BETTER BASELINE VISION LEADS TO BETTER OUTCOMES AFTER THE 0.19-mg FLUOCINOLONE ACETONIDE INTRAVITREAL IMPLANT IN DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA.

PURPOSE: Analysis of a 3-year, Phase 4, open-label, observational study evaluating the association of baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) with visual, treatment burden, and retinal thickness variability (RTV) outcomes and intraocular pressure (IOP)-related events after the 0.19-mg fluocinolone acetonide (FAc) intravitreal implant. METHODS: Data from patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) who did not have a clinically significant rise in IOP after previous corticosteroid treatment (N = 202 eyes from 159 patients) were segregated by baseline BCVA of ≥20/40 or <20/40 and analyzed for BCVA, number of yearly supplemental DME treatments, RTV, and incidence of IOP-related events. RESULTS: At 36 months post-FAc, eyes with better baseline BCVA (≥20/40) maintained baseline BCVA, whereas vision in eyes with worse baseline BCVA (<20/40) increased by approximately 7 letters to 61.34 letters (Snellen equivalent approximately 20/60; P < 0.05). Treatment burden and RTV decreased post-FAc regardless of baseline BCVA. Eyes with better baseline BCVA (≥20/40) had numerically fewer IOP-related events post-FAc versus eyes with worse baseline BCVA (<20/40), including a lower incidence of incisional IOP-lowering surgery. CONCLUSION: The 0.19-mg FAc implant improved RTV and treatment burden regardless of baseline BCVA. Better baseline BCVA (≥20/40) was associated with long-term BCVA maintenance. Although eyes with worse baseline BCVA (<20/40) experienced significantly improved BCVA, it never rose to the level of those with better baseline BCVA. These data indicate that early, effective intervention in DME, before significant vision loss occurs, is key to maintaining visual outcomes.

Transvitreal and subretinal fibrinoid reaction following diabetic vitrectomy.

Purpose: To describe an unexpected and atypical transvitreal and subretinal fibrinoid reaction following vitrectomy for non-clearing vitreous hemorrhage due to proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Observations: A 58-year-old woman with bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy and non-clearing vitreous hemorrhage underwent combined phacoemulsification, intraocular lens implantation and vitrectomy in the right eye. Two months later she underwent staged phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation followed by vitrectomy in the left eye. The early postoperative course of each eye was complicated by choroidal effusion and submacular fibrinoid material on optical coherence tomography. The left eye also developed transvitreal fibrinoid bands. Conclusions and importance: Subretinal fibrin accumulation is a rare complication of diabetic vitrectomy. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the early post-operative period may assist in the recognition of this complication.

Aspirin use in central retinal arterial occlusion to prevent ischaemic stroke: a retrospective cohort study in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the efficacy of aspirin use for preventing ischaemic stroke after central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO). DESIGN: The retrospective cohort study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Research Database from 1998 to 2013. SETTING: A population-based study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 9437 participants with newly diagnosed CRAO were identified. Participants who had a previous stroke and/or retinal vascular occlusion, were aged <20 years and used aspirin 3 months before the event were excluded. There were 3778 eligible participants matched by propensity score, and they were divided into aspirin (n=434) and aspirin-naive (n=1736) groups after the matching. METHODS: Cox proportional hazard models and cumulative survival curves were used to assess ischaemic stroke in the study groups, along with log-rank tests to compare group differences. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of ischaemic stroke in the aspirin and aspirin-naive groups 1 year after CRAO. RESULTS: Of the 3778 patients with newly diagnosed CRAO, 151 (4%) had a subsequent ischaemic stroke within 1 year. The risk was especially high during the first week of the CRAO. No difference between the aspirin and aspirin-naive groups was found in risk of ischaemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke, gastrointestinal bleeding, major bleeding, acute coronary syndrome, retinal vein occlusion, new-onset glaucoma, undergoing panretinal photocoagulation or all-cause mortality. Risk factors for ischaemic stroke within 1 year of CRAO included male gender (p=0.031; HR=1.46) and age (p=0.032; HR=1.14). CONCLUSIONS: Aspirin use after a CRAO showed no benefit on attenuating the risk of ischaemic stroke. The risk of ischaemic stroke was increased after CRAO especially during the first week. Male gender and age were risk factors for ischaemic stroke after CRAO.

