Corneal and anterior segment parameters in patients with clinically unilateral pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

Background: Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PES) is an age-related systemic condition that predominantly affects ocular structures and is characterized by the deposition of material on the lens, ciliary body, zonules, corneal endothelium, iris, and pupillary margin. We compared the corneal endothelial morphology, anterior segment parameters, corneal densitometry, and corneal topographic characteristics between the clinically affected and apparently normal fellow eyes of patients with clinically unilateral PES. Methods: This was a comparative, cross-sectional study of 34 patients with clinically unilateral PES. The anterior segment was examined using a Scheimpflug imaging system, and the corneal endothelium was assessed using a noncontact specular microscope. Corneal endothelial cell density, polymegathism, and pleomorphism were assessed using the specular microscope. Furthermore, the Scheimpflug camera was used to measure the corneal power of the flat and steep axis, mean corneal power, maximum keratometry, anterior chamber angle, anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber volume, corneal volume, and the corneal thickness at the apex point, center of the pupil, and the thinnest point. Corneal densitometry was evaluated at two concentric zones (0-2 mm and 0-12 mm). Results: In total, 68 eyes from 34 patients were ultimately included in the study. The mean (standard deviation) age of the patients was 73.38 (8.75) years (range: 50-87 years). Among the included patients, 17 (50%) were male and 17 (50%) were female. The anterior segment parameters did not significantly differ between eyes with PES and their clinically unaffected fellow eyes (all P > 0.05). Similarly, no statistically significant difference was observed in corneal endothelial morphology (all P > 0.05). Conclusions: Our measured parameters do not differ between the clinically affected eye and the clinically unaffected fellow eye. This supports the theory that PES is a bilateral disorder. Considering the variety of complications associated with PES, bilateral involvement should be assumed in the clinical and surgical management of patients with clinically unilateral PES. In the future, new research could increase our understanding of this syndrome.

Subfoveal choroidal thickness changes in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) compared to healthy controls: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate changes in choroidal thickness in patients diagnosed with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) compared to healthy controls, using optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: PubMed and Scopus databases were systematically searched for published articles comparing choroidal thickness between patients with PEX and healthy controls. Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) with 95 % confidence interval (CI) was computed to compare continuous variables. Revman 5.4 was used for the analysis. Subgroup analyses were performed according to OCT devices used. RESULTS: 12 studies were included in our analysis. Subfoveal choroidal thickness was decreased in patients with PEX compared to healthy controls. Subgroup analysis confirmed this finding in studies that used Heidelberg or Optovue OCT Devices. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis showed that choroidal thickness was decreased in patients with PEX compared to controls. Increased heterogeneity and small case-control studies are the main limitations of the meta-analysis. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical significance of reduced subfoveal choroidal thickness in PEX.

Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Changes in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Compared to Healthy Controls: A Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study investigated changes in retinal nerve fiber layers (RNFL) in patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared to healthy control patients, using optical coherence tomography. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched for published articles comparing RNFL between patients with COPD and healthy controls. Standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was computed to compare continuous variables. RESULTS: Average RNFL thickness was significantly reduced in COPD patients compared to healthy controls (SMD = -0.31, 95% CI = -0.48 to -0.14, P = 0.0004, I2 = 0%). Average RNFL thickness did not differ significantly between patients with mild/moderate COPD and healthy controls (SMD = -0.17, 95% CI = -0.39 to 0.04, P = 0.12, I2 = 2%), while a statistically significant reduction in average RNFL thickness was noticed in patients with severe COPD compared to healthy controls (SMD = -0.72, 95% CI = -1.23 to -0.21, P = 0.006, I2 = 83%). Average RNFL thickness was significantly higher in patients with mild/moderate COPD compared to patients with severe COPD (SMD = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.29 to 1.09, P = 0.0008, I2 = 66%). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis showed that RNFL thickness was decreased in patients with COPD compared to healthy controls. Patients diagnosed with severe COPD seem to be more affected and have thinner RNFL. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2024;55:334-342.].

