Pediatric orbital subperiosteal abscess outbreak in Iran: characteristics and causes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate demographics, characteristics, and management of pediatric patients with subperiosteal abscesses (SPA) secondary to orbital cellulitis and discuss the etiology of a dramatic rise in SPA. METHODS: Data were gathered by retrospective chart review of patients admitted to a tertiary referral eye hospital (Farabi Eye Hospital) diagnosed with orbital cellulitis with subperiosteal abscess from October 2022 to March 2023 (six months). Data on demographic information, clinical examination, radiographic evidence of sinusitis, orbital cellulitis, SPA, surgical and non-surgical management taken, isolated bacteria, and duration of hospital stay were gathered. RESULTS: 24 patients were admitted during these six months, with a diagnosis of orbital SPA secondary to paranasal sinusitis, confirmed by an orbital Computed Tomography (CT) scan. The age range was 11 months to 16 years. 75% of patients were male. All patients had a history of flu-like illness before developing orbital cellulitis. All patients had concurrent sinusitis, and 18 underwent initial surgical abscess drainage. The ethmoid sinus was the most involved, and most patients had a medially located SPA. Abscess volume ranged from 0.78 to 7.81 cm3 (mean: 3.52 cm3). One patient had concurrent central retinal artery occlusion due to orbital cellulitis. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we report a dramatic increase in the incidence of SPA referred to our hospital. Larger abscess volumes and an increased number of cases that needed initial surgical drainage are also of note. An influenza outbreak in the autumn and winter, undiagnosed Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, increased antimicrobial resistance due to excessive off-label use of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more virulent bacterial infections are the most probable hypotheses to justify this observation.

Orbital intramuscular hydatid cyst causing compressive optic neuropathy: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Echinococcosis, commonly known as hydatid disease, is a zoonotic infection resulting from the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. The occurrence of hydatid cysts in the orbital region is uncommon, representing less than 1% of all reported hydatid cases. This report details a unique case of an intramuscular hydatid cyst in the orbital region that led to compressive optic neuropathy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 22-year-old male from Kabul, Afghanistan presented with a five-month history of progressive proptosis in his left eye, associated with a gradual decrease in vision over the past three weeks. The left eye exhibited upward globe dystopia, ocular motility limitation, mild conjunctival injection, and chemosis. Diagnosis was achieved through imaging and histopathological examination. Treatment involves surgical removal of the cyst and prolonged albendazole therapy. The postoperative course showed significant improvement in the patient's condition and restoration of his vision. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its rarity, this case underscores the importance of awareness and knowledge of hydatid disease among physicians, especially those working in endemic areas. It emphasizes the importance of including hydatid disease in the differential diagnosis of orbital masses, particularly in endemic regions.

Optical coherence tomography angiography in thyroid associated ophthalmopathy: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the evidence for alterations of blood flow, vascular and perfusion densities in the choroid, macula, peripapillary region, and the area surrounding the optic nerve head (ONH) in patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) based on changes of OCTA parameters. METHODS: A systematic review of Pubmed, Google Scholar, Scopus, WOS, Cochrane, and Embase databases, including quality assessment of published studies, investigating the alterations of OCTA parameters in TAO patients was conducted. The outcomes of interest comprised changes of perfusion and vascular densities in radial peripapillary capillary (RPC), ONH, superficial and deep retinal layers (SRL and DRL), choriocapillaris (CC) flow, and the extent of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ). RESULTS: From the total of 1253 articles obtained from the databases, the pool of papers was narrowed down to studies published until March 20th, 2024. Lastly, 42 studies were taken into consideration which contained the data regarding the alterations of OCTA parameters including choriocapillary vascular flow, vascular and perfusion densities of retinal microvasculature, SRL, and DRL, changes in macular all grid sessions, changes of foveal, perifoveal and parafoveal densities, macular whole image vessel density (m-wiVD) and FAZ, in addition to alterations of ONH and RPC whole image vessel densities (onh-wiVD and rpc-wiVD) among TAO patients. The correlation of these parameters with visual field-associated parameters, such as Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), Visual field mean defect (VF-MD), axial length (AL), P100 amplitude, and latency, was also evaluated among TAO patients. CONCLUSION: The application of OCTA has proven helpful in distinguishing active and inactive TAO patients, as well as differentiation of patients with or without DON, indicating the potential promising role of some OCTA measures for early detection of TAO with high sensitivity and specificity in addition to preventing the irreversible outcomes of TAO. OCTA assessments have also been applied to evaluate the effectiveness of TAO treatment approaches, including systemic corticosteroid therapy and surgical decompression.

