Bilateral Simultaneous Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy: Demographics, Risk Factors, and Visual Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Although nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy is a well-known cause of vision loss, it typically presents unilaterally. Simultaneous, bilateral nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (sNAION) is rare and poorly studied in comparison. This study seeks to characterize the clinical features and risk factors of patients with sNAION compared with unilateral NAION (uNAION). METHODS: In this retrospective case-control study, we reviewed 76 eyes (38 patients) with sNAION and 38 eyes (38 patients) with uNAION (controls) from 4 academic institutions examined between 2009 and 2020. Demographic information, medical history, medication use, symptom course, paraclinical evaluation, and visual outcomes were collected for all patients. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in demographics, comorbidities and their treatments, and medication usage between sNAION and uNAION patients. sNAION patients were more likely to undergo an investigative work-up with erythrocyte sedimentation rate measurement ( P = 0.0061), temporal artery biopsy ( P = 0.013), lumbar puncture ( P = 0.013), and MRI ( P < 0.0001). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups for visual acuity, mean visual field deviation, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, or ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness at presentation, nor at final visit for those with ≥3 months of follow-up. The sNAION eyes with ≥3 months of follow-up had a smaller cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) at final visit ( P = 0.033). Ten patients presented with incipient NAION, of which 9 suffered vision loss by final visit. CONCLUSION: Aside from CDR differences, the risk factor profile and visual outcomes of sNAION patients seem similar to those of uNAION patients, suggesting similar pathophysiology.

Superonasal Transconjunctival Optic Nerve Sheath Decompression: A Simplified Technique for Safe and Efficient Decompression.

BACKGROUND: Severe, permanent vision loss is a feared sequela of untreated or refractory idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). For patients with progressive vision loss despite maximally tolerated medical treatment, optic nerve sheath decompression (ONSD) remains a viable and effective option to protect vision. Our objective is to introduce a modified transconjunctival technique for ONSD and determine its safety, efficacy, and efficiency in patients with IIH. METHODS: We performed analyses for a retrospective case series of consecutive patients with IIH by modified dandy criteria who underwent isolated superonasal transconjunctival optic nerve sheath decompression (stOND) at single eye institute in a large academic center from January 2013 to February 2017. Sixty-six patients were identified who met these criteria with at least 6 weeks of follow-up data. Primary outcome measures were visual field mean deviation, grading of papilledema by the modified Frisen scale, and best-corrected visual acuity. Secondary outcome measures were presence of postoperative diplopia and operative time. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-two eyes of 66 patients were identified; 58 were female (88%), and 8 were male (12%). The mean age was 30 years (range 13-55) with an average lumbar puncture opening pressure of 38 cm H2O. Participants mean body mass index was 36 (range 20-59) with Grade 3 papilledema on average by the modified Frisen scale. No patients experienced operative complications, postoperative diplopia, or worse visual acuity at 1 week after surgery. Average operative time was 50 minutes (range: 25-89). The median decrease in papilledema grading was 3 grades on the Frisen scale (95% confidence interval [CI], 2-3, P < 0.0001). Snellen visual acuity changes did not meet statistical significance. The average Humphrey Visual Field mean deviation change was +1.91 (95% CI, 0.58-3.24, P = 0.0052). Despite successful bilateral decompressions, 4 patients (6.1%) progressed in their visual loss. CONCLUSIONS: The superonasal transconjunctival approach to ONSD is a safe, efficient and effective surgical treatment for patients with deteriorating visual function due to IIH. Although additional study is required to further clarify the best timing and indications for ONSD among other treatment options for refractory IIH, providers should be aware of the reduced complication rates and efficacy of the stOND technique.

Ocular myasthenia gravis: updates on an elusive target.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG) is a complex condition with heterogenous phenotypes and ill-defined diagnostic criteria. Understanding concomitant risk factors and autoimmune serology can help inform prognosis for generalization and guide treatment. RECENT FINDINGS: Although antibodies to acetylcholine receptors or muscle-specific kinase likely increase risk of generalization, they are less frequent in OMG. Patients without either antibody tend to have a milder disease process and often have variable antibodies to other end-plate proteins such as LRP4, agrin, or cortactin. The treatment of OMG begins with pyridostigmine and is supplemented by oral prednisone if treatment-resistant or high risk for generalization. Variable oral prednisone regimens have been used with success and further immunosuppression may be best achieved with mycophenolate mofetil and azathioprine. Checkpoint inhibitor-induced myasthenia gravis is increasingly recognized and likely has high rates of mortality associated with myocarditis. SUMMARY: Our understanding of OMG and its variable phenotypes continues to evolve. Autoantibody testing increasingly provides valuable diagnostic and prognostic information. Despite these improvements, a lack of quality treatment trials creates significant challenges for evidence-based management guidelines.

