Concomitant Bandage Contact Lens, Oral Nicergoline, and Topical Autologous Serum for Severe Neurotrophic Keratitis.

BACKGROUND: To report the outcomes of using the combination of oral nicergoline, autologous serum, and contact lens to enhance corneal epithelization in neurotrophic keratitis and to discuss the clinical potential of this management. METHODS: This was a prospective consecutive case series study of eight patients treated for neurotrophic keratitis at the "Conde de Valenciana" Institute of Ophthalmology. Oral nicergoline, autologous serum, and bandage contact lens were initiated at the same time, immediately after stage 3 diagnosis keratitis was confirmed clinically, and until corneal epithelialization was achieved or eminent corneal perforation was seen. In patients where diabetes was a cause, glycosylate hemoglobin was measured to asses metabolic control. Corneal esthesiometry and corrected distance visual acuity were assessed before and after treatment. RESULTS: This study included eight eyes of eight patients (5 men [62.5%], average age 57±17.9 years). All patients completed at least 1 month of follow-up after nicergoline and contact lens suspension. Of the eight eyes, no one had positive culture growth and complete epithelial healing was achieved in all cases. Half of patients had diabetes and had a poor metabolic control. Corneal sensitivity improved in all eyes almost 2 centimeters in Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometry ( P= 0.01). In addition, final visual acuity gains were obtained ( P= 0.100). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of oral nicergoline, autologous serum, and bandage contact lens simultaneously could be an alternative in the management of stage 3 neurotrophic keratitis when conventional medical treatment has no improvement of corneal epithelization.

Optical coherence tomography findings of cyanoacrylate glue patch in corneal perforations.

Purpose: To report a cases series of corneal perforations treated with cyanoacrylate glue patch (CGP) assessed with optical coherence tomography for monitoring corneal status in long-term follow-up examinations. Observations: CPG was successfully used as primary treatment in three cases of corneal perforations. Spontaneous loosening or dislodging of the CPG did not occur in the follow-up. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) was performed to monitor wound healing at the site of perforation before considering the CGP removal. The presence of normal epithelium layer beneath the glue patch and stromal regeneration tissue were confirmed by AS-OCT, and glue patch was safely removed. Conclusions and importance: The area of healing tissue beneath the CGP may not be easy to evaluate using the slit-lamp microscopy alone. AS-OCT is a useful tool in the assessment of corneal healing tissue in the presence of cyanoacrylate glue patch.

Thermographic Behavior of the Cornea During Treatment With Two Excimer Laser Platforms.

Purpose: To investigate the temperature of the cornea during treatment with the excimer laser using two platforms, Nidek EC-5000 and Schwind Amaris 750S. Methods: A prospective case series study was conducted in a reference center in Mexico City including patients aged 18 years or older who had any type of ametropia and underwent excimer laser refractive surgery. The patients had measurements of corneal temperature with an infrared camera before, during, and after ablation treatment. Results of prior corneal surface temperature, temperatures during excimer laser surgery, and delta temperature for each platform were analyzed and compared. Results: A total of 107 eyes were analyzed. Mean baseline temperature was 32.7 ± 1.03°C for the Nidek group and 31.5 ± 1.4°C for the Amaris group. Mean maximum temperature was 39.94 ± 1.3°C for the Nidek group and 35.6 ± 1.5 °C for the Amaris group. Delta temperature was higher in the Nidek group than in the Amaris group. There were statistically significant associations between treated micrometers, treated diopters, and time in the Nidek group and no such associations in the Amaris group. Conclusions: The different excimer laser devices used and the variety in the optical design, together with different software ablation algorithms, resulted in different levels of thermal loading; peak temperature rose in all measurements. Eyes treated with Nidek reached temperatures that doubled those found with Amaris. Translational Relevance: The correlation between Delta of temperature with defocus, depth, and treatment time is different regarding excimer laser generation.

Visual rehabilitation with limbal autologous stem cells transplant and cataract surgery in a patient with ocular surface squamous neoplasia.

PURPOSE: To describe the outcome of simple limbal epithelial transplantation along with Phacoemulsification and IOL implantation for visual rehabilitation in limbal stem cell deficiency due to ocular surface squamous neoplasia. OBSERVATIONS: This case report of a 66-year-old woman clinically diagnosed with OSSN in her right eye involving all cornea and limbus meridians. Topical chemotherapy for tumor treatment was done, followed by SLET and sequential cataract surgery. The entire tumor could be clinically reduced with topical chemotherapy but a LSCD could not be avoided. After SLET, corneal transparency was restored, and anterior segment details could be seen, phacoemulsification was performed uneventfully. After a follow-up period of 18 months, stable ocular surface and visual acuity and no tumor recurrence was observed. CONCLUSIONS: SLET is an option to restore not only corneal epithelium homeostasis but also gain cornea transparency, avoid keratoplasties and allow anterior segment surgeries to be performed. IMPORTANCE: This case report provide evidence of benefits of simple limbal epithelial transplantation in ocular surface squamous neoplasia and shows that cataract surgery could be performed uneventfully after limbal stem cell transplantation.

