Evaluation of implanted perforated lacrimal punctal plugs using anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of the patency and position of perforated lacrimal punctal plugs implanted for treating punctal stenosis together with quantitative assessment of the precorneal tear film using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). METHODS: In a prospective study, the lower punctum of 54 eyes of 29 patients implanted with perforated punctal plugs were examined using AS-OCT during the early postoperative period. Preoperative tear meniscus height (TMH) and tear meniscus area (TMA) were evaluated. Postoperatively, the patency of the plug, its position, TMH and TMA were evaluated, and the results were correlated with postoperative epiphora. Munk scale was used for epiphora grading. RESULTS: Using AS-OCT, 48 (88.9%) plugs were found in proper position while 6 (11.1%) were rotated. The lumen of the plugs was completely patent in 47 (87%) plugs, partially obstructed in 2 (3.7%) plugs and completely occluded in 5 (9.2%) plugs. There was a statistically significant postoperative decrease of TMH and TMA (P < 0.001) and postoperative epiphora Munk score (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: AS-OCT is a valuable, reliable, and noninvasive investigative tool that can detect the proper positioning, patency, and contents of the implanted perforated lacrimal punctal plugs in addition to measurement of TMH and TMA. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04624022, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04624022.

Combined endophthalmitis and orbital cellulitis in patients with corona virus disease (COVID-19).

PURPOSE: To document the presentation of unilateral combined endophthalmitis and orbital cellulitis in patients with COVID-19 infection and study their prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This interventional case series study included 9 patients referred to the Ophthalmology Department, Minia University Hospital with unilateral combined endophthalmitis and orbital cellulitis between April 2020 and March 2021. In addition to the COVID-19 work-up, all patients were subjected to full ophthalmological evaluation and managed according to their ophthalmic and systemic disease. RESULTS: The patients were 5 females and 4 males. They had clinical, laboratory and imaging findings that confirmed COVID-19 infection. All patients had unilateral endophthalmitis with orbital cellulitis and profound visual loss in the affected eye. Three patients died due to respiratory failure, while 6 patients recovered systemically. The survived patients developed atrophia bulbi in 4 patients and in 2 patients, the globe retained normal size but with complete visual loss. CONCLUSION: Combined endophthalmitis and orbital cellulitis can be one of the early presentations of patients with COVID-19 infection with poor visual prognosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical registration: clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04456556 .

Resorbable polylactic acid polymer plates in repair of blow-out orbital floor fractures.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of the resorbable polylactic acid polymer implants (Resorb X) in the management of orbital floor blow-out fractures as regards safety, cosmetic, and functional results. METHODS: In a prospective, interventional case series, 22 patients with traumatic blow-out floor fractures underwent lower fornix transconjunctival repair using polylactic acid implant insertion over the defect without fixation. Orbital imaging was done preoperatively, at 1 month and 1 year postoperatively with orbital computed tomography with 2 mm cuts of axial, sagittal, and coronal scans. Outcome measures included the maximum vertical height of the orbit at the fracture plane and its changes over time. RESULTS: At the final follow-up, both limitation of elevation and diplopia improved in 82% of cases, while 63.6% of cases showed improvement of enophthalmos. Radiological restoration of the orbital vertical height was recorded in 100% of cases without implant displacement at 1 month. However, after 1 year, a significant floor bowing was found in 45.5% of cases, which showed a strong positive correlation with preoperative defect size (r = 0.820). CONCLUSIONS: Resorb X mesh plates can be a good option for the safe reconstruction of orbital floor blow-out fractures. Good anatomical and functional results were obtained in small orbital floor defects. Late bowing under pressure may limit their use in medium-sized floor defects.

Anatomical and functional outcomes of subthreshold micropulse laser versus intravitreal ranibizumab injection in treatment of diabetic macular edema.

BACKGROUND: To compare the therapeutic effects of subthreshold micropulse laser (SML) versus intravitreal injection of ranibizumab in treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) both anatomically using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and functionally using best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG). METHODS: his study was an interventional prospective randomized comparative study. The study included 120 eyes classified into 3 groups: Group 1 included 40 eyes of 28 patients treated by SML laser, group 2 included 40 eyes of 32 patients treated by intravitreal injection of ranibizumab, and group 3 (control group for mfERG) included 40 eyes of 20 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) of more than 10 year duration with no signs of diabetic retinopathy (DR). BCVA measurements, OCT and mfERG were done for the cases before and after interference and were followed up for 6 months RESULTS: By the end of the follow up period, BCVA significantly improved by 31% in group 1 vs 93% in group 2 with a statistically highly significant difference between the two groups (p value < 0.001). There was also a significant decrease in central subfield thickness in both groups with more reduction in group 2 compared with group 1 (p value < 0.001). There was a significant improvement in P1 amplitude of mf-ERG in group 2 (p value < 0.002) with no significant improvement in group 1. There was a significant decrease in P1 implicit time in group 2 (p value < 0.001) while there was no significant decrease in group1. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal injection of ranibizumab is a superior treatment modality for DME compared with SML regarding both anatomical and functional outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION:  This study has been approved by the local ethical committee of faculty of medicine of Minia University and retrospectively registered at the clinical trial gov. with Identifier: NCT04332133.

