Dacryolith-induced acute dacryocystitis: a reversible cause of nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

AIMS: To report an unusual case of acute dacryocystits with fully patent nasolacrimal duct at follow-up after incision and curettage. CASE REPORT: A 63-year-old patient with acute dacryocystitis and nasolacrimal duct abscess. CT orbits confirmed dacryocystitis without any orbital collection. Incision and drainage of the abscess was performed. RESULTS: Postoperative syringing of nasolacrimal duct demonstrated a fully patent nasolacrimal duct, with long term relief of epiphora. CONCLUSION: In some patients, dacryocystorhinostomy is not required after incision and drainage of a nasolacrimal abscess; reversible causes such as dacryoliths should always be considered.

Orbital mass secondary to acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in a child: a rare presentation.

We report the case of a 3-year-old child, who presented with lid swelling which progressed to proptosis of the left eye. He also had systemic symptoms of fatigue and weight loss. An examination revealed hepatosplenomegaly and lymph node enlargement. Investigations showed a peripheral smear with blast cells, which were also revealed through a bone marrow biopsy. A CT scan showed a mass lesion in the left orbit that had infiltrated into the surrounding tissues. He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) with left-sided orbital mass secondary to it. Haematogenous masses in the orbit are commonly due to granulocytic sarcomas, which are usually associated with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML), not ALL, and are rare especially when they precede systemic disease.

The prevention and management of postoperative trachomatous trichiasis: A systematic review.

Among ocular infections, trachoma is the main cause of blindness. Repeated conjunctival Chlamydia trachomatis infections lead to trichiasis, corneal opacification, and visual impairment. Surgery is often needed to relieve discomfort and preserve vision; however, a high postoperative trachomatous trichiasis (PTT) rate has been observed in various settings. We wanted to know why, whether PTT rates could be reduced, and how to manage the PTT that occurs. We performed a search of the literature. Of 217 papers screened, 59 studies were identified for inclusion as potentially relevant, the majority having been excluded for not directly concerning PTT in humans. Preventing PTT is a major challenge. Only one published trial, the STAR trial in Ethiopia, has reported a cumulative PTT rate <10% one year after surgery. The literature on the management of PTT is sparse. Though no PTT management guidelines are available, high-quality surgery with a low rate of unfavorable outcomes for PTT patients is likely to require enhanced training of a smaller group of highly-skilled surgeons. Based on the surgical complexity and the authors' own experience, the pathway for patients suffering from PTT should be studied further for improvement.

Transconjunctival entropion repair - the backdoor approach.

PURPOSE: To present a modified transconjunctival approach for involutional entropion repair. METHODS: This study is a retrospective consecutive single surgeon case series using a transconjunctival approach for involutional lower lid entropion (ILLE) repair. RESULTS: Eleven eyes were operated for involution entropion with 9 cases of complete resolution. Two patients required further Jones' retractor plication. CONCLUSION: Transconjunctival involutional lower lid entropion repair is a time-efficient, safe, and efficacious technique. The scar free technique described leads to full restoration of lower lid anatomy. In contrast to other reports we found a relatively low rate of recurrence on follow-up.

Enhanced Biosafety of the Sleeping Beauty Transposon System by Using mRNA as Source of Transposase to Efficiently and Stably Transfect Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells.

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nvAMD) is characterized by choroidal neovascularization (CNV), which leads to retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell and photoreceptor degeneration and blindness if untreated. Since blood vessel growth is mediated by endothelial cell growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), treatment consists of repeated, often monthly, intravitreal injections of anti-angiogenic biopharmaceuticals. Frequent injections are costly and present logistic difficulties; therefore, our laboratories are developing a cell-based gene therapy based on autologous RPE cells transfected ex vivo with the pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF), which is the most potent natural antagonist of VEGF. Gene delivery and long-term expression of the transgene are enabled by the use of the non-viral Sleeping Beauty (SB100X) transposon system that is introduced into the cells by electroporation. The transposase may have a cytotoxic effect and a low risk of remobilization of the transposon if supplied in the form of DNA. Here, we investigated the use of the SB100X transposase delivered as mRNA and showed that ARPE-19 cells as well as primary human RPE cells were successfully transfected with the Venus or the PEDF gene, followed by stable transgene expression. In human RPE cells, secretion of recombinant PEDF could be detected in cell culture up to one year. Non-viral ex vivo transfection using SB100X-mRNA in combination with electroporation increases the biosafety of our gene therapeutic approach to treat nvAMD while ensuring high transfection efficiency and long-term transgene expression in RPE cells.

