A reminder about silicone oil toxicity: three cases over five years in a tertiary hospital.

PURPOSE: Presumed silicone oil-related retinal toxicity causes central vision loss with a reported incidence of 1-33% in the first month after oil removal and 10% in the first six months of having silicone oil in-situ. This report examines local rates in a tertiary hospital that manages many geographically distanced patients. A miniature literature review, audit and case series are presented. METHODS: A retrospective audit of all patients who underwent a 'removal of silicone oil' surgery at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital between 2016 and 2021. Inclusion criteria were that the oil was inserted for primary or recurrent rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Visual acuity was analysed at presentation, at 1 and 3 months of oil in-situ, preoperatively to removal of oil and up to 6 months after oil removal. Ocular coherence tomographic parameters were examined at each time interval, including nerve fibre layer (NFL) and ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer (GCL + IPL) thicknesses in the 3 mm parafoveal zone, presence of inner retinal microcystic changes or intraretinal silicone oil globules. Patients were identified who had unexplained vision loss of two or more Snellen lines. Further analysis and case review were performed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Between January 2016 and May 2021, 101 patients met the inclusion criteria. Three patients had significant and unexplained visual loss. They are presented in this paper. Presumed silicone oil toxicity is an increasingly recognised and potentially devastating phenomenon that vitreo-retinal surgeons should be wary of. Patients should be specifically consented for it and hospitals should perform local auditing to determine their own rates and inform this discussion.

Preoperative ocular coherence tomographic prognosticators of visual acuity after idiopathic epiretinal membrane surgery.

PURPOSE: To provide a current review of the evidence for the utility of preoperative ocular coherence tomography (OCT) parameters in prognosticating postoperative visual acuity and visual improvement after idiopathic epiretinal membrane surgery. To determine which OCT bio-markers are most useful in this regard and where future studies may apply more emphasis. METHODS: An extensive search of the PubMed database was performed for studies investigating this relationship. Key search terms included: idiopathic, epiretinal membrane, surgery, peel, vitrectomy, vision, outcomes, visual acuity, ocular coherence tomography, central foveal thickness, foveal contour, foveal morphology, ectopic inner foveal layers, inner retinal layers, inner retinal irregularity index, outer retinal layers, ellipsoid zone, interdigitation zone, photoreceptor outer segment length, central bouquet abnormality, staging, choroidoscleral irregularity, ganglion cell and nerve fibre layers, inner and outer plexiform layers, inner and outer nuclear layers. Forty-nine peer-reviewed articles were included in this review. These consisted of 28 retrospective studies [1-3,13,16-18,20,23-29,32-36,38,40,42-47], 17 prospective studies[6-12,14,19,21,22,30,31,37,41,48,49], 2 reviews [4,39] and 2 systematic reviews [5,15]. CONCLUSION: The weight of literary evidence seems to support photoreceptor integrity as the most consistent OCT marker of better postoperative visual acuity. This includes analysis of ellipsoid and interdigitation zones as well as photoreceptor outer segment length. However, the newer OCT staging system proposed by Govetto et al. (2017) fulfils a need for a clinically useful and evidence-based OCT classification. It may be the way forward in prognosticating ERM surgical outcomes by preoperative stratification. There is insufficient evidence to suggest the other discussed parameters in this review as useful prognosticators of postoperative visual acuity.

Serous macular detachments associated with topical travoprost.

Here is presented a unique case of bilateral serous macular detachments as a side effect of topical travoprost (0.004%) therapy. Only three other cases in the literature have definitively associated this side effect with other topical prostaglandins. The aetiological and pathophysiological pathways remain to be clearly elucidated but are potentially related to increased choroidal vascular permeability. In this case, the subretinal fluid resolved rapidly and completely after cessation of travoprost drops, showing it to be a reversible pathology similar to prostaglandin-associated cystoid macular oedema. This uncommon association is therefore important to consider in the differential diagnosis of serous macular detachment. Increasing ophthalmic awareness could help to prevent unnecessary investigations in undifferentiated patients without other guiding historical or examination features. This may save time and expense for the patient and health systems.

Adult Orbital and Adnexal Xanthogranulomatous Disease.

PURPOSE: Adult xanthogranulomatous disease of the orbit and ocular adnexa is a rare disease that can cause serious morbidity and mortality. Ophthalmologists are commonly the first clinicians to come in contact with affected patients and an understanding of the clinical features is essential. DESIGN: We present a retrospective case series of patients seen in the oculoplastic unit of a large tertiary referral hospital over a 20-year period. METHODS: The clinical files of 7 patients with adult xanthogranulomatous disease of the orbit and ocular adnexa were reviewed. Clinical, radiological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical findings were examined. RESULTS: Periocular clinical features included cutaneous xanthogranulomatous lesions, decreased visual acuity, proptosis, diplopia, skin ulceration, cicatricial ectropion, and mechanical ptosis. Systemic features included adult-onset asthma, disseminated xanthogranulomatous lesions with long bone involvement, and hematological disturbances such as monoclonal gammopathy and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. Lipid-laden macrophages and Touton multinucleated giant cells were histological hallmarks in all subtypes. Most lesions were strongly CD8 positive on immunohistochemistry. Radiologically, the lesions were diffuse and infiltrative in nature. Various treatments were employed with varying success including surgical excision, systemic and intralesional corticosteroids, other immunosuppressants, and systemic chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Adult xanthogranulomatous disease of the orbit and ocular adnexa, although rare, may be sight or life threatening. Recognition by the ophthalmologist is critical as periocular features often constitute the initial presentation.