Branch retinal vein occlusion secondary to hormone replacement therapy in a transgender woman.

PURPOSE: To report a case of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) in a transgender woman having undergone hormone replacement therapy. METHODS: Observational case report. RESULTS: A 44-year-old transgender woman on hormone replacement therapy with transdermal estradiol gel for the past 6 years was referred for sudden loss of vision and metamorphopsia in her left eye (LE) for the past 3 weeks. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/20 in her right eye (RE) and 20/40 in her LE. Dilated fundus examination showed deep flame-shaped hemorrhages, cotton wool spots, and arteriovenous crossing changes. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT, Spectralis; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) showed retinal edema in the superonasal perifoveal area. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA PlexElite, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc, Dublin, CA) revealed the presence of areas of non-perfusion, disorganization of the capillary network and capillary ectasia and dilation. The patient was treated with 3 monthly intravitreal injections of aflibercept. Three-month follow up revealed complete resolution of the macular edema, with BCVA having improved to 20/20 in the LE. CONCLUSION: As estrogen increases cardiovascular risk when used in hormone replacement therapy, RVO is a complication that must be taken into account by clinicians, especially in transgender women (male-to-female) who are more at risk.

Sutureless intrascleral fixation using a uniquely designed intraocular lens.

We report our experience in the surgical technique of sutureless intrascleral posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC IOL) fixation in patients with insufficient capsular support using a uniquely designed, foldable, acrylic Carlevale IOL. It is specifically designed for sutureless scleral fixation and is equipped with a small plug attached to each of two haptics to anchor the lens to the sclera with a self-retaining mechanism. This surgery does not require creation of a scleral tunnel or transscleral exposure or excessive manipulation of the haptics. The harpoon-like plugs provide great stability to this implant, which can be injected through a 2.2mm incision. The characteristics of this IOL and the relative simplicity of this implantation technique makes it widely applicable in aphakic patients after previous complicated cataract surgery.

[Abnormal retinal artery perfusion and optical coherence tomography angiography]. / Trouble de la perfusion artérielle rétinienne et tomographie en cohérence optique-angiographie.

INTRODUCTION: To analyze optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) findings in patients with impaired retinal artery perfusion secondary to occlusion of the central retinal artery or its branches, cilioretinal artery occlusion or retinal vein occlusion (RVO). METHODS: In this retrospective observational study of patients with impaired retinal artery perfusion, we recorded the results of clinical examination and multimodal imaging, including fluorescein angiography, spectral-domain (SD)-OCT, and OCT-A (Optovue) of the central 10 degrees with measurement of vascular density. RESULTS: The files of 10 patients were analyzed (5 men, mean age: 63 years), including 3 retinal artery occlusions, 4 cilioretinal artery occlusions, isolated or combined with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), and 3 RVO with an arterial component. SD-OCT showed hyper-reflectivity of the inner nuclear layer consistent with paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) in the acute stage (8 eyes) resulting in retinal atrophy as early as the following month. OCT-A revealed capillary dropout in all patients with various degrees, the deep capillary plexus seemed to be more involved than the superficial plexus. A fern-like pattern was observed on en-face OCT in 4 eyes, outlining venular contours. Vascular density was significantly diminished (whole en-face density in the deep capillary plexus: 50.39 vs. 56.21 in the control group, P=0.001). On fluorescein angiography, reperfusion was observed in half of the eyes. CONCLUSION: OCT-A can be very useful in patients with a transitory arterial occlusion by revealing involvement of the superficial and deep capillary plexus. It may enable a retrospective diagnosis in the case of reperfusion.

