Intraocular Bioadhesives in Vitreoretinal Surgeries: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Bioadhesion is the ability of materials to adhere to biological surfaces. Bioadhesives are substances which induce or promote bioadhesion. The internal application of bioadhesives is gaining popularity in recent years and is being increasingly utilized in vitreoretinal surgeries. The aim of this review is to discuss the various bioadhesives and their applications in vitreoretinal surgeries. METHODS: PubMed, Google Scholar, ePub and Cochrane library database were used for literature selection. Keywords such as vitreoretinal surgery, bioadhesives, intraocular bioadhesives, glue, fibrin glue, cyanoacrylate glue and transforming growth factor were used individually and in differing combinations to perform a comprehensive systematic literature search. RESULTS: A total of 47 papers were retrieved and included in this review. Cyanoacrylate glue was the first bioadhesive to be utilized for vitreoretinal surgery in human eyes in 1976. The most common indications for the use of bioadhesives were in optic disc pit maculopathy, macular holes and rhegmatogenous retinal detachments. CONCLUSION: The use of intraocular bioadhesives in vitreoretinal surgery represents a significant and evolving area of interest within ophthalmic research. While the pioneering use of cyanoacrylate glue, fibrin glue and transforming growth factor beta demonstrated the possible use of intraocular adhesives, fibrin glue is the most widely used intraocular bioadhesive in vitreoretinal surgery.

Suspected Retinal Toxicity After Multiple Intravitreal Ganciclovir Injections in a Patient of CMV Retinitis.

PURPOSE: Intravitreal Ganciclovir has been one of the treatments of choice for cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis and has been used extensively for its treatment since 1987. It has not been shown to have any major adverse effects. There are no reports on any retinal toxicity even after multiple, repeated injections. Herein, we report a rare case of retinal toxicity after multiple intravitreal injections in a patient of CMV retinitis. CASE REPORT: A 69-year-old one eyed male, who was on oral corticosteroids and systemic immunosuppression for Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis, presented with CMV retinitis in both eyes. His visual acuity was 20/60 in his right eye and no perception of light in his left eye. He was treated with multiple injections of intravitreal Ganciclovir in his right eye. The left eye was not treated since it had no vision potential. The right eye of the patient which had received multiple injections went on to developed a progressive diffuse atrophy of Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE). No such changes were noted in the left eye of the patient. CONCLUSION AND IMPORTANCE: We present a case of progressive diffuse RPE atrophy as a result of toxicity of intravitreal ganciclovir injections. It is important to be aware of this rare potential toxicity of intravitreal Ganciclovir.

Ten-year results of scleral-fixated intraocular lens implantation: outcomes of ab externo scleral fixation with 10-0 polypropylene suture.

PURPOSE: To describe long-term visual and anatomical outcomes of sutured scleral-fixated intraocular lens (SF IOL) implantation. SETTING: Tertiary eyecare hospital in India. DESIGN: Retrospective interventional noncomparative study. METHODS: Postoperative change in corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and occurrence of complications were assessed from the patient medical records. Long-term SF IOL survival rates and factors affecting the occurrence of postoperative IOL-related complications were assessed. Patients with postoperative follow-up less than 10 years or incomplete medical records were excluded. RESULTS: 64 eyes of 53 patients were included. Follow-up duration was 11.4 ± 1.2 years. Mean preoperative CDVA was 0.71 ± 0.43 logMAR (Snellen equivalent: 6/30), and mean CDVA at the final visit was 0.52 ± 0.49 logMAR (Snellen equivalent: 6/18) (P < .01). 48% cases had CDVA of 6/12 or better at the last follow-up. 58% cases had coexistent ocular pathology affecting the final visual outcome. IOL and suture-related complications were the commonest and included IOL decentration (17% cases), IOL drop (14%), and suture exposure (6%). The probability of IOL survival (postoperative period without IOL-related complications) was 90.6% at 8 years and 81.2% at 10 years (Kaplan-Meier analysis). Occurrence of postoperative IOL-related complications was unaffected by patient sex, age, indication for surgery (trauma or other), previous intraocular surgery, or technique of scleral fixation (2-point or 4-point) (multivariate regression analysis). CONCLUSIONS: Although sutured SF IOL implantation is viable with favorable long-term visual outcomes, there is a risk of postoperative IOL-related complications. Occurrence of postoperative IOL-related complications is unaffected by patient and ocular factors.