Mammalian Animal and Human Retinal Organ Culture as Pre-Clinical Model to Evaluate Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Intraocular Therapeutics.

Oxidative stress (OS) is involved in the pathogenesis of retinal neurodegenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) and an important target of therapeutic treatments. New therapeutics are tested in vivo despite limits in terms of transferability and ethical concerns. Retina cultures using human tissue can deliver critical information and significantly reduce the number of animal experiments along with increased transferability. We cultured up to 32 retina samples derived from one eye, analyzed the model's quality, induced OS, and tested the efficiency of antioxidative therapeutics. Bovine, porcine, rat, and human retinae were cultured in different experimental settings for 3-14 d. OS was induced by a high amount of glucose or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and treated with scutellarin, pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), and/or granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The tissue morphology, cell viability, inflammation, and glutathione level were determined. The retina samples showed only moderate necrosis (23.83 ± 5.05 increased to 27.00 ± 1.66 AU PI-staining over 14 d) after 14 days in culture. OS was successfully induced (reduced ATP content of 288.3 ± 59.9 vs. 435.7 ± 166.8 nM ATP in the controls) and the antioxidants reduced OS-induced apoptosis (from 124.20 ± 51.09 to 60.80 ± 319.66 cells/image after the scutellarin treatment). Enhanced mammalian animal and human retina cultures enable reliable, highly transferable research on OS-triggered age-related diseases and pre-clinical testing during drug development.

'Flow out technique' for safe and complete removal of ophthalmic viscosurgical devices after phacoemulsification cataract surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVDs) are widely used in phacoemulsification cataract surgery. The adverse effects of OVDs retained after cataract surgery are well known, and complete OVD removal should be achieved in every case. METHODS: We describe a novel and simple technique using a two-handed irrigation and aspiration (I/A) for safer removal of OVDs. RESULTS: The technique was successfully used in 125 eyes of 125 patients after the completion of phacoemulsification cataract surgery. No intra or postoperative complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The technique described is safe and uses the anatomy of the capsular bag and the dynamics of the I/A ports for the complete removal of OVDs.

Are retinal microvascular caliber changes associated with severity of coronary artery disease in symptomatic cardiac patients?

OBJECTIVES: Recent population-based studies have shown that retinal vascular caliber may predict the risk of clinical coronary artery disease (CAD) events. Whether this association is related to macro- or microvascular mechanisms remains unknown. We investigated the relationship of retinal vascular caliber with severity and extent of CAD in symptomatic cardiac patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Overall, 98 patients attending diagnostic coronary angiography were recruited. Coronary angiography was used to assess for the severity and extent of CAD. Digital retinal photography was performed immediately prior to cardiac catheterization, and retinal vascular caliber was measured from these photographs by using a computer program and summarized as central retinal arteriolar (CRAE) and venular (CRVE) equivalents. RESULTS: Retinal arteriolar and venular calibers were not associated with increasing severity of CAD, as assessed by Leaman scores (CRAE/CRVE: P for trend=0.17/0.57), presence of clinically significant CAD (CRAE/CRVE: P=0.35/0.32), or number of diseased vessels (CRAE/CRVE: P for trend=0.18/0.69). CONCLUSIONS: Retinal vascular caliber changes are not associated with the severity of obstructive CAD in symptomatic patients. These data suggest that the association of retinal vascular caliber with clinical CAD seen in epidemiological studies may not be applicable to clinical symptomatic patients and may be related to microvascular, rather than macrovascular, mechanisms.

