Bullying, harassment and sexual discrimination among ophthalmologists in Australia and New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: Discrimination, bullying and sexual harassment (DBSH) impact the psychological well-being of doctors and contribute to poor health outcomes. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) commissioned independent surveys to evaluate DBSH among members/trainees. METHODS: Anonymous online surveys by Best Practice Australia were undertaken in 2015 and 2018. Cross-sectional analysis was prevalence of perceived DBSH, rates of reporting, intervention and resolution undertaken. Response rate was 50% (658/1319) in 2015 and 40% (557/1401) in 2018. In both surveys, 29% were female. This is representative of the distribution of the RANZCO members. RESULTS: In a 2015 survey, 37.6% of respondents experienced DBSH, with prevalence being the highest for females (62.3%; N = 104 cf males 27.7%; N = 167) and trainees (49.2%; N = 61). In 2018, 49.2% of respondents reported DBSH with rates low for all forms of DBSH (22%-29%). Sexual harassment was reported by 12% and the least discussed or reported. Respondents strategy for taking action included draw on personal support network (25-43%), official complaints to supervisors (16-22%), human resources (2%-10%) and RANZCO (0%-6%). Reasons for not taking action included fear of impact of future career options (54.1%-60.7%), fear of victimization (35.7%-50.4%) and afraid of not being believed (31.9%-52.4%). Satisfactory resolution rates were 6% to 25%. A majority of respondents (77%) were positive about RANZCO initiatives. CONCLUSIONS: DBSH is commonly reported by RANZCO members with female ophthalmologists more than two times more likely to experience any one of the four behaviours, three times more likely to experience discrimination and six times for sexual harassment. Fear of compromising personal and career progression contribute to low levels of reporting.

Therapeutic targeting of the complement system in age-related macular degeneration: a review.

The last decade has produced pivotal change in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of global blindness. In this time, the complement system has featured as a unifying theme for several elements of new evidence: initially, the discovery of complement proteins within drusen and subsequently, the association between AMD and mutations in various complement pathway genes, most notably complement factor H. Increasingly, a wealth of data are pointing towards a role for chronic local inflammation and complement activation in the patho-aetiology of AMD. These findings have paved the way for the exploration of a new paradigm of therapy in AMD management; targeting of specific molecular constituents in the complement pathway thus producing dampening or inhibition of the inflammatory response. Such an approach has the potential to intervene earlier in the disease process and ideally before vision is compromised. In this review we discuss the role of the complement system in AMD, novel therapies in preclinical evaluation and clinical trial, and whether these have a part to play in reducing the burden of disease.

Ranibizumab therapy for choroidal neovascularization secondary to non-age-related macular degeneration causes.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the efficacy of ranibizumab therapy for choroidal neovascular (CNV) membranes secondary to conditions other than macular degeneration. DESIGN: Prospective case series conducted at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Twelve-month follow-up data for 41 patients with CNV recruited from the outpatient clinic from May 2008 to April 2010 is presented. Fifteen patients had myopia, seven had multifocal choroiditis, and eight had other primary causes. METHODS: All patients had visual acuity, fluorescein angiogram and optical coherence tomography performed at the initial visit (baseline). Ranibizumab was injected with a standard sterile technique. Patients were reviewed after 1 month, and further injections were given at the treating doctors' discretion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in visual acuity and central macular thickness at 12 months was compared with baseline for each of the groups. Local and systemic adverse outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Analysis was stratified by primary pathology. On average, 40%, 43% and 25% of patients with myopia, multifocal choroiditis and 'other' pathologies, respectively, experienced a three or more line improvement in vision. The average number of injections in 12 months was 4.2 for the entire group. Central macular thickness significantly decreased in the 12-month period for the combined group (P = 0.03). No patient had an adverse systemic side-effect; however, there was one case of endophthalmitis. CONCLUSIONS: Ranibizumab is an effective treatment for CNV secondary to non-age-related macular degeneration causes, with most patients gaining an improvement in the first 2 months following injection.

Case Report: Japanese Encephalitis Associated with Chorioretinitis after Short-Term Travel to Bali, Indonesia.

Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus endemic throughout Asia. Incidence in non-endemic countries is rare, with an estimate of less than one case per one million travelers. Most human JE infections are asymptomatic or cause a mild, nonspecific febrile illness. Neurological involvement, if present, is usually severe and associated with high mortality or ongoing neurological sequelae in survivors. Ocular manifestations are rare with JE, but uveitis has been described to be associated with other flavivirus infections, including West Nile virus. We report the first probable case of JE chorioretinitis acquired by a 45-year-old Australian traveler to Bali. This case highlights the importance of a detailed ocular examination when there is clinical suspicion of JE.

A case of preseptal cellulitis.

Infection of the eyelids confined to the preseptal space is relatively common but potentially serious. It occurs with much greater frequency than do orbital infections and if left untreated, it has the potential to be life-threatening. We present a classic case of preseptal cellulitis and discuss how the optometrist can be involved in the diagnosis and management of this infectious disorder.

Retinal angioma associated with von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Von Hippel-Lindau disease is a multi-system disorder that can produce hamartomas (benign tumour-like nodules) of the eyes, skin and nervous system. Retinal capillary angioma is a common ocular association of this congenital phakomatosis that may result in blinding sequelae, if not managed appropriately. We present a case of retinal angioma associated with von Hippel-Lindau disease and discuss the ocular and systemic signs, diagnosis and management. The optometrist is of particular importance in screening for this disorder, as it is often first detected in a routine eye examination.

Polymerase chain reaction testing of vitreous in atypical ocular syphilis.

PURPOSE: To illustrate the diagnostic importance of syphilis PCR testing on intraocular fluid for atypical presentations. METHODS: Retrospective case series. RESULTS: Two cases of atypical intraocular inflammation were confirmed by PCR testing of vitreous for Treponema pallidum DNA. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular syphilis may be present in atypical fashion, and delayed treatment may lead to irreversible visual loss. Sampling of intraocular fluid for PCR testing may confirm diagnosis and lead to appropriate treatment.

Optical coherence tomography of adult-onset fovemacular vitelliform dystrophy.

Adult-onset foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy is characterized by a focal, round or oval shaped, subretinal foveal yellow lesion that presents bilaterally and usually symmetrically in the fourth or fifth decade of life. In addition to clinical observation, diagnosis of the disease process has until now been assisted by electrophysiological and fundus fluorescein studies. Two cases are presented that correlate the clinical fundus appearance with optical coherence tomography findings and describe the location of the yellow vitelliform material.

Management of filamentary keratitis associated with aqueous-deficient dry eye.

PURPOSE: To review the incidence, underlying pathophysiology, and clinical features of filamentary keratitis and to identify evidence-based best-practice strategies for managing filamentary keratitis. METHODS: A comprehensive review of published literature was undertaken. Recommendations for best-practice management strategies were based on the available evidence. Three cases are presented to illustrate the clinical findings and management of patients with chronic filamentary keratitis. RESULTS: Although the evidence base is limited by the absence of well-designed studies, current evidence indicates the following: (1) Aqueous-deficient dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) is the most common ocular condition associated with filamentary keratitis. (2) Current best-practice management of filamentary keratitis involves treating the underlying dry eye and specific treatments for the corneal filaments. Proposed treatments include nonpreserved lubricants, topical steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, and punctal plugs for aqueous-deficient dry eye as well as mechanical removal of filaments, hypertonic saline, mucolytic agents, and bandage contact lenses for the filaments. (3) Filamentary keratitis can be induced or exacerbated by contact lens wear and ocular surgical procedures such as cataract surgery and corneal graft surgery. Pre- and postoperative ocular surface management strategies should be considered in the surgical planning of patients with, or who are susceptible to, filamentary keratitis. Filamentary keratitis can also be induced and/or exacerbated by chronic use of ocular and/or systemic medications, and alternate medications or additional measures to manage the tear film and ocular surface may be required in these cases. CONCLUSIONS: Filamentary keratitis can be a chronic, recurrent, and debilitating condition. With a systemic approach to diagnosis and management, the condition can be effectively controlled and the incidence and severity of recurrences minimized.