Treatment of Severe Infectious Keratitis With Scleral Contact Lenses as a Reservoir of Moxifloxacin 0.5.

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of using scleral contact lenses as antibiotic reservoirs as a therapeutic approach in a case series of severe infectious keratitis and to discuss the clinical potential. METHODS: This was a prospective consecutive case series study of 12 eyes treated for infectious keratitis at the "Conde de Valenciana" Institute of Ophthalmology. A scleral lens (SL) filled with 0.5% moxifloxacin was used as a reservoir and replaced every 24 hours until epithelization was complete or the culture report and/or antibiogram demonstrated either a microorganism not susceptible to or resistant to moxifloxacin. RESULTS: The study included 12 eyes of 12 patients (7 women; 58.33%; average age of 63 ± 20.11 years). All patients completed at least 1 month of follow-up. Patients had a diagnosis of infectious keratitis, and the SL was fitted on initial consultation. Of the 12 eyes, 7 had culture-positive bacterial infection, 2 eyes were mycotic, and 3 eyes had no culture growth. In 3 eyes, SL was discontinued because of the lack of response (one eye) and to the presence of mycotic infection (2 eyes). All infections resolved favorably at the final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The use of SLs could be an alternative for antibiotic impregnation and treatment of infectious keratitis. No complications or side effects were observed related to the use of the scleral contact lens as a reservoir for the antibiotic. This treatment modality could offer a comfortable treatment for the patient, ensuring good impregnation and maintenance of antibiotic concentrations during the 24-hour wear periods.

Hallazgos oftalmológicos de una fístula carotidocavernosa postraumática en un paciente joven / Ophthalmologic findings of a posttraumatic carotid-cavernous fistula in a young patient

Introducción: Se presenta un caso clínico de un paciente joven con una fístula carotidocavernosa traumática que requirió embolización con coils como manejo definitivo. Objetivo: Dar a conocer la importancia de realizar unos adecuados enfoque, diagnóstico y tratamiento ante una fístula carotidocavernosa que presente compromiso oftalmológico, para disminuir el riesgo de presentar complicaciones oculares que pueden ser devastadoras. Resumen del caso: Varón de 27 años que sufrió un traumatismo craneoencefálico, el cual generó afectación oftalmológica que involucra desde el segmento anterior hasta el segmento posterior, con un leve compromiso de la agudeza visual. Requirió manejo multidisciplinario en conjunto con el servicio de neurocirugía para tratamiento endovascular, con posterior resolución de los signos y síntomas clínicos. Conclusiones: Las fístulas carotidocavernosas de alto flujo son las más frecuentes y suelen ocurrir en pacientes jóvenes con antecedentes de traumatismo craneoencefálico. Estas fístulas presentan múltiples manifestaciones clínicas oculares, por lo que los oftalmólogos deben ser capaces de hacer un adecuado enfoque y solicitar los estudios paraclínicos necesarios para hacer el diagnóstico y el tratamiento oportuno

Introduction: We presents a clinical case of a young patient with traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula who required coil embolization as definitive management. Objective: To make known the importance of carrying out an adequate approach, diagnosis and treatment in the patient with carotid-cavernous fistula that presents an ophthalmological findings in order to reduce the risk of presenting ocular complications that can be devastating. Case summary: A 27-year-old male patient who presented cranioencephalic trauma generating ophthalmological changes that involves from the anterior segment to the posterior segment, with a mild compromise of visual acuity, multidisciplinary management required in conjunction with neurosurgery service for endovascular management with subsequent resolution of the clinical signs and symptoms. Conclusions: Carotid-cavernous high-flow fistulas are the most frequent and they are associated with young patients with a history of head trauma. These fistulas present multiple ocular clinical manifestations, so ophthalmologists must be able to make an adequate approach and request the necessary paraclinical to make the diagnosis and timely treatment

Analysis of CCR3 expression in corneal neovascularization in a murine model and human corneas.

The aim of this study was to examine the expression of the cytokines and chemokines receptor-3 (CCR3) molecule in endothelial cells and vascular structures in a murine model of corneal neovascularization and in samples of neovascularized human corneas. An immunofluorescence assay using the murine model showed a greater proportion and intensity of CCR3 in the epithelium and corneal subepithelial regions in corneas with neovascularization. In the absence of vascularization, no CCR3 was found. Of the 32 studied tissues, eight were vascularized and 24 were avascular. In the human corneas, vascularized corneas showed positive labeling for CD31 in all the analzedtissues, as well as positive labeling for CCR3. Therefore, all vascularized tissues showed positive coexpression of CCR3 and CD31, whereas none of the avascular corneas showed immunolabeling for either of these receptors. These results suggest that CCR3 could be a possible marker for corneal neovascularization with potential to be a therapeutic target.