The Histopathology of Chronic "Radiation Conjunctivitis" Shows Diagnostic Features Similar to Those Seen in Radiation Dermatitis, Including Radiation Fibroblasts.

PURPOSE: Radiation therapy is a treatment modality for various ocular and ocular adnexal tumors. The histopathology of chronic radiation dermatitis has been well-described. The authors present two cases demonstrating and characterizing "chronic radiation conjunctivitis" which has not been histopathologically illustrated in detail. METHODS: Retrospective case review of two patients who received proton beam irradiation for an anterior uveal melanoma and external beam radiation for conjunctival lymphoma, and developed leukoplakia and/or thickening of the eyelid margin and symblepharon. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of eyelid margin and conjunctival biopsies as well as clinical histories were reviewed. RESULTS: Conjunctival biopsies in both cases revealed squamous epithelial metaplasia, chronic inflammation and bizarre-appearing stromal cells with hyperchromatic nuclei in a fibrotic/sclerotic stroma, consistent with chronic radiation conjunctivitis. These stromal cells are believed to be the same "radiation fibroblasts" described in chronic radiation dermatitis. CONCLUSION: The radiation fibroblast is characteristic for the diagnosis of chronic radiation conjunctivitis, as it is in radiation dermatitis. Features of squamous metaplasia of conjunctival epithelium, keratinization, subepithelial fibrosis/sclerosis and chronic inflammation are frequently found but not specific. A detailed history and other ancillary tests help differentiate cicatrizing conjunctival conditions, and biopsy should be performed in the setting of suspicion for a secondary malignancy.

Recalcitrant postoperative bleeding after ectropion repair in the setting of undiagnosed chronic disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is characterized by abnormal activation of the coagulation cascade, which leads to simultaneous hypercoagulation and excessive bleeding. While it typically occurs in systemic diseases, such as infection, inflammation, obstetric complications, and malignancy, it can rarely manifest postoperatively. This case report describes a patient who presented with prolonged, refractory bleeding after ectropion repair via a lateral tarsal strip procedure. Due to the inability to control the patient's bleeding with conservative measures followed by surgical exploration and electrocautery, the patient underwent a hematologic work-up. Laboratory studies were consistent with DIC, attributed to his large burden of endovascular stents. He was treated with anticoagulation using apixaban in addition to tranexamic acid to achieve lasting hemostasis. This case highlights the importance of thorough preoperative assessments, even for minor surgical procedures, and systemic workup for atypical postoperative bleeding.

Cystic-Appearing Eyelid Lesion in a 62-Year-Old Man.

A 62-year-old male was referred for evaluation of a painless right lower-eyelid lesion noted during routine glaucoma follow-up. The lesion had been present for 3 years with slow, gradual enlargement. What would you do next?

Proptosis Regression After Teprotumumab Treatment for Thyroid Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: This study analyzed the degree and timing of proptosis regression after teprotumumab therapy. METHODS: A retrospective study of all patients who completed 8 teprotumumab infusions at 1 institution from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022. Change in proptosis was assessed in millimeters and percentages compared with immediate post-treatment and pretreatment proptosis. RESULTS: Of 119 patients with post-treatment data (mean follow-up 10.56 months, range: 3.05-25.08), 208 (87.39%) eyes of 110 patients had initial proptosis improvement. Of the 78 patients with multiple follow-up visits, 102 (65.38%) eyes of 59 patients had proptosis regression averaging 12.78% (range: 1.85-58.82%) compared with immediately post-treatment or 2.43 mm (0.5-10.0 mm). Eight (7.84%) eyes had initial documentation of regression more than 1 year after treatment, 40 (39.22%) between 6 months and 1 year, and 54 (52.94%) eyes within 6 months with 25 (46.30%) of these continuing to worsen at subsequent follow-up. Forty (25.64%) eyes of 24 patients had more proptosis at most recent follow-up than before teprotumumab, with an average regression of 1.53 mm (0.5-4.0 mm) or 7.74% (1.85-20.69%) of pretreatment proptosis. In comparison, 99 (63.46%) eyes of 54 patients maintained improvement, with reduction averaging 3.13 mm (0.5-11.0 mm) or 13.19% (1.92-41.67%) of pretreatment proptosis ( p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Two-thirds of eyes had regression despite initial teprotumumab response, typically within 1 year of treatment, with ongoing worsening over time. Most patients maintained some proptosis reduction compared with before treatment despite regression, although 25% were worse than pretreatment. The occurrence of regression was independent of the pretreatment duration of clinical thyroid eye disease. Overall, compared with preteprotumumab, there was a greater amount of improvement than regression at most recent follow-up.

