Concurrent Primary Chancre and Ocular Syphilis in an Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Negative Man.

We believe this to be the first report of coexisting polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed primary genital and ocular syphilis in a patient with penicillin allergy treated with doxycycline. The case examines the use of nonpenicillin and corticosteroid treatment of ocular syphilis and highlights the risk of eye involvement early in the disease process.

Evaluation of intraocular pressure at the end of cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of estimating intraocular pressure (IOP) at the end of cataract surgery and to suggest a method of verifying this value. SETTING: University hospital in a suburban area. METHODS: Sixty-nine eyes having phacoemulsification cataract surgery without complications were studied. In stage 1, the surgeon estimated IOP using digital pressure at the end of cataract surgery while a second investigator checked the actual IOP using a handheld tonometer. The estimated and true values were compared. In a second group of patients, the IOP was measured at the end of surgery in 30 eyes using a specifically designed tonometer, the Ocular Kasaby Barraquer 20/30 (OKBT-20/30) (Ocular Instruments, Inc.). The true values were then measured using the handheld tonometer to verify the accuracy of the OKBT-20/30. RESULTS: In stage 1, 37.7% of the estimates were outside the "acceptable" IOP range of 10 mm Hg or higher to 30 mm Hg or lower. Accuracy of estimates decreased toward the extremes of IOP. This suggests that eyes with IOP values outside the acceptable range are likely to be left as such at the end of surgery. In stage 2, when the IOP was measured with the new instrument and rechecked with the electronic tonometer, 93.3% of eyes had an IOP within the reference range of 20 to 30 mm Hg; 62.3% of eyes had an IOP within this range when estimated. CONCLUSIONS: Because the digital estimate can be misleading, the OKBT-20/30 tonometer or a similar device should be used routinely to ensure each eye is left with a desirable IOP at the end of cataract surgery.

Real-World Outcomes of Ranibizumab Treatment for Diabetic Macular Edema in a United Kingdom National Health Service Setting.

PURPOSE: To determine visual acuity (VA) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) outcomes with intravitreal ranibizumab for diabetic macular edema (DME) in a United Kingdom National Health Service clinical setting. DESIGN: Retrospective interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients with DME, treated with the first ranibizumab injection between August 2013 and March 2014 across 4 sites of Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. METHODS: Two hundred eyes of 164 consecutive patients with center-involving DME and VA ≤79 ETDRS letters, central subfield macular thickness (CST) ≥350 µm on Topcon 3D OCT 2000, initiated on a loading phase of 3 intravitreal ranibizumab injections and who had at least 6 months follow-up were reviewed. Subsequent retreatment was guided by VA and OCT with the aim of treating to stability. VA, OCT CST, and macular volume (MV) were recorded at baseline and monthly to 12 months. RESULTS: The mean VA, mean CST, and mean MV at baseline were 54.4 (± 15.26) letters, 490.16 (± 116.54) µm, and 10.46 (± 2.28) mm3. The mean VA change at 12 months was +6.6 (± 13.35) letters (P = .0003). A total of 40.3% of patients (n = 77) gained ≥10 letters and 25.1% (n = 48) gained ≥15 letters; 8.9% (n = 17) lost ≥10 letters and 6.3% (n = 12) lost ≥15 letters. At 12 months, the mean change in CST and MV were -133.9 (± 160.12) µm (P = .0001) and -1.5 (± 1.96) mm3 (P = .0001), respectively. An average of 7.2 (± 2.3) injections were given over 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes with 3 loading injections of 0.5 mg ranibizumab given monthly followed by pro re nata retreatment in a clinical setting are comparable with outcomes from clinical trials.

Stabilization of bilateral progressive rheumatoid corneal melt with infliximab.

Purpose. To report the use of infliximab in the rapid stabilization of a case of progressive, bilateral rheumatoid peripheral ulcerative keratitis (PUK) that failed to respond to conventional immunosuppressive therapy. Methods. A single interventional case report. Results. A patient with rheumatoid arthritis presented with bilateral PUK following a 2-month history of ocular discomfort and redness. His systemic prednisolone (PDN) and methotrexate (MTX) were increased and, despite an initial favorable response, bilateral recurrent corneal perforations ensued. Both eyes underwent cyanoacrylate glue repair, amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT), and penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). Recurrence of the disease and bilateral perforations of the second PKP in both eyes prompted administration of intravenous infliximab immediately after the fourth PKP. The disease activity rapidly settled in both eyes, and at eighteen-month followup, after 12 infliximab infusions, the PUK remains quiescent with no further graft thinning or perforation. Conclusion. Infliximab can be used to arrest the progression of severe bilateral rheumatoid PUK in cases that are refractory to conventional treatment.