Continuous glucose monitoring metrics following sub-Tenon's injection of triamcinolone acetonide for diabetic macular edema.

PURPOSE: This pilot study aims to comprehensively evaluate the effects of sub-Tenon's injection of triamcinolone acetonide (STTA) on glycemic control in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) using professional continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed changes in glycemic control in 20 patients with type 2 mellitus and DME following single STTA (20 mg/0.5 mL) using The FreeStyle Libre Pro system. Professional CGM provides core CGM metrics such as the percentage of time that glucose levels fall within a target range and include the time in range (TIR) (70-180 mg/dL), time above range (TAR) (> 180 mg/dL), and time below range (TBR) (< 70 mg/dL). Outcome measures were the changes in CGM metrics (TIR, TAR and TBR) and the percentage of patients in whom TAR increased by at least 10 percentage points (ppt) 4 days before to 4 days after STTA administration. RESULTS: The mean CGM metrics (TIR/TAR/TBR) were 75.5%/19.9%/4.4% 4 days before STTA and 73.7%/22.4%/3.5% 4 days after STTA; the metrics 4 days before and 4 days after STTA were not significantly different (P = 0.625 for TIR, P = 0.250 for TAR, and P = 0.375 for TBR). TAR increased by more than 10 ppt in four (20%) patients treated with sulfonylurea and/or insulin. CONCLUSION: Although there were no significant changes in the CGM metrics, four patients developed CGM-measured hyperglycemia after STTA for DME.

Pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane flap versus pars plana vitrectomy with conventional internal limiting membrane peeling for large macular hole.

BACKGROUND: Macular hole (MH) is a full-thickness defect in the central portion of the retina that causes loss of central vision. According to the usual definition, a large MH has a diameter greater than 400 µm at the narrowest point. For closure of MH, there is evidence that pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling achieves better anatomical outcomes than standard PPV. PPV with ILM peeling is currently the standard of care for MH management; however, the failure rate of this technique is higher for large MHs than for smaller MHs. Some studies have shown that the inverted ILM flap technique is superior to conventional ILM peeling for the management of large MHs. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of pars plana vitrectomy with the inverted internal limiting membrane flap technique versus pars plana vitrectomy with conventional internal limiting membrane peeling for treating large macular holes, including idiopathic, traumatic, and myopic macular holes. SEARCH METHODS: The Cochrane Eyes and Vision Information Specialist searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, two other databases, and two trials registries on 12 December 2022. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated PPV with ILM peeling versus PPV with inverted ILM flap for treatment of large MHs (with a basal diameter greater than 400 µm at the narrowest point measured by optical coherence tomography) of any type (idiopathic, traumatic, or myopic). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane and assessed the certainty of the body of evidence using GRADE. MAIN RESULTS: We included four RCTs (285 eyes of 275 participants; range per study 24 to 91 eyes). Most participants were women (63%), and of older age (range of means 59.4 to 66 years). Three RCTs were single-center trials, and the same surgeon performed all surgeries in two RCTs (the third single-center RCT did not report the number of surgeons). One RCT was a multicenter trial (three sites), and four surgeons performed all surgeries. Two RCTs took place in India, one in Poland, and one in Mexico. Maximum follow-up ranged from three months (2 RCTs) to 12 months (1 RCT). No RCTs reported conflicts of interest or disclosed financial support. All four RCTs enrolled people with large idiopathic MHs and compared conventional PPV with ILM peeling versus PPV with inverted ILM flap techniques. Variations in technique across the four RCTs were minimal. There was some heterogeneity in interventions: in two RCTs, all participants underwent combined cataract-PPV surgery, whereas in one RCT, some participants underwent cataract surgery after PPV (the fourth RCT did not mention cataract surgery). The critical outcomes for this review were mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and MH closure rates. All four RCTs provided data for meta-analyses of both critical outcomes. We assessed the risk of bias for both outcomes using the Cochrane risk of bias tool (RoB 2); there were some concerns for risk of bias associated with lack of masking of outcome assessors and selective reporting of outcomes in all RCTs. All RCTs reported postoperative BCVA values; only one RCT reported the change in BCVA from baseline. Based on evidence from the four RCTs, it is unclear if the inverted ILM flap technique compared with ILM peeling reduces (improves) postoperative BCVA measured on a logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) chart at one month (mean difference [MD] -0.08 logMAR, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.20 to 0.05; P = 0.23, I2 = 65%; 4 studies, 254 eyes; very low-certainty evidence), but it may improve BCVA at three months or more (MD -0.17 logMAR, 95% CI -0.23 to -0.10; P < 0.001, I2 = 0%; 4 studies, 276 eyes; low-certainty evidence). PPV with an inverted ILM flap compared to PPV with ILM peeling probably increases the proportion of eyes achieving MH closure (risk ratio [RR] 1.10, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.18; P = 0.01, I2 = 0%; 4 studies, 276 eyes; moderate-certainty evidence) and type 1 MH closure (RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.66; P = 0.03, I² = 69%; 4 studies, 276 eyes; moderate-certainty evidence). One study reported that none of the 38 participants experienced postoperative retinal detachment. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found low-certainty evidence from four small RCTs that PPV with the inverted ILM flap technique is superior to PPV with ILM peeling with respect to BCVA gains at three or more months after surgery. We also found moderate-certainty evidence that the inverted ILM flap technique achieves more overall and type 1 MH closures. There is a need for high-quality multicenter RCTs to ascertain whether the inverted ILM flap technique is superior to ILM peeling with regard to anatomical and functional outcomes. Investigators should use the standard logMAR charts when measuring BCVA to facilitate comparison across trials.

