Hospitalization, Overdose, and Mortality After Opioid Prescriptions Tied to Ophthalmic Surgery.

PURPOSE: Opioid prescriptions continue to carry significant short- and long-term systemic risks, even after ophthalmic surgery. The goal of this study was to identify any association of opioid prescription, after ophthalmic surgery, with postoperative hospitalization, opioid overdose, opioid dependence, and all-cause mortality. DESIGN: Retrospective, cross-sectional analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Patients undergoing an ophthalmic surgery in the OptumLabs Data Warehouse. METHODS: We used deidentified administrative claims data from the OptumLabs Data Warehouse to create 3 cohorts of patients for analysis from January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2022. The first cohort consisted of 1-to-1 propensity score-matched patients who had undergone ophthalmic surgery and had filled a prescription for an opioid and not filled a prescription for an opioid. The second cohort consisted of patients who were considered opioid naïve and had filled a prescription for an opioid matched to patients who had not filled a prescription for an opioid. The last cohort consisted of opioid-naïve patients matched across the following morphine milligram equivalents (MME) groups: ≤ 40, 41-80, and > 80. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Short- and long-term risks of hospitalization, opioid overdose, opioid dependency/abuse, and death were compared between the cohorts. RESULTS: We identified 1 577 692 patients who had undergone an ophthalmic surgery, with 312 580 (20%) filling an opioid prescription. Among all patients, filling an opioid prescription after an ophthalmic surgery was associated with increased mortality (hazard rate [HR], 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-1.31; P < 0.001), hospitalization (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.49-1.53; P < 0.001), opioid overdose (HR, 7.31; 95% CI, 6.20-8.61, P < 0.001), and opioid dependency (HR, 13.05; 95% CI, 11.48-14.84; P < 0.001) compared with no opioid prescription. Furthermore, we found that higher MME doses of opioids were associated with higher rates of mortality, hospitalization, and abuse/dependence. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who filled an opioid prescription after an ophthalmic surgery experienced higher rates of mortality, hospitalization, episodes of opioid overdose, and opioid dependence compared with patients who did not fill an opioid prescription. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Vision of the future: large language models in ophthalmology.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Large language models (LLMs) are rapidly entering the landscape of medicine in areas from patient interaction to clinical decision-making. This review discusses the evolving role of LLMs in ophthalmology, focusing on their current applications and future potential in enhancing ophthalmic care. RECENT FINDINGS: LLMs in ophthalmology have demonstrated potential in improving patient communication and aiding preliminary diagnostics because of their ability to process complex language and generate human-like domain-specific interactions. However, some studies have shown potential for harm and there have been no prospective real-world studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of LLMs in practice. SUMMARY: While current applications are largely theoretical and require rigorous safety testing before implementation, LLMs exhibit promise in augmenting patient care quality and efficiency. Challenges such as data privacy and user acceptance must be overcome before LLMs can be fully integrated into clinical practice.

RANDOMIZED TRIAL COMPARING MICROSERRATED VERSUS CONVENTIONAL INTERNAL LIMITING MEMBRANE FORCEPS FOR INTERNAL LIMITING MEMBRANE PEELING.

PURPOSE: To evaluate anatomic outcomes and surgeon response following the use of microserrated (Sharkskin, Alcon, Forth Worth, TX) internal limiting membrane (ILM) forceps compared with conventional (Grieshaber; Alcon) ILM forceps for peeling of the ILM. METHODS: Patients were prospectively assigned in a 1:1 randomized fashion to undergo ILM peeling using microserrated forceps or conventional forceps. Rates of retinal hemorrhages, deep retinal grasps, ILM regrasping, time to ILM removal, and surgeon questionnaire comparing the use of microserrated and conventional ILM forceps were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 90 eyes of 90 patients were included in this study. The mean number of deep retinal grasps was higher in the conventional forceps group (1.51 ± 1.70 vs. 0.33 ± 0.56, respectively [P < 0.0001]). The mean number of failed ILM grasps was higher with conventional forceps (6.62 ± 3.51 vs. 5.18 ± 2.06 [P = 0.019]). Microserrated forceps provided more comfortability (lower number) in initiating the ILM flap (2.16 ± 0.85 vs. 1.56 ± 0.76, P < 0.001), comfortability in regrasping the ILM flap (2.51 ± 1.01 vs. 1.98 ± 0.89, P = 0.01), and comfortability in completing the ILM flap (2.42 ± 1.03 vs. 1.84 ± 1.02, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Surgeons utilizing the microserrated forceps experienced fewer deep retina grasps and fewer failed ILM grasps compared with conventional ILM forceps. The microserrated forceps was also a more favorable experience subjectively among the surgeons.

