Evaluation of an offline, artificial intelligence system for referable glaucoma screening using a smartphone-based fundus camera: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: An affordable and scalable screening model is critical for undetected glaucoma. The study evaluated the performance of an offline, smartphone-based AI system for the detection of referable glaucoma against two benchmarks: specialist diagnosis following full glaucoma workup and consensus image grading. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This prospective study (tertiary glaucoma centre, India) included 243 subjects with varying severity of glaucoma and control group without glaucoma. Disc-centred images were captured using a validated smartphone-based fundus camera analysed by the AI system and graded by specialists. Diagnostic ability of the AI in detecting referable Glaucoma (Confirmed glaucoma) and no referable Glaucoma (Suspects and No glaucoma) when compared to a final diagnosis (comprehensive glaucoma workup) and majority grading (image grading) by Glaucoma specialists (pre-defined criteria) were evaluated. RESULTS: The AI system demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 93.7% (95% CI: 87.6-96.9%) and 85.6% (95% CI:78.6-90.6%), respectively, in the detection of referable glaucoma when compared against final diagnosis following full glaucoma workup. True negative rate in definite non-glaucoma cases was 94.7% (95% CI: 87.2-97.9%). Amongst the false negatives were 4 early and 3 moderate glaucoma. When the same set of images provided to the AI was also provided to the specialists for image grading, specialists detected 60% (67/111) of true glaucoma cases versus a detection rate of 94% (104/111) by the AI. CONCLUSION: The AI tool showed robust performance when compared against a stringent benchmark. It had modest over-referral of normal subjects despite being challenged with fundus images alone. The next step involves a population-level assessment.

Factors affecting corneal deformation amplitude measured by Corvis ST in eyes with open-angle glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the factors affecting corneal deformation amplitude (DA) measured using Corvis ST in eyes with open-angle glaucoma. METHODS: This prospective, longitudinal study included 48 eyes with open-angle glaucoma who required additional intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering drops. All eyes underwent a complete eye examination at baseline, including a Corvis ST, which was repeated 4-8 weeks after the change in therapy. Factors affecting the corneal biomechanics, namely the DA, were determined using mixed effect models. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 65.0 ± 7.9 years. The mean IOP reduced from 23.4 ± 5.4 mmHg to 17.9 ± 5 mmHg after the change in glaucoma treatment ( P < 0.001). The DA increased from 0.89 ± 0.16 mm to 1.00 ± 0.13 mm after IOP reduction ( P < 0.001). On mixed effect model analysis, IOP (-0.02 ± 0.001, P < 0.001) and corneal pachymetry (-0.0003 ± 0.0001, P = 0.02) affected the change in the DA. CONCLUSION: IOP and corneal pachymetry affect the DA and must be accounted for when using Corvis ST to evaluate corneal biomechanics in glaucoma.

XEN 45 Gel Stent Implantation in Open Angle Glaucoma: 5-Year Results of a Prospective Study.

PRCIS: XEN 45 Gel Stent is safe and effective for 3 years. The study results provide useful insight into the outcome of XEN 45 Gel Stent surgery over 5 years in daily clinical practice. PURPOSE: To evaluate 5-year outcomes of XEN 45 gel stent implantation (XEN) in patients with open angle glaucoma. METHODS: This is a prospective, single-center, interventional study. XEN implantation either alone (XEN) or combined with phacoemulsification (Phaco + XEN) was performed on 170 consecutive eyes (126 patients) with uncontrolled intraocular pressure (IOP) or disease progression despite medical treatment. "Complete" surgical success at 60 months was defined as unmedicated IOP ≤15 mm Hg and a relative IOP reduction ≥20% from medicated baseline, while "qualified" success allowed fewer ocular hypotensive medications than at baseline. Other definitions of success with various IOP targets were also analyzed. Secondary outcomes included mean IOP and IOP-lowering medication changes and rates of reoperations. RESULTS: Mean age was 78.1±9.2 years, and 70.3% were female. Mean medicated IOP decreased from 19.8±7.7 mm Hg [19.6±7.1 (XEN) vs. 19.8±7.0 mm Hg (Phaco+XEN)] at baseline to 12.6±3.1 mm Hg [12.5± 3.1 (XEN) vs. 12.6±3.1 (Phaco+XEN)] at 5 years (-37.0%; P < 0.001). Medications decreased from 2.0±1.3 [2.0±1.3 (XEN) vs. 2.0±1.3 (Phaco+XEN)] to 0.8±1.1 [0.8±1.1 (XEN) vs. 0.8±1.1 (Phaco + XEN)] (-60%; P <0.001). Needling was performed in 84 eyes (49%), and 19.4% underwent a secondary surgical intervention. Complete success at 3 years was a strong predictor of success at 5 years (odds ratio: 3.06, P <0.01), while needling was associated with higher rates of failure (odds ratio: 3.6, P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: At 5 years, XEN gel stent implantation was a safe procedure and achieved clinically meaningful IOP and medication reduction. Success at 3 years is a predictor of success at 5 years. Needling correlates with higher failure rates.