Aflibercept for Diabetic Macular Edema in Real-Life Practice in GREece: Three-Year Outcomes of the ADMIRE Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal aflibercept injections for diabetic macular edema (DME) treatment in a tertiary referral center in Greece. METHODS: ADMIRE was a prospective, observational cohort study of patients with DME. Efficacy was assessed by change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield thickness (CST) from baseline to month 36 after treatment with intravitreal aflibercept in treatment-naive patients and previously treated patients. Safety was evaluated by recording any patients-reported events. RESULTS: Participants in the study were 94 patients with DME, 70 treatment naive and 24 previously treated with ranibizumab. At month 36 of the follow-up period, the mean change in BCVA was +7.4 letters compared to baseline (p < .001). The mean change in BCVA in treatment-naive patients was +8.9 letters and differed significantly compared to previously treated patients (+5.9 letters, p = .041). In addition, patients who received a loading dose of 5 monthly injections at the initiation of treatment provided better VA outcomes (+11.4 vs. +6.1 letters, p < .001). Accordingly, the mean CST at month 36 (369.6 ± 72.8 µm) was significantly decreased compared to baseline (479.2 ± 68.3 µm, p < .001). Overall, the mean number of injections at month 36 was 13.4. Safety analysis showed that the reported ocular adverse events during the 36-month study period were mild and not sight-threatening. CONCLUSION: Intravitreal aflibercept was found to be safe and effective for the treatment of DME in real-life in a Greek population. Treatment-naive patients and those who received a loading dose of five consecutive monthly injections at initiation of treatment exhibited better outcomes, suggesting that early and effective treatment may prevent vision loss.

Microvascular changes after pars plana vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair: A comparative study based on gas tamponade agent.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of gas tamponade on microvascular changes in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). METHODS: Participants in this study were 48 patients with RRD, who were treated with PPV and gas tamponade without internal limiting membrane peeling. All participants underwent slit-lamp examination, fundoscopy, spectral domain-optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography at month 6 postoperatively. The fellow untreated eyes were also examined and served as the control data. RESULTS: A statistically significant enlargement in the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in both the superficial (p = 0.002) and the deep capillary plexus (p = 0.01) was noticed 6 months postoperatively in patients with RRD treated with PPV compared to the fellow eyes. The foveal avascular zone perimeter was increased in the operated eyes in the deep capillary plexus (p = 0.0003) and the foveal avascular zone circularity was decreased in both the superficial (p = 0.045) and the deep capillary plexus (p < 0.001) compared to the fellow eyes. The vessel density was not significantly different between the operated and the fellow eyes in the superficial and the deep capillary plexus. The vessel density and the foveal avascular zone parameters were comparable between the C3F8 and SF6 groups. CONCLUSION: Specific microvascular indices as measured by OCTA were statistically different between the operated and the fellow eyes in the superficial and deep capillary plexus. C3F8 and SF6 as gas tamponades did not seem to differ in their impact on the microvascular parameters.

Prevalence and risk factors of dry eye disease in patients treated with aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Treatment with aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in patients with breast cancer can lead to dry eye disease (DED). BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study is to determine the prevalence and risk factors of DED in patients treated with AIs for breast cancer. METHODS: Participants in this cross-sectional study were patients with breast cancer treated with AIs. Demographic and clinical data, including age, sex, type of cancer, stage, grade, duration of treatment and adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy were collected. All patients underwent a detailed ophthalmic examination, as well as Tear Break up Time (TBUT) and Schirmer test, while Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaires were administered. Based on the clinical findings, a diagnosis of DED was made, and prevalence was calculated. Univariate analysis of the association of different variables with DED was performed. A logistic regression analysis was done to identify risk factors for DED among study population. RESULTS: A total of 102 participants were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 62.4 ± 10.8 years. A total of 77 out of 102 patients (75.5%) had ductal, 16 (15.7%) lobular and 9 (8.8%) other types of breast cancer. A total of 83 patients (81.4%) received chemotherapy and 70 patients (68.6%) received radiotherapy. The mean duration of treatment was 24.4 ± 18.9 months. The prevalence of DED in the study sample was 69.6%. Patients who received radiotherapy (OR = 3.31, 95%CI = 1.30-7.82, p = 0.01) or were under treatment with AIs for more than 24 months (OR = 3.53, 95%CI = 1.47-9.21, p = 0.002) were found to have an increased risk of DED. CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of DED among the study population. Radiotherapy and duration of treatment with AIs were independently associated with DED.

Vision-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Treated With Pars-Plana Vitrectomy: Impact of Gas Tamponade.