VITREORETINAL OUTCOMES FOLLOWING SECONDARY INTRAOCULAR LENS IMPLANTATION WITH PARS PLANA VITRECTOMY.

BACKGROUND: Retrospective cohort study of 561 adult patients undergoing secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation by vitreoretinal surgeons at a single institution from April 2015 to December 2020. METHODS: Patient historical factors, intraoperative/postoperative complications, and outcomes of IOL type (anterior chamber IOL versus scleral sutured IOL versus scleral fixated IOL versus. sulcus) were assessed. Primary outcomes were rates of postoperative retinal tears and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Secondary outcomes were rates of intraoperative endolaser, intraoperative retinal tear, and further IOL surgery. RESULTS: The incidence of intraoperative retinal tears was 7.3% and not significantly different between techniques. Rates of intraoperative endolaser use were 17.5% among all techniques and not significantly different between techniques. Rates of postoperative retinal tear were low (0%-2.7%). Rates of postoperative rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were not significantly different between techniques (anterior chamber IOL 9/198 [4.5%], SFIOL 1/54 [1.9%], scleral sutured IOL 14/274 [5.1%], sulcus 2/35 [5.7%], total 26/561 [4.6%], P = 0.79). Rates of repeat IOL surgery trended higher in sulcus lenses (anterior chamber IOL 5/198 [2.5%], SFIOL 4/54 [7.4%], scleral sutured IOL 16/274 [5.8%], sulcus 5/35 [14.3%], total 30/561 [5.3%], P = 0.12). CONCLUSION: Intraoperative endolaser use and intraoperative retinal tear are not uncommon in secondary IOL surgery and underscore the importance of careful vitreoretinal management among these patients.

A Comparative Study of Large Language Models, Human Experts, and Expert-Edited Large Language Models to Neuro-Ophthalmology Questions.

BACKGROUND: While large language models (LLMs) are increasingly used in medicine, their effectiveness compared with human experts remains unclear. This study evaluates the quality and empathy of Expert + AI, human experts, and LLM responses in neuro-ophthalmology. METHODS: This randomized, masked, multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted from June to July 2023. We randomly assigned 21 neuro-ophthalmology questions to 13 experts. Each expert provided an answer and then edited a ChatGPT-4-generated response, timing both tasks. In addition, 5 LLMs (ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4, Claude 2, Bing, Bard) generated responses. Anonymized and randomized responses from Expert + AI, human experts, and LLMs were evaluated by the remaining 12 experts. The main outcome was the mean score for quality and empathy, rated on a 1-5 scale. RESULTS: Significant differences existed between response types for both quality and empathy (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001). For quality, Expert + AI (4.16 ± 0.81) performed the best, followed by GPT-4 (4.04 ± 0.92), GPT-3.5 (3.99 ± 0.87), Claude (3.6 ± 1.09), Expert (3.56 ± 1.01), Bard (3.5 ± 1.15), and Bing (3.04 ± 1.12). For empathy, Expert + AI (3.63 ± 0.87) had the highest score, followed by GPT-4 (3.6 ± 0.88), Bard (3.54 ± 0.89), GPT-3.5 (3.5 ± 0.83), Bing (3.27 ± 1.03), Expert (3.26 ± 1.08), and Claude (3.11 ± 0.78). For quality (P < 0.0001) and empathy (P = 0.002), Expert + AI performed better than Expert. Time taken for expert-created and expert-edited LLM responses was similar (P = 0.75). CONCLUSIONS: Expert-edited LLM responses had the highest expert-determined ratings of quality and empathy warranting further exploration of their potential benefits in clinical settings.

