THE INCIDENCE, CHARACTERISTICS, MANAGEMENT, PROGNOSIS, AND CLASSIFICATION OF BREAKTHROUGH VITREOUS HEMORRHAGE SECONDARY TO POLYPOIDAL CHOROIDAL VASCULOPATHY.

PURPOSE: To describe breakthrough vitreous hemorrhage secondary to polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). METHODS: Patients with the diagnosis of PCV from January 2005 to March 2020 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively reviewed, cases with breakthrough vitreous hemorrhage were analyzed. Subgroup analysis was conducted regarding pachychoroid PCV and nonpachychoroid PCV. RESULTS: Among 722 PCV patients (834 eyes), 103 eyes with breakthrough vitreous hemorrhage (12.4%) were included. Pars plana vitrectomy and proper further interventions could significantly improve the best-corrected visual acuity from logMAR 2.15 ± 0.48 (Snellen 20/2825) to 1.65 ± 0.67 (20/893). Hemorrhagic retinal detachment, baseline central macular thickness, and best-corrected visual acuity were factors associated with final best-corrected visual acuity (P < 0.05). In the pachychoroid PCV group, patients were younger, all had hemorrhagic pigment epithelial detachment, with a higher prevalence of choroidal vascular hyperpermeability and hemorrhagic retinal detachment, thicker subfoveal choroidal thickness, and thinner central macular thickness; besides, the initial pars plana vitrectomy were more complicated, more additional surgeries had to be performed. More eyes in the nonpachychoroid PCV group had received anti-vascular endothelial growth factor or photodynamic therapy, mostly fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment, the best-corrected visual acuity and the status of the fellow eye were significantly worse. For the final ocular status, more eyes in nonpachychoroid PCV group were taking anti-vascular endothelial growth factor monotherapy, whereas more eyes in pachychoroid PCV group were stable. The choroidal parameters of these two groups were all significantly different. CONCLUSION: Breakthrough vitreous hemorrhage is a troublesome complication of PCV. Pars plana vitrectomy and additional interventions are required for better prognosis. Vitreous hemorrhage secondary to pachychoroid PCV or nonpachychoroid PCV have different characteristics and prognosis.

Preoperative injection of intravitreal bevacizumab in dense diabetic vitreous hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of preoperative intravitreal injection of bevacizumab on surgery and on the early postoperative course in diabetic patients undergoing vitrectomy for dense vitreous hemorrhage. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with dense diabetic vitreous hemorrhage were randomly assigned to a group that received 1.25 mg of intravitreal bevacizumab 1 week before vitrectomy (18 patients) or the control group (17 patients). To compare the complexity of two groups, intraoperative complexity score and proliferative diabetic vitreoretinopathy stage were recorded. Intraoperative bleeding, break formation, number of endodiathermy applications, best-corrected visual acuity, anatomical outcome at Month 3 and at final follow-up, and postoperative complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean complexity scores and proliferative diabetic vitreoretinopathy stages of both groups were similar. The mean score of bleeding was 1.05 in the injection group versus 1.76 in the control group (P = 0.35); endodiathermy applications and break formations were 0.44 versus 0.52 (P = 0.68) and 0.22 versus 0.29 (P = 0.60) in the injection and control groups, respectively. Anatomical outcome and visual acuity at Month 3 and at the final follow-up were similar. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that intravitreal injection of bevacizumab before vitrectomy for dense diabetic vitreous hemorrhage has no significant effect on facilitation of surgery or on the early postoperative course.

Retinal photocoagulation for proliferative sickle cell retinopathy: a prospective clinical trial with new sea fan classification.

