Tamoxifen retinopathy.

Tamoxifen (TAM) is a selective estrogen receptor modulator that is used in the treatment of breast cancer. As there are estrogen receptors in the retina, retinal pigment epithelium, and choroid, these tissues may also be affected by TAM. We describe the reported effects of TAM on the retina and choroid. Medical databases were searched using relevant keywords and the results were extracted and pooled. The incidence of retinal/choroidal toxicity ranged from 0.9% to 12%. There was a wide range for the time of exposure before the development of TAM retinopathy (3 weeks to 13 years). While functional measurements may be appropriate for assessment of TAM retinopathy, they have not been effective for screening patients. There is no generally accepted screening modality, but serial funduscopy and optical coherence tomography imaging seem to be the most reasonable approach for detecting early TAM-induced retinal toxicity.

Non-cystic macular thickening on optical coherence tomography as an alternative to fluorescein angiography for predicting retinal vascular leakage in early stages of uveitis.

To evaluate the relationship between non-cystic thickening of the macula on optical coherence tomography (OCT) and retinal vascular leakage on fluorescein angiogram (FA) in patients with uveitis. A cross-sectional study of patients seen in the uveitis clinic. Patients with any degree of inflammatory cells in the anterior vitreous were included, provided that no macular cyst or subretinal fluid or macular atrophy was observed in OCT. The correlation between OCT features and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), the degree of inflammation, and FA findings were examined. The severity of vascular leakage in FA was graded for optic nerve, macula and posterior and peripheral leakage. We used generalized estimation equation to assess the associations between macular thickness and volume with angiographic scores. A total of 43 patients (100 exam data) met inclusion criteria. There was a significant relationship between OCT parameters (central macular thickness, 3 mm and 6 mm perifoveal macular thickness as well as total and central macular volume) with angiographic scores (macular, optic disc, posterior and peripheral vascular leakage score) (all P values < 0.0001). The correlation between the 6 mm perifoveal thickness and peripheral vascular leakage score (R = 0.76; P < 0.001) was stronger than the correlation of CMT with this angiographic score (R = 0.69; P < 0.001). Non-cystic thickening of the macula on OCT, especially in perifoveal area, is a reliable predictor of the presence of retinal vascular leakage in patients with uveitis.

Reducing the Global Burden of Myopia by Delaying the Onset of Myopia and Reducing Myopic Progression in Children: The Academy's Task Force on Myopia.

In 2019, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) created the Task Force on Myopia in recognition of the substantial global increases in myopia prevalence and its associated complications. The Task Force, led by Richard L. Abbott, MD, and Donald Tan, MD, comprised recognized experts in myopia prevention and treatment, public health experts from around the world, and organization representatives from the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Optometry, and American Academy of Pediatrics. The Academy's Board of Trustees believes that myopia is a high-priority cause of visual impairment, warranting a timely evaluation and synthesis of the scientific literature and formulation of an action plan to address the issue from different perspectives. This includes education of physicians and other health care providers, patients and their families, schools, and local and national public health agencies; defining health policies to ameliorate patients' access to appropriate therapy and to promote effective public health interventions; and fostering promising avenues of research.

Severity of Diabetic Retinopathy and the Risk of Future Cerebrovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Disease, and All-Cause Mortality.

PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between the severity of diabetic retinopathy and the future risk of cerebrovascular accident (CVA), myocardial infarction (MI), congestive heart failure (CHF), and all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with type 2 diabetes who underwent diabetic retinopathy screening via fundus photography. METHODS: The relationship between retinopathy status and the 5-year risk of first-time CVA, MI, CHF, and all-cause mortality was investigated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regressions that controlled for age, gender, race or ethnicity, hemoglobin A1c, duration of diabetes, high-density lipoprotein level, low-density lipoprotein level, history of hypertension, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, tobacco use, statin use, body mass index, urine microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Five-year risk of first-time CVA, MI, CHF, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Seventy-seven thousand three hundred seventy-six patients were included in this study. The average age was 59.8 years with 53.6% male, 31.2% non-Hispanic White, and 41.4% Hispanic patients. Diabetic retinopathy was significantly associated with all outcomes on multivariate analysis. Compared with patients with no retinopathy, those with minimal nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) had a higher risk of CVA (hazard ratio [HR], 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-1.46), MI (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.15-1.46), CHF (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.19-1.40), and death (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.05-1.25). Similarly, patients with moderate to severe NPDR had a higher risk of each outcome (CVA: HR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.29-1.89; MI: HR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.57-2.34; CHF: HR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.66-2.18, and death: HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.32-1.82), as did patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (CVA: HR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.84-3.48; MI: HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.26-2.83; CHF: HR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.47-2.59; and death: HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.36-2.56). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic retinopathy is significantly associated with future risk of CVA, MI, CHF, and death, with higher degrees of retinopathy appearing to carry a heightened risk for each outcome. Retinal information may provide valuable insights into patients' risk of future vascular disease and death.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Myopia Progression in a Large, Diverse Cohort of Pediatric Patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterize the differences in myopic progression in children by race/ethnicity and age. Methods: Patients enrolled in Kaiser Permanente Southern California between 2011 and 2016 and between the ages of 4 and 11 years old with a documented refraction between -6 and -1 diopters (Ds) were included in this retrospective cohort study. Patients with a history of amblyopia, strabismus, retinopathy of prematurity, or prior ocular surgery were excluded from analyses. Patients' race/ethnicity and language information were used to create the following groups for analysis: white, Black, Hispanic, South Asian, East/Southeast Asian, Other Asian, and other/unknown. A growth curve analysis using linear mixed-effects modeling was used to trace longitudinal progression of spherical equivalents over time, modeled by race/ethnicity. Analyses adjusted for potential confounders, including body mass index (BMI), screen time, and physical activity. Results: There were 11,595 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Patients were 53% girls, 55% Latino, 15% white, 9% black, 9% East/Southeast Asian, and 2% South Asian. Mean age (standard deviation [SD]) at the time of initial refraction was 8.9 years (1.6 years). Patients had an average (SD) of 3.4 (1.5) refractions, including the baseline measurement, during the study period. A three-way interaction model that assessed the effects of age at baseline, time since baseline, and race/ethnicity found that children of East/Southeast Asian descent showed significantly faster myopia progression across time (P < 0.001). East/Southeast Asian patients who presented with myopia between 6 to < 8 years progressed similarly to white patients in the same age group and significantly faster compared with white patients in other age groups. Conclusions: Myopia progression differed significantly between East/Southeast Asian and white patients depending on the patients' age.

Ocular Neuropathic Pain: An Overview Focusing on Ocular Surface Pains.

OBJECTIVE: This paper reviews ocular pain with the main focus on ocular surface discomfort and dry eye pain. Anatomy, physiology, epidemiology, assessment, and treatment are discussed in this paper. METHODS: A PubMed search was conducted for studies published from 2000 to 2019 on the anatomy, pathophysiology, epidemiology, assessment, and treatment of ocular pain. Reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized clinical trials were included. Inclusion criteria focused on ocular surface discomfort, dry eye pain and neuropathic pain. RESULTS: A total of 112 articles were found through searches, 45 of which were selected and studied in this review. DISCUSSION: Pain in general can be acute or chronic. Acute pain is usually a physiologic response to a serious damage to the tissues and alleviates with pain relief treatments. Chronic pain is defined as the persistence of pain for more than three months. From another point of view, pain has been classified into either nociceptive or neuropathic. Nociceptive pain is a physiologic response to a noxious stimulus. Both central and peripheral nervous systems can be involved in the development of a neuropathic pain, which is characterized by positive or negative sensory signs, a pain perceived disproportionate to a noxious stimulus, and/or not responsive to analgesics. Chronic pain usually has a neuropathic component. Ocular surface pain is a well-known complaint after any corneal surgery. This is mainly due to abnormal regeneration of damaged corneal nerve endings and abnormal connections with adjacent nerve endings which produce spontaneous activity. Tear hyperosmolarity and the resultant ocular surface inflammation can also trigger voluntary activity of corneal nerve endings. Referral pain to the first and second division of the trigeminal nerve has been reported. Interference with vision and even sleep, which is out of proportion to the examination are among patients' complaints. All of these elements proposed the new concept of ocular neuropathic pain syndrome. The first step in conventional evaluation of ocular discomfort is search for tear insufficiency. Pathologies of lid and blinking as well as conjunctival irregularities should be addressed. Anti-inflammatory agents and, in resistant cases, systemic neuromodulators are shown to be helpful. Education on behavioral changes and reassurance are essential steps. Considering the neuropathic origin for the ocular pain, treatment modalities used for such pain in other parts of the body can be considered for this syndrome.

