Epidemiology and risk factors for the development of cicatrizing conjunctivitis in chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence of chronic cicatrizing conjunctivitis (CCC) and its associated risk factors in the context of chronic ocular graft-vs-host disease (coGVHD). METHODS: A retrospective chart review of individuals diagnosed with coGVHD following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) who were seen at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between May 2010 and November 2021 was performed. Data regarding baseline demographic characteristics, systemic co-morbidities, lid margin abnormalities, ocular cicatricial changes, transplant information, immunosuppressive therapy, and GVHD severity assessments were collected. The incidence of cicatricial conjunctivitis was estimated with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. A Cox regression model was used to assess the contribution of demographic and systemic variables to the development of CCC. RESULTS: 167 individuals were included (53.9 ± 14.7 years old; 60.5 % male). 65 individuals presented with features suggestive of CCC an average of 60.9 ± 53.8 months after HSCT, with 60-month and 120-month incidences of 29.3 % and 48.9 %, respectively. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that age younger than 50 at the time of the first eye visit was associated with a higher chance of CCC development (Hazard Ratio (HR): 2.14, 95 % Confidence Interval (CI): 1.16-3.97, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Clinically detected cicatrizing conjunctivitis is an ocular manifestation of coGVHD, with an incidence that increases over time. Younger individuals may be at higher risk for CCC development.

Recent United States Developments in the Pharmacological Treatment of Dry Eye Disease.

Dry eye disease (DED) can arise from a variety of factors, including inflammation, meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), and neurosensory abnormalities. Individuals with DED may exhibit a range of clinical signs, including tear instability, reduced tear production, and epithelial disruption, that are driven by different pathophysiological contributors. Those affected often report a spectrum of pain and visual symptoms that can impact physical and mental aspects of health, placing an overall burden on an individual's well-being. This cumulative impact of DED on an individual's activities and on society underscores the importance of finding diverse and effective management strategies. Such management strategies necessitate an understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms that contribute to DED in the individual patient. Presently, the majority of approved therapies for DED address T cell-mediated inflammation, with their tolerability and effectiveness varying across different studies. However, there is an emergence of treatments that target additional aspects of the disease, including novel inflammatory pathways, abnormalities of the eyelid margin, and neuronal function. These developments may allow for a more nuanced and precise management strategy for DED. This review highlights the recent pharmacological advancements in DED therapy in the United States. It discusses the mechanisms of action of these new treatments, presents key findings from clinical trials, discusses their current stage of development, and explores their potential applicability to different sub-types of DED. By providing a comprehensive overview of products in development, this review aims to contribute valuable insights to the ongoing efforts in enhancing the therapeutic options available to individuals suffering from DED.

Automatic Classification of Slit-Lamp Photographs by Imaging Illumination.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to facilitate deep learning systems in image annotations for diagnosing keratitis type by developing an automated algorithm to classify slit-lamp photographs (SLPs) based on illumination technique. METHODS: SLPs were collected from patients with corneal ulcer at Kellogg Eye Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, and Aravind Eye Care Systems. Illumination techniques were slit beam, diffuse white light, diffuse blue light with fluorescein, and sclerotic scatter (ScS). Images were manually labeled for illumination and randomly split into training, validation, and testing data sets (70%:15%:15%). Classification algorithms including MobileNetV2, ResNet50, LeNet, AlexNet, multilayer perceptron, and k-nearest neighborhood were trained to distinguish 4 type of illumination techniques. The algorithm performances on the test data set were evaluated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for accuracy, F1 score, and area under the receiver operator characteristics curve (AUC-ROC), overall and by class (one-vs-rest). RESULTS: A total of 12,132 images from 409 patients were analyzed, including 41.8% (n = 5069) slit-beam photographs, 21.2% (2571) diffuse white light, 19.5% (2364) diffuse blue light, and 17.5% (2128) ScS. MobileNetV2 achieved the highest overall F1 score of 97.95% (CI, 97.94%-97.97%), AUC-ROC of 99.83% (99.72%-99.9%), and accuracy of 98.98% (98.97%-98.98%). The F1 scores for slit beam, diffuse white light, diffuse blue light, and ScS were 97.82% (97.80%-97.84%), 96.62% (96.58%-96.66%), 99.88% (99.87%-99.89%), and 97.59% (97.55%-97.62%), respectively. Slit beam and ScS were the 2 most frequently misclassified illumination. CONCLUSIONS: MobileNetV2 accurately labeled illumination of SLPs using a large data set of corneal images. Effective, automatic classification of SLPs is key to integrating deep learning systems for clinical decision support into practice workflows.

