Semi-adjustable posterior approach for congenital ptosis repair- outcomes of local and general anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: To report a single center experience with semi-adjustable posterior approach levator plication ('levatorpexy') in patients with congenital ptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study. All cases who underwent posterior approach levatorpexy for congenital ptosis between the years 2016 to 2022 were included. The primary outcome measures were margin-to-reflex distance 1 (MRD1) before and after surgery, upper eyelid contour, symmetry of upper eyelid height, complications, and surgical success. Surgery was successful if all the following criteria were met: A postoperative MRD1 of ≥2 mm and ≤4.5 mm, a satisfactory eyelid contour in the operated eyelid, and an inter-eyelid MRD1 asymmetry of ≤1 mm. Postoperative modifications in semi-adjustable techniques were considered in all cases. RESULTS: Twenty-three eyelids of 21 patients were included, 11 were performed under general anesthesia, and 12 were performed under local anesthesia. The mean age of all patients was 24.1 years (8-47 years). The mean levator function was 11.2 (±2.11). Mean preoperative MRD1 was 1.05 mm and 1.41 for general and local anesthesia, respectively. Mean postoperative MRD1 was 3.33 mm and 3.37 mm for general and local anesthesia, respectively. Eighteen patients (85%) achieved the desired eyelid height and fulfilled our criteria for success. There were no complications reported in any of the groups. CONCLUSION: Posterior approach levatorpexy is a safe and effective procedure for repairing congenital ptosis in patients with good levator function. This technique is suitable for young patients and those unable to undergo surgery under local anesthesia. This technique offers post-operative modification due to its semi-adjustable nature.

Long-Term outcomes of pediatric dacryocystorhinostomy in a single medical center- a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To examine the long-term success rate of pediatric endoscopic DCR surgery via telephone questionnaires, as determined by patients and their parents. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent DCR surgery at the Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel between 2010 and 2020. We performed long-term follow-ups to assess the quality of life, surgical complications, and satisfaction with surgical outcomes. RESULTS: Our study includes seventy-nine patients with a total of 108 eyes. The mean age at the time of DCR was 7.05 years (Std = 4, min = 0.3, max = 17.7) Mean follow-up time was 5.7 years (Std =2.5, min = 1.4, max = 11.1). Tubes were inserted for a mean of 129 days (Std = 101). Fifty-seven patients (72%) declared they had no complications after surgery, three patients (4%) reported pain after surgery, and 14 patients (17.7%) reported tube extrusion, which occurred 7-21 days after surgery. Forty-four patients (56%) reported no recurrence of symptoms, 29 (37%) complained of mild epiphora, and 18 (23%) reported some ocular discharge. Sixty-eight patients (86%) stated that they did not undergo additional surgery, while the remaining 11 (14%) reported undergoing a revision operation for symptom control. Satisfaction rate (1-7) mean score reported was 6.15 (Std = 1.6). Sixty-two (78%) reported improved quality of life, while 17 (22%) reported no improvement. Our questionnaire results have been compared with the TEARS scores with similar findings. CONCLUSION: Regardless of its etiology, endoscopic DCR surgery in the pediatric population is safe and efficient, with a high long-term patient satisfaction rate, as reported via a telephone questionnaire.

Acute onset ocular myasthenia gravis after vaccination with the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease that results in muscle weakness and fatigability. Extraocular involvement may be the first sign of disease. It may be triggered by infections, stress, or medications. We describe a first reported case of ocular MG induced by the viral vector Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, detail the pathophysiology of vaccine-induced MG, and explore the impact of COVID-19 on MG patients.

Acute subperiosteal orbital haematoma following general anaesthesia in the setting of recent trauma.

Subperiosteal orbital haematoma (SOH) is an uncommon condition that involves bleeding within the potential space between the periosteum and orbital bone. This typically occurs within the superior orbit. If the SOH is large enough it can compress orbital structures and be sight threatening. Therefore, it is important for the clinician to recognize the potential causes for this phenomenon which will help guide the diagnosis. Herein we describe a unique case of unilateral SOH in a 47-year-old male following otherwise uncomplicated general anaesthesia. This occurred 6 weeks after a motorbike accident in which there was no facial/ocular injury. This case report identifies for the first time the potential for a late-onset SOH in the setting of a stressor event. It also highlights the potential for this condition to occur following general anaesthesia in a supine patient having a non-cardiac procedure, previously recognized as a potential stressor.