PURPOSE: To investigate changes in vision-related quality of life in patients treated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and compare groups according to the type of gas tamponade used. METHODS: Participants in this study were 48 patients with RRD who were treated with PPV and gas tamponade (sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) or perfluoropropane (C3F8)) without internal limiting membrane peeling. All participants underwent slit-lamp examination, fundoscopy, axial-length measurement, and completed the Vision Function Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25) at month six postoperatively. We compared VFQ-25 composite and subscale scores in the SF6 and C3F8 groups and investigated any correlations between age, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), axial length, and VFQ-25 scores. RESULTS: The demographic and clinical characteristics of the two groups (axial length, macular status, retinal detachment extent, duration of symptoms, and lens status) were comparable between the two groups. We found a statistically significant decrease in general vision (GV), ocular pain (OP), and driving (D) scores in the C3F8 group compared to the SF6 group. The VFQ-25 composite score was comparable in the two groups. Similarly, all other subscales of the VFQ-25 did not differ significantly between the two groups. Age and BCVA did not significantly correlate with VFQ-25 composite and subscale scores. CONCLUSION: Specific VFQ-25 subscales were decreased in patients with RRD treated with C3F8 as a gas tamponade compared to SF6. This finding warrants further research in the tamponade agents used in PPV surgeries.

Retinal microvascular changes in patients recovered from COVID-19 compared to healthy controls: A meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate changes in retinal microcirculation in patients recovered from COVID-19 infection compared to healthy controls, using optical coherence tomography-angiography. METHODS: Meta-analysis of eligible studies comparing retinal microcirculation between patients recovered from COVID-19 infection and healthy controls up to 7th of September 2022 was performed, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2009 guidelines. The following search algorithm was used: (COVID-19 OR coronavirus) AND (retina OR optical coherence tomography OR optical coherence tomography angiography OR vessel density OR foveal avascular zone). Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated to compare continuous variables. Revman 5.3 was used for the analysis. RESULTS: 12 studies were included in our analysis. Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area was larger in patients recovered from COVID-19 infection compared to healthy controls, while there was no statistically significant difference in FAZ perimeter between the two groups. The foveal, parafoveal and whole image vessel density in the superficial capillary plexus showed no significant difference between the two groups. The foveal, parafoveal and whole image vessel density in the deep capillary plexus was statistically lower in patients recovered from COVID-19 compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSION: FAZ area was enlarged and foveal, parafoveal and whole image vessel density in deep capillary plexus were reduced in patients recovered from COVID-19 infection compared to healthy controls, suggesting that COVID-19 infection may induce long-term retinal microvascular changes in patients recovered from the virus infection.

Correlation Between Imaging Morphological Findings and Laboratory Biomarkers in Patients with Retinal Vein Occlusion.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible correlation between peripheral blood biomarkers and morphological characteristics of retinal imaging in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO). METHODS: Participants in this cross-sectional observational study were 65 consecutive patients (65 eyes) with treatment-naïve RVO, who underwent spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA). In addition, peripheral blood samples were taken to evaluate full blood count and biochemical parameters. The association between imaging characteristics and laboratory parameters was examined. RESULTS: Eyes with subretinal fluid presented significantly higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (p = 0.028). Hyperreflective foci on SD-OCT were found to be associated with higher triglyceride levels (p = 0.024). The presence of cysts on SD-OCT was associated with significantly higher triglycerides (p = 0.010). Central subfield thickness (CST) higher than 464 µm was associated with higher lymphocyte count (p = 0.016) and higher urea (p = 0.015). No significant associations were found between laboratory parameters and intraretinal fluid, ellipsoid zone and external limiting membrane condition, or epiretinal membrane and macular ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Specific imaging morphological characteristics were found to be associated with laboratory parameters in patients with RVO. These findings may help reveal the pathophysiology of RVO and its correlation with the development of specific clinical signs, while they could guide individualized treatment.

The impact of laboratory findings and optical coherence tomography biomarkers on response to intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment in patients with retinal vein occlusion.

