[Review by the French Glaucoma Society on the roles of new surgical techniques in glaucoma]. / Mise au point de la Société française du glaucome sur la place des nouvelles techniques chirurgicales dans le glaucome.

The surgical management of glaucoma has been enriched in recent years by the arrival of new surgical techniques as a group known as MIGS (minimally invasive glaucoma surgery). The objective of these new techniques is to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) while limiting the risk of complications of conventional filtering surgery and allowing faster visual recovery. MIGS can be classified into three main categories depending on the route used to promote the outflow of aqueous humor: the trabecular route, the suprachoroidal route and the subconjunctival route. MIGS using the subconjunctival route are also called minimally invasive bleb surgery (MIBS). These new techniques do not replace conventional filtering surgery, which remains the gold standard technique, but now offer new alternatives for the surgical management of glaucoma patients in combination with cataract surgery or as stand-alone procedures.

[Intraocular pressure elevation and intravitreal steroid implant injection: State of the art in 2023. Recommendations of the French Glaucoma Society and French Ophthalmology Society [French version]]. / Hypertonie oculaire et injection intravitréenne d'implant de corticoïde, état de l'art en 2023. Recommandations françaises SFG/SFO [version française].

These are the recommendations of French glaucoma and retina experts on the management of ocular hypertension (OHT) observed in 1/3 of cases after intravitreal steroid implant injections. They are an update to the recommendations first published in 2017. There are two implants on the French market: the dexamethasone (DEXi) and fluocinolone acetonide (FAci) implants. It is important to know the pressure status before injecting a patient with a steroid implant. Monitoring of the IOP adapted to the specific drug is necessary throughout follow-up and reinjections. Real-life studies have made it possible to optimize the management algorithm by significantly increasing the safety of use of these implants. A corticosteroid test with DEXi is necessary before switching to FAci to optimize the pressure tolerance of the latter. In addition to topical glaucoma medications, SLT laser can be considered in the therapeutic arsenal for the management of steroid-induced OHT and future injections.

Ocular hypertension and intravitreal steroids injections, update in 2023. French guidelines of the French glaucoma society and the French ophthalmology society.

These guidelines are a consensus of French glaucoma and retina experts on the management of ocular hypertension (OHT) observed in a third of the cases after corticosteroid implant intravitreal injections. They update the first guidelines published in 2017. Two implants are marketed in France: the dexamethasone implant (DEXi) and the fluocinolone acetonide implant (FAci). It is essential to assess the pressure status before injecting a patient with a corticosteroid implant. A molecule-specific monitoring of the intraocular pressure is needed throughout the follow-up and at the time of reinjections. Real-life studies have allowed optimizing the management algorithm by significantly increasing the safety of these implants. Corticosteroid testing with DEXi should be performed before switching to FAci to optimize pressure tolerance of FAci. Beyond topical hypotensive treatments, selective laser trabeculoplasty may be considered in the therapeutic arsenal for the management of steroid-induced OHT and subsequent injections.

Intravitreal dexamethasone implant versus anti-VEGF injection for treatment-naïve patients with retinal vein occlusion and macular edema: a 12-month follow-up study.

PURPOSE: The objective of his study was to compare the visual and anatomical outcomes in treatment-naïve patients with macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion after intravitreal injections of dexamethasone implants (DEX) and anti-VEGF. METHODS: One hundred two patients (64 in the anti-VEGF group, 38 in the DEX group) without previous treatment were included in this multi-center retrospective study and evaluated at baseline and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the onset of treatment. Patients were defined as "good responders" if central macular thickness (CMT) was less than or equal to 250 µm in TD-OCT or 300 µm in SD-OCT after the injections. RESULTS: At month 3 (n = 102), BCVA had increased significantly, by 0.1 ± 0.3 logMAR in the anti-VEGF group (p = 0.04) and 0.4 ± 0.4 logMAR in the DEX group (p < 0.001); the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.007). CMT decreased significantly, by 138 ± 201 µm (-19 %, p < 0.001) in the anti-VEGF group and 163 ± 243 µm (-21 %, p < 0.001) in the DEX group. After 3 months, five patients (13 %) in the DEX group and 20 (31 %) in the anti-VEGF group (p < 0.001) changed treatment. Among the 77 patients who did not switch from their initial treatment, no significant functional or anatomical difference between the two groups was observed at months 6 and 12. Elevation of intraocular pressure > 21 mmHg was more frequent in the DEX group (21 %) than in the anti-VEGF group (3 %, p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Visual acuity recovery was better in the DEX group than in the anti-VEGF group at month 3, but with no difference in CMT. In patients who did not change treatment, the long-term anatomical and visual outcome was similar between the DEX and anti-VEGF groups.