Early Experience With Nonporous Polyethylene Barrier Sheet in Orbital Fracture Repair.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the nonporous polyethylene barrier sheet as an alternative for nylon foil (SupraFOIL) implants in repair of orbital fractures. METHODS: This is a prospective, case series using the Stryker 0.4-mm-thick nonporous polyethylene barrier sheet in all patients over the age of 18 years presenting with orbital fractures from December 2014 to June 2015. Patient's age, location of fracture, etiology of injury, presence of preoperative restriction and diplopia, and postoperative diplopia and/or enophthalmos was recorded. Institutional review board approval was received, and consent was obtained from all participants. Patients were followed for at least 6 months when possible. Scanning electron microscopy was used to compare the thickness, surface characteristics, and porosity of the nonporous polyethylene barrier and nylon foil implants. Beam deflection testing was also performed to compare the biomechanical properties of each implant. RESULTS: Forty-six patients who underwent repair of orbital fractures with the nonporous polyethylene barrier sheet were included in this series. Average age was 43.3 years (range: 18-84 years). Twenty-six of 46 patients (56.5%) were males, and 20 (43.4%) were females. The most common causes of injuries were assault (38.3%), falls (25.5%), motor vehicle accident (14.9%), and sports related (10.5%). Twenty of 46 patients (43.4%) had isolated orbital floor, and 2 patients (4.3%) had isolated medial wall fractures. Fifteen patients (32.6%) had combined floor and medial wall fractures involving the inferomedial orbital strut, and 9 (19.6%) had floor fractures associated with zygomaticomaxillary complex or lateral wall fractures. Twenty-eight patients (60.9%) had preoperative diplopia. Timing of surgery was between 3 and 55 days, with the median of 11.5 days. Five of 46 patients (10.8%) had residual diplopia at their 1-week postoperative visit, 4 of those patients' diplopia had resolved at 2 months postoperatively. One patient had residual diplopia at 6-month follow up. Electron microscopy showed that the 0.4-mm nonporous polyethylene barrier implant was thinner (0.33 mm) than expected and thinner than 0.4-mm SupraFOIL (0.38 mm). Scanning electron microscopy exhibited that the surface of the nonporous polyethylene barrier was smooth and nonporous. Beam deflection testing showed that for small forces (<100 mN), the 2 materials behaved nearly identically, but at higher forces, the nonporous polyethylene implant exhibited less stiffness. CONCLUSIONS: The use of nonporous polyethylene barrier sheet implant for orbital fracture repair is a safe and effective alternative to nonporous nylon foil implants. There were no complications and one case of residual diplopia (2.1%) in this case series.

Combined medial canthopexy and lateral tarsal strip for floppy eyelid syndrome.

PURPOSE: To describe the eyelid condition known as "floppy eyelid syndrome" and to present the results of our experience treating patients with floppy eyelid syndrome. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 16 patients from 2009 to 2013 who underwent combined medial canthopexy and lateral tarsal strip by two surgeons (HBL and WRN) for the treatment of floppy eyelid syndrome (FES). Age, gender, presence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), papillary conjunctivitis, punctate keratopathy and lash ptosis were recorded pre-operatively. Outcomes assessed included improvement in upper eyelid laxity, operative complications, post-operative symptomatic relief and delayed recurrence of FES. RESULTS: A total of 18 procedures (on 36 eyelids) were performed on 16 patients over the 4-year period. All patients (18/18) had relief of symptoms and good functional results, defined as improvement in lid laxity and resolution of symptoms. Average follow up was 124days. 8 of 16 patients (50%) had a pre-existing diagnosis of OSA. The remaining 8 patients were referred for sleep study and 2 were subsequently diagnosed with OSA. Two patients experienced some degree of FES recurrence without return of symptoms. There was one complication reported in which a partial dehiscence of the lateral canthal tendon occurred which did not require operative revision. CONCLUSIONS: Combined medial canthopexy and lateral tarsal strip are a safe and effective technique for the treatment of floppy eyelid syndrome. There is a strong association of FES and OSA and it is important to have any patient diagnosed with FES evaluated for OSA.