VKH disease in the elderly: Variations in clinical course as compared to VKH disease in adults.

PURPOSE: To describe disease characteristics and outcomes of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease in elderly patients. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients older than 50 years with VKH disease at two referral centers in India. Demographics, extraocular and ocular involvement, treatment, complications, and visual acuity outcomes were noted. RESULTS: In total, 69 patients (mean age at presentation: 56.4 ± 4.7 years) were analyzed; 6/69 patients had diabetes mellitus at presentation, and 10/69 had hypertension. Clinical signs included anterior chamber cells >2+ (29%), granulomatous keratic precipitates (23%), disc hyperemia (26%), neurosensory retinal detachment (34.7%), and "sunset-glow" fundus (52.1%). Patients were classified as probable (n = 50, 72.4%), incomplete (n = 18, 26%), and complete VKH (n = 1, 1.4%). The mean follow-up period was 20.2 ± 19.4 months. Improvement in mean BCVA of (0.63 LogMAR, 6 Snellen lines) was noted on the last follow-up. Patients receiving systemic steroids with immunosuppressants ( P < 0.0001) had better visual outcomes at final follow-up compared to steroids alone ( P = 0.103). Eight patients (11.6%) had complications due to systemic immunosuppressants, and 17 patients (24.6%) developed diabetes mellitus or had worsening of diabetes while on systemic corticosteroids. CONCLUSION: Few patients presented with systemic manifestations in our cohort. Those treated with steroids and concurrent immunosuppressants had better outcomes. However, therapy with immunosuppressants was encountered with major dose-limiting complications in a significant number of elderly patients with VKH syndrome.

Fibrin-Glue-Assisted Surgery for Idiopathic Macular Holes.

METHODS: This pilot clinical trial included 10 eyes of 10 patients with idiopathic MH, where PPV along with ILMP was done. Fibrin glue was used as a tamponade, and no postoperative positioning was given to any patient. The primary outcome measure was successful anatomical closure of the MH. The secondary outcome measures were postoperative improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and any complications of the procedure. RESULTS: The median age of patients was 62.5 years. Eight eyes were pseudophakic and two were phakic. The mean basal diameter of the MH was 1193 microns. The mean minimal linear diameter was 652 microns. Successful anatomic closure of MH was achieved in eight cases. The median BCVA improved from a Snellen equivalent of 20/100 preoperatively to 20/60 at 1 month postoperatively. The median follow-up period was 4 months. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that the use of fibrin glue can be useful in patients where postoperative positioning is difficult.

Surgical and visual outcomes after vitreoretinal surgery for complex retinal capillary hemangioblastoma.

Purpose: We evaluated the anatomical and functional outcomes after vitreoretinal surgery for complex retinal capillary hemangioblastoma (RCH). Methods: This was a retrospective case series of 15 patients (16 eyes) with tractional or combined retinal detachment (RD) managed with pars plana vitrectomy and tumor endoresection (ER) with/without feeder vessel ligation. Results: The mean age at the time of surgery was 30 years (range, 14-46 years). The most common tumor locations were inferotemporal (six eyes) and temporal (six eyes) quadrants. Indications for surgery included exudative RD with fibrovascular proliferation (eight eyes), combined RD (five eyes), vitreous hemorrhage (four eyes), and rhegmatogenous RD (two eyes). Tumor destruction was performed with laser and/or cryotherapy in nine eyes (57%) and ER in seven eyes (43%). Feeder vessel was ligated and cauterized in 10 (63%) and six eyes (37%), respectively. Anatomical success after initial surgery was 50% (eight eyes), which improved to 88% (14 eyes) after they underwent a repeat procedure for recurrent RD (eight eyes). At the last visit, visual acuity improved in seven eyes (44%), was stable in four eyes (25%), and worsened in five eyes (31%) with a mean follow-up of 29 months (6-79 months). Comparison between the ER group and the laser/cryotherapy group revealed no significant difference in final retinal reattachment rate (89% vs. 86%, P > 0.05), with better visual outcomes in laser/cryotherapy group (57% vs. 78%, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Pars plana vitrectomy with/without tumor endoresection can be a safe and effective treatment option for complex RCHs, achieving good tumor control and anatomical success with limited functional success.

Distinct NOD2 mutations reported in three families with Blau syndrome (BS) from a single center in India - Case series and review of literature.

