Overlapping Spots of Photodynamic Therapy for Treatment of Choroidal Hemangioma in Sturge-Weber Syndrome: A Case Report.

Introduction: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has shown substantial benefit in the treatment of choroidal hemangioma (CH) in recent years. This report describes the use of PDT with overlapping spots in a patient with Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) and large circumscribed CH. Case Presentation: A 9-year-old girl with SWS and a history of glaucoma in her left eye was referred to a retina clinic for possible macular changes. Examination revealed decreased vision in the left eye, pigmentary changes in the macula, and choroidal thickening in the posterior pole. After being lost to follow-up for 2 years, the patient returned with further vision deterioration with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/150 and new subretinal fluid (SRF). Imaging findings were consistent with a diagnosis of CH and SRF. PDT with verteporfin was initiated on the entire area with multiple overlapping spots, resulting in resolution of SRF and improvement in visual acuity and choroidal contour. At 18-month post-treatment, the patient's BCVA was 20/25 with no recurrence of SRF or increased choroidal thickening. Significant pigmentary changes and subretinal hyper-reflective material were observed in the OCT of the treated area. Conclusion: Multiple overlapping laser spots of PDT can result in longstanding regression of large circumscribed CH in a patient with SWS with excellent final visual acuity. However, significant subretinal changes may also result following this method of treatment.

Reconstruction of Large Full-Thickness Lower Eyelid Defects With Remnant Eyelid Rotation, Semicircular Skin and Muscle Flap, and Lateral Tarsoconjunctival Flap.

PURPOSE: To describe and assess the results of reconstruction of large, full-thickness defects of the central or medial lower eyelid using a semicircular skin flap, rotation of the remnant lateral eyelid, and a lateral tarsoconjunctival flap. METHODS: The surgical approach is described, and the authors performed a retrospective chart review of consecutive patients between 2017 and 2023 reconstructed with this technique. Outcomes were assessed for size of eyelid defect, vision, subjective symptoms, facial and palpebral aperture symmetry, eyelid position and closure, corneal examination, surgical complications, and need for subsequent surgical intervention. Postoperative appearance was graded on malposition, distortion, asymmetry, contour deformity, and scarring (MDACS). RESULTS: Charts of 45 patients were identified. The average size of the lower eyelid defect was 18 mm (ranging from 12 to 26 mm). Facial and palpebral aperture symmetry were acceptable and all patients had preserved visual acuity and eyelid position and closure. The MDACS cosmetic score was perfect (0) in 15.6% (7/45) of eyelids, good (1-4) in 80.0% (36/45) of eyelids, and mediocre (5-14) in 4.4% (2/45) of eyelids. Second stage reconstruction was not necessary in 32 (71.1%) cases. There were no serious surgical complications, but minor complications included redness of the eyelid margin and pyogenic granulomas. CONCLUSIONS: Medial rotation of the remnant lower eyelid with a lateral semicircular skin and muscle flap over a lateral tarsoconjunctival flap was very effective in this series. Benefits include scarring within the facial skin tension lines, maintained vision throughout the recovery period, no eyelid retraction, and often single stage reconstruction.

Metastatic Epithelioid Sarcoma of the Eyelid in a 47-Year-Old Man: A Case Report.

Epithelioid sarcoma is a rare soft tissue neoplasm of uncertain differentiation that typically affects the distal extremities. Primary orbital epithelioid sarcoma is rare, and no reports exist characterizing metastases of this tumor to the orbit and ocular adnexa. In this article, the authors describe a rare case of eyelid metastasis in a 47-year-old man with epithelioid sarcoma of the right fibula diagnosed 16 months earlier who was otherwise doing well on the adjuvant tazemetostat therapy. In addition, the authors perform a retrospective review of cases of primary orbital epithelioid sarcoma reported in the literature, of which 4 patients responded favorably to surgical excision whereas 2 others eventually died as a direct result of their disease.