Lower Eyelid Position Changes Following Müller's Muscle-Conjunctival Resection Blepharoptosis Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Asymmetry of the lower eyelids and a lower position of the lower eyelid on the ptotic side are common issues in patients with upper lid ptosis. Understanding the relationship between upper lid ptosis correction and lower eyelid position will facilitate better treatment strategies for ptosis. OBJECTIVES: To assess the lower eyelid position before and after Müller's muscle-conjunctival resection (MMCR) in unilateral myogenic ptosis (MP) and aponeurotic ptosis (AP). METHODS: This prospective interventional before-and-after study, included adults with blepharoptosis. Measurements were taken before and 6 months after the surgery. RESULTS: A total of 47 patients included, with 29 having MP and 18 having AP. The mean ages were 31.55 ± 5.30 years and 50.11 ± 6.45 years, respectively. In MP group, there was a significant association between baseline MRD2 and the severity of ptosis (MRD1) (ß= -0.739, p=0.004, multivariate regression analysis). After MMCR, significant decreases were observed in MRD2 for both MP (-0.38 ± 0.48 mm, p<0.001) and AP (-0.39 ± 0.47 mm, p=0.003). The symmetry of MRD2 remained stable at 41.4% in the MP, while it decreased from 44.4% to 16.7% in the AP. The baseline MRD2 was the only factor associated with postoperative MRD2 in the MP. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with myogenic and aponeurotic ptosis often exhibit a lower position of the lower eyelid, which typically elevates after posterior upper lid ptosis surgery. In myogenic cases, the severity of preoperative lower eyelid position correlates with the severity of upper lid ptosis and predicts postoperative elevation of the lower lid.

Prediction of substantial closed-globe injuries in orbital wall fractures.

PURPOSE: To determine risk factors for substantial closed-globe injuries in orbital fractures (SCGI) and to develop the best multivariate model for the prediction of SCGI. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on patients diagnosed with orbital fractures at Farabi Hospital between 2016 and 2022. Patients with a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination and orbital CT scan were included. Predictive signs or imaging findings for SCGI were identified by logistic regression (LR) analysis. Support vector machine (SVM), random forest regression (RFR), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) were also trained using a fivefold cross-validation method. RESULTS: A total of 415 eyes from 403 patients were included. Factors associated with an increased risk of SCGI were reduced uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), increased difference between UCVA of the traumatic eye from the contralateral eye, older age, male sex, grade of periorbital soft tissue trauma, trauma in the occupational setting, conjunctival hemorrhage, extraocular movement restriction, number of fractured walls, presence of medial wall fracture, size of fracture, intraorbital emphysema and retrobulbar hemorrhage. The area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic for LR, SVM, RFR, and XGBoost for the prediction of SCGI was 57.2%, 68.8%, 63.7%, and 73.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and radiographic findings could be utilized to efficiently predict SCGI. XGBoost outperforms the logistic regression model in the prediction of SCGI and could be incorporated into clinical practice.

Orbital histiocytosis; From A to Z.