Patient-specific Implants for Orbital Fractures: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: Orbital fractures are common facial fractures that can be challenging to repair and require careful attention to avoid unacceptable ophthalmic complications. Customized implants that are unique to an individual patient, or patient-specific implants (PSIs), have been increasingly used to repair orbital wall fractures. This systematic review summarizes the current evidence regarding custom-made orbital wall implants. METHODS: A keyword search of published literature from January 2010 to September 2021 was performed using Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library databases. Original articles that included more than 3 human subjects with an orbital fracture repaired with a PSI were included. The search results were reviewed, duplicates were removed and relevant articles were included for analysis. RESULTS: Fifteen articles meeting the inclusion criteria. The articles were categorized into 3 separate groups based on the method of PSI fabrication: manual molding of a PSI on a 3D-printed orbital model (53%), directly from a 3D printer (27%), or via a template fabricated from a 3D printer (20%). Three primary postoperative outcomes were assessed: rates of diplopia, enophthalmos, and orbital volume. Postoperative rates of diplopia and enophthalmos improved regardless of the PSI technique, and postoperative orbital volumes were reduced compared with their preoperative state. When PSIs were compared to conventional implants, patient outcomes were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: This review of existing PSI orbital implant literature highlights that while PSI can accurately and safely repair orbital fractures, patient outcomes are largely comparable to orbital fractures repaired by conventional methods, and PSI do not offer a definitive benefit over conventional implants.

Exfoliation syndrome: association with systemic diseases-the Maccabi glaucoma study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between exfoliation syndrome (XFS) and systemic diseases. METHODS: A population-based, retrospective study with control group was conducted using the electronic medical database of Maccabi Health Services, the second largest Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) in Israel. Study population included Maccabi members from January 2003 to April 2016. Cases consisted of patients diagnosed with XFS regardless of glaucoma. The control group included Maccabi members without XFS, matched on age, sex, and ancestry, that were examined by an ophthalmologist within the last year. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Associations between XFS and systemic diseases. RESULTS: We identified 16,388 patients with XFS, in whom 40.3% (n = 6613) had glaucoma. The control group included 14,015 patients. Mean age was 78.3 ± 8.9 years and 76.2 ± 8.5 years for the XFS and control group, respectively. In unconditional logistic regression analyses, after adjusting for age, sex, and ancestry, XFS was significantly associated with risk of cardiovascular diseases including hypertension (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.13, p = 0.02), myocardial infarction (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.17-1.31, p < 0.0001), and congestive heart failure (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.55-1.88, p < 0.0001) as well as higher risk for high creatinine (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.2-1.37, p < 0.0001). Diabetes mellitus and body mass index were inversely associated with XFS (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.67-0.73, p < 0.0001 and OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.84-0.93, p < 0.0001, respectively). Overall cancer diagnoses were more common in the XFS group (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.0-1.1, p = 0.05). XFS was associated with more hospitalizations (mean 5 ± 5.3 hospitalizations in the XFS group and 3.3 ± 4.0 in the controls, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: XFS is significantly associated with cardiovascular systemic diseases (in a population living in Israel and predominantly born in Russia).

Extraocular Muscle Enlargement and Proptosis Associated with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is an inflammatory neuropathy, which commonly causes peripheral neuropathy. It has rarely been associated with cranial nerve hypertrophy and neuro-ophthalmic manifestations. Proptosis secondary to cranial nerve hypertrophy has been reported in association with CIDP. The authors present a case of a 67-year-old man with CIDP who presented with bilateral proptosis, strabismus, and episodes of globe subluxation. The proptosis was mainly attributed to significant enlargement of the extraocular muscles, in addition to bilateral enlargement of the trigeminal nerves. There has been no published case of CIDP with associated enlargement of extraocular muscles without a history of underlying hyperthyroidism, inflammation, or malignancy. This may represent a new clinical finding in CIDP and adds to the limited literature on the neuro-ophthalmic and orbital associations of CIDP. The proptosis was managed with an uncomplicated bilateral orbital decompression.

Histopathologic Findings in Idiopathic Orbital Myositis.