Agreement of a Novel Artificial Intelligence Software With Optical Coherence Tomography and Manual Grading of the Optic Disc in Glaucoma.

PRCIS: The offline artificial intelligence (AI) on a smartphone-based fundus camera shows good agreement and correlation with the vertical cup-to-disc ratio (vCDR) from the spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and manual grading by experts. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the agreement of vCDR measured by a new AI software from optic disc images obtained using a validated smartphone-based imaging device, with SD-OCT vCDR measurements, and manual grading by experts on a stereoscopic fundus camera. METHODS: In a prospective, cross-sectional study, participants above 18 years (Glaucoma and normal) underwent a dilated fundus evaluation, followed by optic disc imaging including a 42-degree monoscopic disc-centered image (Remidio NM-FOP-10), a 30-degree stereoscopic disc-centered image (Kowa nonmyd WX-3D desktop fundus camera), and disc analysis (Cirrus SD-OCT). Remidio FOP images were analyzed for vCDR using the new AI software, and Kowa stereoscopic images were manually graded by 3 fellowship-trained glaucoma specialists. RESULTS: We included 473 eyes of 244 participants. The vCDR values from the new AI software showed strong agreement with SD-OCT measurements [95% limits of agreement (LoA)=-0.13 to 0.16]. The agreement with SD-OCT was marginally better in eyes with higher vCDR (95% LoA=-0.15 to 0.12 for vCDR>0.8). Interclass correlation coefficient was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.88-0.91). The vCDR values from AI software showed a good correlation with the manual segmentation by experts (interclass correlation coefficient=0.89, 95% CI, 0.87-0.91) on stereoscopic images (95% LoA=-0.18 to 0.11) with agreement better for eyes with vCDR>0.8 (LoA=-0.12 to 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: The new AI software vCDR measurements had an excellent agreement and correlation with the SD-OCT and manual grading. The ability of the Medios AI to work offline, without requiring cloud-based inferencing, is an added advantage.

EYEMATE-SC Trial: Twelve-Month Safety, Performance, and Accuracy of a Suprachoroidal Sensor for Telemetric Measurement of Intraocular Pressure.

PURPOSE: Measuring and controlling intraocular pressure (IOP) provide the foundation for glaucoma treatment. Self-tonometry has been proposed as an alternative to measure IOP throughout the entire day better. The novel EYEMATE-SC sensor (Implandata) is implanted in the suprachoroidal space to enable contactless continual IOP monitoring. The aim of the present study was to investigate the 1-year safety, performance, and accuracy of the EYEMATE-SC in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma undergoing simultaneous nonpenetrating glaucoma surgery (NPGS). DESIGN: Prospective, multicenter, open-label, single-arm, interventional clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four eyes of 24 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma who were due to undergo NPGS (canaloplasty or deep sclerectomy). METHODS: An EYEMATE-SC sensor was implanted during NPGS. Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) measurements were compared with the sensors' IOP measurements at all postoperative visits through 12 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Device position and adverse events. RESULTS: Fifteen eyes underwent canaloplasty, and 9 underwent deep sclerectomy. Successful implantation of the sensor was achieved in all eyes with no reported intraoperative difficulties. Through the 12-month follow-up, no device migration, dislocation, or serious device-related complications were recorded. A total of 536 EYEMATE-SC measurements were pairwise included in the IOP agreement analysis. The overall mean difference between GAT and EYEMATE-SC measurements was 0.8 mmHg (95% confidence interval [CI] of the limits of agreement [LoA], -5.1 to 6.7 mmHg). The agreement gradually improved, and from 3 months after surgery until the end of the follow-up, the mean difference was -0.2 mmHg (95% CI of LoA, -4.6 to 4.2 mmHg) over a total of 264 EYEMATE-SC measurements, and 100% of measurements were within ±5 mmHg of GAT. CONCLUSIONS: The EYEMATE-SC sensor was safe and well tolerated through 12 months. Moreover, it allowed accurate, continuous IOP monitoring. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Outcomes of Deep Sclerectomy following Failed XEN Gel Stent Implantation in Open-Angle Glaucoma: A Prospective Study.

