Understanding natural language: Potential application of large language models to ophthalmology.

Large language models (LLMs), a natural language processing technology based on deep learning, are currently in the spotlight. These models closely mimic natural language comprehension and generation. Their evolution has undergone several waves of innovation similar to convolutional neural networks. The transformer architecture advancement in generative artificial intelligence marks a monumental leap beyond early-stage pattern recognition via supervised learning. With the expansion of parameters and training data (terabytes), LLMs unveil remarkable human interactivity, encompassing capabilities such as memory retention and comprehension. These advances make LLMs particularly well-suited for roles in healthcare communication between medical practitioners and patients. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the trajectory of LLMs and their potential implications for clinicians and patients. For clinicians, LLMs can be used for automated medical documentation, and given better inputs and extensive validation, LLMs may be able to autonomously diagnose and treat in the future. For patient care, LLMs can be used for triage suggestions, summarization of medical documents, explanation of a patient's condition, and customizing patient education materials tailored to their comprehension level. The limitations of LLMs and possible solutions for real-world use are also presented. Given the rapid advancements in this area, this review attempts to briefly cover many roles that LLMs may play in the ophthalmic space, with a focus on improving the quality of healthcare delivery.

Using Electronic Health Record Data to Determine the Safety of Aqueous Humor Liquid Biopsies for Molecular Analyses.

Purpose: Knowing the surgical safety of anterior chamber liquid biopsies will support the increased use of proteomics and other molecular analyses to better understand disease mechanisms and therapeutic responses in patients and clinical trials. Manual review of operative notes from different surgeons and procedures in electronic health records (EHRs) is cumbersome, but free-text software tools could facilitate efficient searches. Design: Retrospective case series. Participants: A total of 1418 aqueous humor liquid biopsies from patients undergoing intraocular surgery. Methods: Free-text EHR searches were performed using the Stanford Research Repository cohort discovery tool to identify complications associated with anterior chamber paracentesis and subsequent endophthalmitis. Complications of the surgery unrelated to the biopsy were not reviewed. Main Outcome Measures: Biopsy-associated intraoperative complications and endophthalmitis. Results: A total of 1418 aqueous humor liquid biopsies were performed by 17 experienced surgeons. EHR free-text searches were 100% error-free for surgical complications, >99% for endophthalmitis (<1% false positive), and >93.6% for anesthesia type, requiring manual review for only a limited number of cases. More than 85% of cases were performed under local anesthesia without ocular muscle akinesia. Although the most common indication was cataract (50.1%), other diagnoses included glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, uveitis, age-related macular degeneration, endophthalmitis, retinitis pigmentosa, and uveal melanoma. A 50- to 100-µL sample was collected in all cases using either a 30-gauge needle or a blunt cannula via a paracentesis. The median follow-up was >7 months. There was only one minor complication (0.07%) identified: a case of a small tear in Descemet membrane without long-term sequelae. No other complications occurred, including other corneal injuries, lens or iris trauma, hyphema, or suprachoroidal hemorrhage. There was no case of postoperative endophthalmitis. Conclusions: Anterior chamber liquid biopsy during intraocular surgery is a safe procedure and may be considered for large-scale collection of aqueous humor samples for molecular analyses. Free-text EHR searches are an efficient approach to reviewing intraoperative procedures. Financial Disclosures: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Liquid-biopsy proteomics combined with AI identifies cellular drivers of eye aging and disease in vivo.

Single-cell analysis in living humans is essential for understanding disease mechanisms, but it is impractical in non-regenerative organs, such as the eye and brain, because tissue biopsies would cause serious damage. We resolve this problem by integrating proteomics of liquid biopsies with single-cell transcriptomics from all known ocular cell types to trace the cellular origin of 5,953 proteins detected in the aqueous humor. We identified hundreds of cell-specific protein markers, including for individual retinal cell types. Surprisingly, our results reveal that retinal degeneration occurs in Parkinson's disease, and the cells driving diabetic retinopathy switch with disease stage. Finally, we developed artificial intelligence (AI) models to assess individual cellular aging and found that many eye diseases not associated with chronological age undergo accelerated molecular aging of disease-specific cell types. Our approach, which can be applied to other organ systems, has the potential to transform molecular diagnostics and prognostics while uncovering new cellular disease and aging mechanisms.

Biobanking of Human Aqueous and Vitreous Liquid Biopsies for Molecular Analyses.