[Managing antithrombotic therapy in vitreoretinal surgery]. / Comment gérer les antithrombotiques en chirurgie vitréorétinienne ?

Given the growing number of patients on antithrombotic therapy we are increasingly confronted with the management of this therapy before, during and after vitreoretinal surgery. In the absence of a consensus, the decision to withdraw antithrombotic therapy is based on the cardiovascular thromboembolism risk versus the theoretical risk of bleeding if the antithrombotic treatment is continued. As suggested by the literature, antiplatelet therapy (acetylsalicylic acid or clopidogrel) may be safely continued for vitreoretinal surgery, including retinal detachment repair. However, the risk/benefit ratio for patients being treated with two antiplatelet therapies is unknown. It appears that an International Normalized Ratio (INR) less than 3 for patients treated with anticoagulant therapy does not increase the perioperative risk of ocular bleeding. This risk has not been evaluated in patients treated by new antithrombotic therapies (prasugrel, ticagrelor as antiplatelet medication, or dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban as anticoagulant therapy), and there is a need to study it further.

[Ocular syphilis]. / Atteinte oculaire de la syphilis.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum. Previously known as the "great imitator", this disease can have numerous and complex manifestations. The ophthalmologist should suspect the diagnosis in patients with uveitis or optic neuropathy and high-risk sexual behavior and/or another sexually transmitted disease (such as HIV) or those presenting with posterior placoid chorioretinitis or necrotising retinitis. Ocular involvement in acquired syphilis is rare, tending to occur during the secondary and tertiary stages of the disease. Syphilis may affect all the structures of the eye, but uveitis (accounting for 1-5% of the uveitis in a tertiary referral center) is the most common ocular finding. Granulomatous or non-granulomatous iridocyclitis (71%), panuveitis, posterior uveitis (8%) and keratouveitis (8%) are often described. In the secondary stage, the meninges and the central nervous system can be affected, sometimes with no symptoms, which justifies performing lumbar puncture in patients with uveitis and/or optic neuropathy. The diagnosis of ocular syphilis requires screening with a non-treponemal serology and confirmation with a treponemal-specific test. Parenterally administered penicillin G is considered first-line therapy for all stages of ocular syphilis. Systemic corticosteroids are an appropriate adjunct treatment for posterior uveitis, scleritis and optic neuritis if ocular inflammation is severe. Prolonged follow-up is necessary because of the possibility of relapse of the disease. With proper diagnosis and prompt antibiotic treatment, the majority of cases of ocular syphilis can be cured.

FRIENDS Group: clinical and microbiological characteristics of post-filtering surgery endophthalmitis.

PURPOSE: To study the clinical and microbiological characteristics as well as the prognostic factors for post-filtering surgery endophthalmitis. METHODS: Twenty-three eyes were included in the study in four tertiary centres between 2004 and 2010. The clinical and microbiological data were collected prospectively (minimum follow-up, 6 months). Microbiological diagnosis was based on conventional cultures and panbacterial PCR (16SrDNA amplification and sequencing). RESULTS: The onset of endophthalmitis was early (<6 weeks) in 22 % of the cases and delayed in 78 %. Elevated intraocular pressure and hypopyon were more frequent in delayed than in early presentations (p = 0.04). By combining the results of culture and panbacterial PCR, a bacterial species could be identified in 73.9 % of the cases, including 56.5 % of commensal species of the digestive tract such as Moraxella spp., oropharyngeal streptococci and Enterococcus faecalis. Good final visual acuity (VA ≥ 20/40) was correlated with initial VA greater than light perception (p = 0.05). Poor final VA (≤20/400) was correlated with a higher virulence of the infecting bacterial species (p = 0.006), and was noted in all patients with early-onset endophthalmitis. CONCLUSION: Acute early- or delayed-onset post-filtering surgery endophthalmitis is frequently caused by bacteria of the digestive tract (e.g., Streptococcus and Enterococcus spp.). The combination of conventional cultures and panbacterial PCR allowed us to identify the causative microorganism in three-quarters of the cases, i.e., 21 % more cases than through culture alone. Despite adequate antibiotic and surgical treatment, the anatomical and visual prognosis remains poor.