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcome of deep sclerectomy (DS) as a secondary procedure following failed ab-interno XEN gel stent implantation in patients with open-angle glaucoma. Methods: Prospective, single-center, non-randomized, interventional study. Consecutive eyes that underwent mitomycin C (MMC) augmented XEN gel stent surgery, with uncontrolled intraocular pressure (IOP) or signs of disease progression, were included to undergo MMC-augmented DS. Primary efficacy outcome was surgical success, defined as complete when the unmedicated IOP was 12 mmHg or less, or 15 mmHg or less and 20% lower than at the timing of XEN failure and defined as qualified when the IOP fulfilled the same conditions with fewer medications than before deep sclerectomy. Secondary measures were mean reduction in IOP and in the number of medications, and the rates of complications. Results: Seventeen eyes were enrolled with a mean age of 72.1 ± 8.2 years (66.7% women). The mean follow-up was 20.1 ± 4.9 months, with more than 12-month data available from 15 eyes. Following DS, IOP decreased significantly from 22.6 ± 5.3 mmHg to 12.3 ± 5.5 (45.6%; p < 0.001). Antiglaucoma medications dropped from 1.1 ± 0.9 to 0.3 ± 0.7. Complete success was obtained in 40% of eyes using the threshold of 12 mmHg or less and a 20% decrease of IOP, and in 60% using the 15 mmHg or less threshold. Adverse events were observed in 20% of eyes (bleb leakage (13.3%); hypotony (6.7%)). No cases of choroidal detachment or hypotony maculopathy were reported. Conclusions: Failed XEN gel stent implantation does not seem to negatively affect the safety and efficacy of subsequent deep sclerectomy surgery.

Prevalence of primary angle-closure disease in retinitis pigmentosa.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of primary angle-closure disease (PACD) in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Methods: This was a retrospective review of the electronic medical records of all RP patients over the age of 10 years attending the Genetics Eye Clinic of a tertiary-care hospital during a 7-year period. Information regarding age, gender, vision, refraction, lens, intraocular pressure (IOP), type of RP, and inheritance pattern using pedigree charts for all patients were obtained. Patients with a shallow anterior chamber, high IOP, or glaucomatous optic discs were referred to the glaucoma department where they underwent additional IOP measurements, a gonioscopy, and disc evaluation by a glaucoma specialist. The prevalence of PACD was determined. Results: A total of 618 RP patients were examined during the study period, of which 95.1% had typical RP. The prevalence of primary angle-closure suspects was 2.9%, primary angle closure was 0.65%, and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) was 2.27%. In contrast, the prevalence of primary open-angle glaucoma was 1.29%. The prevalence of PACG in those older than 40 years was 3.8% (95% confidence interval: 1.6-6.0). Conclusion: The prevalence of PACG in RP patients over 40 years was higher than that found in the general population of a similar age (3.8% vs. 0.8%). In our cohort of RP patients, 5.9% had PACD. Hence, gonioscopy is warranted in all RP patients to identify this condition and treat it appropriately.

Point-wise variability of threshold sensitivity of 24-2 and 10-2 visual fields.

PURPOSE: To evaluate point-wise variability of threshold sensitivity at different test locations on 24-2 and 10-2 visual field (VF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic medical records of patients seen at a tertiary eye care center were screened to include those with at least 3 reliable VF with glaucomatous defects involving fixation on 24-2 and confirmed on 10-2 test strategy. Ninety eyes of 90 patients were categorized into 3 severity groups based on mean deviation (MD on 24-2) test strategy; MD<-6 dB and >-12 dB, <-12 dB and >-20 dB and <-20 dB and >-30 dB. Variability of threshold sensitivity at all topographical test locations in central (ring 1), mid-peripheral (ring 2), peripheral rings on 24-2 VF test strategy (ring 3), and central (ring 4) and paracentral (ring 5) on 10-2 VF test along with variability of visual field index and central field index were calculated by multilevel mixed effects model. RESULTS: Central ring1 on 24-2 and ring 4 on 10-2 showed higher variability (>10 dB) than peripheral ring 2, 3, and 5. Seventy-three eyes were adjudged as stable and 17 as progressing in this cohort. The average ring and point-wise variability was higher in stable eyes (2-6 dB) across all glaucoma severities. Across severity, variability was seen to decrease with increasing severity with minimal variability in point-wise threshold sensitivity beyond MD <-20 dB. CONCLUSION: Central test points/ring on 24-2 and 10-2 with greater threshold variability suggests that status of the eye, severity and topographical location of test points should be incorporated into conventional progression algorithms to predict true glaucoma progression.

