Immediate postoperative use of a topical agent to prevent intraocular pressure elevation after pars plana vitrectomy with gas tamponade.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a single topical aqueous suppressant applied immediately after pars plana vitrectomy with long-acting gas tamponade prevents intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. METHODS: Fifty patients who met the inclusion criteria and underwent pars plana vitrectomy with long-acting gas tamponade were randomized to receive a combination of timolol maleate and dorzolamide hydrochloride, long-acting timolol alone, dorzolamide alone, or placebo at the conclusion of surgery. The IOP was checked by a portable, handheld tonometer (Tono-Pen) at the conclusion of surgery and at 5 hours, 1 day, and 1 week after surgery. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in IOP among the groups at the conclusion of surgery. The IOP at 5 hours after surgery (27.0 vs 17.4 mm Hg; P<.001) and 1 day after surgery (26.1 vs 19.9 mm Hg; P =.01) showed a statistically significant difference between the placebo and timolol-dorzolamide groups. The timolol-dorzolamide group showed greater IOP control than either the timolol alone or the dorzolamide alone groups at 5 hours (P =.04 for both). CONCLUSION: The use of a single topical aqueous suppressant (timolol-dorzolamide) given after pars plana vitrectomy with long-acting gas tamponade effectively prevents significant postoperative IOP elevation at 5 hours and 1 day after surgery.

Salvage external beam radiotherapy of retinal capillary hemangiomas secondary to von Hippel-Lindau disease: visual and anatomic outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the visual and anatomic outcomes of patients with retinal capillary hemangiomas secondary to von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease treated with globe-salvaging fractionated external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) after progression of hemangiomas despite initial therapy. DESIGN: Retrospective noncomparative consecutive case series. PARTICIPANTS: Review of medical records of 5 patients with retinal capillary hemangiomas secondary to VHL disease. INTERVENTION: External beam radiotherapy delivered to a total dose of 2160 cGy given over 12 daily fractions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Data on visual acuity and tumor size were collected at baseline, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after EBRT, and at final follow-up, using echography, fundus photographs, and clinical examination. RESULTS: Six eyes of 5 patients were treated. Mean follow-up was 28.3 months (range, 6-51). Mean baseline visual acuity was 20/70. Mean visual acuity at last follow-up was 20/45 (range, 20/25-20/60). Tumor volume reduction was 27.5 mm(3) (range, 0.9-109.6 mm(3)). Mean percentage reduction in tumor volume was 39.6% (range, 3.3%-71.1%). CONCLUSIONS: External beam radiotherapy is a useful option in the treatment of retinal hemangiomas secondary to VHL disease that progress despite standard therapy. External beam radiotherapy leads to improvement in visual acuity, reduction in tumor volume, and stabilization of retinal detachment in most patients treated.