Apixaban to Prevent Recurrence After Cryptogenic Stroke in Patients With Atrial Cardiopathy: The ARCADIA Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Atrial cardiopathy is associated with stroke in the absence of clinically apparent atrial fibrillation. It is unknown whether anticoagulation, which has proven benefit in atrial fibrillation, prevents stroke in patients with atrial cardiopathy and no atrial fibrillation. Objective: To compare anticoagulation vs antiplatelet therapy for secondary stroke prevention in patients with cryptogenic stroke and evidence of atrial cardiopathy. Design, Setting, and Participants: Multicenter, double-blind, phase 3 randomized clinical trial of 1015 participants with cryptogenic stroke and evidence of atrial cardiopathy, defined as P-wave terminal force greater than 5000 µV × ms in electrocardiogram lead V1, serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level greater than 250 pg/mL, or left atrial diameter index of 3 cm/m2 or greater on echocardiogram. Participants had no evidence of atrial fibrillation at the time of randomization. Enrollment and follow-up occurred from February 1, 2018, through February 28, 2023, at 185 sites in the National Institutes of Health StrokeNet and the Canadian Stroke Consortium. Interventions: Apixaban, 5 mg or 2.5 mg, twice daily (n = 507) vs aspirin, 81 mg, once daily (n = 508). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary efficacy outcome in a time-to-event analysis was recurrent stroke. All participants, including those diagnosed with atrial fibrillation after randomization, were analyzed according to the groups to which they were randomized. The primary safety outcomes were symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and other major hemorrhage. Results: With 1015 of the target 1100 participants enrolled and mean follow-up of 1.8 years, the trial was stopped for futility after a planned interim analysis. The mean (SD) age of participants was 68.0 (11.0) years, 54.3% were female, and 87.5% completed the full duration of follow-up. Recurrent stroke occurred in 40 patients in the apixaban group (annualized rate, 4.4%) and 40 patients in the aspirin group (annualized rate, 4.4%) (hazard ratio, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.64-1.55]). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 0 patients taking apixaban and 7 patients taking aspirin (annualized rate, 1.1%). Other major hemorrhages occurred in 5 patients taking apixaban (annualized rate, 0.7%) and 5 patients taking aspirin (annualized rate, 0.8%) (hazard ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.29-3.52]). Conclusions and Relevance: In patients with cryptogenic stroke and evidence of atrial cardiopathy without atrial fibrillation, apixaban did not significantly reduce recurrent stroke risk compared with aspirin. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03192215.

The Participation of Regulatory Lipids in Vacuole Homotypic Fusion.

In eukaryotes, organelles and vesicles modulate their contents and identities through highly regulated membrane fusion events. Membrane trafficking and fusion are carried out through a series of stages that lead to the formation of SNARE complexes between cellular compartment membranes to trigger fusion. Although the protein catalysts of membrane fusion are well characterized, their response to their surrounding microenvironment, provided by the lipid composition of the membrane, remains to be fully understood. Membranes are composed of bulk lipids (e.g., phosphatidylcholine), as well as regulatory lipids that undergo constant modifications by kinases, phosphatases, and lipases. These lipids include phosphoinositides, diacylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, and cholesterol/ergosterol. Here we describe the roles of these lipids throughout the stages of yeast vacuole homotypic fusion.

Trends in Ophthalmology Practice Consolidation: 2015-2022.