Modified Encircling Scleral Buckle Technique Without Subretinal Fluid Drainage or Retinopexy.

INTRODUCTION: Scleral buckling (SB) tends to be more challenging and time-consuming for compared to the pars plana vitrectomy for repairing rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs). This study characterizes a novel and simplified technique for SB. METHODS: In this single-masked randomized interventional study, patients with RRDs who were eligible for SB were randomly assigned to either the standard (S) or modified (M) technique of SB. In the modified approach, neither intraoperative break localization nor cryopexy or subretinal fluid drainage was done. A large tire (276/279) was placed where preoperative retinal breaks had been localized with a 240 encircling band placed for support of the remaining retina. Patients were followed for 12 months and the primary outcomes were differences between the surgical groups in operative time, anatomical success, visual acuity, and complication rate. RESULTS: Thirty-six eyes were included in the study (18 in each arm). There were no differences in baseline patient demographics or characteristics including gender, age, lens and macular status, preoperative vision, and symptom duration. The mean length of surgery was 72.2 ± 13.2 and 56.2 ± 9.5 min in groups S and M, respectively (P = 0.001). Complete retinal reattachment at the end of month 12 after single surgery was 80.6% overall; 77.8% (14/18) in group S and 83.3% (15/18) in group M (P > 0.999). After 12 months, both groups achieved similar final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA): 0.26 ± 0.23 and 0.23 ± 0.17 logMAR in groups S and M, respectively (P = 0.231). Controlling for preoperative BCVA on ANCOVA testing, there were no significant differences in visual improvement between the two groups [F (1,26) = 0.02, P = 0.966 (95% CI) - 0.128 to 0.123)]. Scleral perforation (2:1), vitreous hemorrhage (3:2), and transient rise of intraocular pressure (3:4) all occurred at a low and similar rate between the two groups (S:M). CONCLUSION: Modified SB technique was non-inferior compared to the standard approach for anatomical and visual outcomes. Shortening surgical time while maintaining low complication rates makes this an appropriate approach to SB, especially for vitreoretinal surgery trainees.

Optical coherence tomography angiography changes in macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachments repaired with silicone oil.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the changes on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRD) treated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and silicone oil (SO) 5000-cSt tamponade. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Forty-five eyes with macula-off RRD treated with PPV and SO tamponade were enrolled with the fellow eye being used as a control. OCT-A was obtained using the RTVue XR 100 Avanti (Optovue, Inc., Fremont, CA, USA) at the 1-week, 1-month, and 3-month postoperative visit. Retinal vascular density, choroidal flow area, retinal thickness, and foveal avascular zone area were evaluated at each follow-up visit. Changes in these parameters in the postoperative eye were tracked at each follow-up visit as were the relative differences between the postoperative eye and the contralateral eye. RESULTS: Vascular density of parafoveal superficial capillary plexus and total retina demonstrated significant decrease in the postoperative silicone-filled eye when compared to the fellow eye (P < 0.0001). Although there was some improvement in these values at subsequent follow-ups, they remained less than the fellow eye. Foveal (P = 0.002) and parafoveal (P < 0.0001) thickness were less than the fellow eye. Choroidal flow area did not show a significant change in operated eye compared with the fellow eye. CONCLUSION: Eyes with macula-off RRD repaired with PPV and SO, at 3-month follow-up, demonstrated less retinal vascular density at parafoveal area as well as lower retinal thickness at fovea when compared to the healthy fellow eyes.

Treatment of Secondary Full-Thickness Macular Holes with Topical Therapy.