Surgical outcomes following strabismus surgery for abducens nerve palsy.

PURPOSE: To assess ocular alignment outcomes and their stability for patients who underwent strabismus surgery for abducens nerve palsy and to identify preoperative patient variables that predict surgical success or repeated surgeries. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with abducens nerve palsy and who subsequently underwent strabismus surgery. RESULTS: A total of 209 patients (386 procedures) were included. The mean number of surgeries for patients was 1.9 ± 1.4. Success was achieved after a single surgery for 112 patients (53.6%), and success was achieved for an additional 42 patients, for a total of 154 patients (73.7%), following all surgeries. Preoperative abduction deficit severity was the only variable predictive of surgical success, with mild deficits having the highest odds of both initial success (OR = 5.555; CI, 2.722-11.336) and final success (OR = 5.294; 95% CI, 1.931-14.512). When analyzing survival time until additional surgery, the median survival was 406 days; abduction deficit severity, older age, other coincidental motility abnormalities, greater magnitude esotropia, and surgical technique were predictive of repeat surgical incidence. CONCLUSIONS: In our patient cohort, preoperative abduction deficit was an important predictor of both surgical success and repeat surgical incidence for abducens nerve palsy. Older patient age, additional motility abnormalities, and greater amounts of baseline strabismus were also associated with greater likelihood of multiple surgeries.

Acute Anterior Uveitis with HLA-B27 Positivity after Corneal Cross-Linking with Previous Intrastromal Corneal Ring Segment.

Purpose. To describe a case of acute anterior uveitis (AAU) with HLA-B27 positivity following epithelium-off corneal cross-linking (CXL) in a patient with a previous intrastromal corneal ring segment. Observations. A 28-year-old male with keratoconus (KCN) developed ophthalmalgia, perilimbal injection, hypopyon, and decline in corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) 3 days after CXL. A working diagnosis of inflammatory versus infectious AAU was made, and the patient was treated with topical tobramycin, polymyxin B/trimethoprim, prednisolone, and oral valacyclovir. Clinical appearance and CDVA improved, ultimately returning to baseline by two weeks postoperatively. Diagnostic laboratory workup revealed HLA-B27 positivity. Conclusions and Importance. A comprehensive laboratory workup is helpful to identify potential causative and associated systemic conditions when encountering AAU after CXL. Given the overlap in patient demographics for KCN and HLA-B27 positivity, clinicians should consider this entity in the differential diagnosis and treatment of such cases.

Ocular Complaints, Disease, and Emergencies in the General Medical Setting.

Primary care physicians see nearly half of all clinical visits, and 2% to 3% of those are for eye complaints. Taking a good ocular history is essential to establishing the diagnosis. Patient complaints fall into several categories including visual change, redness, and pain. Primary care physicians can screen for patients at risk of vision loss from glaucoma, diabetes, and toxic medication and ensure that patients have appropriate eye evaluations. Examination techniques such as direct ophthalmoscopy, evaluation of the red reflex, eversion of the upper lid, checking pupillary response, and using fluorescein to stain the cornea are helpful in evaluating patients' ocular complaints.

Correlation of Ophthalmology Residency Application Characteristics with Subsequent Performance in Residency.

Purpose Only from reviewing applications, it is difficult to identify which applicants will be successful ophthalmology residents. The change of the USMLE Step 1 scoring to "Pass/Fail" removes another quantitative metric. We aimed to identify application attributes correlated with successful residency performance. This study also used artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate letters of recommendation (LOR), the Dean's letter (MSPE), and personal statement (PS). Design Retrospective analysis of application characteristics versus residency performance was conducted. Participants Residents who graduated from the Dean McGee Eye Institute/University of Oklahoma Ophthalmology residency from 2004 to 2019 were included in this study. Methods Thirty-four attributes were recorded from each application. Residents were subjectively ranked into tertiles and top and bottom deciles based on residency performance by faculty present during their training. The Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program (OKAP) examination scores were used as an objective performance metric. Analysis was performed to identify associations between application attributes and tertile/decile ranking. Additional analysis used AI and natural language processing to evaluate applicant LORs, MSPE, and PS. Main Outcome Measures Characteristics from residency applications that correlate with resident performance were the primary outcome of this study. Results Fifty-five residents and 21 faculty members were included. A grade of "A" or "Honors" in the obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN) clerkship and the presence of a home ophthalmology department were associated with ranking in the top tertile but not the top decile. Mean core clerkship grades, medical school ranking in the top 25 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) primary care rankings, and postgraduate year (PGY)-2 and PGY-3 OKAP scores were predictive of being ranked in both the top tertile and the top decile. USMLE scores, alpha-omega-alpha (AOA) status, and number of publications did not correlate with subjective resident performance. AI analysis of LORs, MSPE, and PS did not identify any text features that correlated with resident performance. Conclusions Many metrics traditionally felt to be predictive of residency success (USMLE scores, AOA status, and research) did not predict resident success in our study. We did confirm the importance of core clerkship grades and medical school ranking. Objective measures of success such as PGY-2 and PGY-3 OKAP scores were associated with high subjective ranking.