PURPOSE: To report the histologic and clinical features of idiopathic orbital myositis (IOM) patients who underwent extraocular muscle (EOM) biopsy over 20 years, to provide the first methodical reference to the expected histopathologic findings, and to discuss the histopathologic differences from common differential diagnoses. DESIGN: Cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: All patients with a diagnosis of IOM who underwent EOM biopsy from 2000 through 2019 were included. Patients who had a different final diagnosis were excluded. METHODS: Tissue samples of EOM and medical records of all participants were reviewed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Histopathologic features of muscle biopsy, including tissue morphologic features and cellular composition. RESULTS: Thirteen patients met both inclusion and exclusion criteria, and their tissue samples were revisited. Nine patients showed histopathologic findings that suggested a conclusive diagnosis of IOM, and the study focused on them. The average age at presentation was 49 years, and 66.7% of patients were women. The most commonly biopsied EOM was the medial rectus (44.4%). The most common indications for biopsy were nonresolving orbital disease with inadequate response to corticosteroids (44.4%) or a high suspicion of malignancy because of known pre-existing systemic malignancy or the presence of an atypical orbital mass in addition to enlarged muscles (44.4%). The histopathologic findings that suggested a diagnosis of IOM were splaying of muscle fibers by inflammatory infiltrates (n = 9) and mild fibrosis (n = 8) in the endomysium or replacing muscle fibers, with no granulomas or vasculitis. The inflammatory infiltrates identified were of chronic inflammatory cells, consisting of lymphocytes (n = 9), plasma cells (n = 6), and histiocytes (n = 6). Other less commonly identified cells were eosinophils (n = 4), polymorphonuclears (n = 1), and giant cells (n = 1). Muscle fiber degeneration or regeneration was evident in 5 patients. Four patients from the initial cohort showed inconclusive histologic findings on revision and were reassigned as suspected IOM. CONCLUSIONS: The histopathologic features of involved muscles in IOM resemble those seen in idiopathic orbital inflammation and differ from those seen in common differential diagnoses. Extraocular muscle biopsy should be strongly considered whenever the presentation of orbital myositis is not typical or when significant underlying conditions are a possibility.

Changes in Refraction and Visual Acuity after Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty versus Posterior Approach Ptosis Procedures.

PURPOSE: To evaluate surgically induced refractive changes (SIRC) and visual acuity (VA) changes after blepharoplasty combined with posterior approach ptosis surgery (Müller's muscle-conjunctival resection [MMCR]) versus upper eyelid blepharoplasty alone. METHODS: In this prospective, comparative, clinical study on patients undergoing MMCR and blepharoplasty, comprehensive ophthalmic examinations were performed preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. SIRC were calculated with the 10-step Holladay method. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients participated in the study, 31 in the blepharoplasty group and 25 in the ptosis group. logMAR VA improved significantly after surgery in both groups (p < 0.001). In both groups, most patients showed significant changes in SIRC sphere and spherical equivalent of >0.5 D (blepharoplasty group: 61.29 and 67.74%; ptosis group: 72.72 and 72.72%, respectively). Patients undergoing combined blepharoplasty ptosis surgery showed the greatest SIRC cylinder. CONCLUSIONS: Upper eyelid blepharoplasty with or without MMCR is associated with significant SIRC 3 months postoperatively. This may affect decision-making for all patients, especially for those who intend to seek refractive correction in addition to the index upper eyelid surgery.

Long-Term Outcomes of Upper Eyelid Loading with Platinum Segment Chains for Lagophthalmos: An Adjustable Approach.

PURPOSE: This article reports the outcomes of a 5-year series of individually sutured platinum segment chains for upper eyelid loading. DESIGN: Consecutive case series. METHODS: Platinum segments of 0.4 and 0.2 g were assembled to create the desired weight and were placed in a supratarsal location after levator aponeurosis recession. Primary outcome measures included lagophthalmos on blink, gentle and forced eyelid closure, upper eyelid margin-to-reflex distance (MRD1), corneal staining, static and dynamic validated scoring for facial palsy patients, and complications. Secondary outcome measures were visual acuity, occurrence of induced ptosis, need for further surgery, cosmesis, and quality of life evaluation. RESULTS: During 2013-2018, a total of 122 upper eyelids of 117 patients received platinum segment chains (mean weight, 1.2 ± 0.2 g; range, 0.8-1.6 g) for lagophthalmos. Median follow-up was 17.4 months. All grades of lagophthalmos were reduced (P < 0.001), with mean reductions of 3.6, 2.5, and 1.5 mm on blink, gentle, and forced closures, respectively. Mean MRD1 was reduced by 1.4 mm (P < 0.001). Overall, 36 eyelids (29.5%) underwent revision surgery at 9.1 ± 9.2 months after implantation. Of those, 6 eyelids (5.0%) required 2 or more procedures. No platinum allergy occurred. The chain was graded as having no prominence in 77.5% of eyelids; the eyelids were graded as having a normal contour in 70.8% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Platinum segments are US Food and Drug Administration approved and provide benefits of platinum chains with the additional advantages of allowing postoperative adjustability, reduced health care costs, and less likelihood of inducing allergy than gold. Platinum segments are an ideal first-line loading implant for lagophthalmos.