PURPOSE: To quantify trends in ophthalmology practice consolidation in the United States. DESIGN: A retrospective cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Providers in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) National Downloadable File with a primary specialty designation of ophthalmology. METHODS: We used the CMS database to determine national practice consolidation trends in ophthalmology on individual physician and group practice levels and analyzed by region, sex, and years spent in practice. We used the Cochran-Armitage test to determine the statistical significance of practice size differences between 2015 and 2022. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Temporal practice size trends for physicians and practices in ophthalmology and regional, sex-specific, and age-related trends. RESULTS: Between 2015 and 2022, the number of ophthalmologists decreased from 17 656 to 17 615 (-0.2%), whereas the number of practices decreased from 7149 to 5890 (-18%). The percentage of ophthalmologists in practices of 1 to 2 members decreased from 35% to 28%, whereas those in groups of 50 or more increased from 7% to 11%. The percentage of practices with 1 to 2 members decreased from 75% to 71%, and those with 50 or more increased from 0.2% to 0.4%. Consolidation trends were significant on individual ophthalmologist (P < 0.001) and group practice (P < 0.001) levels. All regions, sexes, and subgroups of years spent in practice demonstrated consolidation (P < 0.001). The Northeast showed the greatest increase in groups of 50 or more physicians (+7%) between 2015 and 2022. Proportionally fewer female than male ophthalmologists were associated with practice sizes of 1 to 2 members in 2015 (29% and 36%, respectively) and 2022 (23% and 30%, respectively). Proportionally fewer ophthalmologists with 0 to 10 years of experience in practice were associated with practice sizes of 1 to 2 members than those with more than 30 years in practice in 2015 (18% and 48%, respectively) and 2022 (14% and 40%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Ophthalmology has undergone practice consolidation from 2015 to 2022. A decrease in the proportion of physicians affiliated with smaller practice sizes seems to have occurred. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Primary Retinal Detachment Outcomes Study: summary of reports number 1 to number 18.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To highlight the recent work published from the Primary Retinal Detachment Outcomes (PRO) Study Group. RECENT FINDINGS: The PRO database was a large dataset made up of patients with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRD) who had surgical repair during 2015. The database was constituted of nearly 3000 eyes from 6 centers across the United States and included 61 vitreoretinal surgeons. Nearly 250 metrics were collected for each patient, creating one of the richest datasets of patients with primary rhegmatogenous detachments and their outcomes. The importance of scleral buckling was demonstrated, particularly for phakic eyes, elderly patients, and those with inferior breaks. 360° laser may result in poorer outcomes. Cystoid macular edema was common, and risk factors were identified. We also found risk factors for vision loss in eyes presenting with good vision. A PRO Score was devised, to predict outcomes based on presenting clinical characteristics. We also identified characteristics of surgeons with the highest single surgery success rates. Overall, there were no major outcome differences between viewing systems, gauges, buckles sutured vs. scleral tunnels, drainage method, and techniques to address proliferative vitreoretinopathy. All incisional techniques were found to be very cost-effective treatment modalities. SUMMARY: Numerous studies resulted from the PRO database that significantly added to the literature regarding the repair of primary RRDs in the current era of vitreoretinal surgery.

THE STATE OF PEDIATRIC RETINAL DETACHMENT SURGERY IN THE UNITED STATES: A Nationwide Aggregated Health Record Analysis.

PURPOSE: In this study, the authors aimed to identify the demographics of retinal detachment in children in the United States and to report the treatment modalities chosen by vitreoretinal surgeons and associated outcomes. METHODS: This was a multicenter cohort analysis of the Vestrum Health LLC Database (Naperville, IL). Children (1-17 years) with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, as identified by ICD10 and CPT codes, between January 2015 and August 2021 were enrolled. Demographic, comorbidity, visual acuity, and treatment modality data were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 168,152 RRDs were identified, of which 2,200 (1.3%) were aged 1 to 17 years. The mean age was 12.7 years, and 821 (37%) were women. The prevalence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment increased with age ( P = 0.009). Associated comorbidities included myopia (17.3%), ocular trauma (7.5%), and history of prematurity (5.7%). Laser retinopexy alone was used as the initial treatment modality in 19%, primary vitrectomy in 23%, primary scleral buckle in 25%, and vitrectomy with scleral buckle in 33%. The single surgery success rate for all procedures was 73.3%. Of the incisional surgical modalities, primary scleral buckling had the best single surgery success rate (79.0%) compared with vitrectomy alone (64.5%) and vitrectomy with scleral buckle (67.2%) ( P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively). Younger age resulted in worse SSSR overall (coefficient = 0.151, R 2 = 0.746, P = 0.027). CONCLUSION: Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments in children increased with age. Myopia, trauma, and history of retinopathy of prematurity were common risk factors. Treatment techniques varied, but primary scleral buckling had the best anatomical and visual outcomes.

Phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate regulates Ca2+ transport during yeast vacuolar fusion through the Ca2+ ATPase Pmc1.

The transport of Ca2+ across membranes precedes the fusion and fission of various lipid bilayers. Yeast vacuoles under hyperosmotic stress become fragmented through fission events that requires the release of Ca2+ stores through the TRP channel Yvc1. This requires the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI3P) by the PI3P-5-kinase Fab1 to produce transient PI(3,5)P2 pools. Ca2+ is also released during vacuole fusion upon trans-SNARE complex assembly, however, its role remains unclear. The effect of PI(3,5)P2 on Ca2+ flux during fusion was independent of Yvc1. Here, we show that while low levels of PI(3,5)P2 were required for Ca2+ uptake into the vacuole, increased concentrations abolished Ca2+ efflux. This was as shown by the addition of exogenous dioctanoyl PI(3,5)P2 or increased endogenous production of by the hyperactive fab1T2250A mutant. In contrast, the lack of PI(3,5)P2 on vacuoles from the kinase dead fab1EEE mutant showed delayed and decreased Ca2+ uptake. The effects of PI(3,5)P2 were linked to the Ca2+ pump Pmc1, as its deletion rendered vacuoles resistant to the effects of excess PI(3,5)P2 . Experiments with Verapamil inhibited Ca2+ uptake when added at the start of the assay, while adding it after Ca2+ had been taken up resulted in the rapid expulsion of Ca2+ . Vacuoles lacking both Pmc1 and the H+ /Ca2+ exchanger Vcx1 lacked the ability to take up Ca2+ and instead expelled it upon the addition of ATP. Together these data suggest that a balance of efflux and uptake compete during the fusion pathway and that the levels of PI(3,5)P2 can modulate which path predominates.

REFRACTIVE ERROR CHANGE DURING TREATMENT OF DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA: A Post Hoc Analysis of the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Protocol T Trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy on the refractive error in eyes with diabetic macular edema. METHODS: Post hoc analysis of Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research protocol T. Spherical equivalent (SE) was calculated for study and fellow eyes at baseline, 1-year, and 2-year visits. The SE change of the eyes with edema was compared with those with resolved edema. The correlation between refractive error changes and central subfield thickness was evaluated. RESULTS: Among 543 study eyes, SE changed from -0.17 (2.04) D at baseline visit to -0.16 (2.14) D at 2 years giving a hyperopic shift of 0.04 (0.82) D (P = 0.022). Among fellow eyes, mean (SD) SE changed from -0.19 (2.1) D at baseline to -0.11 (2.1) D at 2 years, giving a hyperopic shift of 0.12 (0.84) D (P = 0.001). No significant difference in SE shift was found between eyes with and without edema at 2 years in phakic (0.12D and 0.08 D, P = 0.87) and pseudophakic eyes (-0.24D and -0.08D, P = 0.30). The SE shift was not correlated with central subfield thickness change at the end of the second year (r = 0.02, P = 0.62). CONCLUSION: Diabetic macular edema patients have minimal changes in refractive error. The correction of refractive error may be considered during treatment, regardless of the presence of edema.

PREVALENCE, CHARACTERISTICS, AND OUTCOMES OF RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT IN EYES WITH TRABECULECTOMY OR GLAUCOMA DRAINAGE DEVICES.

PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence, management, and outcomes of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) after incisional glaucoma filtering surgery. METHODS: All patients with a history of trabeculectomy or glaucoma drainage device surgery who were subsequently diagnosed with an RRD from January 1, 2016, to January 1, 2021, at the Wills Eye Hospital were identified. RESULTS: Forty-six eyes met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 60.7 ± 19.6 years, and 15 patients (32.6%) were female. Of all eyes, 34 (73.9%) were diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma. The mean time from most recent incisional glaucoma surgery to RRD diagnosis was 1,133 ± 1,644 days. There were 19 eyes (41.3%) with preoperative proliferative vitreoretinopathy (9 eyes [19.6%] with Grade C proliferative vitreoretinopathy) and 35 eyes (76.1%) had macula-off RRD at the time of presentation. At RRD presentation, 4 eyes (8.7%) had concomitant endophthalmitis, 5 (10.9%) had concurrent choroidal detachment, and 2 (4.7%) had concurrent vitreous hemorrhage. Primary vitrectomy was performed in most (91.3%) cases. Silicone oil tamponade was often required (71.1%). The single surgery success rate was 65.2% (30 of 46). The mean preoperative logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity was 1.72 ± 0.78 (Snellen acuity 20/1,050), and the mean final postoperative logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution was 1.59 ± 0.89 (20/778, P = 0.2853). Of glaucoma surgeries performed, the 5-year prevalence of RRD was 0.71% (26 of 3,664, 95% Poisson confidence interval 0.48%-1.04%). CONCLUSION: The 5-year prevalence of RRDs after trabeculectomy or glaucoma drainage device was 0.71%. Most patients presented with macula-involving detachments, often with proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Anatomical and visual outcomes were poor.

FACTORS AFFECTING RETINAL REDETACHMENT AFTER SILICONE OIL REMOVAL FOR RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENTS.

PURPOSE: To report factors affecting the retinal redetachment rate after silicone oil removal (SOR) following rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study from December 1, 2014, to March 1, 2020, of 205 consecutive patients treated for RRD with silicone oil (SO) tamponade and subsequent SOR with at least 6-month follow-up. Primary outcome measure was the rate of retinal redetachment after SOR. RESULTS: The retinal redetachment rate after SOR was 18.5%. Preoperative macula and lens status, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, previous retinectomy, retinal detachment size, concomitant phacoemulsification, previous scleral buckling, and endolaser during SOR did not affect the redetachment rate after SOR. Previous SO exchange was associated with increased redetachment (OR 2.53, 95% CI [1.11-5.80], P = 0.0278). Twelve months of SO tamponade had lower redetachment rates compared with 3 months (OR 0.25, 95% CI [0.04-0.09], P = 0.048). Shorter SO tamponade (3 vs. 12 months) had better final visual outcomes after SOR (0.80 ± 0.61 vs. 1.41 ± 0.66, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: No preoperative or intraoperative factors in this analysis influenced the risk of redetachment after SOR except duration of SO tamponade and previous SO exchange. Although longer SO tamponade duration may be associated with lower rates of redetachment, visual outcomes may be worse.

Survey of Vitreoretinal Specialists in the United States Regarding Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: To evaluate the attitudes, beliefs, and practice patterns of vitreoretinal specialists regarding the utilization of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify features which may predict future telemedicine use. Methods: An 11-question anonymous survey was completed electronically in July 2020 by vitreoretinal specialists practicing in the United States. Results: The survey response rate was 13.0% (361/2,774). Thirty-five respondents (9.7%) had used telemedicine before March 1, 2020; after March 1, 2020, 170 (47.1%) reported using telemedicine (p < 0.001). Of the 170 respondents who reported telemedicine use, a majority (65.3%;111/170) performed 0-5 patient visits per week. Female retina specialists, younger physicians, and those with prior telemedicine usage were more likely to use telemedicine. Barriers to telemedicine use included concern for misdiagnosis (332/361, 92.0%), inability to obtain optical coherence tomography imaging (330/361, 91.4%), inability to obtain fundus imaging (327/361, 90.6%), lack of access to and/or comfort with the technology (261/361, 72.3%), potential legal liability (229/361, 63.4%), and low reimbursement (227/361, 62.9%). The majority of respondents (225/361; 62.3%) reported that telemedicine without ancillary imaging was not an acceptable way to evaluate patients. However, 59.2% (214/361) would find telemedicine acceptable if remote imaging was available. Conclusions: The pandemic led to a rapid adoption of telemedicine by vitreoretinal specialists. The majority of specialists using telemedicine performed five or fewer visits per week. The availability of remote imaging may increase confidence in clinical outcomes with a subsequent increase in utilization of telemedicine by vitreoretinal specialists.