AIMS: To investigate potential laboratory and imaging biomarkers as treatment response predictors to intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO). METHODS: Participants in this prospective study were 53 patients with treatment naïve macular edema secondary to RVO, treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF agents and followed-up for 12 months. At baseline, all participants underwent best-corrected visual acuity measurement, dilated fundoscopy, optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography (FFA), while full blood count and biochemical analysis of various parameters was also performed. At month 12, treatment response was examined and classified as "favorable" or "non-response". Potential associations between laboratory/imaging biomarkers and treatment response were assessed. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that "favorable" response at month 12 after initiation of anti-VEGF treatment was correlated with baseline central subfield thickness (CST) < 464 µm (p < 0.001), absence of subretinal fluid (p = 0.004), absence of hyperreflective foci (HF) (p = 0.004), intact ellipsoid zone (EZ) and external limiting membrane (ELM) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively), absence of epiretinal membrane (ERM) (p = 0.020) and absence of macular ischemia on FFA (p < 0.001), while increased monocytes-to-lymphocytes ratio was also associated with "favorable" treatment response (p = 0.010). All other laboratory parameters did not reach statistical significance. However, at the multivariate analysis, EZ and ELM status, HF, macular ischemia and monocytes-to-lymphocytes ratio were found to be independent predictors of treatment response. CONCLUSIONS: Intact EZ and ELM, absence of HF, absence of macular ischemia and increased monocytes-to-lymphocytes ratio at baseline can predict "favorable" treatment response in patients with treatment naïve macular edema secondary to RVO.

Complete Blood Count-Derived Inflammation Indices and Retinal Vein Occlusion: A Case-Control Study.

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated complete blood count-derived inflammation indices in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO). METHODS: Participants in this case-control study were 54 patients with RVO and 54 age- and sex-matched control subjects. All participants underwent a thorough ophthalmic examination, as well as blood sample testing for complete blood count. Comparison of all parameters derived from complete blood count as well as calculation of specific indices was performed between patients with RVO and controls. RESULTS: Patients with RVO presented significantly higher white blood cell count (p = 0.033), neutrophil count (p = 0.003), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR, p = 0.002), red cell distribution width (RDW, p = 0.009), mean platelet volume (MPV, p = 0.023), and systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII, p = 0.007) compared to controls. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that NLR was superior to other inflammatory indices, having the greatest area under the curve. The optimal cutoff value for NLR to predict RVO was 2.29 with 46.2% sensitivity and 77.8% specificity. CONCLUSION: Patients with RVO presented increased NLR, RDW, MPV, and SII, providing evidence that inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of RVO. Complete blood cell count-derived indices can be easily calculated and may serve as an easy, simple, and cost-effective tool to evaluate the degree of systemic inflammation in patients with RVO, so as to potentially guide treatment.

Cardiometabolic factors and risk of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature is to evaluate the association between cardiometabolic risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia/dyslipidemia, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), and triglycerides) and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). METHODS: Pertinent publications were identified through a systematic search in PubMed and EMBASE databases, without language restrictions. The pooled odds ratios (OR) and standardized mean differences (SMD), with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated using random effects (DerSimonian Laird) models, as appropriate. A set of subgroup analyses and meta-regression analysis models were performed. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies (including 1560 patients with NAION and 2292 controls), examining the association between NAION and cardiometabolic risk factors, were eligible for the systematic review and meta-analysis. Hypertension (pooled OR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.16-1.94), diabetes mellitus (pooled OR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.33-2.21), and hypercholesterolemia/dyslipidemia (pooled OR = 2.00; 95% CI: 1.53-2.62) were associated with NAION. Among the components of dyslipidemia, higher serum triglycerides were associated with NAION, with a medium effect size (SMD = + 0.58, 95% CI: + 0.12 to + 1.04), whereas synthesis of four studies reporting on HDL and LDL cholesterol did not reveal any significant associations. A significant association between NAION and higher serum lipoprotein(a) levels (pooled OR = 2.88; 95%CI: 1.01-8.21) was also noted. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis found that NAION was associated with cardiometabolic factors, suggesting that vascular dysfunction may be implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease. Our findings may alert health care providers to try modifying these risk factors for NAION prevention.

Corneal Densitometry Assessed With Scheimpflug Camera in Healthy Corneas and Correlation With Specular Microscopy Values and Age.