No impact of nasal septoplasty on the outcome of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of combined endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (endoDCR) with nasal septoplasty for deviation of the nasal septum to endoDCR alone in cases of nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study that included 107 consecutive patients with NLDO, who underwent endoDCR with or without concomitant nasal septoplasty in our institution between October 2009 and October 2017. RESULTS: A total of 117 operations were performed (107 patients, 80.4% females; mean age ± SD 51.1 ± 19.5 years). Twenty-five (21.4%) endoscopic surgeries were combined with septoplasty (the endoDCR + septoplasty group), and 92 (78.6%) comprised endoDCR alone (the endoDCR group). There was no difference in anatomical success and functional success rates between the two groups (P = 0.76 and P = 0.18, respectively). There were no complications attributed to the septoplasty component of the surgical procedure. CONCLUSION: Considerable numbers of patients undergoing endoDCR also require a septoplasty. Combining an additional procedure (septoplasty), that was not performed for its original indication but rather for facilitating the main surgical intervention (endoDCR), yields surgical success and associated complications equivalent to those of endoDCR alone.

Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy with and without mucosal flap-is there any difference?

BACKGROUND: The nasal mucosa is sacrificed in conventional endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomies (EDCRs). Some surgeons, however, modify the technique by elevating a mucosal flap prior to creating the osteotomy with the aim of preserving the mucosa. To our knowledge, no clear-cut benefit of a mucosal flap has been established. The aim of this study is to examine the differences in surgical techniques and success rates of EDCRs with and without mucosal flap preservation. METHODS: We carried out a medical record review of all patients who underwent primary EDCR at the Goldschleger Eye Institute from October 2009 to October 2017. The following data were retrieved from the medical database and analyzed: patient demographics (age at diagnosis and gender), medical history, examination findings, surgical details, postoperative success, complications, and follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 107 patients who underwent 117 EDCRs participated in the study. Fifty-one patients comprised the group without a mucosal flap and 56 patients comprised the group with mucosal flap preservation. The medical history, presenting complaints, and preoperative examination findings were similar for both groups. The surgical success rate was not significantly different between the groups (82.1% without flap vs. 86.8% with flap, P = 0.478, Chi-square). CONCLUSION: The findings of this comparison of EDCRs with and without mucosal flap preservation in a large patient population revealed no differences in surgical success or complications rates between the two procedures and, therefore, no benefit for adding flap preservation to conventional EDCRs.

Submental and Anterior Neck Originated Full-Thickness Skin Grafts for Periocular Procedures.

PURPOSE: The submental and neck regions share cutaneous features with the face and are suitable donor sites for facial full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs). Age-related laxity and skin redundancy in the cervicomental region may be an additional motivator to use its skin. We aim to describe, raise awareness, and remind surgeons of the utilization of submental and anterior neck as sources of FTSG for the periocular region, particularly when traditional donor sites are unavailable. METHODS: Retrospective case series of 5 patients who underwent periocular FTSG from anterior neck and submental regions between January 2017 and January 2019. All patients had contraindications to the usually preferred graft donor sites. Main outcome measures were surgical functional results and cosmesis. RESULTS: Five patients (all female) received FTSGs using anterior neck and submental regions as donor sites. Two patients required skin grafts due to eyelid retraction and anterior lamella shortening; one due to previous multiple basal cell carcinoma excisions with FTSG reconstructions and the other due to chronic Bell's palsy. Three patients required skin grafts for Hughes flap reconstruction after excision of lower eyelid basal cell carcinoma. In all patients, conventional skin donor sites were unavailable or unsuitable due to previous skin grafting, actinic changes, postauricular situated hearing aids or patient's preference. All patients achieved good cosmesis and functional results. None of the patients experienced donor site morbidities. CONCLUSIONS: Submental and anterior neck regions are useful FTSG donor sites for periocular procedures, particularly in elderly female patients with submental fullness and neck skin redundancy.