Copper blocks V-ATPase activity and SNARE complex formation to inhibit yeast vacuole fusion.

The accumulation of copper in organisms can lead to altered functions of various pathways and become cytotoxic through the generation of reactive oxygen species. In yeast, cytotoxic metals such as Hg+ , Cd2+ and Cu2+ are transported into the lumen of the vacuole through various pumps. Copper ions are initially transported into the cell by the copper transporter Ctr1 at the plasma membrane and sequestered by chaperones and other factors to prevent cellular damage by free cations. Excess copper ions can subsequently be transported into the vacuole lumen by an unknown mechanism. Transport across membranes requires the reduction of Cu2+ to Cu+ . Labile copper ions can interact with membranes to alter fluidity, lateral phase separation and fusion. Here we found that CuCl2 potently inhibited vacuole fusion by blocking SNARE pairing. This was accompanied by the inhibition of V-ATPase H+ pumping. Deletion of the vacuolar reductase Fre6 had no effect on the inhibition of fusion by copper. This suggests that Cu2+ is responsible for the inhibition of vacuole fusion and V-ATPase function. This notion is supported by the differential effects of chelators. The Cu2+ -specific chelator triethylenetetramine rescued fusion, whereas the Cu+ -specific chelator bathocuproine disulfonate had no effect on the inhibited fusion.

Clinical Presentation of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Historical Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the clinical presentation of acute, primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). DESIGN: Single-center, consecutive case series with historical controls. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients seeking treatment for primary RRD in a 50-day period during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 9-April 27, 2020) and the corresponding 50-day period during the previous year (March 4-April 22, 2019) in the United States. METHODS: The cohorts were compared to assess demographic variables and clinical presentations. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors predictive of presenting macular attachment status. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with macula-on RRD at presentation. Secondary outcomes included visual acuity (VA), duration of symptoms before presentation, proportion seeking treatment within 1 day of symptom onset, and presence of primary proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). RESULTS: Eighty-two patients were included in the 2020 cohort compared with 111 patients in the 2019 primary control cohort. Demographic factors were similar between the groups. Significantly fewer patients demonstrated macula-on RRD in the 2020 cohort (20/82 patients [24.4%]) than in the 2019 cohort (55/111 patients [49.5%]; P = 0.001). Patients in the 2020 cohort showed worse median VA at presentation (1.00 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR; Snellen equivalent, 20/200] in 2020 vs. 0.48 logMAR [Snellen equivalent, 20/60] in 2019; P = 0.008), fewer patients sought treatment within 1 day of symptoms (16/80 patients [19.5%] in 2020 vs. 41/106 patients [36.9%] in 2019; P = 0.005), and a greater proportion demonstrated primary PVR (11/82 patients [13.4%] in 2020 vs. 5/111 patients [4.5%] in 2019; P = 0.03). In multivariate analysis, younger age (P = 0.03) and established patient status (P = 0.02) were independent predictors of macula-on status in the 2020 cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with primary RRD during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic were less likely to have macula-on disease and more likely to delay seeking treatment and to show worse vision and PVR.