A critical challenge in translational research is establishing a viable and efficient interface between patient care in the operating room (OR) and the research laboratory. Here, we developed a protocol for acquiring high-quality liquid biopsies for molecular analyses from the aqueous humor and the vitreous from patients undergoing eye surgery. In this workflow, a Mobile Operating Room Lab Interface (MORLI) cart equipped with a computer, a barcode scanner, and lab instruments, including onboard cold storage, is used to obtain and archive human biological samples. A web-based data privacy-compliant database enables annotating each sample over its lifetime, and a cartesian coordinate system allows tracking each barcoded specimen in storage, enabling quick and accurate retrieval of samples for downstream analyses. Molecular characterization of human tissue samples not only serves as a diagnostic tool (e.g., to distinguish between infectious endophthalmitis and other non-infectious intraocular inflammation) but also represents an important component of translational research, allowing the identification of new drug targets, development of new diagnostic tools, and personalized therapeutics.

Managing primary open-angle glaucoma in the setting of suboptimal surgical outcomes in the fellow eye.

A 62-year-old woman with mild myopia presented to her local optometrist for a routine examination and was found to have intraocular pressure (IOP) of 30 mm Hg in both eyes and cupped nerves. She had a family history of glaucoma in her father. She was started on latanoprost in both eyes and was referred for a glaucoma evaluation. On initial evaluation, her IOP was 25 mm Hg in the right eye and 26 mm Hg in the left eye. Central corneal thickness measured 592 µm in the right eye and 581 µm in the left eye. Her angles were open to gonioscopy without any peripheral anterior synechia. She had 1+ nuclear sclerosis with a corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) of 20/25 in the right eye and 20/30- in the left eye and uncorrected near visual acuity of J1+ in each eye. Her nerves were 0.85 mm in the right eye and 0.75 mm in the left eye. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed retinal nerve fiber layer thinning and a dense superior arcuate scotoma into fixation in her right eye, and superior and inferior arcuate scotomas in her left eye (Figures 1 and 2JOURNAL/jcrs/04.03/02158034-202307000-00019/figure1/v/2023-06-26T195222Z/r/image-tiffJOURNAL/jcrs/04.03/02158034-202307000-00019/figure2/v/2023-06-26T195222Z/r/image-tiff, Supplemental Figures 1 and 2, available at http://links.lww.com/JRS/A882 and http://links.lww.com/JRS/A883). She was successively trialed on fixed combination brimonidine-timolol, dorzolamide, and netarsudil, in addition to her latanoprost, but her IOP remained in the mid- to upper 20s in both eyes. The addition of acetazolamide lowered the pressure to 19 mm Hg in both eyes, but she tolerated it poorly. Methazolamide was also attempted with similar side effects. We elected to perform left eye cataract surgery combined with 360-degree viscocanaloplasty and insertion of a Hydrus microstent (Alcon Laboratories, Inc.). Surgery was uncomplicated with IOP of 16 mm Hg on postoperative day 1 with no glaucoma medications. However, by postoperative week 3, IOP returned to 27 mm Hg, and despite restarting latanoprost-netarsudil and finishing her steroid taper, IOP remained at 27 mm Hg by postoperative week 6. Brimonidine-timolol was added back to her left eye regimen and at postoperative week 8, IOP had elevated to 45 mm Hg. Maximizing her therapy with the addition of topical dorzolamide and oral methazolamide brought her IOP back down to 30 mm Hg. At that point, the decision was made to proceed with trabeculectomy of the left eye. The trabeculectomy was uneventful. However, postoperative attempts to augment filtration were rendered less successful by extremely thick Tenon layer. At her most recent follow-up the pressure in the left eye was mid-teens with brimonidine-timolol and dorzolamide. Her right eye IOP is in the upper 20s on maximum topical therapy. Knowing her postoperative course in the left eye, how would you manage the right eye? In addition to currently available options, would you consider a supraciliary shunt such as the MINIject (iSTAR) if such a device were U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved?

