Survival analysis of time to SARS-CoV-2 PCR negativisation to optimise PCR prescription in health workers: the Henares COVID-19 healthcare workers cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) is considered the gold standard in diagnosing COVID-19. Infected healthcare workers do not go back to work until RT-PCR has demonstrated that the virus is no longer present in the upper respiratory tract. The aim of this study is to determine the most efficient time to perform RT-PCR prior to healthcare workers' reincorporation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cohort study of healthcare workers with RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19. Data were collected using the medical charts of healthcare workers and completed with a telephone interview. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to determine the influence of several variables on the time to RT-PCR negativisation. The impact of the variables on survival was assessed using the Breslow test. A Cox regression model was developed including the associated variables. RESULTS: 159 subjects with a positive RT-PCR out of 374 workers with suspected COVID-19 were included. The median time to negativisation was 25 days from symptom onset (IQR 20-35 days). Presence of IgG, dyspnoea, cough and throat pain were associated with significant longer time to negativisation. Cox logistic regression was used to adjust for confounding variables. Only dyspnoea and cough remained in the model as significant determinants of prolonged negativisation time. Adjusted HRs were 0.68 (0.48-096) for dyspnoea and 0.61 (0.42-0.88) for dry cough. CONCLUSIONS: RT-PCR during the first 3 weeks leads to a high percentage of positive results. In the presence of respiratory symptoms, negativisation took nearly 1 week more. Those who developed antibodies needed longer time to negativisate.

Influence of Main Ocular Variables in #TheDress Perception: An Ophthalmic Survey.

The objective of this study is to study the influence of ocular variables in the perception of #thedress and to develop a logistic regression model that could help predict it. This is a cross-sectional study on 1,100 subjects. People who did not report one of the two main perceptions were excluded from the study. Dress perception was codified as 0 (white&gold) or 1 (black&blue). The association between dress perception and demographic and main ocular variables (age, gender, binocular visual acuity, grade of nuclear cataract, crystalline lens status [phakic/pseudophakic], spherical equivalent, and ocular health status) was tested using logistic regression. Receiver operation curves were used to test the predictive value of the model. Several variables were found to be related with dress perception. The best model included three variables-Age: adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.02 (1.01-1.03), p = 0.08; ocular refraction: adjusted OR = 1.07 (1.02-1.12), p = 0.009; and nuclear cataract grade: adjusted OR = 1.45 (1.05-1.99), p = 0.026. The predictive value of the model was low (area under the curve = 0.62). Older age, nuclear cataract grade, and hyperopia were associated with black&blue perception. The predictive capacity of the developed model was poor. Only a small proportion of the variability in the #thedress perception can be explained by ocular examination.

Cyclodialysis cleft repair: A multi-centred, retrospective case series.

IMPORTANCE: There is a paucity of evidence analysing the treatment of cyclodialysis clefts. BACKGROUND: We describe outcomes following the treatment of this rare condition at six centres internationally. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-six patients with a cyclodialysis cleft from 2003 to 2017 were recruited. METHODS: Clefts were treated with cycloplegic agents, laser therapy and/or surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postoperative best recorded visual acuity (BRVA), intraocular pressure (IOP) and the rate of cleft closure. RESULTS: The mean age was 45 ± 17 years and 29 (80.6%) patients were male. One eye (2.8%) received only medical therapy, 5 (13.9%) received laser, 14 (38.9%) underwent surgery after laser failure and 16 (44.4%) eyes received exclusively surgery. Over 80% of eyes had a BRVA improvement of more than two lines. Closure was attained in 30 eyes (93.8%; n = 32), with postoperative stabilized IOP ≥ 12 mmHg in 29 eyes (80.6%; n = 36) and postoperative BRVA ≤20/50 in 20 eyes (58.8%; n = 34). Improved postoperative BRVA was related to better preoperative BRVA (P = 0.006) and preoperative IOP ≥ 4 mmHg (P = 0.03). There was no significant difference between treatment approach for IOP ≥ 12 mmHg (P = 0.85) or postoperative BRVA ≤20/50 (P = 0.80). Only two eyes at last follow-up required IOP lowering medication. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: There was a high closure rate with most eyes eventually requiring surgery. Clinically significant improvements in BRVA were found in most eyes. Improved postoperative BRVA was significantly related to better preoperative BRVA and IOP.

Choroidal thickening in a case of carotid cavernous fistula.

