Novel treatment of chalazion using light-guided-tip intense pulsed light.

We assessed the effectiveness of light-guided-tip intense pulsed light (IPL) with meibomian gland expression (MGX) in chalazion treatment. Ninety-five eyes with chalazion received a light-guided-tip IPL-MGX treatment (IPL-MGX group), and another 95 eyes with chalazion received incision with curettage treatment (Control group). Prior to IPL or incision, as well as 1 month after the final treatment, data were gathered pertaining to the lesion location and size, hyperemia, lesions regression or recurrence, and a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. The total size of the chalazia in the IPL-MGX group was significantly reduced after the final treatment, with an average resolution rate of 70.5%, which is comparable to excision surgery. A significant decrease in chalazion recurrence rate was apparent after treatment in the IPL-MGX group compared with control. Moreover, the IPL-MGX demonstrated significant advancements throughout noninvasive tear film breakup time (NIBUT) as well as meibum grade in comparison to baseline and those in the the Control group. The use of IPL-MGX was found to be an efficient therapy for reducing the size and recurring frequency of chalazia, as well as for improving the meibomian gland function. It may be considered as a first-line treatment for cases of primary or recurrent chalazia with inflammation.

Cell Wall Destruction and Internal Cascade Synergistic Antifungal Strategy for Fungal Keratitis.

Fungal keratitis is one of the most common blindness-causing diseases, but clinical antifungal treatment remains a challenge. The fungal cell wall and biofilm matrix which severely confine the drug preparation are the critical obstructive factors to therapeutic effects. Herein, we report ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) modified AgCu2O nanoparticles (AgCuE NPs) to disrupt the cell wall and then eradicate C. albicans through the internal cascade synergistic effects of ion-released chemotherapy, chemodynamic therapy, photodynamic therapy, and mild photothermal therapy. AgCuE NPs exhibited excellent antifungal activity both in preventing biofilm formation and in destroying mature biofilms. Furthermore, AgCuE NP based gel formulations were topically applied to kill fungi, reduce inflammation, and promote wound healing, using optical coherence tomography and photoacoustic imaging to monitor nanogel retention and therapeutic effects on the infected murine cornea model. The AgCuE NP gel showed good biosafety and no obvious ophthalmic and systemic side effects. This study suggests that the AgCuE NP gel is an effective and safe antifungal strategy for fungal keratitis with a favorable prognosis and potential for clinical translation.

The lack of correlation between symptoms and signs in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction: a secondary analysis of the multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to investigate the association between symptoms and signs in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). METHODS: Data were obtained from 122 MGD patients who were recruited for intense pulsed light therapy from November 2017 to April 2018 and the severity of their symptoms and signs at baseline were observed and recorded. Spearman correlation analyses were performed to analyze the relationships between SPEED score and signs. Subjects were divided into different subgroups based on possible influencing factors, and the differences in symptoms and signs were compared between different subgroups. Then influencing factors were controlled by regression analysis to explore the relationship between symptoms and signs and the strong factors affecting symptoms and signs. RESULTS: Analysis of baseline data showed that SPEED scores were not correlated with TBUT, CFSS, MGYSS or any index of eyelid margin abnormality (p > 0.05). In addition, abnormalities of lid margins, including hyperemia, thickening, rounding, hyperkeratinization, and telangiectasia around orifices, were more likely to occur in older patients, menopausal patients, and patients living in northern China. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that there was still no correlation between symptoms and signs (p > 0.05) after adjusting for influencing factors. Further analysis suggested that each influencing factor has different effects on symptoms and signs, among which menopause affects the SPEED score (R = -4.112, p = 0.025), and age and region have significant effects on eyelid margin abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the results demonstrated a poor correlation between symptoms and signs in MGD patients. Age, hormone, and a dry environment may influence the disease, which suggests that the severity of the disease needs to be comprehensively assessed.