PURPOSE: Histiocytosis is one of the most challenging diseases in medical practice. Because of the broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, systemic involvements, unknown etiology, and complex management, different types of histiocytosis are still a big question mark for us. Orbital histiocytosis is characterized by the abnormal proliferation of histiocytes in orbital tissues. It could affect the orbit, eyelid, conjunctiva, and uveal tract. Orbital histiocytosis can cause limited eye movement, proptosis, decreased visual acuity, and epiphora. In this study, we review the novel findings regarding the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of different types of histiocytosis, focusing on their orbital manifestations. METHOD: This review was performed based on a search of the PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases or relevant published papers regarding orbital histiocytosis on October 9th, 2023. No time restriction was proposed, and articles were excluded if they were not referenced in English. RESULTS: 391 articles were screened, most of them being case reports. The pathophysiology of histiocytosis is still unclear. However, different mutations are found to be prevalent in most of the patients. The diagnostic path can be different based on various factors such as age, lesion site, type of histiocytosis, and the stage of the disease. Some modalities, such as corticosteroids and surgery, are used widely for treatment. On the other hand, based on some specific etiological factors for each type, alternative treatments have been proposed. CONCLUSION: Significant progress has been made in the detection of somatic molecular changes. Many case studies describe various disease patterns influencing the biological perspectives on different types of histiocytosis. It is necessary to continue investigating and clustering data from a broad range of patients with histiocytosis in children and adults to define the best ways to diagnose and treat these patients.

Corneal biophysical changes after upper eyelid blepharoplasty and ptosis surgery: a review.

Upper eyelid surgeries, such as blepharoplasty and ptosis correction, are commonly performed procedures worldwide. This review examines the effects of these surgeries on ocular properties and visual function. A search of the PubMed and Google Scholar databases was conducted to identify relevant articles published after 2000. The results demonstrate that the ocular and adnexal organs function as a unified visual system, with changes in one component affecting the functions of others. Eyelid surgery can alter ocular properties and functions by modifying retinal lighting and ocular optics. These alterations can affect intraocular pressure estimation, corneal curvature, corneal epithelial thickness, refractive power of the cornea, and intraocular lens calculation. Additionally, eyelid surgery can exacerbate dry eye symptoms and impact contrast sensitivity, which is a significant factor in visual quality. Therefore, understanding these interactions is crucial before performing eyelid surgery and during follow-up. This review summarizes recent literature on the effects of upper eyelid surgery on corneal properties and visual function, emphasizing the importance of considering these factors when planning or undergoing such procedures.

Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma With Intraocular or Ocular Adnexal Involvement: A Case Report and Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To review the existing literature on patients with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) affecting the globe and/or ocular adnexa, and to present a report documenting the clinical course of a patient with ALCL that involved their globe and ocular adnexa. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, and Google scholar were systematically searched for all cases of ALCL involving intraocular or adnexal ocular structures from inception to May 2023. Moreover, a new reported case added to the cases found in searches. RESULTS: The review identified 1680 studies, with 8 meeting inclusion criteria. A total of 9 patients were included with a mean age of 29.7 years (median: 30.0, range: 1.3-48). Primary ALCL was present in 5/9 (55.6%) patients. The most common ophthalmic manifestations included periorbital swelling (5/8), chemosis (5.8), and decreased vision (5/7). Misdiagnoses were initially made in 3 patients, and the lag time to correct diagnosis from 3 weeks to 3 months. CD30 expression was positive in all cases, and 6/9 patients were positive for anaplastic lymphoma kinase, resulting in 6/9 patients being diagnosed with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive ALCL. In terms of management modalities, chemotherapy was administered in 8/9 patients, while radiation therapy was utilized in 4/9 patients, and 2 underwent autologous stem cell transplantation. Five (55.6%) patients succumbed to ALCL while 4 (44.4%) were alive and disease-free at the last follow-up. The median times from the initial presentation of ALCL to death, ophthalmic presentation to death, and diagnosis to death were 4.12 months (range: 1.1-168.0), 2.62 months (range: 1.1-144), and 4.00 months (range: 0.10-168), respectively. The median follow-up duration was 21.0 months (range: 1.1-168.0). CONCLUSIONS: ALCL involving the globe and ocular adnexa is a rare and highly malignant tumor that can mimic benign clinical conditions. Early biopsy and aggressive treatment with chemotherapy regimens such as CHOP and radiation therapy may be useful.

