ABSTRACT
Background: Intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy is the gold standard in the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). In recent literature, the benefit of additional photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been debated. The aim of our study was to compare the functional and structural effects of long-term combination therapy with PDT plus ranibizumab with monotherapy with ranibizumab. Material and Methods: In a retrospective study, patients suffering from nAMD were followed up for at least 42 months. Patients were assigned to group A (monotherapy with ranibizumab according to pro re nata [PRN]) or group B (combination therapy with one-time PDT plus ranibizumab according to PRN). The best-corrected visual acuity (BVCA) was evaluated at the starting and end points, together with central retinal thickness (CRT), maximal retinal thickness (MRT) and the maximal diameter of the base of the subretinal plaque in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), at the first measurement and at the end point. Results: Group A consisted of 21 eyes (17 patients) and group B consisted of 12 eyes (11 patients). The average follow-up from starting to end point was 64 months and 47 months, from the first measurement of SD-OCT to the end point. Within this period, patients in group A received 19 ± 14 intravitreal injections, and patients in group B received 22 ± 10 intravitreal injections. BCVA at the starting point was 0.31 ± 0.26 in group A and 0.31 ± 0.17 in group B. At the end point, BCVA in group A was 0.29 ± 0.25 (p = 0.405), and in group B 0.25 ± 0.20 (p = 0.142). CRT decreased in group A by 72 ± 178 µm (p = 0.024) and group B by 28 ± 98 (p = 0.1335). MRT decreased in group A by 25 ± 135 µm (p = 0.166) and in group B by 2 ± 118 µm (p = 0.421). The base of the subretinal plaque increased in group A by 32 ± 1468 µm (p = 0.242) and in group B by 748 ± 1024 (p = 0.025). Conclusion: In a long-term follow-up of 5.3 years, patients with nAMD in both groups exhibited good stabilisation of visual acuity. In both groups, retinal thickness decreased and the base of the subretinal plaque increased. With respect to SD-OCT morphological criteria, patients in group A (monotherapy) responded slightly better to therapy than patients in group B (combination group).
Subject(s)
Photochemotherapy/methods , Ranibizumab/administration & dosage , Tomography, Optical Coherence/methods , Visual Acuity , Wet Macular Degeneration/drug therapy , Wet Macular Degeneration/pathology , Aged , Angiogenesis Inhibitors/administration & dosage , Combined Modality Therapy/methods , Female , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Treatment Outcome , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/antagonists & inhibitors , Wet Macular Degeneration/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pupil centroid shift (PCS) is an easily measured parameter which is rarely taken into consideration when planning surgery. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the physiological range of PCS and to evaluate its role in refractive and cataract surgery. METHODS: The pupil center was measured in 103 eyes of 103 patients using the newest PCS module of the Allegro Topolyzer Vario (Version 1.76r58, Wavelight-Alcon, Erlangen, Germany) and the difference between a mesopic and a photopic environment was determined as PCSm. Additionally, these measurements were linearly extrapolated to pupil diameters of 2 mm and 7 mm (photopic-scotopic, PCSe). The statistical analysis included correlations between various demographic and topographic parameters and PCS. RESULTS: The average (± standard deviation) PCSm was 0.12 ± 0.08 mm with a range of 0.02-0.53 mm, with 2 eyes out of 95 (2%) having a PCSm of more than 0.4 mm. The extrapolated PCSe was 0.24 ± 0.16 mm and ranged from 0.03 to 0.78 mm, with 14 eyes out of 95 (15%) having a PCSe of more than 0.4 mm. Of the 95 eyes 3 (3%) showed a PCSe of more than 0.7 mm. There was no correlation between PCS with any of the demographic parameters tested. CONCLUSION: Up to 15% of the patients showed a PCS of more than 0.4 mm which requires a decision of the (refractive) ophthalmic surgeon as to whether the optical zone should be centered on the photopic or mesopic/scotopic pupil center. In the 3% of patients with a PCSe value greater than 0.7 mm, the implantation of multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) is not recommended.
Subject(s)
Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted/methods , Ophthalmoscopy/methods , Pupil Disorders/pathology , Torsion Abnormality/pathology , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: More than 10 years after the clinical introduction of corneal cross-linking (CXL) the indications and contraindications are still not yet defined. Fundamental for such a list is the incidence of complications. METHODS: A PubMed search for complications of corneal crosslinking published up to March 2013 was carried out. RESULTS: The published complication rates ranged from 1 % to 10 % depending on the stage of keratoconus. Early postoperative complications were transient stromal haze, sterile infiltrates, endothelium decompensation, delayed epithelial healing and infectious keratitis. Stromal opacity can be a delayed postoperative event. CONCLUSIONS: Complications after corneal cross-linking treatment for keratoconus are rare but the management of these complications may need keratoplasty.