Implant Insertion Procedure of the Port Delivery System With Ranibizumab: Overview and Clinical Pearls.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the Port Delivery System with ranibizumab implant insertion procedure. METHODS: A surgical procedure based on the clinical trial program in patients with retinal diseases. RESULTS: An infusion line is placed in the infero-temporal quadrant; a superotemporal quadrant corneal traction suture is recommended. The superotemporal quadrant peritomy of 6 × 6 mm is executed with gentle, purposeful tissue handling. Generous posterior and lateral sub-Tenon's capsule dissection creates laxity for the subsequent closure. Adequate scleral hemostasis is achieved with wet-field cautery to maintain a clean field. The implant is filled under magnification with a customized formulation of ranibizumab. A precise 3.5-mm-long scleral incision (4 mm posterior and parallel to the limbus) is created to ensure proper implant fit. The exposed pars plana undergoes laser ablation to reduce vitreous hemorrhage risk. A pars plana incision is made, and the implant is inserted perpendicular to the globe and seated flush against the sclera. Complete closure of both the conjunctiva and Tenon's capsule with scleral anchoring and mild tissue overhang at the anterior limbus is performed to reduce conjunctival erosion and retraction risks. CONCLUSION: The procedure is straightforward yet requires precise preoperative and intraoperative preparation and standardized surgical techniques. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2022;53:249-256.].

Conjunctiva and Tenon's Capsule Handling in the Port Delivery System with Ranibizumab Implant Insertion Procedure: Surgical Pearls.

OBJECTIVES: To describe conjunctiva and Tenon's capsule handling during the Port Delivery System with ranibizumab (PDS) implant insertion procedure including up-front assessments, planning, and instrumentation, with emphasis placed on the peritomy, scleral dissection, and closure steps. METHODS: Surgical pearls based on experience accumulated in the PDS clinical trial program in patients with retinal diseases. RESULTS: Preoperative preparation, specific instruments, and meticulous techniques are key to optimizing surgical outcomes. Before surgery, assessment of factors that affect conjunctival integrity and an in-office conjunctiva examination are conducted. Gentle, purposeful conjunctiva and Tenon's capsule handling with nontoothed forceps and suturing with a BV needle are recommended to prevent tissue damage. The peritomy is 6 mm by 6 mm, centered around the planned implant location in the superotemporal quadrant. A complete sub-Tenon's capsule dissection is achieved using a wide, robust lateral and posterior dissection technique to free tissue from the sclera and minimize tension. The globe is stabilized during scleral cutdown by grasping the sclera with fine-toothed forceps away from the incision edge to prevent tissue delamination. When closing the peritomy, both the conjunctiva and Tenon's capsule are completely captured and sutured with scleral anchoring at the apex of the peritomy to help prevent conjunctival retraction and erosion. Mitigation and detection of adverse events is critical to successful surgical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The PDS implant insertion procedure is straightforward, but it requires planned preoperative preparation, specific instruments, and meticulous techniques. The surgical pearls described here offer insights for optimizing outcomes. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2022;53:266-273.].

Patient Personality and Illness Perceptions in Relation to Follow-Up Appointment Adherence in Neuro-Ophthalmology.

BACKGROUND: Improving patient attendance at medical follow-up visits may have a notable impact on disease and overall health outcomes. Understanding factors contributing to poor attendance is important for identifying at-risk patients and designing interventions to improve clinical outcomes. Our objective was to identify personality and illness perception factors associated with attendance at recommended follow-up visits in a neuro-ophthalmology practice. METHODS: New or established patients (≥18 years) with scheduled neuro-ophthalmology (study) or glaucoma (comparison) appointments at a tertiary care academic medical center completed the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and Ten-Item Personality Inventory. Physician recommendations made during the visit were recorded (medications, referrals, follow-up, testing, and procedures). A chart review was performed 18 months after enrollment to assess attendance at follow-up appointment and adherence with other physician recommendations. Multiple variable logistic regression models studied associations between follow-up appointment attendance and demographic factors, appointment factors, and survey responses. RESULTS: Among 152 respondents (97% response rate (152 of 157), aged 19-97 years, 58% female, 34% new, 80 neuro-ophthalmology, 72 glaucoma), neuro-ophthalmology subjects were younger, more likely to be White, non-Hispanic, female and new to the practice than subjects with glaucoma. They reported higher emotional impact, identity, and consequences related to their illness (P = 0.001-0.03). Neuro-ophthalmology physician recommendations included more referrals to other services (17.5% vs 1.4%, P = 0.001, chi-square) and more radiology studies (15% vs 0%, P = 0.001, chi-square), but fewer follow-up visits (75% vs 97%, P < 0.0005, chi-square). Among those with recommended follow-up visits, neuro-ophthalmology subjects had lower rates of on-time appointment attendance (55% vs 77%, P = 0.009, chi-square). In a multiple variable model, on-time follow-up attendance was associated with shorter recommended follow-up interval (≤90 days, P < 0.0005), established (vs new) patient status at enrollment visit (P = 0.04), and glaucoma (P = 0.08), but not subject demographics, illness perception, or personality factors. CONCLUSIONS: Patient demographics, illness perception, and personality traits were not associated with follow-up appointment attendance and therefore unlikely to be useful for identifying patients at risk of being lost to follow-up. New neuro-ophthalmology patients with a follow-up recommended ≥90 days in advance may benefit from targeted interventions to improve follow-up appointment adherence.