Unusual orbital mucormycosis due to pecking injury: clinical characteristics and outcomes of four immunocompetent pediatric patients.

Mucormycosis is a serious fungal infection caused by fungi in the order of Mucorales. Orbital mucormycosis occurs more frequently in rhino-orbital, sino-orbital, and rhino-orbito-cerebral forms of the disease, while isolated orbital mucormycosis is much less common. Herein, we present four cases of immunocompetent children who developed primary cutaneous mucormycosis, which subsequently invaded and progressed to orbital mucormycosis following direct traumatic injury caused by pecking from Acridotheres tristis (Common Myna). Given the low prevalence of orbital mucormycosis in healthy children, an unknown source of infection and delayed diagnosis followed by late therapeutic interventions could result in life-threatening conditions and serious sequelae.

COVID-19 associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis, risk factors and outcome predictors; a multicentric study.

BACKGROUND: Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, an increase in mucormycosis cases has been observed in many countries, including Iran. However, the role of covid-19 and associated risk factors have not been thoroughly investigated. OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to identify epidemiologic characteristics, risk factors, and outcome predictors of Covid-19-Associated Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormycosis (C-ROCM). METHODS: Data of pathology proven Covid Associated ROCM cases were retrospectively obtained from 7 tertiary care centers throughout Iran from February 20, 2021, to July 22, 2021. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using binary logistic regression to assess the effects of various factors on the outcome. RESULTS: A total of 132 patients with C-ROCM were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 61.6 ± 13.9 (60.6% male). In 12 patients (9.1%), both eyes were involved. Diabetes was the most common comorbidity (94.7%). The mortality rate was 9.1%, higher in males (12.5%) than females (3.8%). Severe vision impairment was seen in 58 patients (43.9%). Main factors that had a negative impact on the outcome in the univariate analysis include older age (P < 0.001), higher steroid dosage (P < 0.001), higher HbA1c level (P < 0.001), Covid-19 severity (P < 0.001), and brain involvement (P < 0.001). However, in the multivariate analysis, the effects of age (P = 0.062), steroid dosage (P = 0.226), and Covid-19 intensity (P = 0.084) decreased, and the difference was no longer statistically significant. CRAO was a predictor of mortality in the univariate analysis (P = 0.008, OR = 4.50), but in the multivariate analysis, this effect decreased and was no longer significant (P = 0.125). CONCLUSION: The risk of C-ROCM and its complications may increase in patients with more severe Covid-19, steroid over-prescription, ICU admission due to Covid-19, and poor glycemic control during and after Covid-19 treatment.

Orbital histiocytosis and fibrohistiocytosis: the clinicopathological characteristics of 117 patients, over a decade of experience.

PURPOSE: To describe the clinicopathological features of a large cohort of patients with orbital histiocytoses and fibrohistiocytosis, such as Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) and non-LCH disorders, and correlate patients' clinical characteristics with their pathological diagnosis. METHODS: In this retrospective study, medical records of patients presenting to Farabi Eye Hospital, a tertiary eye care center in Tehran, Iran, from 2010 until 2022, were reviewed. Patients' demographics, chief complaint, location and laterality of the tumor, best-corrected visual acuity, presence of bone erosion on imaging, and their pathological diagnosis were retrieved. Excisional biopsy was performed and evaluated through light microscopy and immunohistochemistry study for their respective markers, including CD1a, CD68, CD207, and S100. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients with 11 pathological subtypes of histiocytoses and fibrohistiocyosis were identified, with 56.4% male and 43.6% female patients. The mean age at presentation was 23.4 years (range 1.5 months-73 years). Swelling and palpable mass were the most common chief complaints. LCH was the most common pathology (32.5%), followed by juvenile xanthogranuloma (26.5%) and adult xanthogranuloma (21.4%). Age, lesion location, and bone erosion had a statistically significant difference among the various diagnosed subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: Histiocytoses and fibrohistiocytosis are diverse and rare disorders potentially involving multiple organ systems. Ophthalmic manifestations of these diseases are even more uncommon. We reviewed their orbital presentation along with their respective histopathological findings. Our results also suggested that an orbital CT scan can be of diagnostic value to discriminate LCH from other histiocytic pathologies.