[Ocular blood flow in glaucoma]. / Le flux sanguin oculaire dans le glaucome.

In clinical practice, the vascular factor seems to be essential in glaucoma. Nevertheless, the various studies investigating the relations between the changes in ocular blood flow and risk of glaucoma often have diverse and contradictory conclusions. The variety of the methods in studies on ocular blood flow, the absence of a reference examination, and the absence of large clinical studies probably explain the problems bringing to light an indisputable relation. However, it remains essential, in any glaucoma, to look for and treat the vascular risk factor and most particularly to decrease intraocular pressure, the treatment that currently remains the most reliable to improve ocular blood flow.

[Managing treatment side effects: the respective roles of the active ingredient and the preservative]. / Gérer les effets secondaires des traitements : les rôles respectifs de la molécule et du conservateur.

The side effects of glaucoma hypotensive treatments usually remain moderate and limited to local side effects - conjunctival hyperemia, itching, discomfort after instillation - but are very often a leading source of poor compliance to treatment and thereby may decrease its efficacy. Moreover, these symptoms usually reflect progressive and irreversible major ocular surface changes. These ocular surface changes induced by glaucoma eyedrops may include subconjunctival fibrosis, increasing the risk of failure of a further glaucoma surgery. All the components of the hypotensive eye drops, including the active ingredient, the preservatives, and the excipients, may be involved in the occurrence of these side effects. It is therefore important to identify the agents involved and the mechanisms of these side effects, in order to choose a treatment minimizing their risk and the discomfort felt by patients, and therefore increasing the likelihood of good compliance. When available, preservative-free solutions should be considered.

[Glaucoma and sleep apnea syndrome]. / Glaucomes et syndrome d'apnées du sommeil.

Glaucomatous optic neuropathy is multifactorial, with currently one known and modifiable risk factor, with good results on the prognosis and intraocular pressure. Nevertheless, some patients may experience progression of their neuropathy even though their intraocular pressure seems appropriately controlled. Vascular risk factors are hypothesized and researched. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) could be considered one of these risk factors. Screening for this cardiovascular risk factor in glaucomatous patients presenting evocative signs, should be proposed.

[Risk factors of glaucoma progression: intraocular pressure fluctuations]. / Facteurs de risque : les fluctuations de la pression intraoculaire.

Intraocular pressure is not a fixed value and varies both over short-term periods and periods of several months or years. In healthy subjects, the circadian fluctuations in intraocular pressure are moderate, generally not exceeding 5 mmHg. In patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension, intraocular pressure fluctuations are greater and circadian rhythms may be inverted. These fluctuations are probably involved in the conversion of ocular hypertension to glaucoma or glaucoma progression. Large observational clinical studies, however, are not unanimous on the role played by intraocular pressure fluctuations on the risk of conversion from ocular hypertension to glaucoma or glaucoma worsening. Nevertheless, it is important for each patient to estimate the short-term and long-term fluctuations and to prioritize a treatment that minimizes these fluctuations.

[Multifocal, toric, and aspheric intraocular lenses for glaucoma patients]. / Implants multifocaux, toriques et asphériques pour les patients glaucomateux.

Cataract surgery has greatly developed over recent years, mainly due to the introduction and availability of newer intraocular lenses (IOLs) with modern platforms and better visual outcomes. Aspheric, multifocal, and toric lenses are among these new lenses. Glaucomatous eyes have a number of particularities that can influence the way these implants are indicated and used. Contrast sensitivity is usually reduced in eyes with glaucoma and, sometimes, a poor IOL choice can aggravate the disease. Small pupils and zonular weakness are frequently associated with certain types of glaucoma (e.g. pseudoexfoliative glaucoma) and can limit the indication of some of the newer IOLs. Lastly, in some cases of combined surgery, the postoperative axial length and anterior chamber depth can change after surgery, requiring adjustments in the IOL power calculation. The purpose of this article is to quickly review some of the specific features of cataract surgery in the glaucomatous eye, some of the IOL choices, and the necessary precautions for these eyes.