Kimura Disease of the Periorbita and Earlobe in a 15-Year-Old Male: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

PURPOSE: The authors describe a case of Kimura disease (KD) affecting the lacrimal gland, the ipsilateral periorbita, and the contralateral earlobe. The authors also review the literature for characteristics and outcomes of KD affecting the periorbita or earlobe. METHODS: The authors review retrospectively a single chart and abstract data from the English language literature. RESULTS: A 15-year-old Samoan male presented with a left upper eyelid mass and later the contralateral earlobe and ipsilateral periorbita. Surgical resection was partially effective and normal vision and eye motility were maintained. Histopathology was consistent with KD. Thirty-seven cases of periorbital KD were identified in the literature. The average age of patients with periorbital KD was 31.9 years (standard deviation: 17.8 years), with 81.1% (30/37) of patients being male and 69.4% (25/36) Asian. Over half of periorbital KD patients had lacrimal gland involvement (51.3%; 19/37). Fifteen patients were initially treated with surgery; 3 (20%) had recurrence of the disease. Another 15 patients were initially treated with corticosteroids; 12 (80%) had recurrence of the disease. Ophthalmologic data, when reported, demonstrated that, most patients had no visual (77.8%; 14/18 patients) or motility disturbances (82.4%; 14/17 patients) but most had proptosis 71.4% (10/14). Only 4 cases of earlobe involvement in KD were identified, all in women. CONCLUSIONS: In the literature, orbital KD was rare but often affected the lacrimal gland and caused proptosis, commonly in young adult Asian males. Vision and extraocular motility were usually normal. Earlobe involvement was very rare. This unique case of KD that affected the orbit and contralateral earlobe corroborates the prior literature that KD is prone to recurrence but may not adversely affect vision or extraocular motility.

Ophthalmology Provider Ratings and Patient, Disease, and Appointment Factors.

The purpose of the current study is to examine how nonmodifiable sociodemographic, disease, appointment, management, and survey factors correlate with provider rating. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted on 29 857 patient Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems surveys collected from January 2017 to January 2019 at a tertiary eye center. We included surveys of patients aged 18 years or older, who answered at least 4 of 6 subfield questions, and completed the survey within 90 days of the appointment. The main outcome was the odds of receiving top box score (TBS) of 10/10 on the survey question regarding overall provider rating. The results showed that the variables with higher odds of TBS included higher overall appointment attendance (odds ratio [OR]: 2.66 [95% CI: 1.23-5.75], P = .013); older patient age (OR 2.44 [95% CI: 2.08-2.87], P < .001]; higher percentage of survey questions completed (OR: 2.02 [95% CI: 1.79-2.27], P < .001); better best corrected visual acuity (OR: 1.85 [95% CI: 1.3-2.64], P = .001); optometry clinic visit (OR: 1.25 [95% CI: 1.15-1.36], P < .001); having procedures (OR: 1.19 [95% CI: 1.04-1.36], P = .013), surgery scheduled (OR: 1.18 [95% CI: 1.03-1.36], P = .020], or refraction done (OR: 1.16 [95% CI: 1.08-1.25], P < .001); being seen by male providers (OR: 1.11 [95% CI: 1.04-1.17], P = .001); and having additional eye testing performed (OR: 1.06 [95% CI: 1.00-1.13], P = .048). Variables associated with lower odds of TBS included longer time to complete survey (OR: 0.42 [95% CI: 0.3-0.58], P = .001); new patient encounter (OR: 0.62 [95% CI: 0.58-0.65], P < .001); and glaucoma (OR: 0.66 [95% CI: 0.59-0.75], P < .001), cornea (OR: 0.79 [95% CI: 0.71-0.87], P < .001), or comprehensive clinic visits (OR: 0.86 [95% CI: 0.79-0.94], P < .001). Thus, nonmodifiable factors may affect the provider rating, and these factors should be studied further and accounted for when interpreting the results of patient experience surveys.