A Multitask Deep-Learning System to Classify Diabetic Macular Edema for Different Optical Coherence Tomography Devices: A Multicenter Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the primary cause of vision loss among individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM). We developed, validated, and tested a deep learning (DL) system for classifying DME using images from three common commercially available optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We trained and validated two versions of a multitask convolution neural network (CNN) to classify DME (center-involved DME [CI-DME], non-CI-DME, or absence of DME) using three-dimensional (3D) volume scans and 2D B-scans, respectively. For both 3D and 2D CNNs, we used the residual network (ResNet) as the backbone. For the 3D CNN, we used a 3D version of ResNet-34 with the last fully connected layer removed as the feature extraction module. A total of 73,746 OCT images were used for training and primary validation. External testing was performed using 26,981 images across seven independent data sets from Singapore, Hong Kong, the U.S., China, and Australia. RESULTS: In classifying the presence or absence of DME, the DL system achieved area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) of 0.937 (95% CI 0.920-0.954), 0.958 (0.930-0.977), and 0.965 (0.948-0.977) for the primary data set obtained from CIRRUS, SPECTRALIS, and Triton OCTs, respectively, in addition to AUROCs >0.906 for the external data sets. For further classification of the CI-DME and non-CI-DME subgroups, the AUROCs were 0.968 (0.940-0.995), 0.951 (0.898-0.982), and 0.975 (0.947-0.991) for the primary data set and >0.894 for the external data sets. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated excellent performance with a DL system for the automated classification of DME, highlighting its potential as a promising second-line screening tool for patients with DM, which may potentially create a more effective triaging mechanism to eye clinics.

Comparison of 1-Year Effectiveness of Trabecular Microbypass Stent implantation (iStent) in Conjunction With Phacoemulsification Among Mild, Moderate, and Severe Primary Open-angle Glaucoma Patients.

PRECIS: The study compared 1-year effectiveness of single trabecular microbypass stent (iStent) implantation with phacoemulsification among glaucoma severities in primary open-angle glaucoma. The study found that mild glaucoma had greater success rate and lower number of medications compared with moderate and severe glaucoma. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of iStent implantation in combination with cataract surgery in moderate to severe glaucoma compared with mild glaucoma. METHODS: Medical charts of primary open-angle glaucoma subjects undergoing 1 iStent implantation were retrospectively reviewed. Glaucoma was classified on the basis of mean deviation (MD) of the preoperative standard automated perimetry into mild (MD>-6 dB), moderate (MD -6 to -12 dB), and severe (MD<-12 dB). Mixed effect regression models were performed to determine the effect of iStent at 1 year. The outcomes included as follows: (1) intraocular pressure (IOP) and the number of medications, (2) eyes with IOP ≤ severity-based target (18 mm Hg for mild, 15 mm Hg for moderate, 12 mm Hg for severe) (2A) without medication, and (2B) with medication reduction. RESULTS: In total, 104 eyes from 89 subjects were analyzed. Cataract combined with iStent surgery significantly lowered the number of medications in all groups and significantly decreased IOP in moderate and severe glaucoma (P<0.05). There was significantly higher number of medications in moderate (ß: 0.58, P=0.002) and severe (ß: 1.20, P<0.001) compared with mild glaucoma. Eyes with moderate glaucoma had significantly lower rate of success (criterion 2A) compared with mild glaucoma [odds ratio (OR): 0.008, P=0.047]. Eyes with moderate and severe glaucoma had significantly lower rates of success (criterion 2B) (moderate vs. mild OR: 0.002, P=0.028; severe vs. mild OR: 0.026, P=0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Combined phacoemulsification with iStent seems to have a better IOP-lowering and medication-lowering effect in mild glaucoma cases versus those with moderate and severe glaucoma. This difference was found in real-world data over one-year follow-up period. Long-term studies with defined IOP goals and medication removal protocols are warranted.

