Temporal Optic Disc Microvasculature Dropout in Glaucoma.

Purpose: To assess the clinical characteristics of focal temporal optic disc microvasculature dropout (MvD-D) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients. Methods: One hundred and eighty-seven eyes of 187 POAG patients having MvD-D on Swept-Source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) were enrolled. Three groups were categorized according to the presence of temporal MvD-D within the upper and lower 45° of the fovea-Bruch's membrane (BM) opening axis: focal temporal MvD-D (Group 1, isolated focal temporal MvD-D; 44 eyes), supero/inferotemporal MvD-D (Group 2, MvD-D only in superotemporal or inferotemporal sector; 78 eyes), and diffuse temporal MvD-D (Group 3, MvD-D spanning ≥ 2 consecutive sectors, at least one of which being temporal sector; 65 eyes). Results: Group 1 had a significantly longer axial length and ß-zone parapapillary atrophy without BM. There also was a larger horizontal tilt angle and ovality index than the other two groups (P < 0.001). Group 1 had a significantly thinner retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in the temporal sector than did Group 2 (P < 0.001), despite similar thicknesses in all other areas (P > 0.05). Group 3 had significantly worse visual field mean deviation and thinner RNFL than the other two groups in all areas other than the nasal, temporal, and superotemporal sectors (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Focal temporal MvD-D detected by SS-OCTA was associated with a longer axial length and related subsequent morphological changes of the optic disc and parapapillary area. This suggests that stretching of the optic disc consequent on axial elongation may lead to absence of temporal optic disc microvasculature.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Recurrent Anterior Uveitis in Initial Acute-Onset Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease.

PURPOSE: We report the estimated incidence of, and risk factors for, recurrent anterior uveitis in patients with initial acute-onset Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease using survival analyses. METHODS: Patients who were diagnosed with initial acute-onset VKH disease during 2003-2022 at two university hospitals were included. Recurrent anterior uveitis was defined as the first occurrence of the granulomatous anterior uveitis with anterior chamber cells and flare of 2+ or more by the Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) Working Group grading scheme, after the disappearance of conspicuous uveitis and serous retinal detachment for at least 3 months, regardless of systemic or local treatment. The univariate log-rank test and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed, including patients' demographic characteristics, underlying diseases, presence of prodromal symptoms, duration of visual symptoms, visual acuity, slit-lamp and fundus findings, and height of serous retinal detachment. The treatment method and response to treatment were also included. RESULTS: The estimated incidence was 39.3% at 10 years. Fifteen of 55 patients (27.3%) had recurrent anterior uveitis during the mean follow-up of 4.5 years. The presence of focal posterior synechiae at the diagnosis increased the risk of recurrent anterior uveitis 6.97-fold compared to the absence of synechiae (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.20-22.11; p < 0.001). Use of systemic high-dose steroid therapy more than 7 days after the development of visual symptoms resulted in a hazard ratio of 4.55 (95% CI, 1.27-16.40; p = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: This study reports the estimated incidence and risk factors of recurrent anterior uveitis in VKH disease from survival analyses. However, because of the retrospective nature of this study, it is hard to confirm the consistency of the medical records regarding risk factors, thus, the presence of focal posterior synechiae can be inconclusive as a risk factor. Further studies are warranted.