Visual Acuity Outcomes after Cataract Extraction with Intraocular Lens Implantation in Eyes with Diabetic Retinopathy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in patients with diabetes and diabetic retinopathy (DR) after cataract extraction (CE). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Diabetic eyes of patients 18 years of age or older that underwent CE at the Cleveland Clinic from 2012 through 2018. METHODS: Chart review examining visual acuities from patient visits before and after surgery, as well as OCT images. Statistical analysis was carried out using multiple linear regression models. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary end point was change in BCVA during the first postoperative year. The secondary end point was the association of central subfield thickness at baseline with change in BCVA. Additional preoperative factors examined were age, race, gender, laterality, insulin use, hemoglobin A1c, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. RESULTS: Diabetic eyes without DR (n = 138) and eyes with mild/moderate nonproliferative DR (NPDR; n = 125), severe NPDR (n = 20), and proliferative DR (PDR; n = 72) were included. A year after surgery, eyes without DR gained a median of 11.0 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters (interquartile range [IQR], 5.0-20.0) from 65.0 (IQR, 58.0-70.0) before surgery, eyes with mild or moderate DR gained 10.0 letters (IQR, 5.0-22.0) from 65.0 (IQR, 58.0-76.0), eyes with severe NPDR gained 20.5 letters (IQR, 8.0-28.5) from 55.0 (IQR, 26.0-65.0), and eyes with PDR gained 15.0 letters (IQR, 6.0-29.5) from 55.0 (IQR, 35.0-61.0). Eyes without DR or mild or moderate NPDR showed significantly greater improvements in VA 1 year after surgery compared with eyes with severe NPDR or PDR when controlling for baseline visual acuity (VA), with eyes with more severe DR showing less expected VA gain (P < 0.001). Length of disease most strongly related to baseline DR severity (ρ = 0.431; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Cataract surgery is beneficial in most patients with DR without severe concurrent macular pathologic features. However, preoperative VA and the severity of DR can limit visual outcomes.

Examination Practices and Referral of Patients With Diabetic Retinopathy by Optometrists in Routine Clinical Care.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To analyze the examination practices and referral of patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) by optometrists in routine clinical care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Diabetic patient records from 2012 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed for documentation of dilated fundus exam (DFE), imaging, follow-up appointments, and referrals. Concordance between clinical exam and coding was also analyzed. RESULTS: For 97.8% of encounters, DFE was performed, the patient was referred for DFE, or DFE was scheduled for follow-up. When DFE was performed at the initial visit, this resulted in referral of 19.8% of patients to an ophthalmologist. Imaging was obtained occasionally, with fundus photos in 2.6% and optical coherence tomography in 14.5% of encounters. Concordance of DR grading between exam and coding was 78.8%. Recommended follow-up times were incorrect based on DR severity level in 13.8% of encounters. CONCLUSION: Although DFE was performed reliably by optometrists, utilization of imaging, DR grading and coding, and appropriate follow-up periods could be improved. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2019;50:608-612.].

Protecting Vision in Patients With Diabetes With Ultra-Widefield Imaging: A Review of Current Literature.

Ultra-widefield fundus imaging (UWFI) is a relatively new technology capable of capturing 200° images of the retina. Since vision changes can be irreversible in diabetic retinopathy (DR), recognition of prognostic biomarkers in the peripheral retina may prove invaluable toward optimizing the management and reducing the societal burden of this blinding disease. Following a bibliographic review using Pubmed, OVID Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, the current review systematically examined 13 studies that compared UWFI to conventional screening techniques such as seven standard field (7SF) Early Treatment In Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) and non-mydriatic multifield fundus photography (NMFP), as well as their scientific level of evidence. Overall, UWFI had good agreement with 7SF ETDRS and NMFP, and moderate agreement with dilated fundus examination. Seven additional studies were examined that considered the significance of peripheral lesions found on UWFI. These studies demonstrated that UWFI captured additional DR pathology in the peripheral retina that may not be evident if evaluation is limited to the posterior pole and may be relevant to patient outcomes. Future directions include but are not limited to the potential of UWFI to track the progression of DR with treatment. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2019;50:639-648.].

