Effect of Topical Dexmedetomidine (0.0055%) on Intraocular Pressure in Healthy Eyes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the short-term safety and efficacy of dexmedetomidine (0.0055%) drops on intraocular pressure (IOP) in healthy eyes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, patients with normal eye exams were randomly assigned to receive, in a randomly selected eye, one drop of either balanced salt solution (BSS) or dexmedetomidine (0.0055%). Goldmann applanation tonometry was performed at baseline and then 30 minutes, 4 hours, and 24 hours after drop instillation. RESULTS: Forty-nine eyes of 49 normal volunteers were enrolled in the study, with 21 eyes (group I) receiving BSS and 28 (group II) dexmedetomidine. Both groups were comparable at baseline as far as age and IOP (p = 0.55 for both parameters). Intraocular pressure significantly decreased from baseline in group II at 30 minutes and 4 hours (p = 0.001 and 0.05, respectively). Maximum IOP decrease was obtained at 30 minutes after dexmedetomidine instillation, with a 9% decrease from baseline (mean decrease: 1.15 mm Hg). The percentage of IOP decrease was significantly higher in group II at 30 minutes compared with group I (9 vs 1.1%; p = 0.05). No side effects were recorded. CONCLUSION: In this pilot study, dexmedetomidine 0.0055% drops have shown good safety and efficacy in lowering IOP in normal healthy volunteers with no history of glaucoma. This medication has a short onset of action, with a 10% reduction of IOP occurring 30 minutes post-instillation. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03690622. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Fakhoury H, Abdelmassih Y, El-Khoury S, et al. The Effect of Topical Dexmedetomidine (0.0055%) on Intraocular Pressure in Healthy Eyes: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2021;15(2):58-63.

Incidence, Risk Factors and Treatment Outcomes of Intraocular Hypertension and/or Glaucoma Post-Penetrating Keratoplasty: A 5-Year Lebanese Retrospective Descriptive Study.

PURPOSE: Glaucoma is one of the most common complications post-penetrating keratoplasty (PK). In this study, we report the Incidence, risk factors and treatment outcomes of intraocular hypertension (IOH) or/and glaucoma post-penetrating keratoplasty (PKG). METHODS: A 5-year descriptive retrospective study, Lebanese patients who underwent PK at Beirut Eye & ENT Specialist Hospital, between 2012 and 2017, were included. Patients with history of glaucoma were excluded. IOH/PKG cases that necessitate treatment were identified and analyzed for the incidence, risk factors and treatment outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 189 eyes of 159 patients were included, with male/female ratio 1.6 and the mean age 47.2±21.3 years. Bullous keratopathy (BK) presented with a high mean age: 70.3 years while ectasia patients were the youngest: 36.5 years. 34.9% of eyes developed high IOP within a mean of 25 months of follow-up distributed between sub-groups of patient with corneal ectasia (22.5%), redo-PK (51.2%), bullous keratopathy (BK) (50%), keratitis (24.9%), and others (dystrophy, trauma …) (21.4%). High IOP developed in 67.4% of the diabetic patients. Visual acuity was less likely to improve in cases developing elevated IOP while postoperative complications were significantly high. In those refractory to medical treatment, trabeculectomy as a glaucoma surgery was effective in lowering the IOP. Combining procedures with PK was not a risk factor for glaucoma. Interrupted sutures and higher number of suturing were associated with increased IOP levels. CONCLUSION: IOH developed in one out of three patients who underwent penetrating keratoplasty. DM, bullous keratopathy, infectious keratitis and redo-PK were highly associated with PKG, whereas high IOP was less likely to develop in cases with keratoconus. Glaucoma is considered a poor prognostic factor in patients post-PK.

Intraocular application of Mitomycin C to prevent proliferative vitreoretinopathy in perforating and severe intraocular foreign body injuries.

AIM: To assess the long-term anatomical and functional outcomes in addition to complications of a new surgical technique of localized intraocular application of mitomycin C (MMC) to prevent proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) in eyes with open globe trauma. METHODS: Prospective non-comparative interventional case series of 16 consecutive eyes with perforating and deep choroidal impact foreign body injuries presenting over a 2-year period. Patients underwent vitrectomy with intraocular application of MMC at the site of the chorioretinal injury and were followed-up for 1 year. The primary outcome measure was the rate of postoperative PVR. Secondary outcome measures were number of vitreoretinal surgeries (VRS) required, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), final anatomical success rate and globe survival rate (GSR). RESULTS: Patients underwent VRS at a mean time of 8.5 ± 4.6 days after the injury. Postoperative PVR developed in 2 (13 %) eyes and required only one additional VRS each. One other eye underwent further peeling of an epimacular membrane. BCVA improved from mean LogMAR 3.08 ± 0.72 preoperatively to 0.66 ± 0.79 at 1 year. All 10 eyes without a macular injury had a final BCVA of LogMAR 0.40 or better. The final anatomical success rate was 94% and GSR rate was 100%. There were no complications related to the intraocular use of MMC. CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy and intraocular application of Mitomycin C may have a potential role in reducing the rate of post traumatic PVR and improving anatomical and functional outcomes in eyes with perforating and deep choroidal impact foreign body injuries.