[Comparison of early management of central retinal vein occlusion with ranibizumab versus hemodilution]. / Comparaison de la prise en charge précoce des occlusions de la veine centrale de la rétine par ranibizumab et/ou hémodilution.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of early treatment of CRVO with either hemodilution by erythrocytopheresis or intravitreal (IVT) ranibizumab, or both. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A multicentric prospective randomized study including patients with CRVO for less than 1 month was designed. Patients were randomized into 3 treatment groups: hemodilution (HD group), 3 monthly intravitreal injections of ranibizumab followed by PRN treatment (IVT group), or combined treatment (IVT+HD group). A monthly evaluation during a 6-month follow-up included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and macular thickness measurements with OCT. Fluorescein angiography was performed at baseline, month 2 and month 6. Local and systemic tolerability of the different treatments were also compared. RESULTS: Forty-four CRVO patients were included between February 2010 and June 2013: 20 in the IVT group, 13 in the HD group and 11 in the HD+IVT group. The mean duration of CRVO at baseline was 10 days and 16 days at the time of treatment without any significant difference between groups. Retinal ischemia was present at baseline in 40% of eyes in each group. After a 6-month follow-up, no difference between the 3 groups was observed in BCVA (10.5 ETDRS letters, 14.6 and 14.1 in the IVT group, HD group and IVT+HD group respectively, P=0.726) or in macular thickness (398 µ, 440 µ and 379 µ respectively, P=0.465). The time until treatment from CRVO onset, ranging from 1 to 35 days, was not correlated to final outcomes. No significant difference in the mean number of IVT (3.2 in the IVT+HD group vs 3.7 in the IVT group) was observed at 6 months. CONCLUSION: No difference in BCVA nor in macular thickness was seen at M6 between the study groups. The duration of CRVO at the time of the initiation of the treatment was not correlated to better visual outcomes. Therefore, etiologic treatment with HD can still be proposed as a first-line treatment in young patients, which allows delaying or avoiding the IVT treatment and its potential side effects. Anti-VEGF IVT still remains an effective option in every case and can be started one month after the beginning of the CRVO.

[Anti-VEGF therapy in the treatment of anterior segment neovascularization secondary to central retinal vein occlusion]. / Apport des anti-VEGF dans le traitement de la néovascularisation du segment antérieur compliquant les occlusions veineuses rétiniennes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the benefit of anti-VEGF in the treatment of anterior segment neovascularization (ASNV), a severe complication of ischemic central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective case series of consecutive patients with ASNV secondary to CRVO treated with anti-VEGF. Ophthalmic parameters were recorded for each visit: measurement of best visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), iris examination, gonioscopy and fundus examination, and as necessary, fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography. Minimum follow-up was 6 months. RESULTS: Nineteen patients (19 eyes) received intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF in association with panretinal photocoagulation (PRP). In patients who had uncomplicated rubeosis iridis without elevated IOP (n=6), after a mean of 3 injections, VA was stable in 4 patients and improved by two lines in 2 patients. In patients with early neovascular glaucoma (NVG) (n=13), IOP reduction was observed in all eyes within 1 week after injection but increased secondarily after an average of 45 days, although the rubeosis had definitively disappeared, which suggested that the change in IOP was independent of ASNV. After a mean of 6 injections in combination with filtering or cyclodestructive surgery, IOP finally stabilized, but VA decreased in all patients. Three patients (50%) with stage III ASNV progressed to stage IV ASNV in spite of anti-VEGF treatment. CONCLUSION: In all eyes, anti-VEGF treatment stopped neovascularization and helped to control IOP. However, vision was preserved only in the eyes with uncomplicated rubeosis at the time of diagnosis. Since only 32% of eyes were diagnosed at this stage, the authors suggest the prevention of ASNV by careful screening and follow-up of patients at risk, and the performance of PRP in CRVO with extensive retinal non-perfusion prior to the onset of rubeosis.

[Management of macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion]. / Prise en charge de l'œdème maculaire secondaire à une occlusion veineuse rétinienne.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, intravitreal injections have added to the treatment modalities available for macular edema (ME) secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO). This article aims to provide an update regarding the management of ME secondary to RVO. METHODS: A work group met in order to analyze the literature available on Embase/PubMed, regarding treatments for venous occlusion that have received market approval and are reimbursed in France. In total, 33 articles were selected. Consensus within the group for recommendations was based on this data from the literature review and clinical experience and was reported in this article. RESULTS: The management of ME secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) or central vein occlusion of the retina (CRVO) differs on a number of points. Methods of best practice were discussed separately for BRVO and CRVO, taking into account various ocular and associated parameters. DISCUSSION: Ranibizumab and dexamethasone implant are the first-line treatments for visual impairment due to ME secondary to RVO. The choice of either of these drugs may take into account various ocular and extraocular parameters. A change of treatment to one or the other or to laser may also be considered during follow-up.