Acute retinal arteriolar emboli after cardiac catheterization.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There are concerns that cardiac catheterization may cause retinal embolization, a risk marker for cerebrovascular emboli and stroke. We describe the incidence of acute retinal embolism after cardiac catheterization. METHODS: One hundred unselected patients attending a tertiary referral center for diagnostic cardiac catheterization were recruited. Digital retinal photography (optic disc and macular fields) was performed precatheterization and within 3 hours postcatheterization. New retinal emboli were identified by a senior researcher and confirmed by a retinal specialist. RESULTS: There was one case of retinal embolus precatheterization. Two patients (incidence 2.02%; 95% CI, 0.25 to 7.11) developed new retinal arteriolar emboli after catheterization. No patient developed clinically apparent visual or neurological changes. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of acute retinal embolism immediately after cardiac catheterization is 2%. This finding indicates that the retinal, and possibly the cerebral circulation, may be compromised more frequently than is clinically apparent as a complication of cardiac catheterization.

Alcohol consumption and the risk of age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To review systematically the evidence currently available on alcohol consumption and the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. METHODS: Seven databases were searched systematically with no limits on the year or language of publication for prospective cohort studies. References identified from pertinent reviews and articles also were retrieved. Two reviewers independently searched the above databases and selected the studies using prespecified standardized criteria. These criteria included appropriate adjustment for age and smoking in the analysis. Of the 441 studies identified initially, five cohort studies met the selection criteria. Data extraction and study quality evaluation were performed independently by two reviewers and results were pooled quantitatively using meta-analytic methods. RESULTS: The five cohort studies included 136,946 people, among whom AMD developed in 1923 (1,513 early and 410 late). Pooled results showed that heavy alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of early AMD (pooled odds ratio, 1.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.10 to 1.95), whereas the association between heavy alcohol consumption and risk of late AMD was inconclusive. There were insufficient data to evaluate a dose-response association between alcohol consumption and AMD or the association between moderate alcohol consumption and AMD. CONCLUSIONS: Heavy alcohol consumption (more than three standard drinks per day) is associated with an increased risk of early AMD. Although this association seems to be independent of smoking, residual confounding effects from smoking cannot be excluded completely.

A search for trachoma in Timor-Leste: no evidence to justify undertaking population-based prevalence surveys.

PURPOSE: We sought evidence to justify undertaking population-based trachoma surveys in Timor-Leste, believing that in the absence of such evidence, the country could be categorized as not needing interventions to eliminate trachoma. METHODS: We undertook a systematic review of published literature on trachoma in Timor-Leste, with results updated to 28 April 2018. We also undertook a series of clinic- and field-based screening exercises, consisting of: (1) in October 2015, conjunctival examination of all children attending a school in Vila, Atauro Island; (2) from 1 November 2016 to 30 April 2017, examination for trichiasis, by specifically-trained frontline eye workers, of all individuals presenting to the ophthalmic clinics of six referral hospitals and five district eye clinics; and (3) house-to-house case searches in a total of 110 households, drawn from three communities that were reported by investigators from the 2016 Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) to include residents with trachoma. RESULTS: Three RAABs (2005, 2009-2010, 2016) and two relevant published papers were identified. The 2016 RAAB reported one female subject to have been diagnosed with trachomatous corneal opacity. Re-examination of that individual revealed that she had ankyloblepharon, without evidence of trichiasis or entropion. No children on Atauro Island, no clinic attendees, and no individuals examined in the targeted house-to-house searches had any sign of trachoma. CONCLUSION: Trachoma is very unlikely to be a public health problem in Timor-Leste. It would not be appropriate to incur the costs of conducting formal population-based trachoma prevalence surveys here.