OBJECTIVE: Blau syndrome (BS), considered a rare pediatric autoinflammatory disease, is characterised by a triad of granulomatous arthritis, dermatitis and uveitis. Here we present a tale of three families visited in our outpatient department in the last two years (2020-2022) where more than one member was affected with either skin, ophthalmological and joint involvement with either biopsy-proven granuloma or genetic mutation at NOD2 gene suggesting the diagnosis of BS. CASE SERIES: The first family had three affected members where the mother and her two children had skin changes, polyarthritis and a pathogenic mutation in NOD2 gene (exon 4, c.1000C > T, p.Arg334Trp) suggesting BS. The second family had two affected members where both mother and her son had uveitis, skin changes with NOD2 mutation at exon 4 with c.1147G > A (p Glu 383 Lys) variant. The son also had polyarthritis and his skin biopsy was suggestive of granulomatous inflammation. In the third family with two affected members, we found a mutation in NOD2 on exon 4 (c 1324C > T, p.Lys 442 Phe) which was described as pathogenic with only one report published till date. CONCLUSION: These three cases presented to us within the last two years and led to a diagnosis of BS in three other family members with discrete mutations (commonest to rarest) on the NOD2 gene in the three families.

Medical Therapy for Large Idiopathic Full-Thickness Macular Holes.

PURPOSE: To describe the characteristics and outcomes of eyes with idiopathic full-thickness macular holes (FTMH) that underwent initial medical management. METHODS: This retrospective study included eyes with FTMH that were initially managed with one month of topical therapy. Eligible subjects were treated with dorzolamide 2% three times a day, nepafenac 0.1% twice a day, and prednisolone acetate 1% four times a day. The primary endpoints was hole closure at one month and secondary endpoint was change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). RESULTS: Ten subjects (mean age: 62.80 years; female: 50%) with unilateral FTMH were studied. The mean basal diameter of the entire cohort at baseline was 824.1 µm (median 828 µm). Four (40%) of the smaller holes (mean 698 µm; median 698.50 µm) closed after one month of topical therapy, whereas larger holes (mean 908.17µm; median 889.50 µm) did not close. In one eye, the hole reopened 4 months after stopping the medication, but closed again at one month after re-starting the topical treatment. Median BCVA improved from 0.35 logMAR at baseline to 0.05 logMAR in eyes that closed but remained at 0.70 logMAR at one month in eyes that did not close. CONCLUSION: Topical corticosteroid, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, and carbonic anhydrase inhibitor therapy may promote closure of small FTMHs, but large holes are less likely to respond. One month of topical therapy might avoid subjecting some patients to complex vitreo-retinal surgery without compromising visual outcomes. Macular hole may re-open after stopping the topical therapy.

Clinical profile, demographic distribution, and outcomes of ocular siderosis: Electronic medical record-driven big data analytics from an eye care network in India.

Purpose: To describe the demographics, clinical profile, and outcomes of ocular siderosis in patients presenting to a multi-tier ophthalmology hospital network in India. Methods: This cross-sectional and hospital-based study included 3,082,727 new patients who presented between August 2010 and December 2021. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of ocular siderosis in at least one eye were included. Results: Overall, 58 eyes of 57 patients (0.002%) were diagnosed with ocular siderosis. The majority were men (96.49%) and had unilateral (98.25%) affliction. The most common age group at presentation was during the third decade of life with 24 patients (42.11%). A clear history of ocular trauma was documented in 47 patients (81.03%). Major clinical signs included corneal pigment deposition in nearly half of the eyes (27/58 eyes, 46.55%), corneal scar (20/58 eyes, 34.48%), cataract (22/58 eyes, 37.93%) and retinal detachment (11/58 eyes, 18.96%). The intraocular foreign body (IOFB) was anatomically localized in a majority of the eyes (i.e., 45/58 eyes, 77.59%). The most common location of the IOFB was in the posterior segment (22/58 eyes, 37.93%). The eyes that underwent a vitreoretinal surgery with removal of IOFB had a slightly better BCVA (1.0 ± 1.01) when compared to eyes with non-removal of IOFB (1.58 ± 1.00). Conclusion: Ocular siderosis is a rare sight-threatening entity, with half of the affected eyes exhibiting severe visual impairment. Majority of the eyes in ocular siderosis will have a detectable IOFB. Surgical removal of IOFB may lead to a better visual gain when compared to non-removal.

