Short-term results of platelet-rich plasma as adjuvant to 23-G vitrectomy in the treatment of high myopic macular holes.

PURPOSE: To investigate the short-term safety and efficacy of autologous platelet-rich plasma (a-PRP) as adjuvant to pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling in the treatment of highly myopic macular holes (MH). METHODS: This was a prospective, nonrandomized interventional case series. Patients with MH associated with high myopia, with or without previous PPV, were included. All patients underwent 23-G PPV with the use of a-PRP. Anatomical and functional results of surgery were recorded. RESULTS: We included 7 eyes of 6 patients with highly myopic MH. Primary anatomical success was achieved in 7 out of 7 eyes. Mean best-corrected visual acuity improved by more than 1 line from baseline (0.66 ± 0.36 LogMAR) to final visit (0.52 ± 0.25 logMAR), but with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.246, Wilcoxon test). No surgical-related complications were noticed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a-PRP as adjuvant to PPV with ILM peeling is effective in the treatment of highly myopic MH. This approach may represent a valid alternative to the inverted ILM flap technique, with comparable visual and anatomical results and the advantage of a simpler procedure. Further studies are necessary to confirm its usefulness in the management of high myopic MH.

Microperimetry biofeedback training in a patient with bilateral myopic macular degeneration with central scotoma.

Microperimetry-1 (MP-1) evaluation and MP-1 biofeedback training were done in a case of bilateral myopic macular degeneration with a central scotoma. Fixation behavior, location and stability of preferred retinal locus, eye movement speed, and mean sensitivity were assessed. The mean retinal sensitivities before, after and at 1-year after training in the right eye were 2.9 dB, 2.9 dB and 3.7 dB and in the left eye were 3.5 dB, 3.7 dB and 1.8 dB. The fixation point in the 2° gravitation circle, improved from 40% to 50% in the right eye and from 43% to 67% in the left eye. The average eye speed before, after and at 1-year after training in right eye were 0.19°/s, 0.26°/s and 0.25°/s and in left eye were 0.36°/s, 0.25°/s and 0.27°/s. Thus, biofeedback training using MP-1 can improve the visual function in patients with macular diseases and central scotoma.

The other CNVM: a review of myopic choroidal neovascularization treatment in the age of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents.

Choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVM) associated with pathological myopia (PM) can result in significant vision loss and legal blindness. These membranes usually occur subfoveally and are a major complication of PM, developing in approximately 5-10% of such eyes. PM is the second most common cause of choroidal neovascularization after age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and accounts for nearly 60% of CNVM cases in patients younger than age 50. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A has been implicated as the major angiogenic stimulus responsible for choroidal neovascularization secondary to AMD and several major studies have proved the benefits of anti-VEGF treatment for AMD-related CNVM. Benefits have also been observed in a number of prospective and retrospective studies evaluating PM CNVM. Despite the small differences in molecular properties of ranibizumab and bevacizumab, both drugs showed similar therapeutic effects for CNVM associated with PM. Many studies also highlighted that patient age, previous photodynamic therapy treatment, axial length, and visual acuity prior to treatment may affect treatment prognosis. Although there is a paucity of large randomized controlled trials, this systematic review highlights the large numbers of individual trials that demonstrate a significant improvement in VA. The inferior long-term results of alternative therapies, combined with an excellent safety profile from anti-VEGF treatment, make anti-VEGF the current recommended first-line therapy.

Visual rehabilitation in patients with myopic maculopathy: our experience.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of the MP-1 microperimeter (Nidek Technologies Srl, Padova, Italy) and Visual Pathfinder (LACE Inc) in improving visual function of patients with myopic maculopathy. DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized, interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS: Seventeen patients (34 eyes) between 36 and 58 years of age with myopic maculopathy and central retinal scotomas. METHODS: After a complete eye examination, all patients underwent 10 training sessions with MP-1 biofeedback (7 minutes) and Visual Pathfinder (3 minutes) for each eye once a week. Statistical analysis was performed with Student t test. The p values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean best corrected visual acuity increased from 0.64 ± 0.22 to 0.38 ± 0.20 logMAR at the end of follow-up (p = 0.03); visual-evoked potential P100 amplitude increased from 3.54 ± 1.90 to 6.64 ± 2.91 µV at the end of follow-up (p = 0.04); average retinal sensitivity, calculated in the 12 degrees of the central retina, increased from 6.6 ± 2.6 to 14.6 ± 3.6 dB (p = 0.03). Fixation behaviour in the 2 degrees of the central retina increased from 45% ± 17% to 75% ± 23% (p = 0.04). The bivariate contour ellipse area (95%) increased from 10.34 ± 3.11 to 7.64 ± 2.71 square degrees (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of acoustic biofeedback training with MP-1 and Visual Pathfinder offers a reasonable improvement of visual function in patients with myopic maculopathy. This method might be considered as a rehabilitative strategy as a "therapeutic option" in these patients for whom most treatments usually do not work.