Multiple myeloma manifesting as an ocular salmon patch - a case report.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most prevalent hematologic malignancy after non-Hodgkin lymphoma and is currently considered incurable. Clinical ophthalmic manifestations of MM are rare but at the same time diverse. Ocular surface manifestations of multiple myeloma are uncommon. Conjunctival 'salmon patch' is a typical ocular surface ophthalmological sign with a distinct set of differential diagnoses, including most often ocular adnexal lymphoma. This case report presents a 33-year-old female with a relapse of MM manifesting as a conjunctival 'salmon patch'. The patient initially responded well to medical management including high dose melphalan supported by a third autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and did not require further surgical excision of the ocular lesion. It is suggested that MM should be included in the differential diagnosis of 'salmon patch' conjunctival lesions.

Overuse and Underuse of Visual Field Testing Over 15 Years.

PRéCIS:: A 15-year analysis of 198,843 visual field (VF) tests revealed a growing trend for their performance for nonglaucoma indications. Adherence to glaucoma management guidelines was suboptimal. Guidelines for referral to VF assessments should be established. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify trends in VF assessments over 15 years among patients with and without suspected or confirmed glaucoma, in a large healthcare maintenance organization. METHODS: This was a population-based retrospective cohort study, conducted by means of electronic medical database analyses. STUDY POPULATION: Maccabi Healthcare Services is an healthcare maintenance organization that insures 2 million members constituting 25% of the population. All members who underwent at least 1 VF test between January 2000 and December 2014 were included. In addition, all members with glaucoma or suspected glaucoma diagnosis or who were prescribed with antiglaucoma medications were evaluated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: VF performance rates. RESULTS: A total of 93,617 Maccabi Healthcare Services members underwent 198,843 VF tests; of whom 47.9% involved patients without any glaucoma-related conditions. There was a growing trend over time toward more of those members to undergo VF tests and, by 2014, non-glaucoma-related members comprised 74.0% of new VF assessments. In contrast, 32.3% of glaucoma-related patients did not perform even 1 VF test throughout the entire study period. Although over 2 years (25.95±6.33 mo) passed between the first glaucoma-related diagnosis and first VF test, once a patient underwent the first VF test, an average once-a-year VF follow-up (0.95±0.37 annual tests) began. CONCLUSION: There is a growing trend for VF tests being apparently overused for indications other than glaucoma. Concurrently, adherence to glaucoma management guidelines on VF tests is suboptimal, leading to discernible underuse. Guidelines for VF assessments in nonglaucoma patients should be established. Adherence to existing glaucoma management guidelines should be improved.

Therapeutic contact lenses vs. tight bandage patching and pain following pterygium excision: a prospective randomized controlled study.

PURPOSE: The immediate postoperative management of patients undergoing pterygium excision usually includes eye patching in order to alleviate pain and prevent accidental tissue damage. Commonly applied tight patching with gauze bandages results in decreased field of monocular vision and discomfort. The aim of this study was to evaluate the patient-centered outcome of pterygium surgery when therapeutic contact lenses (TCL) are used instead of tight bandage patching in the first 24 postoperative hours. METHODS: Prospective randomized controlled study. Sixty patients with primary pterygium who underwent pterygium surgery consisting of conjunctival autografting with 10-0 Vicryl sutures were randomized into two groups, bandaged with TCLs and tight bandage patching. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Degree of pain on an 0-10 scale, use of pain killers, level of patient discomfort, sleep quality, and visual acuity (VA). RESULTS: Sixty patients were studied. The pain level and pain duration during the first postoperative day was significantly lower in the tight bandage patching group compared with the TCL group (P = 0.034, P = 0.04 respectively). Sleep quality was significantly poorer in the TCL group (P = 0.004). The VA on the first postoperative day was similar for the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The application of TCL in the first 24 h after pterygium surgery resulted in more discomfort and pain and decreased quality of sleep compared with tight bandage patching. Despite the limitation in monocular vision and the inconvenience of gauze bandages, they are preferred over TCL for alleviating pain following pterygium surgery.