Comparison of Using One Trabecular Microbypass Stent versus Two during Cataract Surgery at Two Sites: One-Year Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: To compare IOP and ocular hypotensive medication reduction of using one trabecular microbypass stent versus two in patients with open-angle glaucoma. Setting. Palo Alto Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital and the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: A chart review included patients who underwent trabecular microbypass implantation with cataract surgery in 2015-2017, with at least one-year follow-up. Subjects were divided into two groups by location (always one stent at Stanford versus two stents at the VA). Primary outcome measures included IOP and medication reduction at baseline and 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: 132 subjects (166 eyes) were included. The preoperative IOP was 16.3 ± 3.4 mmHg on 2.6 ± 1.1 medications in the one-stent group (N = 85) and 17.5 ± 3.1 mmHg on 2.7 ± 0.6 medications in the two-stent group (N = 81). There was no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.06). At the 12-month visit, there was a 13.37% ± 2.93 reduction in IOP in the 1-stent group (p ≤ 0.001) and 13.49% ± 2.69 in the 2-stent group (p ≤ 0.001); both were not significantly different from each other (p = 0.074). At 12 months, there was also a 14.5% reduction in medication use for the 1-stent group and 15.3% reduction in the 2-stent group, both statistically significant from baseline, (p = 0.022 and p = 0.037, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Implantation with either one or two stents during cataract surgery in patients with glaucoma demonstrated similar IOP and med reduction in both groups between the two sites.

Understanding Patient Attitudes Toward Multifocal Intraocular Lenses in Online Medical Forums Through Sentiment Analysis.

Multifocal intraocular lens implants (IOLs) are a premium option for cataract surgery which patients may purchase to achieve improved spectacle-independence for near vision but may have trade-offs with visual quality. We demonstrate the use of sentiment analysis to evaluate multifocal lenses discussed on MedHelp, a leading online health forum. A search for "multifocal IOL" was performed on MedHelp.org on November 1, 2016, yielding relevant patient posts. Sentiment analysis was performed using IBM's Watson, which extracted 30,066 unique keywords and their associated sentiment scores from 7495 posts written by 1474 unique patient users. Keywords associated with monovision, monofocal, and toric lenses had positive mean sentiment, significantly higher than for keywords associated with multifocals, which had negative mean sentiment (p < 0.001, ANOVA). Many keywords represented complaints and were associated with negative sentiment, including glare, halo, and ghosting. Sentiment analysis can provide insights into patient perspectives towards multifocal lenses by interpreting online patient posts.

Dry eye and sleep quality: a large community-based study in Hangzhou.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between dry eye and sleep quality in a large community-based Chinese population. METHODS: A total of 3,070 participants aged 18-80 were recruited from a community-based study in Hangzhou, China during 2016-2017. Sleep quality was evaluated using the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (CPSQI), and dry eye was evaluated using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire. Multivariable linear regression and logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations, adjusting for age, smoking, drinking, season, and other potential confounders. RESULTS: Overall, CPSQI score and sleep dysfunction were significantly associated with mild, moderate, and severe dry eye (ORs for CPSQI score: 1.07, 1.13, 1.14, all p < 0.001; for sleep dysfunction: 1.31, 1.73, 1.66, all p < 0.05). Furthermore, worse OSDI score was presented in participants with worse CPSQI score or sleep dysfunction (CPSQI score > 7) (ß: 0.13, 0.54; all p < 0.001). In addition, six of the seven components of CPSQI showed significant associations with dry eye (all p < 0.001), except for the component of sleep medication use. Moreover, we observed significant associations of dry eye in all three subscales of OSDI with CPSQI score and sleep dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Our large, community-based study showed a strong association between poor sleep quality and an increased severity of dry eye, suggesting that preventing either one of the discomforts might alleviate the other.

Characteristics of cataract surgery patients influencing patient satisfaction scores.