[Efficacy of intravitreal injections of ranibizumab compared to visudyne phototherapy in myopic choroidal neovascularization associated with high myopia]. / Comparaison du traitement par injections intravitréennes de ranibizumab à la photothérapie dynamique dans la néovascularisation choroïdienne compliquant la myopie forte.

INTRODUCTION: Myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is the first cause of CNV in young patients. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of intravitreal injections (IVT) of ranibizumab with photodynamic therapy (PDT) in this indication. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective comparative study analyzing the visual acuity (VA) outcomes of CNV myopic patients treated with either IVT or PDT. RESULTS: Twenty-seven eyes of 25 patients were treated with PDT (group 1) and 18 eyes of 17 patients were treated with IVT of ranibizumab (group 2). Demographic data were similar in the two groups. The median initial VA was 20/80 for group 1 and 20/160 for group 2 (P=0.37). At 1 year, the median VA was 20/80 for group 1 (P=0.32) and 20/63 for group 2 (P=0.04). A significant improvement in VA was observed in 23.1% and in 27.3% of cases in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P=0.53). A significant VA worsening was observed in 34.6% of cases in group 1 and in 9.1% of cases in group 2 (P=0.21). CONCLUSION: IVT of ranibizumab compared to PDT treatment showed greater efficacy in this study.

[Preconceived ideas, paradoxes, and new concepts in retinal vein occlusion]. / Idées reçues, paradoxes et nouveaux concepts en matière d'occlusion veineuse rétinienne.

Retinal vein occlusion is the second cause of vascular retinopathy after diabetic retinopathy and often leads to poor visual outcome. In a simplified form, the authors attempt to rectify a number of preconceived ideas about retinal vein occlusion and introduce new concepts in order to assist in the understanding of their mechanisms. Various paradoxes are explained, such as the presence of arterial risk factors in this venous disorder, the atypical combination of retinal ischemia and the absence of vascular non-perfusion on fluorescein angiography, the fact that macular edema is larger in the ischemic form than in the well-perfused form, the aggravating role of contraceptive hormonal therapy, the protective role of substitutive hormonal therapy, etc. The current controversies are underlined: the seasonal onset of the disease, the role of vasodilator treatment, the place of etiologic screening, and the significance of prepapillary loops. Lastly, the authors summarize important basics about treatment modalities, even if there is not yet consensus on the treatment of retinal vein occlusion.

[Underlying conditions associated with the occurrence of retinal vein occlusion]. / Circonstances de survenue des occlusions veineuses rétiniennes.

BACKGROUND: Conventional risk factors for retinal vein occlusion (RVO) are well established through large epidemiological studies, but triggering factors remain poorly known. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective observational study through a questionnaire was completed between January and October 2009 by patients with RVO and controls. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients, including 42 central retinal vein occlusions (CRVO) and 19 branch vein occlusions (BRVO) as well as 118 controls were included. Of the CRVO patients, 77% discovered visual loss upon awakening in contrast to only 33% of BRVO patients. The comparison between RVO and controls showed a higher proportion in the RVO group for (in order of the highest risk): migraine headache (CRVO, 21 %; BRVO, 47 %; controls, 13 %; p=0.008), hypertension (CRVO, 52%; BRVO, 63%; controls, 37%; p=0.012), glaucoma (CRVO, 33%; BRVO, 22%; controls, 16%; p=0.034), antiplatelet or anticoagulant medication (CRVO, 42%; BRVO, 33%; controls, 26%; p=0.074), hyperlipidemia, ocular trauma, sudden deafness, or vertigo. The prevalence was similar in both groups for body mass index, history of phlebitis or peptic ulcer, smoking habits, stress, fasting, dehydration, vasodilator intake, and altitude stay. CONCLUSION: In addition to the already known risk factors, this study underlines certain underlying conditions or circumstances related to the onset of RVO, such as migraine. In CRVO, three-quarters of the patients on average discovered visual loss upon awakening, which may indicate that nocturnal events may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of the occlusion.