Perceived change in age after functional upper blepharoplasty.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the perceived age of patients before and after functional upper blepharoplasty. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of patients who underwent upper blepharoplasty by a single surgeon at an academic center. The inclusion criterion was having external photographs before and after blepharoplasty. Exclusion criteria included any other concurrent eyelid or facial surgery. Primary endpoint: perceived change in age after surgery as judged by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) surgeons. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients (14 men, 53 women) were included. Mean pre-operative age was 66.9 years (range 37.8-89.4) and mean post-operative age was 67.4 years (range 38.6-89). The mean perceived age pre-operatively was 68.9 years, and the mean perceived age post-operatively was 67.1 years, a change of 1.8 years (p = 0.0001 by two-tailed paired T-test). Inter-rater reliability of the observers was measured by intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.77 for pre-operative and 0.75 for post-operative photos. The decreased perceived age was 1.9 years for women, 1.4 years for men, 0.3 years for Asians, 1.2 years for Hispanics, and 2.1 years for whites. DISCUSSION: Functional upper blepharoplasty by an experienced ASOPRS surgeon was shown to reduce the perceived age of a patient by an average of 1.8 years.

Extrascleral Extension of Uveal Melanoma Along Intravitreal Needle Tracts Associated With Periodic Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

This case report describes a 94-year-old man who was seen for evaluation of a left choroidal mass after receiving periodic anti­vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Bilateral enlargement of all extraocular muscles: a presenting ophthalmic sign of hematologic malignancy.

Hematologic malignancies such as leukemia and lymphoma can frequently present in the orbit; however, involvement of the extraocular muscles is rare. The authors report two cases of systemic hematologic malignancy presenting with bilateral extraocular muscle enlargement and associated compressive optic neuropathy (CON). Both patients experienced clinical and radiographic improvement of ocular and systemic manifestations of disease with prompt initiation of targeted chemotherapy. These cases highlight the importance of including hematologic malignancy in the differential diagnosis of atypical bilateral extraocular muscle enlargement.

Wells Syndrome Presenting as Atypical Periorbital Cellulitis.

A 62-year-old man presented with diffuse, painless, left-sided preseptal edema, erythema, and woody induration extending to the left temple. The induration generated an orbital compartment syndrome with markedly elevated intraocular pressure necessitating lateral canthotomy and cantholysis. Although atypical for an infectious etiology, empiric broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics were initiated with no improvement. A tissue biopsy demonstrated extensive perivascular and interstitial eosinophils with focal flame figures, and the patient was diagnosed with a severe hypersensitivity reaction or eosinophilic cellulitis (Wells syndrome). The disease process remitted rapidly upon initiation of oral prednisone. Wells syndrome is a rare inflammatory eosinophilic dermatosis, most often presenting in the limbs and trunk, with few reports of facial and periorbital involvement. This case highlights the importance of considering Wells syndrome in the differential diagnosis of atypical periorbital cellulitis that is nonresponsive to antibiotics and reviews the clinicopathologic nature of this disease.

Histopathologic alterations in the eyelid after Hughes tarsoconjunctival flap: loss of Meibomian glands with preservation of accessory lacrimal glands.

A 71-year-old female with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the lower eyelid involving the ocular surface underwent surgical excision with negative margins and a subsequent reconstruction. The posterior lamellar defect was reconstructed with a Hughes tarsoconjunctival flap, and the anterior lamellar defect was reconstructed by advancing the lower eyelid skin. Three years later, the patient presented with signs suspicious for recurrence involving the tarsoconjunctival graft: a nodule along the mucocutaneus junction, symblepharon, and forniceal shortening. Repeat scouting biopsies showed variable degrees of moderate to severe squamous dysplasia so the patient underwent a staged full thickness excision of the lower eyelid and involved conjunctiva followed by reconstruction. Direct immunofluorescence was not diagnostic for ocular cicatrcial pemphigoid. Permanent histopathologic sections did not show any carcinoma, but the full thickness excisions involving the prior Hughes tarsoconjunctival flap highlighted two notable alterations: the Meibomian glands were absent and the accessory lacrimal glands of Wolfring were transposed to the mucocutaneous junction of the reconstructed lower eyelid.

Posterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy in the Setting of Cocaine-Induced Orbital and Sinonasal Inflammation.

Intranasal cocaine abuse can lead to significant sinus and orbital complications, including optic neuropathy. A 46-year-old man with a history of recurrent cocaine-induced sino-orbital inflammation and infection with bony destruction presented with acute, painless, vision loss. Examination revealed no light perception vision. MRI of the orbits demonstrated new restricted diffusion of the right optic nerve on diffusion-weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient sequences, consistent with posterior ischemic optic neuropathy. This is the first among cases of cocaine-induced optic neuropathy in the literature to illustrate ischemic changes on MRI in the optic nerve, highlighting the utility of diffusion-weighted imaging/apparent diffusion coefficient sequences when optic neuropathy is suspected and further suggesting an underlying ischemic etiology in similar cases.