PURPOSE: To investigate correlations between specular microscopy endothelial parameters and age with corneal densitometry values, as they are presented from a Scheimpflug device, in different levels of the cornea. METHODS: Two hundred eighty-four eyes of 142 healthy subjects were included in this observational, prospective study. Corneal densitometry was evaluated with Scheimpflug imaging system in the central 0- to 2-mm annular zone of the cornea, whereas the endothelial cell properties were assessed with the use of a noncontact specular microscope. RESULTS: Corneal densitometry values of all corneal layers were statistically significant and positively correlated with age. In univariate linear regression analysis among corneal densitometry values and the endothelial parameters, only endothelial cell density (CD) was statistically significant and inversely correlated with densitometry values in all corneal layers. In stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis, after adjustment for age, hexagonality was statistically significant and inversely correlated with posterior densitometry values, whereas coefficient of variation was positively and significantly correlated with the anterior densitometry values. When repeating stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis without adjusting for age, CD was negatively and significantly correlated with corneal densitometry values of all layers, whereas coefficient of variation was positively and significantly correlated with anterior and total corneal densitometry values. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal densitometry increases with age. It is also inversely correlated with CD, and this might be used as an indirect way to assess the status of the corneal endothelium.

Effect of COVID-19-Associated Lockdown on Patients With Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose To evaluate the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related lockdown in the management of patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR), including diabetic macular edema (DME), in a tertiary reference center in Greece. Methods In this retrospective study, we first compared the number of patients who were diagnosed with DR or DME in our clinic during the period of the lockdown and during the same period of the previous year. In addition, we included consecutive patients with DR or DME, who were followed up and treated regularly in our clinic and their appointments deferred due to lockdown, so as to compare the visual acuity, fundoscopy, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings prior to and post lockdown. Results During the lockdown period, there was a statistically significant decrease in patients with DR and DME as compared to the same period in the previous year. Regarding patients with previously diagnosed DME, there was a statistically significant worsening in their visual acuity and central retinal thickness after lockdown as compared to the last visit before lockdown (p<0.001 for both comparisons). Concerning patients diagnosed with DR and without DME before lockdown, 30% of patients with severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NDPR) and 8.3% of patients with quiescent proliferative DR (PDR) progressed to active PDR while four out of 107 patients (3.7%) developed DME during the lockdown. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that only the time interval between the last visit before lockdown and the first visit after the lockdown was associated with the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) change (p=0.017). Conclusions The COVID-19-related lockdown was related to the postponement in patient care, which resulted in significantly worse visual acuity outcomes in patients with DR.

Inverted internal limiting membrane flap technique for myopic macular hole: A meta-analysis.

A macular hole (MH) may be a significant complication in patients with high myopia. The recently reported inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap technique is a promising alternative to treat myopic MHs. We performed a meta-analysis of the published anatomical and functional results of the "inverted ILM flap" technique for the treatment of myopic MH with or without retinal detachment (RD). Our results showed that the inverted ILM flap technique, either covering or insertion, is an effective method for treating myopic MH with or without RD and provides high MH closure, ranging from 91.8% to 97.1%. Despite the high MH closure rate, the pooled visual acuity improvement rate was 77.3% and 66.2% in patients with myopic MH without RD, while it was 95% and 80.3% in patients with myopic MHRD, using "covering" and "insertion" ILM flap technique, respectively. Potential complications included reopening or persistence of MH, development of RD, choroidal detachment, ocular hypertension, and chorioretinal atrophy.

Predictive Factors for Long-Term Postoperative Visual Outcome in Patients with Macula-Off Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Treated with Vitrectomy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate potential predictive factors of long-term postoperative outcomes in patients with macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) treated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). METHODS: Participants in this study were 86 patients diagnosed with macula-off RRD, who underwent PPV. Demographic characteristics and preoperative characteristics of RRD were recorded, while best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured preoperatively and at specific postoperative time points (6 weeks and 6, 12, and 24 months). In addition, spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) characteristics at postoperative week 6 were assessed as potential factors affecting the long-term postoperative visual outcome 24 months after PPV for RRD. RESULTS: Increasing age, duration of RD of more than 1 week, presence of proliferative vitreoretinopathy, increasing central retinal thickness, ellipsoid zone disruption, and external limiting membrane disruption were significantly associated with a worse BVCA. BCVA was not associated with gender, lens status, the location of breaks, the gas tamponade agent used in PPV, the presence of subretinal fluid, and intraretinal fluid. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to determine predictive factors for visual outcomes in order to inform patients about their prognosis and help in the decision-making process for patient management.