GIANT RETINAL TEAR DETACHMENT: Clinical Presentation and Treatment Outcomes in 396 Patients.

PURPOSE: To study etiology, clinical presentation, anatomical, and functional outcomes of patients with giant retinal tear detachment at a tertiary eye institute. METHODS: Retrospective, consecutive case series of 396 patients (396 eyes) who underwent surgery were reviewed. Factors affecting the final anatomical and functional success were determined. RESULTS: Mean age was 37 years (range; 1-79 years), and 86% (n = 339) of the subjects were men. Trauma (21%) and high myopia (11%) were predisposing risk factors. Two hundred and seventy-seven eyes (70%) had giant retinal tear configuration of >180° and <270°, associated with partial retinal detachment in 282 (71%) eyes and macular detachment in 262 (66%) eyes. Primary surgery included pars plana vitrectomy (n = 240, 61%), pars plana vitrectomy with encirclage band (n = 152, 38%), or scleral buckle (n = 4, 1%). The mean follow-up duration was 15 months (median, 8.4 months; range, 3-83 months). Anatomical success after initial surgery was 64% (255 eyes), which improved to 78% (308 eyes) after undergoing a second vitreoretinal procedure for recurrent retinal detachment (53 eyes). Median visual acuity improved from 20/1,500 preoperatively to 20/400 at final follow-up ( P = 0.01), and 15% of eyes achieved postoperative visual acuity of 20/60 or better. Factors associated with poor anatomical success included age <16 years ( P = 0.005) and presenting visual acuity 20/400 or less ( P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Trauma and myopia constituted the major risk factors for giant retinal tear detachment in our series. Surgery for giant retinal tear detachment managed with pars plana vitrectomy with or without encirclage band and silicone oil tamponade had good anatomical and favorable visual outcomes at last follow-up.

Sympathetic Ophthalmia - An Overview.

INTRODUCTION: Sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) is rare, bilateral granulomatous panuveitis that typically occurs following penetrating or perforating ocular trauma or surgery. This review aims to provide an update on the etiopathogenesis, clinical presentations, diagnosis and treatment of SO. METHODS: Reports cited in MEDLINE database, that analyzed SO in at least 5 patients, published prior to December 1st, 2021 were included. RESULTS: Initially, SO was associated with penetrating ocular trauma, however, various studies reported an increased incidence of SO after surgical procedures including vitreoretinal surgeries. Multimodal imaging including fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography have added further insights into the understanding of SO. While pulse dose corticosteroids & immunosuppressive drugs are still the treatment of choice, TNF-α blockers & other biologic drugs represent new promising agents. CONCLUSION: There is a growing pool of evidence in understanding the pathogenesis of SO. Novel treatment options have provided better prognosis for this potentially blinding condition.

Observations on Six Rare Cases of Chorioretinitis Sclopetaria.

INTRODUCTION: Chorioretinitis sclopetaria (CS) is a rare consequence of ocular injury. Its association with open globe injury (OGI) and retinal detachment (RD) is controversial. This study evaluates patterns of chorioretinitis sclopetaria and its association with open globe injury and retinal detachment. CASE: This is an electronic review of records of a tertiary eye care institute of south India with descriptive analysis of six cases. Cases where fundus findings of chorioretinitis sclopetaria were available were included. Information regarding mode of injury, visual outcomes, follow up and causes of poor visual outcomes were obtained. Presence of open globe injury, retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage (VH) and orbital foreign body (FB) was also noted. Ultrasound scans of the eyeball were reviewed for presence of signs of chorioretinitis sclopetaria. OBSERVATIONS: All the injured patients were male (age range 23-52 years). Bullet and blast injuries were the modes of injury. The duration since injury to the last follow up ranged from 0.25 to 12 years. The final visual acuity was <20/200 in 3/6 cases. Open globe injury and retinal detachment was noted in one case each, while 3/5 cases had orbital foreign body. Extensive facial and neuro-surgery were required in 2/6 cases. Sonography showed signs of chorioretinitis sclopetaria in 2/3 cases where scans were available for review. CONCLUSIONS: Though manifestations of chorioretinitis sclopetaria evolve with time with visual improvement, final visual acuity is generally poor. Cases of chorioretinitis sclopetaria may have accompanying retinal detachment or open globe injury. Sonography should be evaluated with a high degree of suspicion for chorioretinitis sclopetaria in typical cases.