[Retinal vein occlusion and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome]. / Occlusion veineuse rétinienne et syndrome d'apnée du sommeil.

PURPOSE: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a very common disease and has recently been increasingly incriminated in the initiation and progression of numerous cardiovascular, neurologic, and ophthalmologic diseases. In ophthalmologic practice, it may be related to glaucoma, nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, visual field defects, papilledema, central serous chorioretinopathy, and floppy eyelid syndrome. Because of personal observations, we investigated its link with retinal vein occlusion (RVO). OBSERVATION: We report the observations on three patients who presented with retinal vein occlusion and who were investigated positively for OSAS, including patients with no conventional vascular risk factors. DISCUSSION: The local and systemic effects of OSAS could explain, in some patients, the occurrence and/or the aggravation of RVO. The first-stage effects of OSAS are nocturnal hypoxemia, hypercapnia, intrathoracic pressure changes, arousals, and sleep fragmentation. RVO could be a consequence of a slow-down of blood flow circulation secondary to hypoxemia and elevated nocturnal intracranial pressure. The arousals cause an additional acute increase in arterial blood pressure. Ancillary effects include increased platelet aggregability, increased sympathic activation, oxidative stress, vascular endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and metabolic dysregulation. CONCLUSION: This short series for the first time reports RVO patients presenting with OSAS. This suggests that OSAS, by acting on retinal microcirculation, could be an additional risk factor for the occurrence or the aggravation of RVO. Further studies are needed to confirm this possible relationship.

Clinical evaluation of the use of infracyanine green staining for internal limiting membrane peeling in epimacular membrane surgery.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of infracyanine green (IFCG) staining in idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery. METHODS: A retrospective comparative study of 63 consecutive eyes with ERM operated on with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling using or not filtered IFCG diluted (5:1) in glucose 5%. Main outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity, central visual field perimetry, fluorescein angiography with blue light fundus photograph, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and in seven eyes multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG). RESULTS: A total of 44 eyes underwent surgery with ILM staining using IFCG and 19 eyes without. In the IFCG group, the staining showed that the ILM was removed together with the ERM in 39% of eyes; ILM was still present on the macula after ERM removal in 57% of eyes and removed secondarily. The improvement in vision was slightly better in the IFCG group throughout follow-up but the difference was not significant. On the postoperative blue light photograph, defects in the optic nerve fibre layer were less frequent in the group with IFCG than without (p=0.023), suggesting less peroperative trauma. Two eyes in the group operated without IFCG had recurrence of the ERM including one with a macular hole vs none in the group with IFCG. No difference was observed in the groups as regards central visual field testing, mfERG, OCT, or angiographic data. CONCLUSIONS: Using IFCG for ILM peeling in ERM surgery seemed to reduce significantly the trauma to the optic nerve fiber layer and to prevent ERM recurrence. Deleterious effects were not observed in this study.