Clinical features and associated factors of intraocular inflammation following intravitreal brolucizumab as switching therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to explore the clinical features and associated factors of intraocular inflammation (IOI) following intravitreal brolucizumab (IVBr) administration for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). METHODS: This retrospective study included 87 eyes from 87 Japanese patients with nAMD who were followed up for 5 months after the initial administration of IVBr as switching therapy. Clinical pictures of IOI post-IVBr and changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 5 months were evaluated between eyes with and without IOI (non-IOI). The association between IOI and baseline factors (age, sex, BCVA, hypertension, and/or arteriosclerotic changes in the fundus, subretinal hyperreflective material [SHRM], and macular atrophy) was evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 87 eyes, 18 (20.6%) developed IOI and 2 (2.3%) developed retinal artery occlusion. There were 9 (50%) cases of posterior or pan-uveitis among eyes with IOI. The mean interval from initial IVBr administration to IOI was 2 months. The mean changes in logMAR BCVA at 5 months were significantly worse in IOI eyes than in non-IOI eyes (0.09 ± 0.22 vs. - 0.01 ± 0.15, P = 0.03). There were 8 (44.4%) and 7 (10.1%) cases of macular atrophy and 11 (61.1%) and 13 (18.8%) cases of SHRM in the IOI and non-IOI groups, respectively. SHRM and macular atrophy were significantly associated with IOI (P = 0.0008 and P = 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSION: In IVBr therapy for nAMD, eyes with SHRM and/or macular atrophy should be observed more meticulously, given the increased risk of developing IOI, which is associated with insufficient BCVA gain.