Combined 23-Gauge PPV and Scleral Buckle Versus 23-Gauge PPV Alone for Primary Repair of Pseudophakic Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This review compares 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) alone versus combined 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy and scleral buckle (PPV/SB) for primary repair of pseudophakic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of 70 eyes that underwent 23-gauge PPV and 43 eyes that received 23-gauge PPV/SB for pseudophakic RRD. Minimum follow-up was 3 months. Outcome measures included anatomical success, visual acuity, and complication rates. RESULTS: The 23-gauge PPV group achieved primary anatomical success in 58 of 70 cases (83%). Primary success in the PPV/SB group occurred in 36 of 43 cases (84%). Final anatomical success was achieved in all 113 cases (100%). The difference in primary success rates was not statistically significant (P = 1.000, Fisher exact test). Average visual acuity for macula-on RRDs in the PPV group showed a +0.07 logMAR improvement (P = .580) versus a +1.34 improvement (P < .001) in macula-off PPV cases. SB/PPV macula-on cases showed a decrease in logMAR visual acuity by -0.06 (P = .380) while macula-off SB/PPV cases improved by +1.28 (P = .002). There were no significant complications in either group. CONCLUSION: Both 23-gauge PPV and PPV/SB are effective procedures for repairing pseudophakic RRD and exhibit similar rates of success.

Transvitreal fibrinoid pseudoendophthalmitis after diabetic vitrectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the presentation and clinical course of noninfectious transvitreal fibrinoid response after vitrectomy for diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: Data collected from charts included age, gender, surgical indication, preoperative and serial visual acuities, vitrectomy procedures, and postoperative clinical characteristics of involved eye. RESULTS: Patients had a mean age of 65.6 years (51-82 years) with 5 women and 2 men. Patients had a range of diabetes duration from 4 to 27 years and a mean HgbA1C of 9.1 (5.8-14.1). Surgical indications included nonclearing vitreous hemorrhage (five), tractional retinal detachment (three), and clinically significant macular edema (one). All patients manifested transvitreal bands on postoperative Day 1 without anterior chamber reaction. Mean time to resolution of transvitreal bands was 8.75 days (4-15 days) on standard postoperative topical medications alone. CONCLUSION: Transvitreal fibrinoid response after diabetic vitrectomy is a remarkable phenomenon that can occur in a wide variety of patients with diabetic retinopathy. It is important to differentiate this from infectious endophthalmitis, as this series of cases resolved spontaneously on topical medications alone.

An ultrastructural study of the pathology of the retinal pigment epithelium, Bruch's membrane, and the choriocapillaris in the aged Fischer 344 rat.

PURPOSE: The neural retinal degeneration in the aging Fischer 344 (F344) rat has been previously characterized. Here we describe the ultrastructural changes that occur in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), Bruch's membrane, and choriocapillaris in the periphery of the aged Fischer 344 rat. METHODS: F344 eyes from 24-month-old animals (n = 4 animals, 8 eyes) were fixed and embedded for ultrastructural study. Serial mid-sagittal sections were taken from the superior peripheral retinas within 300 microm of the ora serrata. Pathology within the RPE, Bruch's membrane, and choriocapillaris was described. RESULTS: Progressive changes were seen in the RPE/Bruch's/choriocapillaris complex, increasing anteriorly as the ora serrata was approached. Early pathology of the RPE included increased number of basal infoldings, increased number of phagolysosomes and lipofuscin deposits, attenuation, inclusion of vasculature, vesicle formation, and whirling extensions of the basement membrane into the cytoplasm. Bruch's membrane showed spots of considerable thinning, but most prominent was the nodular thickening. The choriocapillaris was found to have severe endothelial degeneration and transformation to fibrous tissue in the most severely affected regions. Lipofuscin was also found in areas of degenerated choriocapillaris. CONCLUSIONS: Prior work focused on the neural retina, documented photoreceptor cell loss, and showed that Müller cell changes preceded that loss in the periphery of the F344 rat. It is now evident that the pathology in the RPE/Bruch's membrane/choriocapillaris complex may also be a critical component of the overall degenerative process. A possible mechanism for the extensive peripheral retinal degeneration in the F344 is presented.