[Intravitreous injection: retrospective study on 2028 injections and their side effects]. / Injection intravitréenne: évaluation rétrospective de la technique et des complications d'une série de 2028 injections.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the tolerance of repeated intravitreous injections over the short and long term and to analyze their complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The clinical records of consecutive patients having one or several intravitreous injections between 2002 and 2007 were evaluated, for all indications except the treatment of endophthalmitis. RESULTS: 2028 intravitreous injections were performed, mainly for age-related macular degeneration (n=1 192) or macular edema secondary to diabetes mellitus or retinal vein occlusion (n=41). The injected drug was triamcinolone acetonide 4 mg (339 injections), pegaptanib sodium 0.3 mg (1179 injections), and ranibizumab 0.3 (497 injections). The patients received 1-27 intravitreous injections per eye. The main complications were endophthalmitis (two after triamcinolone, 0.1% of the total group), pseudoendophthalmitis (two after triamcinolone, 0.1% of the total group), hypertony (7.69% of the total group, 13.78% after triamcinolone, 3.56% after pegaptanib, 1.21% after ranibizumab), including five cases of acute hypertony with transient light perception loss after ranibizumab, cataract (0.44% of total group), and macular hole (one patient after triamcinolone). No case of retinal detachment nor systemic complication was observed. DISCUSSION: Most of the complications were observed with the use of nonfiltered triamcinolone. The incidence of endophtalmitis was considerably lower with increased experience and the use of a dedicated room for the injections. Repeated injections were locally well tolerated. CONCLUSION: With the strict respect of asepsis rules, intravitreous injection seems well tolerated over the short and long term.

[Comparison of macular limited translocation and photodynamic therapy for management of choroidal neovascularization in degenerative myopia: a retrospective study]. / Etude rétrospective comparant la translocation maculaire limitée et la photothérapie dynamique dans la néovascularisation choroïdienne rétrofovéale de la myopie forte.

PURPOSE: To analyze the results of limited macular translocation (MT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in subfoveal choroidal neovascularization due to degenerative myopia, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. METHODS: Retrospective review of 55 consecutive patients: 31 eyes were treated using PDT and 24 were operated on with the limited macular translocation technique with chorioscleral infolding described by de Juan. Before and after each treatment, a complete examination comprised visual acuity, fundus examination, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography. Mean follow-up was 14 months in the PDT group and 19 months in the MT group. RESULTS: The improvement in visual acuity was better in the MT group than in the PDT group and was correlated with younger age (p<0.001). At month 12, visual acuity improved by 3 ETDRS lines or more in 6 six eyes of the PDT group (19%), with no improvement over 6 lines. In the MT group, visual acuity improved by 3 lines in 14 eyes (58%) including 8 eight eyes (33%) with an improvement of 6 lines or more. Final visual acuity remain unchanged (+/-2 lines) in 16 eyes of the PDT group (66%) and 8 eight eyes of the MT group (33%), and decreased in 9 nine eyes in the PDT group (29%) versus 2 two eyes in the MT group (8%). Mean gain in visual acuity at 12 months was +3.5 ETDRS lines in the MT group and -0.1 line in the PDT group (p=0.001). The mean displacement of the fovea after translocation was 950 microm. The mMean number of PDT treatments was 2.3 during the 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Limited macular translocation allowed provided a significant improvement in visual acuity in some eyes with subfoveal neovascularization in myopia, especially in young patients, and resulted in a moderate rate of complications. Longer follow-up and further controlled and randomized studies are required to confirm these encouraging findings.

[Macular fold following retinal detachment surgery]. / Pli maculaire compliquant la chirurgie du décollement de rétine.

INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of a retinal fold after vitrectomy for retinal reattachment is not often described. In this case report, its treatment, prevention, and mechanism are discussed. CASE REPORT: A 45-year-old pseudophakic woman experienced a superotemporal retinal detachment with macula-on and numerous retinal tears. The treatment consisted of a vitrectomy, perfluorocarbon injection, cryotherapy, and a complete fluid/gas exchange. Postoperative examination disclosed a retinal fold centered by the fovea. The treatment of this macular fold included the creation of a new detachment of the posterior pole by means of an injection of balanced saline solution into the subretinal space through a 39-gauge cannula, the injection of perfluorocarbon liquid to move the fold superiorly, endolaser at the inferior limit of the fold, and silicone oil injection. At the postoperative examination, the macula was flattened and the fold was near the superior temporal arcade. DISCUSSION: The formation of a macular fold after vitrectomy was probably caused by the complete fluid/gas exchange, which displaced the subretinal fluid from the periphery to the posterior pole, detaching the macula. Tangential traction exerted by the presence of intravitreal gas and subretinal fluid might have stretched the retina and resulted in the formation of the fold. This mechanism is similar to the technique used in macular translocation surgery. To avoid this complication in macula-on retinal detachment, we suggest not using perfluorocarbon liquid systematically and replacing the complete fluid/gas exchange with a limited bubble of expansive gas combined with postoperative positioning.