PURPOSE: To determine factors that influence patient satisfaction scores in individuals who have recently had cataract surgery. SETTING: Byers Eye Institute, Palo Alto, California, USA. DESIGN: Prospective case series. METHODS: Selected questions from the Press Ganey survey and the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 were administered to each patient immediately after completion of a clinic visit. The correlation between patient-specific variables and the answer to the survey question "likelihood of recommending our practice to others," a surrogate for overall patient satisfaction, was assessed using the Student t test. A logistical regression model was used to adjust for potentially confounding variables. RESULTS: One hundred forty-three patients were recruited from 4 providers; 57 (39.8%) were men, and the mean age was 70.0 years ± 11.6 (SD). The main outcome was the proportion of scores less than 5, or "very good," for the likelihood of recommending the practice to others. There was a statistically significant association between a non-5 patient satisfaction score and self-reported ethnicity of Asian or Pacific Islander compared with other ethnicities (odds ratio [OR], 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-5.1; P = .049); other possible correlates were not statistically significant. The relationship persisted after adjustment for potential confounding variables (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.1-6.3; P = .027). CONCLUSION: In postoperative cataract patients, Asian or Pacific Islander ethnicity, a factor out of the control of the provider and clinic staff, was associated with a lower overall Press Ganey patient satisfaction score compared with patients of all other ethnicities.

Ocular Antihypertensive Medication Use After iStent Implantation Concurrent With Cataract Surgery vs Cataract Surgery Alone in a Large US Health Care Claims Database.

Importance: The iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass (Glaukos Corporation) is a minimally invasive glaucoma implant used in conjunction with cataract surgery to lower intraocular pressure. Objective: To determine whether implantation of the iStent concurrent with cataract surgery is associated with reduced use of ocular antihypertensive medications in a US health care claims database. Design, Setting, and Participants: Retrospective, observational longitudinal cohort study of individuals enrolled in a US managed care network who underwent iStent implantation with cataract surgery (iStent/CEIOL) from 2012 to 2016 (n = 1509 bilateral and n = 1462 unilateral surgery). A control group of individuals who underwent bilateral cataract surgery only (CEIOL) were matched 1:1 to patients undergoing bilateral iStent/CEIOL on baseline demographic and clinical factors. Data were analyzed between November 1, 2017, and January 31, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures: The number of topical ocular antihypertensive agents used postoperatively by patients undergoing iStent/CEIOL compared with baseline and with matched CEIOL control individuals, and hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for sustained reduced use of at least 1 topical ocular antihypertensive agent postoperatively. Results: Of the 2971 eligible enrollees, mean age at first surgery was 74.3 years, and 1659 (55.8%) were women. Patients undergoing iStent/CEIOL had diagnoses that included primary open-angle glaucoma (n = 2329; 78.4%), narrow angles (n = 381; 12.8%), and secondary glaucomas (n = 261; 8.8%). At baseline, 1223 (41.2%) were receiving no topical glaucoma agents; 876 (29.5%), 437 (14.7%), and 435 (14.6%) were receiving 1, 2, or at least 3 agents, respectively. Although only 678 persons (22.8%) completed at least 2 years of postoperative follow-up, the proportion of patients receiving no drops increased postoperatively (64.7%, 20-24 months, P < .001, χ2). Patients receiving at least 1 topical agent at baseline had mean reduction of 1.01 and 0.61 medications used at 20 to 24 months with bilateral or unilateral surgery, respectively (both P < .001, paired t). Sustained reduction in glaucoma medication use was more likely in patients receiving at least 3 vs 1 medication at baseline (hazard ratio, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.36-2.09). Compared with matched control individuals undergoing CEIOL, patients undergoing bilateral iStent/CEIOL had a greater mean reduction in drops used (0.99 vs 0.49; postoperative month 20-24; P < .001; paired t) and a higher proportion receiving no drops postoperatively (73.5% vs 55.3%, postoperative month 20-24; P < .001; χ2). Conclusions and Relevance: Implantation of the iStent trabecular micro-bypass stent concurrent with cataract surgery was associated with moderately reduced use of topical ocular antihypertensive medication. Reduction in the use of glaucoma medications may lessen the burden of medication adverse effects and promote better adherence.

Factors Associated with Patient Press Ganey Satisfaction Scores for Ophthalmology Patients.