Deep Learning for Glaucoma Detection and Identification of Novel Diagnostic Areas in Diverse Real-World Datasets.

Purpose: To develop a three-dimensional (3D) deep learning algorithm to detect glaucoma using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) optic nerve head (ONH) cube scans and validate its performance on ethnically diverse real-world datasets and on cropped ONH scans. Methods: In total, 2461 Cirrus SD-OCT ONH scans of 1012 eyes were obtained from the Glaucoma Clinic Imaging Database at the Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, from March 2010 to December 2017. A 3D deep neural network was trained and tested on this unique raw OCT cube dataset to identify a multimodal definition of glaucoma excluding other concomitant retinal disease and optic neuropathies. A total of 1022 scans of 363 glaucomatous eyes (207 patients) and 542 scans of 291 normal eyes (167 patients) from Stanford were included in training, and 142 scans of 48 glaucomatous eyes (27 patients) and 61 scans of 39 normal eyes (23 patients) were included in the validation set. A total of 3371 scans (Cirrus SD-OCT) from four different countries were used for evaluation of the model: the non overlapping test dataset from Stanford (USA) consisted of 694 scans: 241 scans from 113 normal eyes of 66 patients and 453 scans of 157 glaucomatous eyes of 89 patients. The datasets from Hong Kong (total of 1625 scans; 666 OCT scans from 196 normal eyes of 99 patients and 959 scans of 277 glaucomatous eyes of 155 patients), India (total of 672 scans; 211 scans from 147 normal eyes of 98 patients and 461 scans from 171 glaucomatous eyes of 101 patients), and Nepal (total of 380 scans; 158 scans from 143 normal eyes of 89 patients and 222 scans from 174 glaucomatous eyes of 109 patients) were used for external evaluation. The performance of the model was then evaluated on manually cropped scans from Stanford using a new algorithm called DiagFind. The ONH region was cropped by identifying the appropriate zone of the image in the expected location relative to Bruch's Membrane Opening (BMO) using a commercially available imaging software. Subgroup analyses were performed in groups stratified by eyes, myopia severity of glaucoma, and on a set of glaucoma cases without field defects. Saliency maps were generated to highlight the areas the model used to make a prediction. The model's performance was compared to that of a glaucoma specialist using all available information on a subset of cases. Results: The 3D deep learning system achieved area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.91 (95% CI, 0.90-0.92), 0.80 (95% CI, 0.78-0.82), 0.94 (95% CI, 0.93-0.96), and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.85-0.90) on Stanford, Hong Kong, India, and Nepal datasets, respectively, to detect perimetric glaucoma and AUC values of 0.99 (95% CI, 0.97-1.00), 0.96 (95% CI, 0.93-1.00), and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.89-0.95) on severe, moderate, and mild myopia cases, respectively, and an AUC of 0.77 on cropped scans. The model achieved an AUC value of 0.92 (95% CI, 0.90-0.93) versus that of the human grader with an AUC value of 0.91 on the same subset of scans (\(P=0.99\)). The performance of the model in terms of recall on glaucoma cases without field defects was found to be 0.76 (0.68-0.85). Saliency maps highlighted the lamina cribrosa in glaucomatous eyes versus superficial retina in normal eyes as the regions associated with classification. Conclusions: A 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) trained on SD-OCT ONH cubes can distinguish glaucoma from normal cases in diverse datasets obtained from four different countries. The model trained on additional random cropping data augmentation performed reasonably on manually cropped scans, indicating the importance of lamina cribrosa in glaucoma detection. Translational Relevance: A 3D CNN trained on SD-OCT ONH cubes was developed to detect glaucoma in diverse datasets obtained from four different countries and on cropped scans. The model identified lamina cribrosa as the region associated with glaucoma detection.

Rates of Choroidal Microvasculature Dropout and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Changes in Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between rates of choroidal microvasculature dropout (MvD) change and rates of circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) loss in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes. DESIGN: Cohort study from clinical trial data. METHODS: A total of 91 eyes of 68 POAG patients with and without localized MvD at baseline with at least 4 visits and 2 years of follow-up with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) and OCT scans were included. Area and angular circumference of MvD were evaluated on OCT-A en face and B-scan choroidal vessel density images during the follow-up period. Joint longitudinal mixed effects models were used to estimate the rates of change in MvD area or angular circumference and RNFL thickness. Univariable and multivariable regressions were completed to identify the factors contributing to cpRNFL thinning. RESULTS: MvD was identified in 53 eyes (58.2%) at baseline. Seventeen eyes (18.6%) that did not show MvD at baseline developed it over the follow-up period. Over a mean follow-up of 4.0 years, the mean rates of change in MvD area and angular circumference (95% CI) were 0.05 (0.04, 0.06) mm2 per year and 13.2° (10.7°, 15.8°) per year, respectively. In multivariable models, the rate of cpRNFL thinning was significantly associated with the rates of change in MvD area and angular circumference (P = .008 and P = .009, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of MvD area and angular circumference change over time were associated with concurrent rates of cpRNFL loss in POAG eyes.