Effectiveness of vision rehabilitation treatment through MP-1 microperimeter in patients with visual loss due to macular disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of biofeedback treatment for low-vision rehabilitation in patients affected by macular disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 171 eyes of 99 patients (42 female and 57 male) between 50 to 75 years old (mean age: 64.6) were included in this study. All patients were suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (122 eyes) or macular myopic degeneration (MMD) (49 eyes). All patients underwent an assessment of examinations including visual acuity, reading speed test, slit lamp examination and tonometry, ophthalmoscopic fundus examination, microperimetry, fixation test, retinal sensitivity, fluorangiography (FAG), optical coherence tomography (OCT). The treatment was divided in 16 sessions, the patients underwent other examination assessment at 6 and 12 months, except for FAG and OCT. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-test, and p-value <=0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: After training 130 eyes of 171 in the study group (76.02%) had a statistically significant improvement of the distant visual acuity (p<0.01): 38 eyes suffering from MMD and 92 eyes suffering from AMD. After 12 months of follow-up a group of 25 eyes of 130 (19.23%) had a loss of benefits that were observed at the end of the treatment sessions: 16 eyes and 9 eyes were suffering from MMD and AMD respectively. Examination assessment during follow-up showed that 4 eyes and 2 eyes of the group that lost benefits had a worsening of MMD and AMD primary disease respectively. CONCLUSIONS: It is not yet understood how biofeedback produces amelioration of visual function. According to the 'Eccentric fixation' theory, with biofeedback rehabilitation patients are trained to use the non-damaged retina areas to develop a new preferred retinal locus. In our study group we found a significant improvement in both visual acuity and fixation.

Subthreshold transpupillary thermotherapy in Chinese patients with myopic choroidal neovascularization: one- and two-year follow up.

BACKGROUND: To perform a safety and efficacy study of subthreshold transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) in Chinese patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathologic myopia. METHODS: In a prospective study, patients with subfoveal or juxtafoveal CNV secondary to high myopia underwent subthreholdTTT with fixed treatment and follow-up protocols. From October 2002 to July 2005, 12 and 24 months of follow up were completed for 21 eyes and 13 eyes respectively. RESULTS: The mean best-corrected visual acuities (BCVA) were maintained at the baseline level at 1 and 2 years. Seventy-two per cent of eyes and 63% of eyes had stable or improved BCVA at 12 and 24 months.Thirty-four per cent and 39% of eyes had a moderate gain in vision (improved by three or more lines) at 12 and 24 months respectively.The average number of subthreshold TTT treatments was 1.7. The major complication of subthresholdTTT included laserrelated low-grade retinal pigment epithelium atrophy in two eyes of young patients with clear lenses. The final VA was significantly associated with pretreated VA (r = 0.614, P = 0.003).The final VA improvement was significantly associated with pretreatment VA in negative correlation (r=-0.731, P = 0.0002, Person correlation test). CONCLUSIONS: Subthreshold TTT in Chinese patients with pathologic myopia and subfoveal or juxtafoveal CNV generally maintained vision at 1- and 2-year follow up. Using decreased power of subthreshold TTT, especially in the younger patients with a clear lens, is suggested.

Efficacy of topical plus intracameral anesthesia for cataract surgery in high myopia: randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of intracameral lidocaine supplementation of topical anesthesia during cataract surgery in eyes with high myopia. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Ospedale San Pietro-Fatebenefratelli, Rome, Italy. METHODS: This prospective double-blind study comprised 120 highly myopic eyes with an axial length (AL) greater than 26.0 mm scheduled for routine cataract surgery. Cases were divided into 2 groups of 60 eyes each. One group received a placebo of balanced salt solution (BSS) (control group) and the other group, a supplement of 0.1 mL preservative-free lidocaine hydrochloride 1% injected in the capsular bag during hydrodissection (lidocaine group). Intraoperative pain was assessed by recording spontaneous patient reports of sensation of pain or ocular discomfort during 3 surgical stages: phaco tip insertion, irrigation/aspiration (I/A) system insertion for cortical aspiration, I/A system insertion for ophthalmic viscosurgical device removal after intraocular lens implantation. Postoperative pain was assessed on a visual analog scale (range 0 to 10). Data were compared by chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: The overall mean AL was 28.58 mm (28.57 mm control group; 28.50 mm lidocaine group). Fewer patients in the lidocaine group reported intraoperative pain, ocular discomfort, or tissue manipulation (odds ratio=0.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.80; P= .019). The mean postoperative pain score was 1.88+/-2.17 (SD) in the control group and 1.36+/-2.02 in the lidocaine group; the difference was not statistically significant (P= .21). CONCLUSION: Intracameral lidocaine supplementation for cataract surgery may improve intraoperative comfort under topical anesthesia in highly myopic eyes.

Transpupillary thermotherapy for myopic choroidal neovascularization: 1-year follow-up: TTT for myopic CNV.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) for myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) retrospectively in a case series. METHODS: Ten consecutive patients with CNV secondary to high myopia were treated with TTT and followed-up for 18.3 +/- 7.1 months (range: 12-30 months). An activity scoring (AS) scheme based on CNV size, central foveal thickness as determined by optical coherence tomography (OCT), amount of subretinal hemorrhage, and fluorescein angiography (FA) staining characteristics was developed to assess the response to treatment. The main outcome measures were AS and visual acuity (VA). RESULTS: There was no significant loss or gain in VA, and the lesions stabilized in all eyes. FA revealed late staining typical of CNV scarring, and the amount of central foveal thickness decreased in all eyes, as determined by OCT. The mean AS at 3, 6, and 12 months and at the final visit were significantly lower than the preoperative AS (P<0.05). No complication occurred during or after treatment. CONCLUSION: A scheme for evaluating overall CNV activity may be useful tool for assessing the response of patients to TTT. TTT seems to stabilize myopic CNVs both clinically and as revealed by angiography, with a significant decrease in the activity of lesions. Longer term results are required to evaluate the stabilizing effect of TTT in myopic CNV.