Outcome of Off-Label AREDS 2 Supplementation for the Treatment of Macular Degeneration in Non-Proliferative Idiopathic Type 2 Macular Telangiectasia.

PURPOSE: To evaluate if off-label Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) supplementation prevents visual and anatomical deterioration in non-proliferative Idiopathic Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 (IMT2). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective, comparative study of 82 IMT2 eyes treated with AREDS2 from January 1st, 2013 to January 1st, 2018. The study analysis consisted of a non-comparative arm, which included all AREDS2 eyes, and a comparative arm (27 AREDS2 and 42 untreated eyes) that only included eyes with complete follow-up data. Eyes were evaluated at baseline, 12 and 24 months. Better/worse eye sub-analysis was performed in the comparative study arm. Primary outcomes were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) anatomical characteristics including largest cavitation diameter, central macular thickness (CMT), and length of ellipsoid zone (EZ) loss at 24 months. RESULTS: In the non-comparative arm, AREDS2 eyes showed stable BCVA (0.28 ± 0.18 logMAR at baseline vs 0.26 ± 0.19 logMAR at 24 months; p = 0.35) and OCT anatomical features after 24 months of supplementation. In the comparative arm, BCVA mean difference was greater for untreated eyes at 24 months (-0.09 ± 0.15 vs 0.03 ± 0.11 logMAR; p = <0.001). AREDS2 eyes had decreased cavitary diameter and EZ loss compared to untreated eyes at the study endpoint (p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). CMT remained stable for both cohorts throughout the study. For better/worse eye analysis, untreated eyes had worse BCVA at 24 months in both better and worse eyes (both p = 0.01). For anatomical outcomes, increases in both EZ loss (p = 0.04) and cavitary diameter (p = 0.001) among untreated eyes were only significant for eyes with worse baseline BCVA. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that off-label AREDS2 supplementation in non-proliferative IMT2 may prevent anatomical and visual deterioration in a subset of eyes.

Erosive Retinopathy and Retinal Detachment From Depot Intravitreal Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection at the End of Pars Plana Vitrectomy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) used as a surgical adjuvant for pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) can stain cortical vitreous, control postoperative inflammation, and reduce retinal edema. Sterile endophthalmitis uncommonly complicates office-based IVTA injection. The authors report a new complication of IVTA depot injection at the end of PPV. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective records review of all patients treated at the Cincinnati Eye Institute with PPV between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2017, who developed a triad of sterile endophthalmitis, atrophic retinal breaks under the depot IVTA in the inferior retina, and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Eyes with flap tears, solely superior breaks, or stretch holes from proliferative vitreoretinopathy causing RRD were excluded. RESULTS: Eight eyes of eight patients (four males and four females; mean age: 73.7 years) who received 4 mg or 8 mg IVTA depot at the end of PPV surgery presented at a mean of 23.5 days following PPV with RRD (one macula-involving, seven macula-sparing), requiring treatment with PPV in six eyes and laser retinopexy alone in two eyes. Seven eyes that underwent membrane peeling (MP) received IVT to prevent cystoid macular edema (CME) and one eye with prior MP was treated for CME. Mean vitreous inflammation was 2+ cell at 1 week postoperatively. Two patients had documented sterile endophthalmitis within the first week requiring vitreous cultures and antibiotics injections. Visual acuity (VA) for eyes requiring PPV for RD repair declined from 20/90 preoperatively to 20/212 at 6 months postoperatively. VA for eyes amenable to laser alone improved from 20/53 to 20/35. All eyes remained attached, with the exception of one patient who refused further treatment after developing recurrent detachment from PVR. CONCLUSIONS: Particle-induced sterile endophthalmitis from IVTA depot at the end of PPV surgery resulted in atrophic inferior retinal breaks and RRD as a newly described entity coined "erosive retinopathy." All retinal detachment surgeries required silicone oil tamponade. Poor visual outcome at 6 months was common for eyes requiring PPV for RD repair. The authors recommend avoiding IVTA depot injection at the end of PPV. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2019;50:613-619.].

Anatomical and visual results of transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy using subconjunctival anesthesia performed on select patients taking anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report the observed outcomes of anticoagulated patients undergoing transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomies using subconjunctival anesthesia without preoperative cessation of anticoagulation and antiplatelet (AC/AP) agents. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on patients taking AC/AP agents who were undergoing transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomies with subconjunctival anesthesia between January 2007 and June 2009. Intra- and postoperative complications (such as massive hemorrhage), anatomical results, satisfactory analgesia (informed by patients and recorded by surgeon), anatomical results, and visual acuity were documented. RESULTS: Sixty-three surgeries were performed on 56 eyes of 52 patients. Thirty-two patients were taking aspirin and clopidogrel, 18 were taking warfarin, 5 were taking clopidogrel, 3 were taking aspirin and warfarin, 2 were taking acetylsalicylic acid and dipyridamole, and 1 was taking warfarin and clopidogrel. All patients had satisfactory analgesia. No intraoperative complications occurred. Seven eyes (13%) had postoperative vitreous hemorrhage. Overall, 79% of patients had improved postoperative visual acuity, 16% of patients had unchanged visual acuity, and 5% of patients had worse visual acuity at last follow-up visit. CONCLUSION: Medical disease requiring systemic AC/AP therapy is often present in patients with vitreoretinal disease. Transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomies using subconjunctival anesthesia may be a safe and effective surgical option in select patients in whom cessation of AC/AP and/or delayed ophthalmic intervention is imprudent.