ASSOCIATION OF ORAL MONTELUKAST WITH REDUCED ODDS OF DEVELOPING EXUDATIVE AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the association of oral montelukast, selective antagonism for cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1, with reduced odds of exudative age-related macular degeneration (exAMD) development. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted using institutional cohort finder tool, and included 1913 patients with exAMD (ICD: H35.32 and 362.52) and 1913 age- and gender-matched control subjects without exAMD. Subanalysis among 1913 exAMD and 324 nonexudative AMD was also conducted. RESULTS: A total of 47 (2.5%) exAMD cases were identified to have a history of oral montelukast use before exAMD diagnosis, compared with 84 (4.4%) controls. Montelukast usage was significantly associated with reduced odds of exAMD in the multivariable analysis (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.50, 95% confidence interval: 0.31-0.80) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug usage (adjusted OR: 0.69). Caucasian race, history of smoking, and nonexudative macular degeneration in either eye were also found to have a significant relationship with increased odds of exAMD. In the subanalysis, montelukast usage showed significant association with reduced odds of developing exAMD from nonexudative AMD (adjusted OR: 0.53, 95% confidence interval: 0.29-0.97) and the presence of atopic disease (adjusted OR: 0.60). CONCLUSION: The study results suggested that oral montelukast is linked to reduced odds of exAMD development.

Short-Term Outcomes of Intravitreal Faricimab Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema.

Background and Objectives: Faricimab is a novel bispecific antibody with Fab regions inhibiting both vascular endothelial growth factor-A and angiopoietin-2. Therefore, this study aimed to obtain short-term outcomes of intravitreal injection of faricimab (IVF) for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) in daily clinical practice. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was carried out on consecutive patients with DME who had been treated with IVF and were followed up for at least 1 month. Outcome measures included changes in logMAR best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), number of IVF administrations, and safety. Clinical outcomes were also compared between the treatment-naïve and switch groups. Results: A total of 21 consecutive DME eyes from 19 patients were identified. The mean number of IVFs was 1.6 ± 0.8 during the mean follow-up time of 5.5 months. The overall mean logMAR BCVA following IVF was 0.236, 0.204, 0.190, and 0.224 at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively, without a significant change from baseline to 1 month (p = 0.176) or for 6 months (p = 0.923). The overall mean CRT (µm) following IVF was 400.6, 346.6, 342.1, and 327.5 at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. CRT significantly decreased from baseline to 1 month (p = 0.001) but did not reach a significant level over 6 months following IVF (p = 0.070). No significant difference in BCVA or CRT was observed between the treatment-naïve and switch groups. No serious safety concerns were noted. Conclusions: IVF for the treatment of DME may preserve visual acuity and improve macular thickness without serious safety concerns in the short term in a real-world clinical setting.

INTRAOPERATIVE OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY FOR REAL-TIME VISUALIZATION OF THE POSITIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUCKLING MATERIAL AND RETINAL BREAKS DURING SCLERAL BUCKLING FOR RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT.

PURPOSE: To report the usefulness of a new surgical method using intraoperative optical coherence tomography that can more accurately place the buckling material for scleral buckling using a noncontact wide-angle viewing system with a cannula-based chandelier endoilluminator for the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. METHODS: The medical records of 12 eyes of 11 patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment treated with scleral buckling combined with real-time intraoperative optical coherence tomography observation were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Real-time observations of the positional relationship between the protrusion of buckling material and retinal breaks with intraoperative optical coherence tomography revealed that retinal breaks were not properly placed on the protrusion of the buckling material in five eyes, requiring the intraoperative repositioning of the buckling material. Eventually, the scleral buckling combined with real-time intraoperative optical coherence tomography observation yielded the initial anatomical success rates of 100% without noteworthy intraoperative or postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: This procedure is a novel approach that enables safer and more accurate placement of the buckling material and may contribute to improving the outcomes of scleral buckling in the future.

