Effect of Smoking on Retinal Thickness and Vascular Density in Thyroid Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of smoking on retinal thickness and macular and peripapillary vascular density in thyroid eye disease (TED). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, subjects diagnosed with TED were analyzed in three groups: smokers, passive smokers, and non-smokers. Ganglion cell complex thickness, total retinal thickness, macular superficial vascular plexus densities, deep vascular plexus densities, optic nerve head, and radial peripapillary capillary density were measured in each group. RESULTS: Twenty-two eyes (21.6%) of active smokers, 11 eyes (10.8%) of passive smokers, and 69 eyes (67.6%) of non-smokers constitute the study subjects. Twenty-one eyes (12.6%) had active status (clinical activity score ≥3), 77 eyes (46.1%) were neither active nor compressive, four eyes (2.4%) of two patients constituted the compressive group. Age and disease activity adjusted analysis was performed. Ganglion cell complex thickness of smokers was significantly higher than non-smokers in the inferior hemi-parafoveal sector (p = 0.04). Active smokers had significantly higher (p < 0.01) retinal thickness in all sectors compared to non-smokers, except the foveal sector. Smokers had lower superficial vessel density in the superior parafoveal sector compared to non-smokers (p = 0.04). Considering deep vessel densities between smokers and non-smokers, no significant difference was observed. Radial peripapillary capillary densities (significant difference was observed in the whole image and infranasal peripapillary sector), Macular vascular densities (significant difference was observed in parafoveal sectors), and optic nerve head (not reaching statistical significance level in any sectors) were highest in passive smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking is associated with increased total retinal thickness. Macular vascular densities were not different between smokers and non-smokers in TED.

Shifting to very early endoscopic DCR in acute suppurative dacryocystitis.

PURPOSE: We aimed to show the outcome of very early endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (VE-EDCR) in a routine pool of patients with acute dacryocystitis (AD) and abscess formation compared with the standard late external dacryocystorhinostomy L-ExDCR. METHODS: This was a prospective nonrandomized comparative study conducted from June 2013 to March 2016. Patients with AD and abscess formation were referred to our oculo-facial clinic in a university-based hospital. All patients received systemic antibiotics and were assigned to either of treatment groups. Patients in group 1 underwent late external transcutaneous DCR (L-ExDCR) and group 2 underwent EDCR within 3 days after first visit, named VE-EDCR. Primary outcome measure was success of surgery. RESULTS: Forty-one eyes of 41 patients with acute suppurative AD, were included from June 2013 to March 2016. Twenty-two patients underwent VE-EDCR and 19 underwent L-ExDCR. Mean age of patients was 43.41 (SD = 19.84, range 14-98) years. Mean follow-up was 14 (SD = 2.4) months. Anatomic, functional, and overall success in L-ExDCR and VE-EDCR groups were (89.5 and 86.4%, p = 0.99) (89.5% and 86.4%, p = 0.99) (89.5% and 81.8%, p = 0.66) respectively. Mean duration of cellulitis in VE-EDCR and L-ExDCR were 8.00 (SD = 4.63) and 16.11 (SD = 11.58) days, respectively (p = 0.027). No remarkable adverse event was found. CONCLUSIONS: Success of very early endonasal endoscopic DCR is comparable with the traditional late external DCR. Duration of cellulitis is shorter in VE-EDCR. This therapeutic approach can be considered in patients with acute suppurative dacryocystitis.

Early macular and peripapillary vasculature dropout in active thyroid eye disease.

PURPOSE: To compare macular and peripapillary vasculatures in active thyroid eye disease (TED), not active not compressive (NANC) TED, and control eyes. METHODS: Twenty-one eyes of 12 active TED patients, 77 eyes of 43 NANC patients, and 65 eyes of 35 healthy normal subjects were recruited in this observational study. The participants underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCT-A) of the peripapillary and macular areas. Macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) was measured in addition to peripapillary and macula superficial and deep vasculatures. RESULTS: Linear mixed models accounting for inter-eye correlation showed that whole macular and parafoveal superficial vessel densities were significantly lower in the active TED with values of 50.6 ± 4.3% and 52.7 ± 4.8%, respectively, compared with control group values of 53.7 ± 3.0% and 56.3 ± 3.2% (P = 0.03, P < 0.001, respectively). In contrast, only the nasal sector of parafoveal vasculature value was significantly lower in the NANC TED than in control eyes (P = 0.03) and in the active group than in the NANC group (P < 0.001). Similarly, the average peripapillary vessel density was lower in the active TED than in the NANC and control groups. No significant differences were observed in GCC thickness among active, NANC, and control groups. Whole superficial macular and parafoveal vessel densities were significantly correlated with visual field MD (r = 0.32, r = 0.30, respectively, both P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: OCT-A findings of lower peripapillary and macular vessel density values in the active TED eyes show subclinical retinal and optic nerve involvement.

Clinical characteristics and causality of eye lid laceration in iran.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the etiological characteristics and visual outcomes of ocular trauma with more attention to eyelid laceration. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 98 cases of isolated traumatic eyelid laceration were consecutively studied and its epidemiology, etiology and association with visual outcome were evaluated. The findings of this study could be used to develop healthcare related precautions and work place safety recommendations. RESULTS: Of the 98 patients included in the study, men exhibited a greater vulnerability and they were mostly aged around 29 years old. In terms of the place of trauma, 40 (43.5%) cases occurred in the street, 27 cases (29.3%) occurred at home, and 17 cases (18.5%) occurred at the workplace, while 4 cases (4.3%) happened in entertaining environments like parks. For 3 patients (3.3%), the incident took place at a public pathway, and in 1 patient (1.1%), the case occurred at school. As the most common cause of trauma, 41 patients (42.3%) had an object hit their eyes. In addition, assaults were a major cause of injury. The right eye and the upper lid were also the most common sites of injuries. Although no blindness occurred due to trauma causing eyelid laceration, the visual outcomes were correlated with severity of the incident defined based on the presence of open globe injuries. CONCLUSION: This study could possibly highlight the risk factors of eyelid laceration and provide the healthcare community with the essential recommendations regarding the safety precautions in dangerous settings, including daily / routine work places.