Clinical Profile and Demographic Distribution of Synchysis Scintillans: An Electronic Medical Record-Driven Big Data Analytics From an Eye Care Network in India.

INTRODUCTION: To describe the demographics and clinical profile of synchysis scintillans in patients presenting to a multitier ophthalmology hospital network in India. METHODS: This cross-sectional hospital-based study included 3,082,727 new patients presenting between August 2010 and December 2021. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of synchysis scintillans in at least one eye were included as cases. The data were collected using an electronic medical record system. RESULTS: Overall, 93 (0.003%) patients were diagnosed with synchysis scintillans. About half of the patients were male (50.54%) and had unilateral (81.72%) affliction. The most common age group at presentation was during the seventh decade of life with 38 (40.86%) patients. The overall prevalence was higher in patients from a higher socioeconomic status (0.003%) presenting from the metropolitan geography (0.005%) and in retired individuals (0.018%). A systemic history of diabetes mellitus was documented in 13 (13.98%) patients and hypertension was documented in 15 (16.13%) patients. The majority of the eyes had mild or no visual impairment (<20/70) in 74 (67.27%) eyes. The most commonly associated ocular comorbidity was cataract in 61 (55.45%) eyes followed by glaucoma in eight (7.27%) eyes. Among the surgical interventions performed for the ocular comorbidities, cataract surgery was performed in nine (8.18%) eyes, and vitreoretinal surgery and trabeculectomy were performed in two (1.82%) eyes each. CONCLUSION: Synchysis scintillans equally affect males and females presenting during the seventh decade of life and is predominantly unilateral. The majority of the eyes have mild or no visual impairment and over half of the eyes have an associated cataract.

HIV Promotes Neurocognitive Impairment by Damaging the Hippocampal Microvessels.

Current evidence suggests that mild cerebrovascular changes could induce neurodegeneration and contribute to HIV-associated neurocognitive disease (HAND) in HIV patients. We investigated both the quantitative and qualitative impact of HIV infection on brain microvessels, especially on hippocampal microvessels, which are crucial for optimal O2 supply, and thus for maintaining memory and cognitive abilities. The results obtained using cultured human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) were reproduced using a suitable mouse model and autopsied human HIV hippocampus. In HBMEC, we found significantly higher oxidative stress-dependent apoptotic cell loss following 5 h of treatment of GST-Tat (1 µg/ml) compared to GST (1 µg/ml) control. We noticed complete recovery of HBMEC cells after 24 h of GST-Tat treatment, due to temporal degradation or inactivation of GST-Tat. Interestingly, we found a sustained increase in mitochondrial oxidative DNA damage marker 8-OHdG, as well as an increase in hypoxia-inducible factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). In our mouse studies, upon short-term injection of GST-Tat, we found the loss of small microvessels (mostly capillaries) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but not large microvessels (arterioles and venules) in the hippocampus. In addition to capillary loss, in the post-mortem HIV-infected human hippocampus, we observed large microvessels with increased wall cells and perivascular tissue degeneration. Together, our data show a crucial role of Tat in inducing HIF-1α-dependent inhibition of mitochondrial transcriptional factor A (TFAM) and dilated perivascular space. Thus, our results further define the underlying molecular mechanism promoting mild cerebrovascular disease, neuropathy, and HAND pathogenesis in HIV patients.

Jet stream related iatrogenic retinal breaks during vitreo-retinal surgery.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the causes of jet stream injury (JSI)-related iatrogenic retinal breaks (IRBs) during vitreoretinal surgery (VRS). METHODS: The precise surgical environment, which includes the indication and type of surgical procedure, retina status, details of instrumentation and fluidic parameters, and characteristics of the jet responsible for the IRB, was noted from case records. The nature of IRB and its healing and impact on anatomical and visual outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: Five eyes of five patients with complete documentation of both the JSI and the IRB were included. Two cases were operated for macular hole, and one each for vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment, and endophthalmitis. One case had infusion-fluid-related JSI, while four developed it because of injection of surgical adjuncts (drugs, PFCL, and dye). JSI developed in two cases when the vitreous cavity was filled with fluid, while it was air-filled in three cases. In four cases, the fluid migrated into subretinal space, necessitating further maneuvers following which the breaks healed, but were directly responsible for vision loss in two cases. CONCLUSION: JSI related IRBs are rare but may be directly responsible for vision loss if they impact the macula. The balance between jet stream velocity, its distance from the retinal surface, the intervening media (vitreous cavity), and retinal health play an important role. It can occur because of both infusion as well as injection jets. Precautions must be taken in cases vulnerable to complications with suggested modifications in the surgical technique.