Challenging Management of Double Vision After Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery-A Series of 6 Cases.

PURPOSE: To present 6 cases of orbital trauma, diplopia and strabismus after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). DESIGN: Retrospective observational case series. METHODS: The medical charts of suitable patients were reviewed for information on medical examination, imaging studies, the type of corrective surgery, and surgical outcomes. STUDY POPULATION: All patients with diplopia and strabismus after undergoing FESS who were treated or consulted at our institution between 2008 and 2017 were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The presence and extent of strabismus and double vision at the end of follow-up. RESULTS: Six patients complained of diplopia after FESS; all of them had proven orbital trauma. In Cases 1-5, patients suffered medial rectus (MR) muscle transection and subsequent exotropia. Their prognosis was guarded despite prompt surgical intervention, and ranged from large exotropia when direct recovery of the MR was attempted, to primary gaze orthotropia but with minimal adduction capacity, during which vertical recti transposition was attempted. Patient 6 sustained transient diplopia, although all of his extraocular muscles appeared intact on imaging. His eye position and movement were completely resolved with conservative measures only. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience was that immediate recovery procedures to reattach the muscle in cases with proven transection of the MR muscle are futile, and that definitive corrective strabismus surgery (ie, vertical muscle transposition) has a better chance to achieve favorable results.

Trabeculectomy with Ex-PRESS implant versus Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation-a comparative study.

AIM: To compare the surgical outcomes of trabeculectomy with Ex-PRESS implant and Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation. METHODS: Patients who underwent trabeculectomy with Ex-PRESS implants or AGV implantation separately were included in this retrospective chart review. Main outcome measures were surgical failure and complications. Failure was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) >21 mm Hg or <5 mm Hg on two consecutive visits after 3mo, reoperation for glaucoma, or loss of light perception. Eyes that had not failed were considered as complete success if they did not required supplemental medical therapy. RESULTS: A total of 64 eyes from 57 patients were included: 31 eyes in the Ex-PRESS group and 33 eyes in the AGV group. The mean follow-up time was 2.6±1.1y and 3.3±1.6y, respectively. Patients in the AGV group had significantly higher baseline mean IOP (P=0.005), lower baseline mean visual acuity (VA) (P=0.02), and higher proportion of patients with history of previous trabeculectomy (P<0.0001). Crude failure rates were 16.1%, n=5/31 in the Ex-PRESS group and 24.2%, n=8/33 in the AGV group. The cumulative proportion of failure was similar between the groups, P=0.696. The proportion of eyes that experienced postoperative complications was 32.3% in the Ex-PRESS group and 60.1% in the AGV group (P=0.0229). CONCLUSION: Trabeculectomy with Ex-PRESS implant and AGV implantation had comparable failure rates. The AGV group had more post-operative complications, but also included more complex cases with higher baseline mean IOP, worse baseline mean VA, and more previous glaucoma surgeries. Therefore, the results are limited to the cohort included in this study.

Endophthalmitis today: a multispecialty ophthalmology department perspective.

PURPOSE: To portray the current scene of endophthalmitis in a multispecialty ophthalmology department regarding etiologies and treatment guidelines. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of all patients diagnosed with endophthalmitis or suspected endophthalmitis from 2009 to 2012. RESULTS: A total of 24 eyes were diagnosed with endophthalmitis or suspected endophthalmitis during a 4-year period. The etiologies included endogenous endophthalmitis (6), blebitis (3), Ahmed valve implantation (3, 2 of them with late infection), postcataract surgery (3), intravitreal injections (4), penetrating injury (2), and other surgical procedures (3). Of the postcataract surgery cases, 1 was a congenital cataract surgery, and 2 were referrals. There were no endophthalmitis cases in 4603 adults undergoing cataract surgery in our department during this period. There were 14 positive cultures: 1 was candida and the rest bacteria. Ten of the bacteria cases were Gram-positive cocci (predominantly strep species), 3 were Gram-negative, and coagulase negative staphylococci were detected in 2 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates a significant change in the case mix of endophthalmitis. The past leading cause, cataract surgery, was dramatically reduced, and intravitreal injections became a major cause. The change in etiologies, and possibly in the microbial flora, warrants reconsideration of the rules that guided the management of endophthalmitis since the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study.