[Conjunctival epidermoid carcinoma revealed by a chronic limbic corneal ulceration]. / Un carcinome épidermoïde de la conjonctive révélé par une ulcération chronique du limbe cornéen.

PURPOSE: Conjunctival epidermoid carcinoma (CEC) is a rare tumor affecting mainly the perilimbal region of the bulbar conjunctiva. We report an atypical presentation of a CEC mimicking a Mooren pseudo-ulcer. CASE REPORT: A 78-year-old man presented a limbic corneal ulcer of the left eye that had appeared a few months before. Ophthalmologic examination showed a thinning limbic corneal ulceration, associated with substantial conjunctival thickening. The diagnosis of Mooren pseudo-ulcer was first suspected. Etiological investigations were negative. The worsening of the corneal ulcer led us to perform surgical excision on the conjunctiva around the ulcer. Histologic examination concluded in an invasive conjunctival carcinoma. Adjuvant radiotherapy was required because of incomplete surgical excision and chorion tumoral invasion.

[Retina and glaucoma: therapeutic considerations]. / Rétine et glaucome: implications thérapeutiques.

This review describes the possible interactions between several retinal diseases, their treatment, and intraocular pressure (IOP). The use of the intravitreal route in the delivery of drugs to the retina has recently gained widespread acceptance with the development of the VEGF inhibitors and glucocorticoids such as triamcinolone. Although the intravitreal route offers high local concentrations in the vitreous, in the retina these advantages are offset by side effects, particularly short-term and chronic elevation of IOP. This review describes the clinical features of steroid glaucoma induced by triamcinolone or sustained-release systems of glucocorticoid drugs. Another aspect of the relationships between glaucoma and retina is also described: published reports of the occurrence of cystoid macular edema (CME) in eyes being treated with the prostaglandin analogs (PGAs) have led to concern regarding a possible causal relationship between the two. A review of the literature suggests that most PGA-treated eyes with CME had independent risk for development of CME, with a disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier: open or absent posterior capsule, history of dipivefrin-associated CME, epiretinal membrane, complicated cataract surgery, history of macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion, ocular inflammation, and diabetes mellitus. In eyes at risk for CME, the use of PGAs is acceptable but must be prudent.

Screening of diabetic retinopathy: effect of field number and mydriasis on sensitivity and specificity of digital fundus photography.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of one- and three-field, nonmydriatic and mydriatic, and 45 degrees digital colour photography compared with mydriatic indirect ophthalmoscopy for diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening. METHODS: A group of 79 patients (158 eyes) were included in this prospective study. Colour fundus photographs were taken with a Topcon TRC-NW6S digital camera, using four different techniques--single-field nonmydriatic; three-field nonmydriatic; single-field mydriatic; and three-field mydriatic--followed by dilated ophthalmoscopy. Two independent ophthalmologists classified blinded photographs according to the presence or absence of specific diabetic retinal findings. The sensitivity, specificity and agreement (kappa analyses) of the four methods were calculated for the presence or absence of DR and for all diabetic retinal findings. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of digital photography compared with ophthalmoscopy for detection of DR were, respectively: 77 and 99% using single-field nonmydriatic; 92 and 97% using three-field nonmydriatic; 90 and 98% using single-field mydriatic; 97 and 98% using three-field mydriatic. The degrees of agreement for the four methods were 0.82, 0.90, 0.90 and 0.95, respectively. For specific retinal findings, sensitivity was greater for detection of hard exudates, nerve fibre layer haemorrhage and venous beading, and lower for detection of microaneurysms, dot-blot haemorrhage, cotton wool spots and intraretinal microvascular anomalies. CONCLUSION: The three-field strategy without pupil dilation represents a good compromise, with reasonable sensitivity and good comfort (short examination duration, able to drive after photography) favouring patient compliance with the screening programme.