[Surgical treatment of persistent macular edema in retinal vein occlusion]. / Traitement chirurgical de l'oedème maculaire persistant des occlusions veineuses rétiniennes.

INTRODUCTION: Persistent macular edema (ME) is the main cause of poor visual outcome in nonischemic retinal vein occlusion (RVO). The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of surgery in this disorder. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective nonrandomized comparative pilot study. Visual acuity measurement, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography were performed before and after treatment, at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. RESULTS: The study included 42 eyes: 15 eyes underwent vitrectomy with peeling of the posterior hyaloid and/or the internal limiting membrane, 19 received intravitreous injection of triamcinolone (IVT), and four had a combination of both treatments. In the vitrectomy group, 63% of the eyes showed a progressive decrease of ME throughout the year of follow-up (p<0.05 at 1 month and 1 year) and an increase in visual acuity (p<0.05 at 3 and 6 months); no complication occurred. In the IVT group, the eyes showed a rapid improvement in vision and in ME at 1 month (p=0.007 and p=0.001, respectively) but with a frequent ME recurrence at 4 months; however, 31% of eyes showed durable improvement. Complications after IVT were pseudo-endophthalmitis (one eye), transient hypertony (53%), and a full-thickness macular hole (one eye). In the group treated with vitrectomy combined with IVT, ME decreased rapidly and durably, but vision did not improve in this small subgroup of long-lasting RVO with prior pigment epithelial changes. CONCLUSION: In some eyes, vitrectomy seems to have a more durable effect than IVT alone. Further randomized and controlled studies are needed to confirm these results and to compare them to the natural course of the disease.

[Results of limited macular translocation in subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration]. / Résultats de la translocation maculaire limitée dans la néovascularisation choroïdienne rétrofovéale de la dégénérescence maculaire liée à l'âge.

PURPOSE: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the major cause of legal blindness in industrialized countries. The exudative form could be responsible for severe visual loss. Recent therapeutic approaches are now available for treating subfoveal neovascularization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the visual results obtained with macular translocation (MT) in subfoveal choroidal neovascularization due to AMD. METHODS: A prospective nonrandomized review of 29 consecutive patients with subfoveal neovascularization attributable to AMD. Limited macular translocation with chorioscleral infolding based on the De Juan technique was performed. The mean follow-up was 14 months. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients studied was 75 years. The mean initial visual acuity was 20/200, with of 59% of patients having worse than 20/200. The mean displacement of the fovea after translocation was 1,274 microm, and at 1 year, vision was grossly unchanged in comparison to baseline (mean final gain of 0.7 line). Postoperative complications observed were retinal detachment (17.2%), macular hole (13%) and macular fold (14%). No complication was seen in 55.2% of the operated eyes, which had a mean final gain of 3.25 ETDRS lines at 14 months of follow-up. In comparison to the photodynamic therapy (PDT) group of the TAP study, 48% of the MT group had a gain of 1 line or more versus 16% of the PDT group. CONCLUSION: MT may lead to a significant improvement in visual acuity. Further larger and controlled studies are required to evaluate MT in the treatment of subfoveal neovascularization.

[Retinal vein occlusion and hyperhomocysteinemia]. / Occlusions veineuses rétiniennes et hyperhomocystéinémie.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have reported that an elevated plasma homocysteine level is a risk factor for vascular disease. The aim of this study is to determine whether hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and whether it is a prognostic factor. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The plasma homocysteine level was measured in 101 patients and compared to the plasma homocysteine level of controls. The relation between plasma homocysteine level and the other known risk factors of retinal vein occlusion was studied, as well as the correlation between the clinical outcome of the RVO and the plasma homocysteine level. RESULTS: The mean plasma homocysteine level was significantly higher in the 101 RVO patients than in the 29 controls (11.9 mmol/l vs 8.6, p<0.001). We found no relation between plasma homocysteine and other risk factors of vascular disease except for the hematocrit level. Hyperhomocysteinemia was more frequent in the ischemic forms and in bilateral RVO, but the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperhomocysteinemia seems to be an independent risk factor for RVO and was more frequent in severe RVO, but our study did not evidence an association with a severe prognosis. Vitamin therapy can decrease homocysteinemia but its efficacy in the prevention and in the treatment of RVO remains to be demonstrated.