Opioids and ophthalmology: review of the current literature.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The number of opioid-related overdose deaths has rapidly increased since 2000, increasing more than five-fold from 1999 to 2016. Although surgeons only write 10% of opioid prescriptions annually, with ophthalmologists writing only a fraction of this amount, all physicians need to be cognizant of the current opioid epidemic and ways to decrease unnecessary opioid prescriptions. RECENT FINDINGS: Previous work within ophthalmology has shown that retrobulbar anesthesia along with peri-operative intravenous or oral nonopioid analgesics can lead to decreased postoperative opioid use following ophthalmic surgery. Recent literature has shifted focus towards the use of opioid prescription guidelines in managing postoperative pain and decreasing the number of unnecessary opioids being prescribed by ophthalmologists. Overall, the frequency of opioid prescriptions may have gradually declined the past few years with such efforts, increased awareness, and new healthcare policies to monitor opioid prescriptions. However, ophthalmologists still continue to prescribe a substantial number of opioid medications, much of which may not be necessary. SUMMARY: This review serves as a tool to aid all ophthalmologists in managing postoperative pain. There is a recent trend in addressing the opioid epidemic and efforts are being made to limit the overprescribing of opioids. Continued efforts are still required by all ophthalmologists to address the current opioid epidemic.

Full-thickness macular holes after surgical repair of primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachments: incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes.

PURPOSE: Full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) formation following rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair may limit post-operative visual acuity and often requires a return to the operating room, but little is known about this phenomenon. METHODS: This study included all patients with a FTMH that developed after RRD repair from January 1, 2015-July 31, 2020. The main outcome was the rate of FTMH formation following RRD repair as well as characteristics of FTMH following RRD repair that spontaneously close. RESULTS: There were 470 eyes with a diagnosis of both a FTMH and a RRD during the study period. Of these, 27 (0.28%) developed a FTMH following RRD repair. The median time to FTMH diagnosis was 91 days (25th, 75th quartiles 40, 204 days). The mean minimum hole diameter was 514.5 ± 303.6 microns. There were 4 FTMHs (14.8%) that spontaneously closed without surgical intervention. The spontaneous closure was noted from 4 to 12 weeks after the initial diagnosis of the FTMH. These holes were smaller than the holes that did not close spontaneously (mean minimum diameter 161.8 ± 85.2 vs 588.7 ± 279.3 microns, p = 0.0058). Of the 27 post-operative FTMHs, there were 23 eyes (85%) that underwent surgical intervention with pars plana vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane peeling. Nineteen eyes (83%) closed with one surgery, 20 eyes (87%) ultimately closed, while 3 eyes (11.1%) did not close. CONCLUSIONS: FTMH is relatively uncommon to occur following RRD repair with a prevalence of 0.28% in our series with 87% of these holes achieving closure following surgery or spontaneously. Approximately 15% of FTMHs following RRD repair closed spontaneously and these holes were significantly smaller.

RETINAL DETACHMENT WITH INFERIOR RETINAL BREAKS: Primary Vitrectomy Versus Vitrectomy With Scleral Buckle (PRO Study Report No. 9).

INTRODUCTION: Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with inferior retinal breaks are believed to have a higher risk of recurrent rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. This study compared anatomic and visual outcomes between primary pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and combination PPV with scleral buckle (PPV/SB) for rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with inferior retinal breaks. METHODS: This is an analysis of the Primary Retinal Detachment Outcomes study, a multi-institutional cohort study of consecutive primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment surgeries from January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015. The primary outcome was single-surgery success rate. Only eyes with inferior retinal breaks (one break in the detached retina between five and seven o'clock) were included. RESULTS: There were 238 eyes that met the inclusion criteria, 95 (40%) of which underwent primary PPV and 163 (60%) that underwent combined PPV/SB. The single-surgery success rate was 76.8% for PPV and 87.4% for PPV/SB (P = 0.0355). This remained significant on multivariate analysis (P = 0.01). Subgroup analysis showed that a superior single-surgery success rate of PPV/SB was especially noted in phakic eyes (85.2% vs. 68.6%; P = 0.0464). CONCLUSION: Retinal detachment with inferior retinal breaks had a higher single-surgery success rate if treated with PPV/SB compared with PPV alone, particularly in phakic eyes.