A 4-week, randomized, double-masked study to evaluate efficacy of deproteinized calf blood extract eye drops versus sodium hyaluronate 0.3% eye drops in dry eye patients with ocular pain.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the clinical efficiency of the treatment of dry eye disease (DED) with ocular pain using deproteinized calf blood extract (DCBE) eye drops as compared to 0.3% sodium hyaluronate (SH) eye drops. METHODS: This prospective, single-center, masked (double-blind), randomized controlled study included 53 patients divided into two groups: DCBE (n=22) and SH (n=31) group. The DCBE group received DCBE eye drops for 4 weeks, and the SH group received 0.3% SH eye drops for 4 weeks. Corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) scores, tear break up time (TBUT), Schirmer test and the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) scores were evaluated in all patients before treatment, 2 and 4 weeks post-treatment. RESULTS: The DCBE group showed better improvement in the OSDI light sensitivity scores and ocular pain scores compared with the SH group (P<0.05). At 2 and 4 weeks post-treatment, the DCBE group and the SH group showed significant improvement in TBUT, Schirmer test, CFS, OSDI score, light sensitivity score and ocular pain score (P<0.05) compared with the data from before treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that DCBE eye drops can relieve ocular pain and light sensitivity in dry eye patients better than SH eye drops.

The Efficacy of Intense Pulsed Light Combined With Meibomian Gland Expression for the Treatment of Dry Eye Disease Due to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of intense pulsed light (IPL) combined with Meibomian gland expression (MGX), and instant warm compresses combined with MGX, for treatment of dry eye disease (DED) due to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). METHODS: In a prospective, multicenter, interventional study, 120 subjects with DED due to MGD were randomized 1:1 to an IPL arm or a control arm. Each subject was treated 3 times at 3-week intervals. The primary outcome measure was the tear break up time (TBUT). Tear break up time and a few additional outcome measures were evaluated at the baseline and at 3 weeks after the last treatment. RESULTS: All outcome measures improved in both arms, but in general, the improvement was significantly larger in the IPL arm. Tear break up time increased by 2.3±1.9 and 0.5±1.4 sec, in the IPL and control arms respectively (P<0.001). SPEED was reduced by 38% and 22% in the IPL and control arms, respectively (P<0.01). Meibomian Gland Yielding Secretion Score was improved by 197% in the IPL arm and 96% in the control arm. Corneal fluorescein staining also decreased by 51% and 24% in the IPL and control arms respectively, but the differences between the two arms were not statistically significant (P=0.61). A composite score of lid margin abnormalities improved in both arms, but more in the IPL arm (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Intense pulsed light combined with MGX therapy was significantly more effective than instant warm compresses followed with MGX. This suggests that the IPL component has a genuine contribution to the improvement of signs and symptoms of DED.

Clinical results of Intraductal Meibomian gland probing combined with intense pulsed light in treating patients with refractory obstructive Meibomian gland dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to optimize the therapeutic regimen for refractory obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction (o-MGD) patients by combining intraductal meibomian gland probing (MGP) and intense pulsed light (IPL) to enhance their positive effects and reduce their limitations. METHODS: This randomized, assessor blind study includes 45 patients (90 eyes) with refractory o-MGD who were divided into 3 groups via allocation concealment: IPL (group I, received an IPL treatment course: 3 times at 3-week intervals), MGP (group II, received MGP one time), and combined MGP-IPL (group III, MGP first followed by an IPL treatment course). Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness score (SPEED), tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), meibum grade, and lid margin finding results were assessed at baseline, 3 weeks after final treatment for groups I and III, 3 and 12 weeks after MGP for group II. Six months after final treatment, the SPEED and willingness to receive any treatment again were also collected for all groups. Paired Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney U with Bonferroni correction, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for data analysis. RESULTS: For all 3 groups, all previously mentioned indexes improved significantly following treatment (P<0.01). MGP-IPL was better than IPL and MGP in terms of post-treatment SPEED, TBUT, meibum grade, and lid telangiectasia (P<0.05/3). Furthermore, the MGP-IPL was better than IPL in terms of lid tenderness and better than MGP in terms of orifice abnormality (P< 0.05/3). Six months later, the SPEED for the MGP-IPL was also significantly lower than other groups (P<0.05/3). Moreover, no patients in the MGP-IPL group expressed the need to be treated again compared to 35.7% or 20% of patients in the IPL or MGP groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with IPL or MGP alone, the combination MGP-IPL produced best results in relieving all signs and symptoms and helping patients attain long-lasting symptom relief. TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://clinicaltrials.gov , ChiCTR1900021273 (retrospectively registered February 9, 2019).