Changes in choroidal imaging parameters following adalimumab therapy for refractory noninfectious uveitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the short-term change in choroidal structure following adalimumab (ADA) treatment in refractory noninfectious uveitis. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 33 eyes from 18 patients with refractory noninfectious uveitis. Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), the choroidal stromal index (CSI) defined as the proportion of stromal area to the total choroidal area were used as choroidal imaging parameters and were evaluated by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). The change in these parameters in the 2 months following initiation of ADA was analysed. A linear mixed-effect model was used to assess the effect of ADA treatment. RESULTS: The causes of uveitis were Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKHD) (42.4%), presumed autoimmune retinopathy (15.2%), others (12.1%) and unclassified (30.3%). In the analysis of all eyes, the SFCT was 309.7 ± 113.1 µm at baseline, 295.7 ± 114.5 µm at 1 month and 275.2 ± 98.8 µm at 2 months after ADA initiation (P < 0.001). The CSI was 0.275 ± 0.050 at baseline, 0.273 ± 0.068 at 1 month and 0.273 ± 0.046 at 2 months (P = 0.785). In the subgroup analysis, the SFCT decreased significantly from baseline to 2 months in VKHD eyes (P = 0.007) and unclassified eyes (P = 0.034). There was no significant change in CSI in either subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: In the assessment of short-term response to ADA treatment in uveitic eyes, using EDI-OCT, the SFCT appears to be more effective as a choroidal imaging biomarker than the CSI, especially in VKHD eyes.

Genetic factors associated with treatment response to reduced-fluence photodynamic therapy for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.

Purpose: Reduced-fluence photodynamic therapy (RFPDT) has proven effective for some patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC). Several clinicodemographic factors influencing treatment response have been identified, but associations with genetic factors have not been examined. Therefore, we investigated the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) implicated in cCSC pathogenesis with clinical outcome following RFPDT. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 87 eyes from 87 patients with cCSC who underwent RFPDT and were followed up for more than 12 months. Patients were divided into a good response group (53 patients) and a poor response group (34 patients) based on either persistence or recurrence of subretinal fluid detected with spectral domain optical coherence tomography after the first application of RFPDT. SNPs in the genes encoding age-related maculopathy susceptibility protein 2 (ARMS2, SNP rs10490924) and complement factor H (CFH, SNP rs800292) were genotyped using TaqMan technology. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline characteristics between the response groups except the degree of hyperfluorescence on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA; p = 0.011). The minor (T) allele frequency of ARMS2 (rs10490924) were statistically significantly lower in the good response group than in the poor response group (24.0% versus 41.0%, p = 0.021). Further, the good response frequency was statistically significantly lower in patients with at least one minor allele (GT or TT) compared to the homozygous major allele group (GG; p<0.05). The baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 12 months after RFPDT was statistically significantly better in the GG carriers than in the GT or TT carriers (p<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed less intense hyperfluorescence on ICGA, and the T allele of ARMS2 (rs10490924) was statistically significantly associated with poor response to PDT treatment (p = 0.012, p = 0.039, respectively). Conclusions: Carriers of the ARMS2 rs10490924 minor allele (GT or TT) demonstrated a higher subretinal fluid persistence or recurrence rate and poorer visual outcome following RFPDT. In addition to the ICGA findings, genotyping of ARMS2 (rs10490924) may assist in the selection of patients with cCSC most likely to benefit from RFPDT.

A case of probable Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease in a 3-year-old girl.

BACKGROUND: Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disorder characterized by bilateral granulomatous panuveitis with various systemic manifestations. Although VKH disease rarely occurs in the pediatric population, the clinical course tends to be aggressive, and the visual prognosis is worse than that in adult patients due to severe ocular complications secondary to recurrent inflammation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 3-year-old girl with probable VKH was referred to Kobe University Hospital. She had severe bilateral panuveitis with posterior synechiae of the iris, marked optic disk swelling, and serous retinal detachment in both eyes, and her best corrected visual acuities (BCVAs) were 20/200 OD and 20/125 OS. A third course of therapy was administered because serous retinal detachment remained after two courses of therapy. She was treated with three courses of high-dose intravenous corticosteroid therapy, followed by slow tapering of oral corticosteroids. Her BCVAs recovered to 20/16 OU, and relapse of ocular inflammation and side effect of treatment were not observed during the 1.5-year follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: We experienced a pediatric patient with probable VKH disease who was treated with three courses of high-dose intravenous corticosteroid therapy. With the favorable clinical course in our patient, initial treatment with repeated high-dose intravenous corticosteroid therapy might be beneficial in pediatric VKH disease.

