a way to solve ocular public health

A Disciplina de Oftalmologia da Faculdade de Medicina do ABC realizou, em cooperaçäo com as Secretarias de Saúde da Regiäo do Grande ABC no Estado de Säo Paulo, o Projeto Catarata ABC com o objetivo de apresentar uma proposta de soluçäo para o importante problema que é a saúde pública ocular na regiäo. A populaçäo foi previamente triada nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde, por auxiliares de enfermagem treinados, no período de três meses anteriores a cada fase. Após a triagem os pacientes foram submetidos à avaliaçäo oftalmológica e clínica. Foram examinados 2346 pacientes em 3 fases, do quais 645 foram submetidos à cirurgia e 1501 foram encaminhados para os ambulatórios da Faculdade de Medicina do ABC para serem tratados de outras patologias. Pode-se concluir, destas 3 fases, que o Projeto Catarata ABC é um modelo de atendimento populacional eficiente, viável e uma soluçäo para a reduçäo da cegueira da regiäo...