[Retinal vein occlusion and carotid Doppler imaging]. / Occlusions veineuses rétiniennes et échographie-Doppler carotidienne.

PURPOSE: To investigate retinal vein occlusion with B-mode ultrasonography carotid and color Doppler imaging. METHODS: In 223 patients (225 eyes) presenting with retinal vein occlusion, we retrospectively investigated vascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular history, smoking, and glaucoma), standard laboratory tests, and color Doppler imaging of the carotid artery. RESULTS: The data from 106 women (47.54%) and 117 men (52.46%), with a mean age of 65 years, were studied, with 169 patients presenting a central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) and 56 a branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Thirteen patients (6%) had significant carotid artery stenosis (>=70%), which was the single etiology. Forty patients (18%) had nonsignificant carotid artery stenosis (<70%) with a risk of embolism production. Such carotid artery lesions found in color Doppler imaging in the RVO investigations were significantly more frequent in older patients (>65 years) who presented at least two RVO risk factors (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: This study has shown the the advantages of carotid Doppler imaging in retinal vein occlusion.

[Progression of choroidal neovascularization after macular translocation in age-related macular degeneration and degenerative myopia]. / Evolution de la néovascularisation choroïdienne après translocation maculaire dans la DMLA et dans la myopie forte.

PURPOSE: To study the progression of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) after macular translocation in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and degenerative myopia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The data from 42 consecutive eyes (28 AMD, and 14 degenerative myopia) operated on by limited macular translocation (DeJuan technique), with a follow-up of 6 months or more, were prospectively analyzed. In the AMD group, neovascularization was classic in 54% of eyes and classic and occult in 46% of eyes. Previous laser treatment was applied on extra- or juxtafoveal CNV in 3 eyes. The major outcome measures were visual acuity, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiographies. RESULTS: After translocation, foveal displacement was greater in AMD than in myopic eyes (mean: 1 260 and 812 micro m, respectively). Laser photocoagulation was applied postoperatively onto extra-or juxtafoveal CNV in 26 (93%) AMD eyes and 12 myopic eyes (86%). Mean follow-up was 10 months (range, 6-18 months). Recurrence of CNV occurred in 14 AMD eyes (50%) and 2 myopic eyes (14%) an average of 5.6 months after surgery (range, 1-18 months). Recurrence was more frequent in AMD eyes with preoperative occult CNV (66%) than without (36%). Recurrence reached the new fovea in 69% of cases. Supplementary laser treatment was possible and successful on extra- or juxtafoveal recurrence in 3 eyes. Recurrence was significantly correlated with a poor visual prognosis: eyes without recurrence or with extra- or juxtafoveal recurrence had a final gain in visual acuity of 2.4 lines, eyes with subfoveal recurrence had a loss of 1.3 lines, and eyes with diffuse recurrence had a loss of 4.2 lines. CNV appeared in a new area at a BSS injection site in one eye. Occult CNV seemed to fade relatively within the first postoperative weeks, but were unchanged at the end of follow-up. In one eye, a small polypoidal lesion near the disc noted preoperatively disappeared after surgery. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the surgical procedure does not affect the course of classic or occult CNV. The rate of recurrence of CNV after macular translocation seemed similar to that observed after conventional laser treatment for extrafoveal CNV in AMD. Neovascular recurrence is the most frequent postoperative complication and was frequently directed at the new fovea. Despite these complications, macular translocation moves CNV outside of the subfoveolar zone so the eyes can be treated with conventional laser, leading to a favorable outcome at the last follow-up in 57% of cases. Further studies are required to confirm these findings and to define the best criteria for treatment.