Decreased Bell's phenomenon after inferior and medial orbital wall decompression in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy: a double-edged sword in management of the patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the changes in Bell's phenomenon after inferior and medial orbital wall decompression in patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). METHODS: This prospective interventional study included patients with moderate to severe non-active TAO, who underwent inferior and medial wall orbital decompression. Bell's phenomenon and adjusted Bell's phenomenon were evaluated at baseline and six months after surgery. Bell's phenomenon was assessed by holding the upper lid open during forced eyelid closure. Afterwards, the upward excursion, the distance between lower eyelid margin and lower corneal limbus, was measured. Adjusted Bell's phenomenon distance is defined as the difference between margin reflex distance two (MRD2) and Bell's phenomenon distance. RESULTS: Thirty TAO patients, including 15 males (50%), with a mean age of 43.6 ± 11.6 years, were enrolled. The distance of Bell's phenomenon significantly decreased after surgery by an average of 3.25 ± 1.57 mm (P < 0.001). In addition, the difference between pre- and post-operative distance of adjusted Bell's phenomenon was - 1.58 ± 2.13 (P < 0.001) corresponding to the worsening in the adjusted Bell's phenomenon. CONCLUSION: The result of our study demonstrated that Bell's phenomenon decreases significantly after inferior and medial wall decompression, which could be considered a complication of this form of orbital wall decompression in TAO.

The Role of Inferior Turbinate Fracture in the Management of Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of inferior turbinate fracture in the treatment of congenital nasolacrimal obstruction combined with first attempt probing in children younger than 36 months. METHODS: This prospective case-control study was conducted on 230 eyes from 176 children aged 12 to 36 months with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. All patients underwent simple probing under general anesthesia. Inferior turbinate fracture was performed in case group combined with first probing. Patients were followed up 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: Total success rate was 91.2% for patients with turbinate fracture and 86.4% for patients without turbinate fracture. The difference between success rates was not statistically significant (p = 0.269). The authors did not find significant difference between cases and controls in age subgroups. Success rate in combined case and control groups in patients younger than 24 months (success rate: 91.7%) was significantly higher than those older than 24 months (success rate: 71.9%; p = 0.001). In univariate logistic regression analysis, age ≥24 months showed a negative association with the success rate (odds ratio = 0.232; 95% confidence interval: 0.91-0.59; p = 0.002). Other factors like sex, bilaterality of nasolacrimal duct obstruction, method of probing were not significantly associated with response to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Inferior turbinate fracture does not improve the outcomes of simple probing and is not recommended during the first attempt in treatment of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Late probing (after 24 months of age) may have a higher failure rate, and increased age is the important factor that predicts failure in probing simple congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

"The influence of orbital vector on involutional entropion and ectropion".

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of orbital vector and other biometric parameters (i.e. axial globe length, axial globe projection) on the development of involutional entropion or ectropion. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 167 eyes from 132 patients were included. Of these eyes, 128 had involutional entropion and 39 had involutional ectropion, all of lower lids. The axial globe projection was measured using Hertel exophthalmometry; axial globe length was assessed by A-mode ultrasound; and orbital vector was determined clinically. Patient-specific categorical variables and continuous variables were compared using the chi-square test and the two-sided t test, respectively. Correlations were derived using the Pearson correlation. RESULTS: The percentage of females was 59% and 33.3% in the entropion group and in the ectropion group, respectively. A significant association was found between the gender and type of eyelid malposition (p = 0.015). Exophthalmometry reading was greater in the ectropion group than in the entropion group (17.7 ± 2.5 versus 10.8 ± 3.7 mm, respectively; p < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between axial globe length and exophthalmometry reading. Positive orbital vectors were observed in 87.5% of eyelids with involutional entropion. Negative orbital vectors were observed in 92.3% of eyelids with involutional ectropion (p < 0.001). Patients with negative orbital vectors showed greater axial globe projection than patients with positive orbital vectors (18.0 ± 2.1 versus 10.6 ± 3.5 mm, respectively; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is an association between orbital vector measurement and involutional entropion and ectropion. Measuring the orbital vector may help predict the development of these lid malpositions.