Efficacy and safety of ripasudil, a Rho-associated kinase inhibitor, in eyes with uveitic glaucoma.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the initial experience, efficacy, and safety of ripasudil hydrochloride hydrate (ripasudil), a Rho-associated kinase inhibitor eye drop, for uveitic glaucoma. METHODS: In this retrospective case series, we retrieved the clinical data of 21 eyes from 19 patients with open-angle uveitic glaucoma who were treated with ripasudil at Kobe University Hospital. We analyzed the median intraocular pressure (IOP) reductions after ripasudil treatment and collected the information on the adverse events that were encountered during the course of this treatment period. RESULTS: The causes of uveitis were sarcoidosis (29%), Behçet's disease (14%), Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (10%), others (15%), and unclassified (33%). Of total, 19 (90%) eyes were treated with topical, periocular, and/or systemic steroid therapies. The median number of glaucoma medications used before ripasudil treatment was 2, and the median follow-up time was 13 months. The median IOPs were 23 mmHg at baseline, 16 mmHg at 1 month, and 18 mmHg at 12 months with significant IOP reductions of - 3 mmHg at 1 month and - 2 mmHg at 12 months (P = 0.0050). Of total, 11 (52%) eyes with an IOP reduction ≥ 3 mmHg at 1 month (responders) showed a significant median IOP decrease at 12 months compared with non-responders (- 5 versus 0 mmHg, P = 0.0242). Two adverse events were observed: rashes on the back and transient conjunctival hyperemia. CONCLUSIONS: Ripasudil appears to be safe and substantially reduce IOP in eyes with uveitic glaucoma if the eye is a responder. Ripasudil could be an option for the treatment of uveitic glaucoma.

Retreatment of Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration after Loading 3-Monthly Intravitreal Ranibizumab.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical implications of required retreatment after 3-monthly intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) injections followed by as-needed reinjections up to 5 years in eyes with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted for 165 treatment-naïve eyes from 165 patients with exudative AMD. Visual changes were investigated in terms of the required retreatments. RESULTS: Retreatment-free proportions were 37.0, 23.7, 16.6, 12.1, and 10.5% at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months, respectively. Visual changes were significantly better in eyes which did not require retreatment at every yearly checkpoint within the 5 years. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that requirement of additional IVR treatments in the first 12-24 months was associated with the T allele (risk allele) of ARMS2 A69S (p = 0.010 and 0.015, respectively). Cox regression analysis revealed that older age (p = 0.046) and the T allele of ARMS2 A69S (p = 0.036) were associated with required retreatment within the 5-year follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Age and the T allele of ARMS2 A69S are the risk factors requiring retreatments, leading to poor visual change in eyes with exudative AMD following the initial 3-monthly IVR.

ARMS2 variants may predict the 3-year outcome of photodynamic therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: To determine the association of age-related maculopathy susceptibility2 (ARMS2) gene polymorphisms with the 3-year outcomes of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). METHODS: The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at rs10490924 in the ARMS2 gene of 65 patients with wet AMD who underwent PDT was genotyped using the TaqMan assay. The clinical characteristics and the outcomes of PDT were compared among the three genotypes at rs10490924. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to evaluate the influence of the clinical cofactors on the association of rs10490924 with the visual outcome at 36 months after the first PDT. RESULTS: A significant difference was found among the genotypes in the age and the baseline lesion size. The patients with the GG genotype showed a significant improvement in vision, and the patients with the TT genotype showed a significant worsening of vision at all time points measured after the initial PDT. In the multivariate regression analysis, the number of the G allele at rs10490924 was associated with a significantly greater improvement in the baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 36 months after the first PDT. CONCLUSIONS: ARMS2 variants are likely associated with the 3-year outcomes of PDT in patients with wet AMD.