A 47-year-old woman was diagnosed with dural carotid cavernous fistula (CCF) in her right eye (RE). Scans of the choroid using Spectralis optic coherence tomography (OCT) demonstrated significant asymmetry in subfoveal choroidal thickness (RE 451 µm, left eye (LE) 367 µm). This asymmetry disappeared after the fistula was embolizated through the ophthalmic artery (RE 341 µm; LE 340 µm). This case suggests that OCT should be considered as an ancillary test in the diagnosis of CCF.

Cyclodialysis: an update.

Cyclodialysis is the result of the separation of the longitudinal ciliary muscle fibers from the scleral spur, which creates an abnormal pathway for aqueous humor drainage that may lead to ocular hypotony. For many years cyclodialysis was considered a treatment option for glaucoma. However, today it usually occurs as a complication of blunt trauma or more rarely as a complication of anterior segment ocular surgery. Ocular hypotony can lead to cataract development, optic disk swelling, refractive changes, and several retinal complications, making accurate identification and timely intervention of the cleft mandatory. Traditionally gonioscopy was the only available technique to diagnose and localize the cleft. However, other tests such as optical coherence tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, transillumination, and specially ultrasound biomicroscopy are now available for the diagnosis of cyclodialysis. Multiple treatment options are also available for this condition. Although medical treatment can be effective to close small clefts, surgery is needed in most patients to restore ocular pressure.

Impact of tamsulosin exposure on late complications following cataract surgery: retrospective cohort study.

The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of tamsulosin intake on five postoperative cataract surgery complications (toxic anterior segment syndrome, rebound uveitis, retinal detachment, macular edema, and postoperative endophthalmitis). This retrospective cohort study was conducted at University Hospital of Henares. The study included 660-eyes of 660 patients submitted to cataract surgery at the ophthalmology unit of Hospital del Henares (Madrid) between 2 March 2009 and 28 February 2010. Extracapsular cataract extraction, combined glaucoma and cataract surgery phacovitrectomy, posterior capsule rupture and zonular damage were considered exclusion criteria. Clinical charts were reviewed during July 2012. Patients were divided in two groups (exposed and non-exposed to tamsulosin). Cumulative incidence of toxic anterior segment syndrome, rebound uveitis, retinal detachment, macular edema and postoperative endophthalmitis were compared in both groups. Rebound uveitis (relative risk [RR] 3.39; confidence interval [CI] 1.63-7.08) and macular edema (RR 4.15; CI 1.06-16.22) were more common in the tamsulosin-exposed group. Retinal detachment had a similar incidence in both groups. We observed no cases of endophthalmitis or toxic anterior segment syndrome in either of the two groups. Tamsulosin exposure in this cohort was associated with a higher risk of rebound uveitis and macular edema but the other three studied postoperative complications had a similar incidence in both groups.

Iatrogenic diplopia [corrected].

Diplopia is a very disturbing condition that has been reported as a complication of several surgical procedures. The following review aims to identify the ocular and nonocular surgical techniques more often associated with this undesirable result. Diplopia is reported as an adverse outcome of some neurosurgical procedures, dental procedures, endoscopic paranasal sinus surgery, and several ophthalmic procedures. The most common patterns and some recommendations in order to prevent and treat this frustrating outcome are also given.

Ocular hypertension after EyeCee One preload lens implantation: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: In 2022, several cases of ocular hypertension (OHT) related to EyeCee One preloaded IOLs were reported. The aim of this study was to determine the presurgical and surgical variables associated with this response. Methods and analysis: An analysis was conducted on patients who underwent isolated cataract surgery between September 2022 and December 2022 at the Hospital Universitario del Henares. The influence of potential factors was studied using the Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple regression analysis. Results: A total of 353 cataract surgeries were included in the study. No significant differences between the different IOLs were found related to a change in the IOP on the first postoperative day (p = 0.395), but the change in the IOP after 1 month was higher in the EyeCee One group (p = 0.016). Approximately 6.1% of the patients who received EyeCee One had an IOP increase greater than 10 mmHg, compared to only 0.8% of the patients who received other IOLs. The odds ratio (OR) of experiencing an IOP increase greater than 10 mmHg in the EyeCee One group at the 1-month visit was 7.99 (1.52-41.99). The multiple regression analysis showed that receiving the EyeCee One lens was associated with a 2-mmHg increase in IOP. A previous history of glaucoma or OHT was not associated with greater IOP. Two patients in the EyeCee One group developed severe visual loss. Conclusion: Patients who received the EyeCee One IOL experienced significant increases in IOP at the 1-month visit. A small number of patients might suffer visual loss secondary to the rise in IOP.

Prevalence of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy in the Community of Madrid (Spain), estimation with a capture-recapture method.