Prospective Study of Eye Disease in Timor-Leste: The East Timor Eye Program.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to present the methodology of the East Timor Eye Program and report the prevalence of eye disease seen at the National Eye Centre during a 3-month sample period between June and August 2012. DESIGN: Two hundred ninety-three new patients aged 17 years or older were assessed at the National Eye Centre in Dili, Timor-Leste. METHODS: All participants received a comprehensive dilated eye examination that included distance visual acuity measurements, indirect fundoscopy, and a complete slit lamp assessment including gonioscopy and intraocular pressure measurement. Each patient completed an interview-administered general questionnaire, and information on general health, ocular history, and medication was obtained. Anthropometric measurements were also taken and recorded. RESULTS: A total of 293 patients, 183 males (62.5%) and 110 females (37.5%), aged between 17 and 88 years (mean, 47.66 years) were recruited and examined. The 3 most common clinical eye presentations were conjunctival disorders (60.41%), followed by lens disorders (48.12%) and scleral, corneal, iris, and ciliary body disorders (46.42%). The 3 most common conditions causing blindness (visual acuity less than 3/60 as defined by the World Health Organization) were lens disorders (45.9%), choroidal and retinal disorders (18.9%), and other disorders of the eye and adnexa (13.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The East Timor Eye Program is an effective program that has enabled the management and treatment of various eye conditions in residents of Timor-Leste. The program set high standards for stringent and accurate data collection and ophthalmic diagnoses in a low-resource setting. Lens disorders and choroidal and retinal disorders were the most common conditions causing blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy is related to both endothelium-dependent and -independent responses of skin microvascular flow.

OBJECTIVE: Endothelial dysfunction has been hypothesized as a possible pathogenic factor in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). We examined the relationship of DR to endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent responses in skin microvascular flow. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants consisted of 224 individuals with diabetes: 85 with type 1 diabetes and 139 with type 2 diabetes. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and acetylcholine (ACh) were delivered across the skin by iontophoresis. Laser Doppler flowmetry was used to assess the skin microcirculation response to SNP (endothelium-independent response) and ACh (endothelium-dependent response). The presence and severity of DR were graded from retinal photographs using a standard protocol. RESULTS: Of 224 participants, 64.3% had DR. After multivariable adjustment, participants with reduced responses to SNP or ACh were more likely to have DR, with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.33 (95% CI 1.09-5.01) for SNP and 2.20 (1.05-4.61) for ACh, comparing participants with responses below and above the median values. Participants with reduced responses (below the median) to both SNP and ACh were nearly four times more likely to have DR (OR 3.86 [1.45-10.3]) than those with SNP and ACh both above the median values. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of DR was associated with a reduction in skin microcirculation responses to iontophoresis of both SNP and ACh, suggesting that vascular processes associated with both endothelial dysfunction and endothelial function-independent mechanisms may be pathogenically related to DR.

Correlation of light-flicker-induced retinal vasodilation and retinal vascular caliber measurements in diabetes.

PURPOSE: Subtle changes in retinal vascular caliber have been shown to predict diabetic retinopathy and other diabetic complications. This study was undertaken to investigate whether retinal vascular caliber correlates with light-flicker-induced retinal vasodilation, a measure of endothelial function. METHODS: The participants were 224 persons with diabetes (85 type 1 and 139 type 2) and 103 persons without diabetes (controls). Flicker-induced retinal vasodilation (percentage increase over baseline diameter) was measured with a vessel analyzer. Retinal vascular caliber was measured from digital retinal photographs according to a standardized, validated protocol. Data from both right and left eyes were used and modeled with generalized estimating equations to account for correlation between eyes. RESULTS: In persons with diabetes, after adjustment for age and sex, reduced flicker-induced vasodilation was associated with wider retinal vascular caliber. Eyes with the lowest tertiles of flicker-induced arteriolar dilation had wider arteriolar caliber (5.40 mum; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.76-9.05) and eyes with the lowest tertiles of flicker-induced venular dilation had corresponding wider venular caliber (12.4 mum; 95% CI, 6.48-18.2), respectively, than eyes with the highest tertile of vasodilation. These associations persisted after further adjusting for diabetes duration, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, lipids, body mass index, current smoking, and presence of diabetic retinopathy. No associations were evident in persons without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in retinal vascular caliber (wider arterioles and venules) are associated with impaired flicker-induced vasodilation in persons with diabetes. Determining whether endothelial dysfunction explains the link between retinal vascular caliber and risks of diabetic microvascular complications calls for further study.