Lymphoma of the Lacrimal Sac: The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Experience With a Comparison to the Previously Reported Literature.

PURPOSE: To describe the frequency, clinical features, and histologic subtypes of biopsy proven lacrimal sac lymphomas, and to compare these results to the previously published literature. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed at a single institution from 2004 to 2017. Pathology reports, operative notes, and patients' medical charts were reviewed. RESULTS: Of 566 lacrimal sacs submitted for routine histopathologic evaluation, 16 cases of lymphoma were identified. All were low-grade, non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas, biopsied at an average age of 71 years. Thirteen patients (81.25%) had a pre-existing lymphoma diagnosis; the average interval between the diagnosis of systemic or nonocular adnexal lymphoma and lacrimal sac lymphoma was 7.9 years (range 2-26 years; median 5.5 years). Three cases of primary lacrimal sac lymphoma were identified. Histopathology showed 3 cases (18.75%) of follicular lymphoma, 3 (18.75%) of extranodal marginal zone lymphoma, and 10 (62.5%) of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. Primary cases presented with epiphora and nasolacrimal duct obstruction, while secondary cases predominantly manifested as dacryocystitis. All lacrimal sac neoplasms were locally responsive (without local recurrence) to chemotherapy, radiation, or both. CONCLUSIONS: Lacrimal sac lymphoma is uncommon but should be suspected among patients with known lymphoma who develop dacryocystitis. In this series, primary lacrimal sac lymphoma most often presented as a mass or nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma was the most commonly identified cause of secondary lacrimal sac lymphoma. Distinguishing primary from secondary lacrimal sac lymphomas is important, as the extent of disease and histopathologic subtypes differ, which may affect patient management.

Histopathology of Hydrolyzed MIRAgel Scleral Buckles.

INTRODUCTION: The goal of this study was to histopathologically evaluate the appearance of degrading MIRAgel scleral buckles so that they can be reliably distinguished by ophthalmic pathologists from other foreign materials. METHODS: Retrospective chart review and histopathologic study with special stains, including Alcian blue, periodic acid-Schiff, Masson's trichrome, and Perls' Prussian blue for iron, of 4 cases between 2017 and 2019. RESULTS: Hydrolyzed MIRAgel scleral buckles from 4 patients had a consistent histopathologic appearance. They had a honeycomb structure with the walls of the lattice ranging from distinct to poorly defined. The walls of the lattice were positive for Alcian blue, while the contents of each cell contained periodic acid-Schiff-positive material. Other special stains were not as valuable in highlighting the material. DISCUSSION: Although the capsules of MIRAgel scleral buckles have been well studied, the material itself has not been. While clinical history and radiographic appearance are often diagnostic of a hydrolyzed MIRAgel scleral buckle, there are instances of preoperative ambiguity where histopathologic confirmation can be useful. CONCLUSIONS: MIRAgel scleral buckles have a distinct histopathologic appearance that can be readily distinguished from that of other foreign materials.

Eccrine poroma of the eyelid.

Clinical and histopathologic case of an eyelid eccrine poroma, a benign adnexal neoplasm rarely found on the periorbital skin.

Lacrimal Gland Intravascular Micrometastasis From a Human Papillomavirus-Driven Anorectal Squamous Cell Carcinoma With a Review of Metastatic Disease to the Lacrimal Gland.

PURPOSE: To document a unique case of anorectal squamous cell carcinoma that was metastatic to the microvasculature of the lacrimal gland in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus and to review previously reported cases of metastases to the lacrimal gland. METHODS: Both a retrospective chart review and comprehensive literature review were performed. The unusual histopathologic pattern of the current case was illustrated with immunohistochemical studies (CD31, D2-40, pancytokeratin, p16, and p63) and in situ hybridization studies for high-risk human papillomavirus types 16 and 18. RESULTS: The authors describe the first case of metastatic anorectal squamous cell carcinoma to the lacrimal gland. Only 24 cases of metastatic disease to the lacrimal gland have been reported, the majority from breast carcinomas. The metastasis did not form a macroscopic lesions, instead was composed of microscopic intravascular and intraparenchymal tumor deposits, a subtle phenomena. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of the intravascular neoplastic cells. p16 served as a surrogate marker for human papillomavirus-associated squamous cell carcinoma and was confirmed with in situ hybridization for human papillomavirus 16 and 18. This testing, combined with the clinical history, defined the diagnosis and confirmed human papillomavirus as the tumor driver. CONCLUSIONS: Metastases to the lacrimal gland remain rare, but clinicians and pathologists alike must be attuned to the possibility of subtle microscopic foci of tumor as a pattern of metastasis in scenarios without a discrete mass-forming lesion, as this may portend a poor prognosis.