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical outcome of stage III proliferative sickle cell retinopathy (PSR) treated by peripheral retinal scatter photocoagulation to natural course disease. METHODS: Long-term follow-up of 101 patients enrolled in a prospective trial of photocoagulation for PSR has been completed. Among 202 eyes of 101 patients enrolled at the University Eye Clinic of Créteil, 73 eyes showed a stage III PSR, which the authors further divided into five new grades (A, B, C, D, E) considering size, hemorrhage, fibrosis, and visible vessels. Grading was based on a three-mirror fundus examination, 360 degrees color photographs, and fluorescein angiography. Mean follow- up was 4 years. RESULTS: Thirty-eight treated eyes and 35 untreated eyes were included in this study. The evolution was not statistically significant between treated and untreated groups concerning flat sea fan <1 MPS disc area (grade A) or elevated sea fan with partial fibrosis (grade C). Progression and regression were compared between the two groups for grade B, resulting statistically significant (p<0.05). Nine complications (13%) were observed, which only occurred in untreated patients with elevated sea fan and hemorrhage (grade B) or complete fibrosed sea fan with well defined vessels (grade E) (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that patients with grade A or C new sea fan classification should not be initially treated but observed.

New classification system-based visual outcome in Eales' disease.

PURPOSE: A retrospective tertiary care center-based study was undertaken to evaluate the visual outcome in Eales' disease, based on a new classification system, for the first time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-nine consecutive cases of Eales' disease were included. All the eyes were staged according to the new classification: Stage 1: periphlebitis of small (1a) and large (1b) caliber vessels with superficial retinal hemorrhages; Stage 2a: capillary non-perfusion, 2b: neovascularization elsewhere/of the disc; Stage 3a: fibrovascular proliferation, 3b: vitreous hemorrhage; Stage 4a: traction/combined rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and 4b: rubeosis iridis, neovascular glaucoma, complicated cataract and optic atrophy. Visual acuity was graded as: Grade I 20/20 or better; Grade II 20/30 to 20/40; Grade III 20/60 to 20/120 and Grade IV 20/200 or worse. All the cases were managed by medical therapy, photocoagulation and/or vitreoretinal surgery. Visual acuity was converted into decimal scale, denoting 20/20=1 and 20/800=0.01. Paired t-test / Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Vitreous hemorrhage was the commonest presenting feature (49.32%). Cases with Stages 1 to 3 and 4a and 4b achieved final visual acuity ranging from 20/15 to 20/40; 20/80 to 20/400 and 20/200 to 20/400, respectively. Statistically significant improvement in visual acuities was observed in all the stages of the disease except Stages 1a and 4b. CONCLUSION: Significant improvement in visual acuities was observed in the majority of stages of Eales' disease following treatment. This study adds further to the little available evidences of treatment effects in literature and may have effect on patient care and health policy in Eales' disease.

A new staging system for idiopathic retinal periphlebitis.

PURPOSE: To develop and standardize a universally acceptable new staging system for idiopathic retinal periphlebitis (Eales disease). METHODS: A new staging system was established and standardized based on standard terminology and features. Idiopathic retinal periphlebitis was classified as peripheral and central types. Peripheral disease consisted of four stages. Stage 1 is periphlebitis of small (1a) and large (1b) caliber vessels with superficial retinal hemorrhages. Stage 2a denotes capillary nonperfusion and 2b neovascularization elsewhere/of the disc. Stage 3a is classified as fibrovascular proliferation and 3b vitreous hemorrhage. Stage 4a is traction/combined rhegmatogenous retinal detachment whereas 4b is rubeosis iridis, neovascular glaucoma, complicated cataract, and optic atrophy. A total of 253 cases of idiopathic retinal periphlebitis (mean age, 24.7 +/- 4.7 years, all male) presenting at this tertiary care center were classified prospectively according to the new staging system, by two independent observers (interobserver correlation = 0.7). RESULTS: The new staging system was consistent, simple, and easy to recall. Peripheral and central types of idiopathic retinal periphlebitis were found in 94.07% and 5.93% of cases, respectively. The new staging system also defined the severity of the disease. Vitreous hemorrhage was found to be the commonest presenting feature (51.68%), whereas traction/combined rhegmatogenous detachment was found in 5.88% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: The new staging system is useful in classifying and assessing the severity of disease. Management strategy can also be defined according to the stage of the disease. It is designed to promote the use of standard assessment with applications to clinical management and research.