Flicker light-induced retinal vasodilation in diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.

OBJECTIVE: Flicker light-induced retinal vasodilation may reflect endothelial function in the retinal circulation. We investigated flicker light-induced vasodilation in individuals with diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants consisted of 224 individuals with diabetes and 103 nondiabetic control subjects. Flicker light-induced retinal vasodilation (percentage increase over baseline diameter) was measured using the Dynamic Vessel Analyzer. Diabetic retinopathy was graded from retinal photographs. RESULTS: Mean +/- SD age was 56.5 +/- 11.8 years for those with diabetes and 48.0 +/- 16.3 years for control subjects. Mean arteriolar and venular dilation after flicker light stimulation were reduced in participants with diabetes compared with those in control subjects (1.43 +/- 2.10 vs. 3.46 +/- 2.36%, P < 0.001 for arteriolar and 2.83 +/- 2.10 vs. 3.98 +/- 1.84%, P < 0.001 for venular dilation). After adjustment for age, sex, diabetes duration, fasting glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, current smoking status, systolic blood pressure, and use of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications, participants with reduced flicker light-induced vasodilation were more likely to have diabetes (odds ratio 19.7 [95% CI 6.5-59.1], P < 0.001 and 8.14 [3.1-21.4], P < 0.001, comparing lowest vs. highest tertile of arteriolar and venular dilation, respectively). Diabetic participants with reduced flicker light-induced vasodilation were more likely to have diabetic retinopathy (2.2 [1.2-4.0], P = 0.01 for arteriolar dilation and 2.5 [1.3-4.5], P = 0.004 for venular dilation). CONCLUSIONS: Reduced retinal vasodilation after flicker light stimulation is independently associated with diabetes status and, in individuals with diabetes, with diabetic retinopathy. Our findings may therefore support endothelial dysfunction as a pathophysiological mechanism underlying diabetes and its microvascular manifestations.

Reproducibility of the retinal vascular response to flicker light in Asians.

PURPOSE: Dilation of retinal vessels in response to diffuse luminance flicker may reflect endothelial function. Although this has previously been shown to be reproducible in whites, there have been no similar data in Asians. We assess the reproducibility of repeated measurements of this response in Asians. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Healthy Asians (n = 33) with normal vision and no history of glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, cataract, or retinal arterial/venous occlusion participated in this study. Repeated measures from the same subjects were taken 30-60 min apart using the Dynamic Vessel Analyser (DVA, IMEDOS, Jena, Germany). Modification was made to the shape of the light source for Asian participants. Correlations of the first and second measures were assessed using Pearson correlation (R(2)), and agreement between the two measures was shown using Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: After modification to the shape of the light source, almost perfect correlation was found between the 1st and 2nd measurements of baseline arteriolar (R(2) = 0.95) and venular diameters (R(2) = 0.98) of arteriolar maximum dilation (R(2) = 0.85). Substantially high correlation between the 1st and 2nd measurements of venular maximum dilation was found (R(2) = 0.80). CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of the dilation response of retinal vessels to diffuse luminance flicker an Asian sample using the DVA show high reproducibility for repeated measures over a short period of time. Such measurements may allow non-invasive quantification of endothelial function to study its association with systemic and ocular diseases.

Is nuclear magnetic resonance lipoprotein subclass related to diabetic retinopathy? The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA).

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) defined lipoproteins and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a population-based sample of adults with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In all, 921 persons with diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) were included. DR was assessed from retinal photographs. Lipoproteins were measured by NMR spectroscopy. RESULTS: After controlling for age, race/ethnicity, study centre and diabetes and vascular risk factors, no consistent patterns of associations between NMR-defined lipoprotein particle concentrations and subclass with DR were evident. CONCLUSION: The lack of association between NMR-defined lipoproteins and DR does not support clinical use of NMR spectroscopy for management of patients with DR.