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of secondary full-thickness macular holes (FTMHs) treated with topical therapy. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with secondary FTHMs initially treated with topical therapy in a referral-based retina practice. METHODS: Patients evaluated between April 14, 2016, and February 22, 2019, for secondary FTMHs who underwent topical therapy were included. Patient demographics, ocular history, type of drops used, duration of therapy, and duration of follow-up as well as anatomic features on OCT, including hole diameter and presence of vitreomacular traction, epiretinal membrane (ERM), and cystoid macular edema (CME), were analyzed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Closure rate of FTMHs and change in visual acuity. RESULTS: A total of 123 FTMHs were seen during the study, of which 12 were secondary macular holes. Topical therapy was attempted in 9 eyes (8 patients). Six of these 9 FTMHs were associated with prior retinal detachment (RD). Previous pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) had been performed in 3 eyes (1 for RD, 2 for ERM). One eye had vitreomacular traction and a remote history of blunt trauma. Average initial hole diameter was 79.6 µm (range, 44-132 µm). Average follow-up was 53 weeks (range, 5-153 weeks). All FTMHs had some element of ERM and CME. All patients received difluprednate with the addition of a topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor in 6 eyes and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) drops in 2 eyes. Eight eyes (89%) achieved successful hole closure and resolution of CME with concurrent improvement in visual acuity after an average of 6 weeks of therapy (range, 2-19 weeks). Average vision among all 9 eyes improved from 0.69 to 0.37 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (Snellen equivalent from approximately 20/100 to approximately 20/50). No episodes of corneal melts or ulcers occurred. One patient showed mild keratopathy and elevation of intraocular pressure with topical NSAID and steroid therapy that resolved when the topical NSAID was stopped and difluprednate was tapered down to once weekly. CONCLUSIONS: Topical therapy achieved high closure rates in secondary FTMH and can be considered as an initial treatment option especially in those with small holes and CME.

Intravitreal Ziv-Aflibercept in Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema Refractory to Intravitreal Bevacizumab.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal ziv-aflibercept (IVZ) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) resistant to intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in patients with persistent DME. Patients were switched to IVZ no longer than 6 weeks after the last three consecutive monthly IVB treatments and monitored over a course of 12 weeks. Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), and macular volume on optical coherence tomography were compared. RESULTS: A total of 59 eyes (38 patients) were included. Mean BCVA improved from 0.84 to 0.71 logMAR (P = .001) after first IVZ treatment and remained significant. In a subgroup analysis, this significance was observed only in the group with baseline visual acuity of less than 20/50. Mean CMT decreased from 479 µm to 364 µm (P = .004) after the first IVZ injections and remained significant. CONCLUSION: IVZ may be best reserved for patients with persistent DME after initial failure with bevacizumab, with less likelihood for anatomic or functional improvement in those with mild persistent DME. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2020;51:145-151.].

Clinical and radiographic features of hydrolyzed MIRAgel scleral buckles: A comparative analysis.

The MIRAgel (hydrogel) scleral buckle, introduced in the 1980s, was a novel material to repair retinal detachments. It was later discontinued due to the frequency of long-term complications related to buckle hydrolysis and expansion. These complications included pain, limited extraocular motility, and more serious complications such as infection or scleral perforation, which ultimately necessitated surgical extraction as late as 20-30 years after placement. Prompt and proper diagnosis and treatment is often delayed as these buckle-associated complications frequently mimic other orbital pathologies such as tumors or infections. The hydrolyzed MIRAgel buckle exhibits distinct radiographic features that are helpful in arriving at the correct diagnosis, particularly in cases of ambiguous clinical presentation or history. Here, we expand on the previously described radiographic features of hydrolyzed MIRAgel and compare them to features of common, mimicking orbital pathology.

Two-Year Incidence of Retinal Intervention in Patients With Minimal or No Diabetic Retinopathy on Telemedicine Screening.

Importance: Most patients with diabetes have little or no retinopathy on initial examination. Tracking the long-term outcomes of these patients may increase our understanding of how to best provide follow-up treatment. Objective: To assess how many patients with minimal or no retinopathy require retinal intervention within 2 years of retinal evaluation. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study assessed patients who underwent screening for diabetic retinopathy within a telemedicine program at Kaiser Permanente Southern California and had minimal or no retinopathy on fundus photographs. Exposure: Retinal interventions performed within 2 years of photographs. Main Outcomes and Measures: Patients with minimal or no retinopathy on initial screening photographs taken in 2012 had their medical records searched for Current Procedural Terminology codes for intravitreal injections, retinal lasers, or pars plana vitrectomy. The medical records of patients identified as having received these interventions within 2 years of retinal evaluation were then manually reviewed for further characterization. Results: Diabetic retinopathy screening photographs were taken for 116 134 patients (mean [SD] age, 58 [12.8] years; 54 582 [47.0%] female; 46 453 [40.0%] Latino). Of these patients, 79 445, including 69 634 patients without retinopathy and 9811 patients with minimal retinopathy, had 2 years of follow-up. Eleven patients without baseline retinopathy required treatment of diabetic retinopathy in the following 2 years (1 of 12 660 or 0.000079 patients per year), and 11 patients with minimal retinopathy required intervention during the same period (1 of 1784 or 0.000561 patients per year). In addition, retinal interventions were performed for conditions not directly related to diabetic eye disease in 44 patients without baseline retinopathy (1 of 3165 or 0.000316 patients per year) and 5 patients with minimal retinopathy at baseline (1 of 3924 or 0.000255 patients per year). Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that it is rare for patients with minimal or no baseline retinopathy to require retinal interventions in the 2 years after retinal evaluation. It appears that extending the recommended follow-up interval for low-risk patients may be reasonable as long as this does not lead to worse follow-up in later years, because most are unlikely to have vision-threatening disease that necessitates treatment.