One-year outcome of combination therapy with intravitreal aflibercept and verteporfin photodynamic therapy for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the 1-year visual and anatomical outcomes of combination therapy with intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) and verteporfin photodynamic therapy (vPDT) for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), and to determine the predictors of a good visual outcome. METHODS: This was a prospective case-series study. Twenty eyes from 20 treatment-naïve PCV patients were treated with combination therapy with IVA and vPDT. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and morphological parameters including polypoidal lesions in indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were evaluated over 12 months of follow-up. RESULTS: The mean logMAR BCVA was significantly improved from 0.30 at baseline to 0.20 at 3 months and 0.18 at 12 months. The mean central retinal thickness was also significantly improved at 3 months and at 12 months. In ICGA, complete regression of polypoidal lesions was found in 14 out of 20 eyes (70 %) at 3 months and in 14 out of 18 eyes (78 %) at 12 months although no ICGA were done on two eyes. In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, the baseline greatest linear dimension was found as a significant predictive factor for good visual improvement (≧0.3 LogMAR units improvement from baseline) at 12 months. CONCLUSION: In this study, combination therapy with IVA and vPDT gave visual and anatomical improvements to treatment-naïve PCV patients over 12 months of follow-up period.

Comparison of the 12-Month Outcomes of Intravitreal Ranibizumab between Two Angiographic Subtypes of Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy.

BACKGROUND: To compare the 12-month outcomes of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) between two angiographic subtypes of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of 38 treatment-naïve PCV cases. Three consecutive IVR and retreatments as needed were performed. Subsequently, the PCV cases were classified into two phenotypes (18 type 1 and 20 type 2) according to the status of branching vascular network. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was evaluated in each PCV subtype up to 12 months after the initial IVR. RESULTS: The mean BCVA was significantly improved from baseline in type 1 PCV while not in type 2 PCV. In type 2 PCV, 3 cases showed severe visual loss after 6 months from the initial IVR. The mean retreatment number was 1.9 ± 1.7 in type 1 PCV and 1.2 ± 1.3 in type 2 PCV. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes of IVR may be different between two angiographic subtypes of PCV.

Effectiveness and relevant factors of 2% rebamipide ophthalmic suspension treatment in dry eye.

BACKGROUND: Rebamipide with mucin secretagogue activity was recently approved for the treatment of dry eye. The efficacy and safety in the treatment of rebamipide were shown in two pivotal clinical trials. It was the aim of this study to evaluate the effect of 2% rebamipide ophthalmic suspension in patients with dry eye and analyze relevant factors for favorable effects of rebamipide in clinical practice. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 48 eyes from 24 patients with dry eye treated with 2% rebamipide ophthalmic suspension. Dry eye-related symptom score, tear film break-up time (TBUT), fluorescein ocular surface staining score (FOS) and the Schirmer test were used to collect the data from patients at baseline, and at 2, 4, 8, and 12 week visits. To determine the relevant factors, multiple regression analyses were then performed. RESULTS: Mean dry eye-related symptom score showed a significant improvement from the baseline (14.5 points) at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks (9.80, 7.04, 7.04 and 7.83 points, corrected P value < 0.001, respectively). Median FOS showed a significant improvement from the baseline (3.0 points) at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks (2.0, 2.0, 1.0 and 1.0 points, corrected P value < 0.001, respectively). TBUT and Schirmer test values were not significantly improved after the treatment. For ocular symptoms, three parameters (foreign body sensation, dry eye sensation and ocular discomfort) showed significant improvements at all visits. The multiple regression analyses showed that the fluorescein conjunctiva staining score was significantly correlated with the changes of dry eye-related symptom score at 12 weeks (P value = 0.017) and dry eye-related symptom score was significantly correlated with independent variables for the changes of FOS at 12 weeks (P value = 0.0097). CONCLUSIONS: Two percent rebamipide ophthalmic suspension was an effective therapy for dry eye patients. Moreover the fluorescein conjunctiva staining score and dry eye-related symptom score might be good relevant factors for favorable effects of rebamipide.