Is keratoconus more severe in pediatric population?

PURPOSE: To compare the ophthalmic parameters and the severity of keratoconus (KC) in pediatrics and adults at the time of initial diagnosis in an Iranian population. METHODS: KC was diagnosed via slit-lamp examination and Pentacam imaging. In a retrospective observational study, consecutive patients were divided into two groups of pediatrics (<18 years old) and adults (>18 years old). Topographic, keratometric, and tomographic parameters, and severity of KC at the time of diagnosis were compared in both groups. Severity of KC was classified according to Amsler-Krumeich classification. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-eight eyes of 158 pediatric patients and 343 eyes of 343 adults with KC were studied. The mean ages of the pediatric and adult patients were 15 ± 1.9 and 22 ± 1.9 years, respectively (p < 0.001). The results revealed that pediatric patients had significantly higher values of anterior and posterior mean, flat and steep keratometry, astigmatism, and maximum elevation and significantly lower central and thinnest corneal thickness (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found regarding sphere, cylinder, manifest refraction spherical equivalent, and uncorrected and best-spectacle corrected visual acuity between the groups (p > 0.05). Pediatric patients had a significantly more severe KC than adult patients according to Amsler-Krumeich classification (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that KC is more severe in pediatrics, hence the fact that they should be closely monitored and intensively treated.

An orbital hydatid cyst involving inferior rectus muscle: A case report.

The orbital hydatid cyst is a rare entity and although most of them are located in superolateral and superomedial angles of orbits, involvement of inferior sites is uncommon. We report a 12-year-old case of primary hydatid cyst situated in inferior rectus muscle which was undergone surgical removal. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used for differential diagnosis of hydatid cyst. Moreover, histological analysis was performed, after the cyst removal, to confirm the diagnosis. Early clinical and radiological evaluations and subsequent surgical excision is the mainstay of treatment and should be performed to prevent severe complications caused by the advanced and ruptured cysts.

Distribution of ABO and Rh Blood Groups in Patients With Keratoconus: A Case-Control Study.

UNLABELLED: Association of keratoconus (KC) with genetic predisposition and environmental factors has been well documented. However, no single study has investigated the possible relationship between ABO and Rh blood groups and KC. METHODS: A case-control study was designed in a university hospital enrolling 214 patients with KC in the case group and equal number of age- and sex-matched healthy subjects in the control group. Primary characteristics, ABO blood group, and Rh factors were compared between the two groups. Topographic findings of KC eyes and the severity of the diseases were investigated according to the distribution of the blood groups. RESULTS: Blood group O and Rh(+) phenotype were most frequent in both groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of ABO blood groups or Rh factors. Mean keratometery (K), central corneal thickness, thinnest corneal thickness, flat K, steep K, sphere and cylinder, spherical equivalent, and uncorrected visual acuity were all similar between ABO blood groups and Rh(+) and Rh(-) groups. However, the best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) had the highest value in AB blood group (0.35 ± 0.22 logMAR, P=0.005). Moreover, the blood group AB revealed the highest frequency for grade 3 KC, followed by grades 1, 2, and 4 (P=0.003). CONCLUSION: We observed no significant excess of any particular blood group among KC cases compared with healthy subjects. Except BCVA, none of the keratometric or topographic findings was significantly different between blood groups.