Preoperative Vision and Surgeon Volume as Predictors of Visual Outcomes after Cataract Surgery.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between preoperative vision and surgeon volume with visual outcomes after cataract surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged ≥18 years old enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Health Plan who underwent cataract surgery by nontrainee surgeons. METHODS: Patients who underwent cataract surgery between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2015, were included. A multivariate analysis using Generalized Additive Mixed Models was performed to determine the relationship between surgeon volume and postoperative visual acuity after controlling for patient age, preoperative visual acuity, history of diabetes, and history of diabetic retinopathy. Modeling was done for the relationship between preoperative vision and visual outcomes while controlling for surgeon volume, patient age, history of diabetes, and history of diabetic retinopathy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Absolute letter change and percentage of patients to achieve ≥5 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letter gain postoperatively. RESULTS: There were 103 920 cataract surgeries performed by 136 surgeons included in this analysis. Patients whose surgeons performed <91.0 surgeries/year (95% confidence interval [CI], 61.1-139; P < 0.05) gained fewer letters postoperatively than the overall average, whereas those whose surgeons performed >91 but <227 surgeries/year (95% CI, 169-∞; P < 0.05) gained more letters than average. Although statistically significant, the difference between the lowest and highest performing surgeons was approximately 1.25 letters. Surgeons who performed <110 surgeries/year (95% CI, 81.7-149; P < 0.05) had fewer patients who gained ≥5 letters. Surgeons who performed >110 but <293 surgeries/year (95% CI, 232-∞; P < 0.05) were approximately 15% more likely to have patients who gained ≥5 letters. Patients with preoperative vision <74.7 letters (95% CI, 74.7-74.8; P < 0.05) and <75.8 letters (95% CI, 75.8-75.9; P < 0.05) gained more letters and were more likely to gain ≥5 letters postoperatively, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Patients whose vision is approximately 20/32 or worse are more likely to have significant visual gains after cataract surgery. Although statistically significant differences exist in postoperative vision based on surgeon volume, these do not appear to be clinically meaningful. Overall, visual outcomes are functionally comparable across a wide range of surgeon volumes.

Atypical Perinuclear Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies in Ocular Inflammatory Diseases.

Purpose: To characterize the clinical features of patients with ocular inflammatory diseases (OID) who tested positive for atypical perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (P-ANCA). Methods: Retrospective case series of patients with OID seen at the Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institute (MERSI) from April 2014 to April 2016. Results: 813 patients were tested for ANCA with 34 patients (4%) being positive for atypical P-ANCA. Among those with positive atypical P-ANCA, the most frequent diagnoses were anterior uveitis in 62% (n = 21) followed by scleritis in 20% (n = 7). Only one patient had an episode of recurrent disease flare-up. All but one patient, who had concomitant C-ANCA seropositivity and granulomatosis with polyangiitis, had a favorable disease course with controlled inflammation using topical and/or systemic immunomodulatory therapy. Conclusion: In contrast to typical C-ANCA and P-ANCA, atypical P-ANCA seropositivity was not associated with severe vasculitis or poor prognosis in patients with the OID.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Post-Intravitreal Injection Endophthalmitis in a Modified Operating Room Setting.

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence and risk factors of post-intravitreal injection (IVI) endophthalmitis in a single center modified operating room (OR) setting.Methods: In a retrospective chart review study, patients who underwent IVI in a modified OR between September 2014 and November 2016 were included. Cases of post-IVI endophthalmitis were identified from the Hospital Infection Control Committee records, which tracks all post-procedure infections.Results: 51 472 IVIs (37 814 patients) including 13 658 bilateral simultaneous injections were performed during the study period. There were 17 cases of endophthalmitis (0.033%, 95% CI 0.019%-0.052%). There were no cases of bilateral endophthalmitis. Age, sex, indication for IVI, simultaneous bilateral injections, number of previous injections, and type of injected drug were not significantly associated with incidence of endophthalmitis.Conclusion: Post-IVI endophthalmitis is rare in this modified OR setting. Simultaneous bilateral IVIs and on-site preparation of injections are safe under these conditions.