PURPOSE: To determine which metrics from the Press Ganey patient satisfaction survey best correlate with "likelihood to recommend" among patients in an academic tertiary medical center practice setting. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Over a 3-month period, patients presenting to an academic practice who agreed to participate were enrolled in the study if they met the following entry criteria: (1) age ≥18 years, (2) ability to read and speak English, and (3) followed in this practice between 4 months and 4 years. A total of 196 patients were recruited. METHODS: A 26-item abridged version of the Press Ganey survey typically distributed to patients via mail or e-mail after visiting the Stanford University Hospital was administered privately to each eligible patient of 2 different attending clinics at the conclusion of his or her visit. The 26 survey items were not modified for the purposes of the study and were administered such that participants could not be individually identified. The arithmetic mean score for the item "Likelihood of your recommending our practice to others" was calculated by assigning a value (0-100) to the Likert value associated with survey responses and correlated with the 25 other items using the differences in the mean scores. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Response to survey items graded on a 1 to 5 standard Likert scale. RESULTS: The weighted mean patient survey score for the "likelihood to recommend" item for the junior faculty member was 95.9% and for the senior faculty member was 94.5%, respectively. For the remaining 25 items, "Amount of time the care provider spent with you" (Diff[1-2]=1.03; P < 0.0001) and "Ease of scheduling your appointment" (Diff[1-2]=0.99; P < 0.0001) best correlated with likelihood to recommend. In contrast, "Friendliness/courtesy of the care provider" (Diff[1-2]=0.29; P = 0.0045) correlated least with likelihood to recommend. Stratification based on provider did not affect the study results. CONCLUSIONS: The perception of time spent with the practitioner and ease of appointment scheduling are the 2 variables that best correlate with patients recommending their ophthalmologists to other prospective patients.

Reversible Conjunctival Pigmentation Associated With Prostaglandin Use.

A 54-year-old Indian male with a diagnosis of ocular hypertension was started on a prostaglandin analog (PGA) in both eyes to lower intraocular pressure. Six years later, he developed progressively increasing bilateral limbal conjunctival hyperpigmentation. Travoprost was discontinued and replaced with brinzolamide and over the next year, the patient's conjunctival pigmentation improved significantly in both the eyes. This case report documents with slit-lamp photography the first case of conjunctival pigmentation associated with PGA use that has been shown to have reversal with discontinuation of the PGA. Because of the widespread use of PGAs, and the evolving nature of the conjunctival pigmentation, clinicians should be aware of this reversible condition when considering biopsy or removal of conjunctival melanocytic lesions.

An emerging treatment option for glaucoma: Rho kinase inhibitors.

Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitors are a novel potential class of glaucoma therapeutics with multiple compounds currently in Phase II and III US Food and Drug Administration trials in the United States. These selective agents work by relaxing the trabecular meshwork through inhibition of the actin cytoskeleton contractile tone of smooth muscle. This results in increased aqueous outflow directly through the trabecular meshwork, achieving lower intraocular pressures in a range similar to prostaglandins. There are also animal studies indicating that ROCK inhibitors may improve blood flow to the optic nerve, increase ganglion cell survival, and reduce bleb scarring in glaucoma surgery. Given the multiple beneficial effects for glaucoma patients, ROCK inhibitors are certainly a highly anticipated emerging treatment option for glaucoma.

Calibration of fundus images using spectral domain optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Measurements performed on fundus images using current software are not accurate. Accurate measurements can be obtained only by calibrating a fundus camera using measurements between fixed retinal landmarks, such as the dimensions of the optic nerve, or by relying on a calibrated model eye provided by a reading center. However, calibrated spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) could offer a convenient alternative method for the calibration of any fundus image. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The ability to measure exact distances on SD-OCT fundus images was tested by measuring the distance between the center of the fovea and the optic nerve. Calibrated SD-OCT scans measuring 6 X 6 X 2 mm centered on the fovea and the optic nerve were analyzed in 50 healthy right eyes. The foveal center was identified using cross-sectional SD-OCT images, and the center of the optic nerve was identified manually. The SD-OCT scans were registered to each other, and the distances between the center of the optic nerve and fovea were calculated. The overlay of these SD-OCT fundus images on photographic fundus images was performed. RESULTS: Any image of the fundus could be calibrated by overlaying the SD-OCT fundus image, and the measurements were consistent with previously defined calibration methods. The mean distance between the center of the fovea and the center of the optic nerve was 4.32 +/-0.32 mm. The line from the center of the optic nerve to the foveal center had a mean declination of 7.67 +/- 3.88 degrees. Mean horizontal displacement and vertical displacement were 4.27 +/- 0.29 mm and 0.58 +/- 0.29 mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The overlay of the SD-OCT fundus image provides a convenient method for calibrating any image of the fundus. This approach should provide a uniform standard when comparing images from different devices and from different reading centers.