Clinical profile and outcomes of management of orbital cellulitis in Upper Egypt.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this paper is to study the etiology, clinical findings, and outcomes of management of cases of orbital cellulitis treated in Minia University Hospital in Upper Egypt over the period of 6 years from July 2009 to July 2015. One-hundred two patients diagnosed to have orbital cellulitis were admitted to the hospital and treated on inpatient basis from July 2009 to July 2015. All patients were subjected to full ophthalmological examination, systemic evaluation, and ear, nose, and throat (ENT) consultation. Axial and coronal CT scan and orbital echography were done for all patients. All patients received medical treatments, and 20 patients needed surgical intervention. RESULTS: The source of infection was paranasal sinusitis in 66 patients, trauma in 14 cases, panophthalmitis in 6 patients, and dental infection in 2 cases, and no definite source was detected in 14 cases. Subperiosteal abscess (SPA) developed in 16 patients. The final best corrected visual acuity improved in 58% of the cases, decreased in 4%, and remained unchanged in 38% of cases. No intracranial complication was recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Good presenting visual acuity and appropriate medical treatment together with early surgical intervention in cases of SPA are important factors to achieve favorable outcomes in orbital cellulitis. All cases with SPA had paranasal sinusitis, and contrary to previous studies, superior SPA location was the most common followed by the medial location.

In Vivo Positional Analysis of Implantable Collamer Lens Using Ultrasound Biomicroscopy.

Purpose. To evaluate the anterior segment, the anatomical position of the implantable collamer lenses (ICL), and its relationship to adjacent ocular structures using Ultrasound Biomicroscopy (UBM). Methods. In a prospective study, 142 myopic eyes of 93 patients implanted with Visian ICL were subjected to UBM examination between March 2010 and January 2015. The relative position of ICL to the adjacent structure and the overall iris configuration were evaluated. The machine calibers were used to measure the minimum central distance between the ICL and anterior lens capsule (vault) and the vertical central distance between the corneal endothelium and the ICL (E-ICL). Results. The mean ICL vault was 376 ± 105 µm. The mean E-ICL was 2826 ± 331 µm. Contact between ICL and the posterior epithelium of the iris was present in all eyes. The overall iris configuration was flat in 89 eyes. Central anterior convexity was present in 41 eyes and mild peripheral iris bombe in 12 eyes. The haptics could be imaged in the ciliary sulcus in 112 eyes and at least one haptic resting on the lens periphery and zonules in 30 eyes. Conclusion. UBM can provide valuable anatomical information that allows detailed postoperative in vivo assessment of ICL.

Gold weight implants for management of thyroid-related upper eyelid retraction.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of gold weight implantation in the upper eyelid in the treatment of upper eyelid retraction caused by thyroid ophthalmopathy as regards the cosmetic and functional results and the safety of the procedure. PATIENTS AND METHOD: This is a surgical intervention case series study. The study was carried out in Ophthalmology Department in El-Minya University Hospital between January 2013 and January 2014. The study was approved by the ethical committee board of El-Minya University. Test weights were applied to the skin of the upper eyelid using special adhesive tape in the sitting position to determine the suitable implantable weight. Three interrupted nonabsorbable sutures (5/0 Dacron) were used to secure the gold weight to the tarsus. The orbicularis was closed using interrupted 6/0 vicryl sutures. The skin was closed using interrupted 6/0 nylon sutures. RESULTS: As regards the postoperative results, by the end of the follow-up period, improvement of eyelid retraction was present in all cases. Normal upper eyelid margin position (covering 2 mm of the cornea) was attained in 10 eyelids (76.92%). Undercorrection was observed in 3 eyelids (23.07%). Two eyelids covered 1 mm of the cornea, and 1 eyelid rested at the upper limbus. All patients (100%) were satisfied as regards the cosmetic results, with the degree of satisfaction ranging between very good for 3 patients and excellent for 4 patients. One patient had bilateral brick-shaped appearance. CONCLUSIONS: Gold weight implantation for treatment of thyroid-related upper eyelid retraction markedly improves the cosmetic appearance of the patient and, to a lesser extent, improves the manifestations of exposure with high patient satisfaction, and it is a relatively easy and safe procedure.