Clinical Characteristics of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension in Patients Over 50 Years of Age: A multicenter clinical cohort study.

PURPOSE: To characterize the clinical features of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) in patients >50 years of age compared to the typical IIH population and existing data for this older cohort. DESIGN: Retrospective, clinical cohort study. METHODS: Medical records of 65 patients >50 years of age at first diagnosis of IIH were reviewed based on the Modified Dandy Criteria from 4 academic centers. Each center provided randomly selected controls from IIH patients <50 years of age for each study patient at their location. Data recorded included patient demographics, presenting symptoms, medications, coexisting medical conditions, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opening pressure, treatments, and neuro-ophthalmic data from initial and final visits. RESULTS: Compared to controls, the older cohort showed the following characteristics: fewer females (n = 51 [78.5%] vs. controls: n = 60 [92.3%]; P = .045), fewer headaches (n = 33 [50.8%] vs. controls: 52 [80.0%]; P = .001), more frequent incidental discoveries of papilledema (n = 19 [29.2%] vs. controls: 7 [10.8%]; P = .015), and lower CSF opening pressure [median: 33 cm H2O [range: 21-58 cm H2O] vs. the median for controls: 34 cm H2O [range: 24-67 cm H2O; P = .029). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IIH diagnosed at >50 years of age were less often female and had lower CSF opening pressure, fewer headaches, a higher chance of incidentally identified papilledema, and body mass index similar to that of younger IIH patients. Older IIH onset was not associated with worse visual outcome.

Does numeracy correlate with measures of health literacy in the emergency department?

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to quantify the correlation between general numeracy and health literacy in an emergency department (ED) setting. METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional convenience sample study of adult patients in an urban, academic ED with 97,000 annual visits. General numeracy was evaluated using four validated questions and health literacy using three commonly used validated screening tools (Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults [S-TOFHLA], Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine-Revised [REALM-R], and the Newest Vital Sign [NVS]). Scores were dichotomized for health literacy tests to limited (low or marginal) versus adequate health literacy, and the proportion of patients answering all numeracy questions correctly was calculated with the mean proportion of correct responses in these groups. The correlation between numeracy scores and scores on the health literacy screening tools was evaluated using Spearman's correlation. RESULTS: A total of 446 patients were enrolled. Performance on questions evaluating general numeracy was universally poor. Only 18 patients (4%) answered all numeracy questions correctly, 88 patients (20%) answered zero questions correctly, and overall the median number of correct answers was one (interquartile range [IQR] = 1 to 2). Among patients with limited health literacy (LHL) by any of the three screening tools used, the mean number of correct numeracy answers was approximately half that of patients with adequate health literacy. However, even among those with adequate health literacy, the average number of correct answers to numeracy questions ranged from 1.6 to 2.4 depending on the screening test used. When dichotomized into those who answered ≤50% versus >50% of numeracy questions correctly, there was a significant difference between those with LHL and those who scored ≤50% on numeracy. Health literacy screening results were correlated with general numeracy in the low to moderate range: S-TOFHLA rs  = 0.428 (p < 0.0001); REALM, rs  = 0.400 (p < 0.0001); and NVS, rs  = 0.498 (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Correlations between measures of general numeracy and measures of health literacy are in the low to moderate range. Performance on numeracy testing was nearly universally poor, even among patients performing well on health literacy screens, with a substantial proportion of the latter patients unable to answer half of the numeracy items correctly. Insofar as numeracy is considered a subset of health literacy, these results suggest that commonly used health literacy screening tools in ED-based studies inadequately evaluate and overestimate numeracy. This suggests the potential need for separate numeracy screening when these skills are important for health outcomes of interest. Providers should be sensitive to potential numeracy deficits among those who may otherwise have normal health literacy.

Feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of brief health literacy and numeracy screening instruments in an urban emergency department.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of five health literacy screening instruments in emergency department (ED) patients: the Rapid Evaluation of Adult Literacy in Medicine-Revised (REALM-R), the Newest Vital Sign (NVS), Single Item Literacy Screens (SILS), health numeracy, and physician gestalt. A secondary objective was to evaluate the feasibility of these instruments as measured by administration time, time on task, and interruptions during test administration. METHODS: This was a prospective observational cross-sectional study of a convenience sampling of adult patients presenting during March 2011 and February 2012 to one urban university-affiliated ED. Subjects were consenting non-critically ill, English-speaking patients over the age of 18 years without aphasia, dementia, mental retardation, or inability to communicate. The diagnostic test characteristics of the REALM-R, NVS, SILS, health numeracy, and physician gestalt were quantitatively assessed by using the short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA). A score of 22 or less was the criterion standard for limited health literacy (LHL). RESULTS: A total of 435 participants were enrolled, with a mean (±SD) age of 45 (±15.7) years, and 18% had less than a high school education. As defined by an S-TOFHLA score of 22 or less, the prevalence of LHL was 23.9%. In contrast, the NVS, REALM-R, and physician gestalt identified 64.8, 48.5, and 35% of participants as LHL, respectively. A normal NVS screen was the most useful test to exclude LHL, with a negative likelihood ratio of 0.04 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01 to 0.17). When abnormal, none of the screening instruments, including physician gestalt, significantly increased the posttest probability of LHL. The NVS and REALM-R require 3 and 5 minutes less time to administer than the S-TOFHLA. Administration of the REALM-R is associated with fewer test interruptions. CONCLUSIONS: One-quarter of these ED patients had marginal or inadequate health literacy. Among the brief screening instruments evaluated, a normal NVS result accurately reduced the probability of LHL, although it will identify two-thirds of ED patients as high risk for LHL. None of the brief screening instruments significantly increases the probability of LHL when abnormal.

Outcomes of strabismus surgery for esotropia in children with Down syndrome compared with matched controls.

PURPOSE: Strabismus surgery dosages used in children with various neurodevelopmental disorders have been the subject of controversy. Few data have been reported regarding surgical results in individuals with Down syndrome (DS). METHODS: A retrospective, case-control study was performed in which children with DS and previous bilateral medial rectus recession surgery were matched with similar control patients without DS. Surgical results were compared using a random coefficients model for repeated measurements for each group. RESULTS: Sixteen patients with DS were matched with 16 control patients. Mean preoperative esotropia was 28.4 prism diopters (PD) in the DS group and 27.9 PD in the control group. No significant difference was found in surgical dosages between the two groups (P = .2402). Median surgical dosage was 4.4 mm in the DS group and 4.5 mm in the control group. Preoperative and 4-month and 24-month postoperative mean angles of esotropia were not different between groups (P = .8050). The 4-month postoperative mean angles of esotropia for the DS and control groups were 3.15 and 2.66 PD, respectively. The 24-month mean angles of esotropia for the DS and control groups were 7.09 and 6.60 PD, respectively. CONCLUSION: Standard bilateral medial rectus recession surgical dosages need not be modified for individuals with DS.

Pediatric intraoperative floppy iris syndrome associated with persistent pupillary membrane.

Intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS) occurring during cataract surgery in adults has been widely reported in association with tamsulosin and other α-1(a) adrenergic antagonists; however, only one case of pediatric IFIS has been previously reported and was associated with congenital cataract. We report a case of a 1-month old girl with IFIS associated with bilateral persistent pupillary membranes without cataracts and the use of preoperative topical phenylephrine and pilocarpine for IFIS prophylaxis.

Pediatric Metarrhizium anisopliae keratitis.

Metarrhizium anisopliae (M. anisopliae) is an entomopathogenic fungus used as an agricultural pesticide in many countries, including the United States. M. anisopliae grows optimally at 25°C and is therefore considered safe to humans. We report a case of a 12-year-old girl who is a soft contact lens wearer with M. anisopliae corneal ulcer who was treated effectively with topical natamycin after identification of the organism by corneal culture. Topical amphotericin B was not effective.