Optical coherence tomography of choroidal nevus in 120 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings of choroidal nevi. METHODS: Retrospective, single-center case series of 120 eyes of 120 consecutive patients with choroidal nevi who were evaluated by OCT. Diagnostic imaging was performed with a Zeiss StratusOCT Model 3000 (Carl Zeiss Ophthalmic Systems, Dublin, CA) using scan acquisition protocols of 6 radial lines and retinal thickness analysis overlying the nevus. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 59 years (median, 60 years; range, 14-87 years). The choroidal nevus was a mean of 5.2 mm in basal dimension and 1.7 mm in thickness and was located a mean of 2.7 mm from the optic disk and 2.5 mm from the foveola. Related retinal findings by ophthalmoscopic evaluation included overlying retina edema (3%), subretinal fluid (16%), retinal thinning (0%), drusen (58%), and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) detachment (2%). In comparison, related retinal findings at the site of the nevus by OCT included overlying retina edema (15%), subretinal fluid (26%), retinal thinning (22%), drusen (41%), and RPE detachment (12%). Furthermore, OCT permitted classification of the overlying retinal edema as focal cystoid (3%), diffuse cystoid (8%), coalescent cystoid (3%), and noncystoid edema (1%). By OCT, the overlying retina was normal thickness (32%), thinned (22%), or thickened (45%), and photoreceptor loss or attenuation was noted in 51% of cases. Specific OCT findings of the choroidal nevus were limited to its anterior surface with minimal penetration into the mass. These findings included increased thickness of the RPE/choriocapillaris layer (68%) and optical qualities within the anterior portion of the nevus of hyporeflectivity (62%), isoreflectivity (29%), and hyperreflectivity (9%). Hyporeflectivity was observed in 68% of pigmented nevi and 18% of nonpigmented nevi. When comparing OCT with clinical examination, OCT was more sensitive in the detection of related retinal edema, subretinal fluid, retinal thinning, photoreceptor attenuation, and RPE detachment. CONCLUSIONS: OCT is a useful diagnostic modality for imaging the retina overlying a choroidal nevus. Numerous overlying changes such as subretinal fluid, retinal edema, retinal thinning, and photoreceptor attenuation are visible by OCT.

Optical coherence tomography in children: analysis of 44 eyes with intraocular tumors and simulating conditions.

PURPOSE: To investigate the role of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the evaluation of fundus tumors and simulating lesions in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report the results of a retrospective single-center case series of 44 eyes of 44 children younger than age 18 with fundus lesions who were evaluated with OCT. In comparison, 12 eyes of 12 children with a normal macula were evaluated with OCT. Main outcome measures were cooperation of children while undergoing OCT and correlation of OCT findings with clinical and ultrasonographic findings RESULTS: The OCT was performed without difficulty in all 56 children. Mean patient age was 12 years (median, 12 years; range, 4 to 17 years). The mean horizontal foveal thickness in the 12 normal eyes was 137 microm (median, 132 microm; range, 109 to 185 microm). Clinical diagnoses included retinoblastoma in 10 (23%) eyes, Coats' disease in 4 (9%) eyes, retinal capillary hemangioma in 3 (7%) eyes, astrocytic hamartoma of the retina in 3 (7%) eyes, toxocara granuloma in 2 (5%) eyes, and others. OCT was more sensitive than clinical examination in detection of macular pathology including shallow posterior vitreous detachment, surface wrinkling maculopathy, cystoid and noncystoid macular edema, subfoveal fluid, and retinal thinning. In comparison to ultrasonography, OCT was more sensitive in detection of surface wrinkling maculopathy, macular edema, and subfoveal fluid. Ultrasonography was more sensitive in detection of posterior vitreous detachment. CONCLUSIONS: OCT is a useful and well-tolerated diagnostic modality for macular evaluation in children. It is more sensitive than clinical examination and ultrasonography in the detection of surface wrinkling maculopathy, macular edema, and subfoveal fluid.