Effects of dexmedetomidine for retrobulbar anesthesia in orbital ball implants after enucleation surgery.

BACKGROUND: Dexmedetomidine (DEX) can prolong the duration of local anesthetics, but the use of retrobulbar DEX has not been fully elucidated. This study was designed to determine the effects of adding DEX to lidocaine-bupivacaine for retrobulbar block in orbital ball implants after enucleation surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 200 patients of both sexes aged 30-60 years of American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II, scheduled for orbital ball implants after enucleation surgery, were enrolled for the study. Patients were randomly assigned into one of the two groups: Control (n = 100) received lidocaine-bupivacaine retrobulbar block, DEX (n = 100) received lidocaine-bupivacaine plus 1 ug/kg DEX retrobulbar block. Hemodynamic data, duration of motor and sensory blocks, pain by visual analog scale, bispectral index (BIS), side effects, consumption of dezocine as a rescue analgesic, patient and surgeon satisfaction were recorded. RESULTS: Duration of analgesia was prolonged in the DEX, compared with the control group ([258.35 ± 66.82 min] as [130.75 ± 29.52 min], [P < 0.05]). The median number of postoperative analgesic requests per patient during the first 24 h was decreased in the DEX group (P < 0.05). In the first 24 postoperative hours, DEX group consumed significantly less dezocine (P < 0.05). BIS values and mean arterial pressure remained lower in the DEX group, but within the safe range (P < 0.05). The side effect profile was similar between the two groups. Patients and surgeon satisfaction were higher in the DEX group (P < 0.05). Demographic characteristics were comparable in both groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Retrobulbar DEX reduces consumption of rescue analgesic, prolonged the duration of retrobulbar block, improved postoperative pain, provided better sedation effects, and increased patient and surgeon satisfaction after orbital ball implants after enucleation surgery.

Retrobulbar dexmedetomidine decreases the MLAC of ropivacaine in vitreoretinal surgery in children.

PURPOSE: Dexmedetomidine can prolong the duration of local anesthetics, but the effect of retrobulbar dexmedetomidine on the potency of ropivacaine for retrobulbar block has not been investigated. Our study was designed to determine the effect of retrobulbar dexmedetomidine on ropivacaine for retrobulbar block in children. METHODS: A group of 90 children aged 10-16 years scheduled for vitreoretinal surgery who received retrobulbar block were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: group L (retrobulbar ropivacaine), group LD1 (ropivacaine plus 0.5 µg.kg-1 dexmedetomidine), or group LD2 (ropivacaine plus 1 µg.kg-1 dexmedetomidine). The minimum local anesthetic concentration (MLAC) was determined according to a Dixon-Massey protocol. The primary endpoint of the study was MLAC. Secondary outcomes were duration of postoperative analgesia, postoperative pain scores, dexmedetomidine side effects, and time to hospital discharge. RESULTS: The MLAC values of retrobulbar ropivacaine were 0.314%, 0.259%, and 0.246% in groups L, LD1, and LD2, respectively. The median (interquartile range) durations of analgesia in the postoperative period were 66 (54-117), 89 (40-157), and 168 (120-194) minutes in groups L, LD1, and LD2, respectively (L vs LD1 or LD2, p<0.05). Wake-up time was significantly increased in groups LD1 and LD2. CONCLUSIONS: Retrobulbar dexmedetomidine reduces the MLAC values of ropivacaine and improves postoperative analgesia in children without any neurologic side effects.