Baseline Ocular Characteristics of Patients Undergoing Initiation of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy for Diabetic Macular Edema.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) have variable anatomic and visual responses to anti-vascular endothelial growth (VEGF) treatments based on their presenting visual acuity (VA). The aim of study is to report the baseline ocular and imaging characteristics of patients presenting with DME who were treatment-naïve and who initiated anti-VEGF in routine clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Single-center, cross-sectional study of 638 patients. Subjects were divided into two VA groups: Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) less than 70 and ETDRS greater than 70 and ocular variables were compared between groups. RESULTS: Average central subfield thickness (CST) was 363.5 µm, cube volume was 11.7 mm3, and cube average thickness (CAT) was 326.1 µm. Additionally, 21.5% had subretinal fluid (SRF), and 50.5% had hard exudates on presentation. Eyes with ETDRS less than 70 had greater CAT (338.5 µm3 vs. 313.2 µm3; P < .001), greater cube volume (12.2 mm3 vs. 11.3 mm3; P < .001), greater CST (383.5 µm vs. 350.0 µm; P < .001), and SRF (25.5% vs. 17.3%; P = .012). Furthermore, 7.64% had glaucoma, 1.3% had dry age-related macular degeneration, 4.5% of patients were vitrectomized, and 28.7% were pseudophakic. Regarding diabetic stage, 37% had proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and 63% presented with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. Patients presenting with ETDRS less than 70 were more likely to have a history of vitrectomy (7.1% vs. 1.9%, P = .002) and presence of PDR (42.3% vs. 31.4%, P = .004). CONCLUSION: The results describe a population of patients from a routine clinical practice not entirely represented in clinical trials, with key differences in ocular characteristics seen between VA groups. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2019;50:69-75.].

Characterization of Patients With Geographic Atrophy in Routine Clinical Practice.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Geographic atrophy (GA) affects millions of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) worldwide, leading to significant, irreversible visual impairment. This study aims to characterize the visual impairment of patients with GA in a routine clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This single-center, cross-sectional study used a novel natural language processing to select 1,045 GA cases utilizing the macula examination records from 19,359 patients with AMD. RESULTS: Patients were classified based on the diagnosis of the fellow-eye as follow: 502 in group 1 (GA:GA), 403 in group 2 (GA : choroidal neovascularization), and 234 in group 3 (GA : early / intermediate AMD). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the affected eye was 50.3 (± 22.1) letters in group 1, 52.5 (± 21.3) letters in group 2, and 48.5 (± 23.6) letters in group 3 (P < .05). Visual impairment (ineligibility for an unrestricted driver license) was present in 70.5% of group 1, 59.7% of group 2, and 39.6% of group 3. Legal blindness (BCVA < 20 letters in the best-seeing eye) was seen in 2.2% of group 1, 3% of group 2, and 0.8% of group 3. CONCLUSION: Differences in visual impairment between subgroups of patients with GA can be seen in routine clinical practice. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2019;50:93-98.].

Characterization of the Systemic Findings of Patients Undergoing Initiation of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy for Diabetic Macular Edema in Routine Clinical Practice.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have validated that baseline visual acuity (VA) can predict a variance response to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment. However, little is known about the initial systemic presentation of diabetic macular edema (DME) in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to report the baseline systemic findings of patients presenting with DME who received anti-VEGF in clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients with DME presenting between April 2012 and December 2016 was performed. RESULTS: Data from 638 patients were retrieved. The average patient age was 63.1 years (±11.6 years), and 53% were male. There were 95.6% type II diabetics with an average HgA1c of 8.1% (range: 5.1% to 14.5%). Insulin use was present in 67%, biguanides in 43%, sulfonylureas in 32.8%, DDP4 inhibitors in 11.8%, thiazolidinediones in 3.9%, and D-phenylalanine derivatives in 0.94%. Hypertension was present in 78.4% of patients, cardiac comorbidities in 29.3%, peripheral vascular disease in 16.5%, and renal insufficiency in 22.6%. Patients were then split into two different cohorts based on VA (ETDRS < 70 and ETDRS ≥ 70), and variables were compared between groups. CONCLUSION: It was shown that older age, hypertension, elevated creatinine, elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and decreased biguanide use were positively associated with worse presenting VA. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2019;50:16-24.].