Atopy in Patients With Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the presence of atopy in patients with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP). METHOD: Patient encounters between August 2005 and November 2016 at the Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institute (MERSI) were searched to identify those with biopsy-proven OCP who had concurrent evidence of atopy. RESULTS: There were 230 patients with biopsy-proven OCP. Thirty-three of them were found to have clinical symptoms of atopy (asthma, hay fever, and eczema) and of these, 23 had evidence of atopy in their conjunctival biopsy specimens. All patients were administered immunomodulatory therapy for treatment of their OCP with 20 patients requiring additional antiallergy treatment to control residual atopic ocular symptoms. Among patients who used antiallergy medications, 80% showed improvement in residual symptoms. Rituximab and/or intravenous immunoglobulin is a preferred OCP medication for patients with OCP with some evidence of atopy. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should consider the coexistence of atopy in patients with OCP, especially in those with persistent symptoms after initiation of immunomodulatory therapy.

The Relationship Between Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug Use and Age-related Macular Degeneration.

PURPOSE: To describe the relationship between the incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) use. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: This study consisted of participants in the California Men's Health Study. Those who completed surveys in 2002-2003 and 2006 were included. Men who self-reported use of aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, valdecoxib, celecoxib, and/or rofecoxib at least 3 days per week were considered NSAID users. Patients were categorized as non-users, former users, new users, or longer-term users based on survey responses. NSAID use was also categorized by type: any NSAIDs, aspirin, and/or non-aspirin NSAIDs. Age, race/ethnicity, smoking status, education, income, alcohol use, and Charlson comorbidity index score were included in the multivariate analysis as risk factors for AMD. RESULTS: A total of 51 371 men were included. Average follow-up time was 7.4 years. There were 292 (0.6%) and 1536 (3%) cases of exudative and nonexudative AMD, respectively. Longer-term use of any NSAID was associated with lower risk of exudative AMD (hazard ratio [HR] 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.50-0.96, P = .029). New users of any NSAIDs (HR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.68-0.93, P = .0039) and aspirin (HR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.70-0.97, P = .018) had a lower risk of nonexudative AMD, although this trend did not persist in longer-term users. The relationship between exudative or nonexudative AMD and the remaining categories of NSAID use were not significant. CONCLUSION: The overall impact of NSAIDs on AMD incidence is small; however, the lower risk of exudative AMD in longer-term NSAID users may point to a protective effect and deserves further study as a possible mechanism to modulate disease risk.

Treatment of Serpiginous Choroiditis with Chlorambucil: A Report of 17 Patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of chlorambucil in the treatment of serpiginous choroiditis. METHODS: Patient records from the Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution (MERSI) were reviewed from over the past 10 years. In total, 17 patients with the diagnosis of serpiginous choroiditis treated with chlorambucil were identified. QuantiFERON gold was negative in all of them. Chlorambucil was started at 0.15 mg/kg and dosage was titrated up using weekly white blood cell (WBC) count to achieve a target cell number of 3.0-4.5 × 109 cells/L. The goal of therapy was to maintain this value for at least 6-9 months. Adverse effects, recurrence, rate of new choroidal neovascularization (CNVM), and visual acuity before and after treatment were recorded. RESULTS: The mean age of the 17 patients with the diagnosis of serpiginous choroiditis treated with chlorambucil was 46 years, and six patients (35%) were male. The mean duration of treatment for chlorambucil was 8.4 months. None of them developed cancer or persistent side-effects, with a mean follow-up of 53 months. Of the patients, 12 (71%) achieved an average of 45 (5-120) months drug-free remission in their last follow-up. Visual acuity of 33 treated eyes remained within two lines of Snellen acuity in 27 eyes (82%), improved in one eye (3%), and deteriorated in five eyes (15%). Leukopenia was the most common side-effect, which was reversible in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Chlorambucil in a relatively short duration of time, with an escalating dose guided by weekly WBC was well tolerated, as well as effective in preventing recurrence and maintaining vision in patients with serpiginous choroiditis.