"Dirty Dry Eye"- A waste volume analysis from topical therapy in keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

PURPOSE: The healthcare system is responsible for around 5% of CO2 emissions globally and in Germany. So far, there are no data on the amount of waste from dry eye disease (DED) therapy in ophthalmology. The aim of this project was to evaluate the amount and type of waste from single- and multi-dose units (SDU/MDU) generated by eyedrops used to treat DED in Germany. METHODS: The net waste weight (outer/inner packaging, instruction leaflet, empty container) from factory-sealed products was determined using a precision scale. Based on prescription data from PharMaAnalyst, a database of medical prescriptions from over 70 million patients in Germany, the total annual waste volume for 2016-2021 and the net weight of a 30-day treatment were calculated. RESULTS: The total annual waste volume increased significantly (p < 0.0001) from 7.13 tons in 2016 to 20.64 tons in 2021. A 30-day treatment with MDUs (without/with filter) results in a significantly lower mean waste volume (paper: SDU 24.3 ± 18.7 g; MDU 4.8 ± 1.7 g/8.8 g ± 1.7 g; SDU/MDU p = 0.0003, with filter p = 0.0034; plastic: SDU 35.0 ± 4.0, MDU 6.6 ± 0.7 g/ 15.1 g ± 5.8 g, SDU/MDU p < 0.0001, with filter p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Prescription-based treatment of DED in Germany causes an increasing and substantial waste volume. The use of SDUs is considerably more resource-intensive than MDUs. Due to the large and rising number of patients suffering from DED improvements in packaging could considerably reduce the CO2 footprint of DED treatment.

Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty and Triple Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty in Eyes With Macular Comorbidity.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate results after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) and DMEK with cataract surgery (triple DMEK) in eyes with endothelial dysfunction and concomitant macular pathology. METHODS: A monocentric, prospective clinical observational study of patients who underwent DMEK or triple DMEK surgery at the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Germany, from June 2013 to February 2016 was conducted. Sex, age, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central corneal thickness, endothelial cell density, and central retinal thickness in the 1 millimeter zone were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 209 eyes were included in the study. Forty-two eyes (20.1%) had vision-limiting concomitant maculopathies. These were age-related macular degeneration (n = 17, 8.1%), epiretinal gliosis (n = 13, 6.2%), chronic macular edema (n = 7, 3.3%), macular holes (n = 3, 1.4%), and macular scarring (n = 2, 1.0%). BCVA significantly increased in patients without maculopathy from 0.6 ± 0.33 logMAR to 0.1 ± 0.15 logMAR ( P < 0.001) and also in patients with maculopathy from 0.9 ± 0.38 logMAR to 0.27 ± 0.23 logMAR 12 months postoperatively ( P < 0.001). There was a significant central retinal thickness increase of 34.1 µm 6 weeks after triple DMEK in the central 1-mm zone ( P = 0.011). This increase was insignificant after DMEK. Postoperative macular edema occurred in 5.9% of cases after DMEK and 8.1% after triple DMEK, which was not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: DMEK and triple DMEK significantly increase BCVA in eyes with concomitant maculopathy. Postoperative macular edema is a common disorder after lamellar keratoplasty; therefore, prophylactic treatment with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs should be considered. Maculopathies did not predispose the development of postoperative macular edema.

Iris Obstruction Following PRESERFLO Microshunt Implantation and Surgical Management.

PURPOSE: The aim was to present a case of lumen obstruction after implantation of microshunt with subconjunctival drainage and subsequent management. CASE REPORT: A 56-year-old male with primary open angle glaucoma underwent uneventful PRESERFLO MicroShunt (PMS) implantation in both eyes. Five months after surgery the patient presented with an intraocular pressure (IOP) of 26 mm Hg in the right eye because of iris obstruction. RESULTS: The iris fibers were severed and removed surgically to free the lumen. Follow-up showed a normalized IOP of 10 mm Hg and a free lumen. CONCLUSION: Uncontrolled IOP because of iris obstruction following PMS was addressed by surgical removal of iris fibers at the lumen entrance without the need for tube repositioning.

Wound Healing of Descemet Membrane After Penetrating Keratoplasty and Its Relevance for Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty Surgeons.

ABSTRACT: Compared with penetrating keratoplasty (PK), Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) is characterized as lower risk for complications such as immunological graft reaction and faster and better postoperative visual recovery. In patients with endothelial graft failure after PK, DMEK can be used to regenerate PK graft transparency. The surgical technique for DMEK in this specific situation is still under debate, particularly regarding stripping of Descemet membrane (DM) from the failed PK and diameter of the DMEK graft. Here we report a case of a 75-year-old female patient with a failed graft 16 years after PK for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy, who underwent uneventful DMEK surgery. Stripping of DM in this particular case was performed outside the failed PK and demonstrated a biomechanically stable junction between the PK donor and the host DM. Histopathologic analysis of the excised DM showed continuous extracellular matrix connecting the host and donor DM, indicating primary intention wound healing after PK at this tissue level. This case demonstrates that after PK, a biomechanically stable and histologically continuous DM can enable Descemetorhexis outside the failed graft and transplantation of a DMEK graft larger than the previous PK. This may provide more endothelial cells for transplantation.