An Update on the Safety and Efficacy of Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking in Pediatric Keratoconus.

Keratoconus is a degenerative disease that affects adolescents and young adults and presents with variable thinning and conical deformation of the corneal apex. The resultant irregular astigmatism can progress to levels that can significantly affect everyday activities and overall quality of life. Therefore, stopping the progression of the disease is an essential part in managing patients with keratoconus. Corneal collagen cross-linking is a minimally invasive procedure that stiffens the anterior corneal stroma by creating strong covalent bonds between collagen fibrils. Over the past decade, many studies have proved its safety and efficacy in halting keratoconus progression in adults. This review of the literature highlights the growing trend towards using this treatment in pediatric keratoconic patients. In children, keratoconus tends to be more severe and fast progression is often encountered requiring closer follow-up intervals. Standard cross-linking shows comparable results in children with a good safety-efficacy profile during follow-up periods of up to three years. Further research is needed to standardize and evaluate transepithelial and accelerated cross-linking protocols as these could be of tremendous help in a population where cooperation and compliance are major issues.

Acute corneal hydrops mimicking infectious keratitis as initial presentation of keratoconus in a 10-year-old child.

Purpose. To report a case of acute hydrops in a 10-year-old child with advanced keratoconus. Case Presentation. A ten-year-old boy diagnosed as having right eye (RE) infectious keratitis, not responding to antimicrobial therapy, was referred to our hospital. The diagnosis of infectious keratitis was established one month prior to his presentation following an episode of acute corneal whitening, pain, and drop in visual acuity. Topical fortified antibiotics followed by topical antiviral therapy were used with no improvement. Slit lamp examination showed significant corneal protrusion with edema surrounding a rupture in Descemet's membrane in the RE. The diagnosis of acute corneal hydrops from advanced keratoconus was highly suspected and confirmed with corneal topography. Conclusion. Although a relatively rare disease at the age of 10 years, keratoconus can be rapidly progressive in the pediatric group. Keratoconus should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of progressive vision loss in this age group.

Extensive superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis in Graves' disease: case report and mini-review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis (SLK) is characterized as an inflammation of the superior bulbar conjunctiva with predominant involvement of the superior limbus and adjacent epithelial keratitis. METHODS: A 51-year-old woman, with a history of medically controlled Graves' disease was seen with an extensive SLK involving 5 mm of the superior cornea. RESULTS: Total remission was observed with topical steroids (DXM). Recurrence was observed 1 week after steroid discontinuation, and steroidal treatment was reintroduced with tapering over 1 month. Total remission was then observed for 1 year. CONCLUSION: Extensive keratitis and vascular pannus in SLK is rarely reported. This form could be treated with topical steroids. Tapering treatment remains essential for long-term success.

Effect of hemodialysis on visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and macular thickness in patients with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of hemodialysis (HD) on visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), and central foveal thickness (CFT) in patients with chronic kidney disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-nine eyes from 49 chronic kidney-disease patients were analyzed. Causes of chronic kidney disease included diabetes mellitus (n=9 patients), hypertensive nephrosclerosis (n=15 patients), and other causes (n=25 patients). All patients underwent HD in the Dialysis Unit of Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital. Best-corrected visual acuity, CFT, and IOP were evaluated before and after HD. CFT was measured with spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and IOP was measured with Goldmann applanation tonometry. RESULTS: Neither decimal best-corrected visual acuity (pre-HD 0.71±0.32, post-HD 0.72±0.31; P=0.877) nor CFT (pre-HD 251.39±39.29, post-HD 253.09±39.26; P=0.272) significantly changed after HD. However, mean IOP significantly decreased from 13.99±2.48 before HD to 12.65±2.41 mmHg after HD (P=0.001). IOP change was significantly correlated with serum albumin levels (P=0.008) and weight changes (P=0.047). CONCLUSION: HD can affect various ocular parameters. This is particularly true of IOP, which decreases significantly following HD.