BACKGROUND: Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) typically presents in young adults as bilateral painless subacute visual loss. Prevalence data are scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the validity of different ascertainment sources used in population-based rare diseases registries to detect cases, and to explore the impact of a capture-recapture method in the estimation of the prevalence of LHON in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (ACM) in 2022. METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional population-based study. Potential LHON cases were detected by automatic capture from the healthcare information sources usually explored for the Regional Registry for Rare Diseases (SIERMA). Ophthalmologists provided data from their clinical registry. Positive predictive values (PPV) and sensitivity with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. Global and by sex prevalences were calculated with confimed cases and with those estimated by the capture-recapture method. RESULTS: A total of 102 potential LHON cases were captured from healthcare information sources, 25 of them (24.5%) finally were confirmed after revision, with an overall PPV of 24.5% (95%CI 17.2-33.7). By source, the electronic clinical records of primary care had the highest PPV (51.2, 95%CI 36.7-65.4). The ophthalmologists clinical registry provided 22 cases, 12 of them not detected in the automatic capture sources. The clinical registry reached a sensitivity of 59.5% (95%CI 43.5-73.6) and the combination of automatic capture sources reached a 67.6% (95%CI: 51.5-80.4). The total confirmed cases were 37, with a mean age of 48.9 years, and a men: women ratio of 2.4:1. Genetic information was recovered in 27 cases, with the m.3460 mutation being the most frequent (12 cases). The global prevalence was 0.55 cases/100,000 inhabitants (95%CI 0.40-0.75), and with the capture-recapture method reached 0.79 cases/100,000 (95%CI 0.60-1.03), a 43.6% higher, 1.15 cases/100,000 (95%CI 0.83-1.58) in men and 0.43 cases/100,000 (95%CI 0.26-0.70) in women. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of LHON estimated in the ACM was lower than in other European countries. Population-based registries of rare diseases require the incorporation of confirmed cases provided by clinicians to asure the best completeness of data. The use of more specific coding for rare diseases in healthcare information systems would facilitate the detection of cases. Further epidemiologic studies are needed to assess potential factors that may influence the penetrance of LHON.

Concentric visual field defect related to spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a rare syndrome characterized by postural headache associated with a low cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the absence of dural puncture or penetrating trauma. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) typically shows diffuse pachymeningeal gadolinium enhancement, subdural fluid collections, prominence of cerebral venous sinuses and brain descent. Visual signs and symptoms have been described infrequently in patients with SIH. These include third or sixth nerve palsy, superior nasal quadrantanopia and temporal hemianopia. We report a 34 year-old woman who presented with a two-year history of orthostatic headache, dizziness and transient visual obscurations. Campimetry showed a bilateral concentric visual field defect. She also described that intermittently a transparent fluid leaked out of her nose. She had no past history of trauma, sinus surgery or intracranial surgery. Cranial MRI was normal. Neuro-ophthalmological examination ruled out any other causes of concentric visual field defects. Lumbar puncture showed a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opening pressure of 9 cm H2O. Radioisotope cisternography suggested a dural leak at cribiform plate. The cribiform plate region was repaired endoscopically with improvement of all symptoms. One year later she remains asymptomatic and the visual field defects have improved.

Acute monocular oligemia in a patient with migraine with aura demonstrated using OCT-angiography: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Migraine is one of the most common causes of transient visual loss. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) provides fast and non-invasive imaging of the retinal vessels. We report one case of monocular retinal oligemia demonstrated using OCTA during a migraine attack with aura. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 27-year-old man with a previous history of migraine with visual aura was seen in the emergency room due to acute left hemicranial pain with positive visual symptoms in his right eye. The patient reported a blue stain in his right eye. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) showed an extensive area of hypoperfusion in the macular region of his right eye. Forty-eight hours later visual symptoms had improved and the OCT-A showed a significant reduction in the area of hypoperfusion. Seven days later the patient was asymptomatic and retinal perfusion had returned to normal values. CONCLUSION: Monocular involvement suggests that these retinal vascular changes are independent from cerebral vascular changes, supporting the hypothesis of selective retinal ganglion cell layer spreading depression as the possible cause of some cases of retinal migraine.