Infectious and Noninfectious Corneal Ulcers in Ocular Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Epidemiology, Clinical Characteristics, and Outcomes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence, clinical characteristics, microbiological profile, and therapeutic outcomes of corneal ulcers in individuals with chronic ocular graft-vs-host disease (coGVHD). DESIGN: Retrospective clinical cohort study. METHODS: Review of individuals diagnosed with coGVHD following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) who were seen at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between May 2010 and November 2021. Baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, microbiological profile, risk factors for corneal ulceration, and treatment outcomes were collected. Etiology was deemed infectious in individuals with a positive culture or appropriate clinical scenario (presence of stromal infiltrate or hypopyon); otherwise, ulcers were presumed to be noninfectious. Treatment success was defined as reepithelialization with infiltrate resolution, and treatment failure as progression to corneal perforation or keratoplasty. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis estimated the incidence of ulceration. Cox regression analyses examined demographic and risk factors. Infectious and noninfectious ulcer groups were compared using 2-way independent t tests, 1-way analysis of variances, and χ2 tests, as appropriate. RESULTS: 173 individuals were included (53.7±14.4 years old; 59.0% male). Thirty-three individuals developed an ulcer 74.5±54.3 months after HSCT, with estimated 5- and 10-year incidences of 14% and 30%, respectively. Twenty-two (66.6%) ulcers were deemed infectious (15 microbiologically confirmed, 7 clinically) and 11 (33.3%) were deemed noninfectious. Risk factors for corneal ulceration included Black race (hazards ratio [HR] 2.89, 95% CI 1.30-6.42, P < .01), previous ocular surgery (HR 9.16, 95% CI 3.86-21.72, P < .01), eyelid margin abnormalities (HR 3.44, 95% CI 1.69-6.99, P < .01), and topical steroid use (HR 2.74, 95% CI 1.33-5.62, P < .01). Conversely, contact lens use reduced the risk of corneal ulceration (HR 0.29, 95% CI 0.13-0.66, P < .01). Infectious ulcers had a significantly higher frequency of treatment failure than noninfectious ulcers (57.1% vs 20.0%, P = .04). CONCLUSION: Corneal ulceration is a potential complication of coGVHD, with several clinical features identified as risk factors. Infectious ulcers had worse outcomes than noninfectious ulcers.

Long-Term Comprehensive Management of Bilateral Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency Secondary to Severe Chemical Burn: 10 Years of Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: To describe the long-term management of bilateral limbal stem cell deficiency secondary to a severe chemical burn. METHODS: Descriptive case report. IMPORTANCE: This case highlights the importance of early intervention in ocular chemical burns for the preservation of tissue integrity and avoidance of perforation. We also review the use of proper ocular surface reconstructive techniques to restore the function of the limbal area, as well as the immunomodulatory strategies and follow-up needed for these interventions.

Rose Bengal Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy: A Review of the Intermediate-Term Clinical and Surgical Outcomes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the intermediate-term clinical outcomes of Rose Bengal Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy (RB-PDAT) for infectious keratitis; secondarily, to evaluate the surgical outcomes of individuals who underwent optical keratoplasty after RB-PDAT. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHOD: A retrospective chart review was performed of 31 eyes from 30 consecutive individuals with infectious keratitis refractory to standard medical therapy who underwent RB-PDAT at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between January 2016 and July 2020. Data collected included demographics, risk factors for infectious keratitis, microbiological diagnosis, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), clinical outcomes after RB-PDAT, and complication rates post-keratoplasty. RB-PDAT was performed as described in previous studies. Graft survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves with log-ranks in individuals who underwent keratoplasty after RB-PDAT. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 53 ± 18.0 years. In all, 70% were female; 53.3% self-identified as non-Hispanic White and 43.3% as Hispanic. Mean follow-up time was 28.0 ± 14.4 months. Risk factors included contact lens use (80.6%), history of infectious keratitis (19.3%), and ocular surface disease (16.1%). Cultures were positive for Acanthamoeba (51.6%), Fusarium (12.9%), and Pseudomonas (6.5%). Of the individuals with Acanthamoeba infection, 22.5% were treated with concomitant Miltefosine. Clinical resolution was achieved in 77.4% of patients on average 2.72 ± 1.85 months after RB-PDAT, with 22.5% requiring therapeutic penetrating keratoplasties and 54.8% subsequently requiring optical penetrating keratoplasties. At 2 years, the overall probability of graft survival was 78.7%, and the graft failure rate was 21.3%. CONCLUSION: RB-PDAT is a potential adjunct therapy for infectious keratitis that may reduce the need for a therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty. Patients who undergo keratoplasty after RB-PDAT may have a higher probability of graft survival at 1 year postoperatively.

Risk and Impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection on Corneal Transplantation: A Case-Control Study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of symptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection after corneal transplantation surgery, with cataract surgeries as controls, and the impact of the novel coronavirus disease pandemic in the clinical and surgical complications of corneal transplantation and cataract surgeries. METHODS: A retrospective matched case-control study of 480 consecutive individuals who underwent surgery at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between May 2020 and November 2020. A total of 240 patients who underwent corneal transplantation with tissue obtained from the Florida Lions Eye Bank were age, race, ethnicity, and sex matched with 240 patients who underwent cataract surgery during the same day and by the same surgical team. Only the first corneal transplant or cataract surgery during this period was considered for each individual. All donors and recipients were deemed SARS-CoV-2 negative by a nasopharyngeal polymerase chain reaction test before surgery. Postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infections were defined as previously SARS-CoV-2(-) individuals who developed symptoms or had a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test during the first postoperative month. RESULTS: Mean age, sex, race, and ethnicity were similar between groups. There were no differences between the corneal transplant and cataract groups in the rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection before (5.8% vs. 7.5%, P= 0.6) or after surgery (2.9% vs. 2.9%, P = 1). The rates of postoperative complications did not increase during the pandemic, compared with previously reported ranges. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection was similar for individuals undergoing corneal transplantation or cataract surgery. Further research is required to evaluate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through corneal tissue.