Retinal Nonperfusion Characteristics on Ultra-Widefield Angiography in Eyes With Severe Nonproliferative Diabetic Retinopathy and Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy.

Importance: Threshold of retinal nonperfusion for the development of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is unclear. Objectives: To identify a threshold of retinal nonperfusion for the presence of retinal neovascularization and the distribution and area of retinal nonperfusion in eyes with severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), PDR, neovascularization of the optic disc (NVD), and retinal neovascularization elsewhere (NVE). Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional image analysis study was performed between September 24, 2018, and October 24, 2018, at a multicenter national study in the United Kingdom. Baseline images were obtained from 2 completed randomized clinical trials (Ranibizumab for Diabetic Macular Edema Panretinal Photocoagulation [RDP] study and Clinical Efficacy of Intravitreal Aflibercept vs Panretinal Photocoagulation for Best Corrected Visual Acuity in Patients With Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy at 52 Weeks [CLARITY] study). The RDP study recruited eyes with severe NPDR between April 1, 2014, and December 31, 2015, and the CLARITY study recruited eyes with PDR between August 22, 2014, and November 20, 2015. Ultra-widefield angiography images of eyes with no prior panretinal photocoagulation treatment were included. Main Outcomes and Measures: The total area of retinal nonperfusion, the area of posterior pole retinal nonperfusion, and the area of peripheral retinal nonperfusion were measured. Results: A total of 92 patients (92 eyes) were included in the study: 59 in the PDR group (mean [SD] age, 42 [15] years; 20 female [33.9%]) and 33 in the NPDR group (mean [SD] age, 63 [10] years; 3 female [9.1%]). Forty eyes had NVE and 19 had NVD with or without NVE. We identified a retinal nonperfusion threshold of 118.3 disc areas (DA) with a specificity of 84.9% (95% CI, 68.1% to 94.9%) for PDR. The median area of retinal nonperfusion was 67.8 DA (95% CI, 44.2 to 107.3 DA) in the NPDR eyes and 147.9 DA (95% CI, 127.4 to 173.5 DA) for eyes with proliferative changes, with a difference of 69.0 DA (95% CI, 42.2 to 97.7 DA; P < .001). No difference was found in the median area of posterior nonperfusion between NPDR and PDR, with a difference of 0 DA (95% CI, -6.7 to 5.2 DA; P = .56). As for peripheral nonperfusion, NPDR eyes measured 64.1 DA and PDR eyes measured 130.6 DA, with a difference of 70.8 DA (95% CI, 48.4 to 94.9 DA; P < .001). Eyes with NVD had the largest total area of retinal nonperfusion, with a difference of 65.1 DA (95% CI, 28.6 to 95.8 DA; P < .001) compared with eyes with only NVE. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest eyes with at least 107.3 DA of nonperfusion are at risk of proliferative disease, and eyes with NVD have the largest area of retinal nonperfusion.

Effect of posterior juxtascleral triamcinolone acetonide on choroidal neovascular growth after photodynamic therapy with verteporfin.

OBJECTIVE: To assess if posterior juxtascleral application of 40 mg triamcinolone acetonide (TA), given at the same time as initial photodynamic therapy (PDT) for predominantly classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) related to age-related macular degeneration affects lesion growth at 3 and 6 months. DESIGN: Comparative (nonrandomized) interventional study. PARTICIPANTS: The study group consists of 38 eyes of 38 patients. The control group consists of 73 eyes of 73 patients. METHODS: Comparison of 2 consecutive case series collected at different times. The study group had a posterior juxtascleral TA with their initial PDT treatment. The controls were treated with PDT alone. All patients were reviewed at 1, 3, and 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in total lesion size; secondary outcomes: area of leak, best-corrected visual acuity, number of treatments, and intraocular pressure. RESULTS: There was significantly less growth of total lesion at 3 months (mean difference = 2.47 mm2; 95% confidence interval (CI): +1.22 to +3.72 mm2; P = 0.0002) and 6 months (mean difference = 2.88 mm2; 95% CI: +0.61 to +5.15 mm2; P = 0.0134) in patients given TA with PDT compared with PDT alone. There was also a significantly smaller residual area of leak at 3 months in the study group (mean difference = 1.07 mm2; 95% CI: +0.16 to +1.97 mm2; P = 0.02). At 6 months, the residual area of leak between the 2 groups became comparable (mean difference = 0.13 mm2; 95% CI = -1.59 to +1.33 mm2; P = 0.86). Mean number of letters lost on the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution chart at 6 months was 9.1 letters (standard error of the mean [SEM] = 2.21) in the study group compared with 12.4 letters (SEM = 1.91) in the control group (P = 0.30). At 6 months, 10 of 36 eyes (27.8%) in the study group showed > or =15 letters loss, compared with 29 of 73 eyes (39.7%) in the control group. Intraocular pressure was raised in 4 of 38 eyes (10.5%). Fewer retreatments were required in the TA with PDT group (2.03 compared with 2.47 [P = 0.006]). CONCLUSIONS: Posterior juxtascleral placement of TA with PDT at baseline significantly reduces CNV growth at 3 and 6 months. Fewer retreatments were required. Visual outcome may be improved, although we did not show a statistically significant improvement with this sample size. A larger, randomized trial with longer follow-up is justified.

Short-term effects of focal argon laser treatment in diabetic maculopathy as demonstrated by optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE: To assess the short-term effects of argon laser on retinal thickening as demonstrated by optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: A prospectively collected consecutive series of patients undergoing routine focal argon laser treatment for sight-threatening diabetic maculopathy had bilateral OCT performed before laser treatment and 1 hour, 24 hours, and 2 weeks after treatment. The main outcome measure was change in retinal thickness in the region of laser treatment. RESULTS: Forty-six eyes were analyzed. There was a small increase in retinal thickness in the treated area 1 hour after laser treatment, with a mean change from before laser treatment of +2.6 microm (95% confidence interval [CI], +0.2 to + 5.0). However, there was a larger change 24 hours after treatment of +39.0 microm (95% CI, +31.6 to + 46.4) and a significant decrease 2 weeks after treatment of -14.6 microm (95% CI, -21.6 to -7.7) from before laser treatment values. CONCLUSION: Focal argon laser treatment remains the first-line treatment for sight-threatening diabetic maculopathy. This study shows that in the short-term, areas of retinal thickening worsen before settling in response to argon laser treatment as demonstrated by OCT.