Anterior Scleral Thickness and Other Dimensions in Nanophthalmos by Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography: A Comparative Study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the ocular dimensions of the anterior and posterior segment, including the anterior scleral thickness (AST) in nanophthalmos compared to control eyes. METHODS: A cross-sectional comparative study was carried out in two groups: 46 eyes of 28 patients with nanophthalmos, defined as axial length (AXL) < 20.5 mm, and 60 eyes of 30 controls paired by age and sex. The AST and ocular wall thickness (OWT) were measured by optical coherence tomography in the temporal and nasal quadrants at 1, 2, and 3 mm from the scleral spur. Also, the anterior chamber depth (ACD), white-to-white (WTW), lens thickness (LT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), and retinal thickness (RT) were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean AXL was 19.3 ± 1.5 mm in the nanophthalmos group and 23.9 ± 1.1 mm in the control group (p < 0.001). The OWT was thicker in all measurement points in nanophthalmos (p < 0.001). There were no differences in the AST measurements between groups, except for the AST1 and the AST3 in the nasal quadrant. ACD was shallower and LT was thicker in nanophthalmos, with WTW being larger in controls (p < 0.001). SFCT and RT were thicker in nanophthalmos compared to healthy individuals (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Significant anatomical differences are found in nanophthalmic eyes. They present a shallower ACD; thicker LT, OWT, choroid, and retina; and smaller WTW diameter-although no relevant differences in the AST were observed.

A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of topical povidone iodine in adenoviral conjunctivitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate if topical povidone iodine (alone (PI) or combined with dexamethasone (PI-DXM)) is superior to placebo for treating adenoviral conjunctivitis (AC). METHODS: A systematic review was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for the Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement. An electronic search was made on PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library. Randomized control studies that compared PI or PI-DXM with placebo were included. At least three researchers were involved in all phases. Primary outcomes were AC duration and the number of clinical resolutions during the first week. Secondary outcomes were conjunctival redness and serous discharge one week after starting treatment and the rate of AC complications. RESULTS: Only five studies met the inclusion criteria. PI-DXM reduced the duration of the disease by 2.4 days (IC95% 4.09-0.71), however this result was based only in one study. PI and PI-DXM did not modify the probability of clinical resolution during the first week; relative risk (RR) = 1.77 (IC95% 0.63-4.96) and 1.70 (IC95% 0.67-4.36). The impact of PI on the probability of pseudomembranes could not be estimated. PI-DXM did not influence the risk of developing subepithelial infiltrates RR = 0.73 (IC95% 0.02-33.38). CONCLUSIONS: At this time there is great uncertainty about the usefulness of PI on the course of adenoviral conjunctivitis. PI-DXM may have a small effect on AC duration. To make future reviews possible, it is important to standardize the way in which these results are reported. Futures studies should include etiological confirmation, unit of study (eyes vs patients) and report on those aspects that are more relevant for patient quality of life (duration of the disease, development of complications: pseudomembranes and subepithelial infiltrates).

Poppers maculopathy: A quantitative review of previous literature.

AIM: To review the available literature on poppers maculopathy (PM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-four patients (60 with bilateral and 4 with unilateral involvement), for a total of 124 eyes were reported in PubMed, Google Scholar and Embase. Patterns were analyzed according to country, age, gender, sexual orientation, HIV status, consumption habits, visual acuity at presentation (VAP), final visual acuity (VAF) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). RESULTS: Most cases (110 eyes) of PM were reported in European countries and affected middle-aged men (only 8 eyes from female users). The median age was 38.7 years (SD = 10.5 years). Final visual acuity (Median = 0.8; Interquartile range: 0.67-1) was higher than visual acuity at presentation (Median = 0.67; Interquartile range: 0.4-0.8). Many articles lack data on sexual orientation and HIV status as this is considered very personal information. One third of the eyes (40 eyes) developed PM after a single exposure. No significant differences were found between eyes that developed PM after a single exposure and those which developed the condition after several exposures. The most commonly reported pattern was an interruption of the ellipsoid line (68 eyes). CONCLUSION: PM is more prevalent in Europe or European ophthalmologists are more likely to diagnose PM. PM usually affects middle-aged men given that this condition generally appears with chronic exposure to poppers. VAF was higher than VAP, suggesting that this toxicity is in part reversible. Information about HIV status was not provided in most recent articles, thus it is not possible to make inferences about the possible implication of HIV drugs as cofactors for the development of this retinal toxicity.

Risk and prognostic factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in Spanish population with multiple sclerosis during the first five waves.