Vogt Koyanagi Harada Disease In Paediatric Age Group: Clinical Characteristics, Remission, Recurrences and Complications in Asian Indian Population.

PURPOSE: To describe disease characteristics and outcomes of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome in paediatric patients. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart analysis. METHODS: A RETROSPECTIVE: Analysis of all patients ≤16 years with VKH syndrome was done. Clinical presentations, complications, recurrences and outcomes in cases of paediatric VKH were reviewed. RESULTS: 72 eyes of 36 patients with a mean age at presentation of 13.7 ± 2.34 years were assessed. Mean duration of symptoms and follow up were 9.88 ± 17.3 weeks and 55 months respectively. Clinical signs at presentation included anterior chamber cells >2+(34/72eyes, 47.2%), granulomatous keratic precipitates (6 eyes, 8.3%), posterior synechiae (35 eyes,48.6%), disc edema (46 eyes, 63.8%), neurosensory retinal detachments (44 eyes, 61.1%) and 'sunset-glow' fundus (9 eyes, 12.5%). Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at the time of presentation was 1.3logMAR or a Snellens equivalent of 20/400 which improved to 0.51logMAR (Snellens equivalent of 20/63) at last follow up. Remission was achieved in 61.1% cases. More than half of our patients developed one or more complications. CONCLUSION: VKH in paediatric patients poses a challenge due to a delayed presentation and paediatric VKH patients have a worse visual acuity at the time of presentation as compared to adult age groups. Rates of remission may be low along with high risk of complications and hence there is a need for prolonged immunosuppression.

Brilliant Blue G toxicity in macular hole surgeries: A report on combined phototoxicity and dye-induced macular damage.

PURPOSE: Vitrectomy with brilliant blue G (BBG) assisted internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling is the standard operational technique in macular hole surgeries. However, BBG dye, though considered safe and nontoxic, can also occasionally lead to macular toxicity. This study aims to describe the clinical features and characteristics of four eyes who developed macular toxicity after following surgery for macular hole repair. METHODS: Retrospective review of four consecutive cases of macular toxicity after conventional BBG assisted ILM peeling. All the cases reviewed, their operative surgical notes were retrieved and analyzed. The ILM was stained twice during surgery with prolonged intraoperative surgical time. RESULTS: All four cases had a prolonged surgical time and the ILM was stained twice during surgery in all cases. The area of macular toxicity was corresponding to the area of ILM peeling which had been exposed to repeated staining by BBG dye. By the end of one month, all four cases had foveal thinning along with choriocapillary atrophy. The mean BCVA was 20/80 before surgery and the final mean visual acuity was <20/800. CONCLUSION: This report highlights the occurrence of macular and choriocapillary atrophy due to prolonged focal endoillumination and the increased risk of toxicity with repeated dye staining.

Cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: clinical presentations and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in patients with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) can occur even in the presence of high CD 4 counts and can behave differently when compared to CMV retinitis in human immunodeficiency (HIV) patients. It, therefore, becomes important to understand its varied presentations and the challenges in management of these cases. The aim of this study was to analyse the various patterns of presentations and outcomes of CMV Retinitis in patients with NHL. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review of seven eyes of four patients of NHL presenting with CMV retinitis between June 2017 and May 2020 was done. METHODS: Clinical patterns of CMV Retinitis, CD4 counts at the time of presentation and the duration of treatment along with recurrences and time for recurrence of retinitis were assessed. RESULTS: Granular or indolent retinitis (6 out of 7 eyes) was the commonest form of CMV retinitis in patients of NHL. Three patients had a presenting CD4 count above 150 cells/mm3 and none of them were below 50 cells/mm3. Floaters were the commonest presenting complaint. All patients had vitritis and majority of the patients (3 out of 4) had anterior chamber (AC) inflammation. Two out of the 4 patients had a recurrence (mean time 33.8 days) after stopping the maintenance phase of ganciclovir and one patient had significant myelosuppression related to oral valganciclovir which required discontinuation of the drug. CONCLUSION: CMV retinitis in NHL patients is usually of an indolent or granular type and can occur even in the presence of high CD4 counts as compared to patients with HIV. These patients may require a long term maintenance in view of frequent recurrences after discontinuation of treatment.