Evaluation of Oxygen Supplementation Status as a Risk Factor Associated with the Development of Severe Retinopathy of Prematurity.

PURPOSE: The effects of oxygen supplementation status and other clinical risk factors on the development of severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) were evaluated. METHODS: Clinical records of 143 newborn infants with a gestational age of 32 weeks or less were reviewed. Severe ROP was diagnosed when photocoagulation due to progression to stage 3 was identified or when 'plus disease' developed. The factors were evaluated with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses between the groups with severe (n = 24) and non-severe (n = 119) ROP. RESULTS: Gestational age, birth weight, duration of oxygen supplementation, duration of directional positive air pressure and maximum fraction of inspiratory oxygen (FiO2) were significantly associated with severe ROP in the univariate analyses. In the multivariate analysis, a longer duration of oxygen supplementation and a higher maximum FiO2 were revealed as significant risk factors associated with severe ROP. CONCLUSIONS: Duration of oxygen supplementation and maximum FiO2 required were important factors associated with severe ROP.

Comparison of the Effectiveness and Prognostic Factors of Intravitreal Ranibizumab between Typical Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy over 24 Months of Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: To compare the response to ranibizumab between patients with typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (tAMD) and those with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), and to determine the predictors for the outcomes. METHODS: Fifty-nine eyes from 59 consecutive patients (tAMD: 27 eyes, PCV: 32 eyes) were treated with three monthly ranibizumab injections followed by as-needed retreatment. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and morphological parameters were evaluated over 24 months of follow-up. RESULTS: The mean BCVA in tAMD and PCV patients was significantly improved at 3 months (-0.22 and -0.09 logMAR units, respectively). The improvement in BCVA was sustained up to 24 months in tAMD (p = 0.01) but not in PCV patients. The significant predictor for good response to ranibizumab in tAMD patients was the improvement of BCVA at 3 months, whereas that in PCV patients was the anatomical resolution at 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Ranibizumab is an effective therapy for tAMD and PCV over 24 months. The predictors for good outcome might be different between tAMD and PCV.

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: clinical features and genetic predisposition.

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is currently recognized as a phenotype of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). PCV is believed to be a type of choroidal neovascularization, although some cases of PCV show a distinct vascular abnormality of the choroidal vessels. PCV often shows several unique clinical manifestations which are apparently different from typical neovascular AMD (tAMD). In addition, the natural course and response to treatment are often different between tAMD and PCV. Moreover, recent genetic studies suggested a possible difference in the genetic susceptibility to disease between tAMD and PCV, as well as the existence of heterogeneity among PCV cases. In viewing the accumulation of knowledge about PCV, we have summarized the recent literature regarding PCV in this review article to improve the understanding of this clinical entity including possible susceptibility genes. We will also discuss the optimal treatment strategies for PCV in accordance with the results of recent clinical and genetic studies.

Evaluating dissociated optic nerve fiber layer appearance using en face layer imaging produced by optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence of and risk factors for a dissociated optic nerve fiber layer (DONFL) appearance after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 189 eyes that underwent PPV with internal limiting membrane removal and judged the presence/absence of an apparent DONFL based on en face layer images produced by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). RESULTS: An apparent DONFL was observed in 47 (24.9%) eyes. The incidence of an apparent DONFL was significantly higher in the macular hole (MH) group (76.5%) than in the non-MH group (epiretinal membrane, diabetic macular edema, retinal vein occlusion, and others; 4.9%; p < 0.001). In the logistic regression analysis, surgical indication for MH was identified as the most significant DONFL risk factor (odds ratio 63.7; p = 1.05 × 10(-8)). CONCLUSION: Postoperative OCT en face layer imaging clarified that MH eyes are liable to have an apparent DONFL following PPV.