Background: Data on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) during the first wave have been published but are scarce for the remaining waves. Factors associated with COVID-19 infection of any grade are also poorly known. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence, clinical features, and risk factors for COVID-19 infection of any grade in patients with MS (pwMS) during waves 1-5. Methods: This study prospectively analyzes the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 from the first to the fifth waves by periodic case ascertainment in pwMS followed at the University Hospital of Getafe (UHG). Global and stratified cumulative incidence was calculated. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the weight of selected variables as risk and prognostic factors. Results: We included 431 pwMS, of whom 86 (20%) were infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The overall cumulative incidence of confirmed cases was similar to that of Madrid (13,689 vs. 13,307 per 100,000 habitants) but 3 times higher during the first wave and slightly lower from the second to the fifth waves. The majority (86%) of pwMS developed mild forms of COVID-19. Smoking was the only factor associated with a decreased risk of SARS-CoV2 infection of any grade [odds ratio (OR) 0.491; 95% CI 0.275-0.878; p = 0.017]. Risk factors associated with severe forms were Expanded Disability Severity Scale (EDSS) ≥3.5 (OR 7.569; 95% CI 1.234-46.440) and pulmonary disease (OR 10.763; 95% CI 1.27-91.254). Conclusion: The incidence of COVID-19 was similar in this MS cohort to the general population. Smoking halved the risk of being infected. Higher EDSS and pulmonary comorbidity were associated with an increased risk of severe forms.

Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Ophthalmological Assistance in the Emergency Department at a Spanish Primary Level Hospital.

PURPOSE: To analyze the changes in ophthalmological emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown at a Spanish primary level hospital. METHODS: The number and type of emergencies attended in the emergency department of Hospital Universitario del Henares between March 10 and August 31, 2020 (COVID-19 cohort) were compared with the emergencies attended during the same period of 2019 (pre-COVID-19 cohort). Data on the diagnosis, patient age, and gender was retrospectively collected from the electronic medical records of the hospital. The different diagnoses were organized into "clusters," which include those conditions that affect the same ocular tissue and that have similar clinical expression. RESULTS: The number of ophthalmological emergencies during the study period was 841, compared to 1343 during the same month of 2019, which represents a reduction of 37.4%. The percentage reduction in each cluster was as follows: conjunctiva (-65.4%), cornea (-35.8%), uveitis (-3.6%), eyelid and orbital and lacrimal (-35.5%), strabismus (-60%), neuro-ophthalmology (-11.8%), retina (-10.6%), cataract (+16.4%), glaucoma (-37%), and miscellaneous (-45.1%). The number of people seen with viral conjunctivitis decreased by -87.1% compared to 2019. Patients with complications due to conjunctivitis also decreased: patients with pseudomembranes dropped from 16 to 4 cases and patients with corneal subepithelial infiltrates from 9 to 3 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Most diagnostic clusters showed a similar decrease. Clusters that included vision-threating conditions (retina, neuro-ophthalmology, and uveitis) remained mostly stable. During the COVID-19 lockdown, the diagnosis of adenoviral conjunctivitis decreased nearly 10 times. This fact may represent a decrease in the transmission of these infections.

Open-globe-injury: A single center Spanish retrospective 5-year cohort study.

PURPOSE: To review and analyze the epidemiological profile, clinical characteristics and visual outcomes in patients attended for traumatic open globe injury (OGI) at our hospital over a 5-year period. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review study. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all patients attended at Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital for OGI between 2011 and 2015. Data from 104 patients including demographics, ocular examination, medical and surgical treatment, visual outcomes, and complications were analyzed. RESULTS: Most patients were male (79.8%) and the median age at the time of injury was 41 years (interquartile range 31.5-58 years). Work-related accidents represent more than half of the cases and their main mechanism was penetrating trauma or foreign body. This type of accident had good prognosis (median final visual acuity in decimal scale 0.8; interquartile range 0.4-1). Falls were the second most common cause of OGI, predominantly affecting senior women (50%), with a high incidence of ocular rupture (50%) and associating a poor visual prognosis (median final visual acuity 0.01; interquartile range 0-0.5). There was a strong correlation (0.75; p < 0.001) between ocular trauma score (OTS) and final best corrected visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Two different patterns of OGI were identified in our sample. Work-related trauma in young males was the most common form of OGI and was associated with good prognosis. However, falls in senior women were associated with poor prognosis.

Comparing in-vivo confocal microscopy and ex-vivo light and scanning electron microscopy images of the hairs of the pine processionary caterpillar embedded in the cornea: Report of three cases.

This report describes three cases of pine processionary caterpillar hairs (setae) embedded in the cornea: one in a 69-year-old man with acute keratouveitis, a second case in a 65-year-old man with an epithelial defect and a stromal infiltrate, and the third case affecting a 54-year-old woman with mild keratitis. The two first patients had one hair embedded in the anterior corneal layers while the last one had several hairs deeply embedded in the stroma. By comparing in-vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) with ex-vivo light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, the morphology of the setae was identified and confirmed.