Upregulated NOTCH Signaling in the Lens of Patients With Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome Compared With Pseudoexfoliation Glaucoma Suggests Protective Role.

PRCIS: NOTCH signaling is significantly upregulated in the lens capsules of eyes with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXF) but not in those with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PXG) when compared with healthy controls. PURPOSE: NOTCH signaling has neuroprotective functions and altered NOTCH signaling is associated with neurodegenerative diseases with protein aggregation such as Alzheimer disease. As PXG is also a protein aggregate disease associated with neural degeneration, NOTCH molecular expression was explored in the lens capsules of patients with PXF, PXG, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and healthy controls. METHODS: Anterior lens capsules were collected from 106 patients (27 PXF, 24 PXG, 22 POAG, and 33 controls) undergoing cataract surgery. Gene expression profiling for NOTCH pathway molecules (ligands, receptors, and downstream target genes) was performed on the tissue using a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The results were confirmed by protein analysis using dot-blot or immunostaining techniques. RESULTS: There was no difference in the demographic characteristics between the groups. There was an increase in NOTCH4 receptor expression (>14-fold) in the PXF group as compared with the controls. Similarly, the Delta-like 3 and Delta-like 4 ligands were significantly elevated in the PXF group compared with controls (P<0.05). Downstream targets HES3, HES5, and HEY1 expression were significantly elevated (P<0.005) in PXF lens capsules, confirming a higher activity of NOTCH signaling in this cohort. Immunostaining also corroborated the gene expression profile. CONCLUSION: The finding that NOTCH signaling is significantly upregulated in the lens capsule of eyes with PXF and not in PXG or POAG patients suggests a possible protective role in the development of glaucoma.

Long-term outcomes and risk factors for failure of glaucoma filtering surgery in eyes with vernal keratoconjunctivitis and steroid-induced glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To report outcomes and assess the risk factors for failure of trabeculectomy (trab), trabeculectomy with mitomycin-C (trabMMC), and combined trabeculectomy with cataract extraction (CT) in vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) eyes with steroid-induced glaucoma (SIG). METHODS: Trab was performed in 45 eyes of 30 subjects, trabMMC in 36 eyes of 25 subjects, and CT in 34 eyes of 27 subjects. Success was complete when intraocular pressure (IOP) was between 6 and 21 mm Hg without anti-glaucoma medications (AGM) and qualified with AGM. RESULTS: Median age (14 vs. 16.3 and 17.4 years) was significantly less in the trab cohort (P = 0.007). Majority (88%-93%) were male (P = 0.78). Preoperatively, median duration of steroid usage was >2 years (P = 0.52), mean IOP (32, 29.4, and 28.4; P = 0.26) and median cup:disc ratio (CDR) (0.9; P = 0.27) were similar in the three groups. Complete success (76%, 71%, and 66% at 5 years; P = 0.91), and qualified success (88%, 97%, and 94% at 5 years; P = 1.0) with trab, trabMMC, and CT, respectively, were similar. Preoperative factors significantly associated with qualified failure (multiple logistic regression) were older children, longer duration of VKC, longer duration and mixed type of steroid use (all P < 0.001) and larger CDR (P < 0.02). At the last follow-up, 38% in trab, 33% in trabMMC, and 50% eyes in CT were blind (visual acuity ≤20/400 and/or visual field ≤10°) due to glaucoma (P = 0.33). CONCLUSION: The surgical success for all three types of surgery was similar at 5-years. Chronic VKC and long-term steroid use were associated with surgical failure. The majority had advanced disease and a significant proportion were blind due to glaucoma.

Outcomes of trabeculectomy in eyes with refractory acute primary angle-closure in Indian eyes.

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of trabeculectomy in eyes with refractory acute primary angle-closure attack. METHODS: Patients with acute primary angle-closure attack and who underwent trabeculectomy for medically uncontrolled intraocular pressure within 2 months of presentation were retrospectively analyzed. Primary outcome was intraocular pressure (IOP). Secondary outcome measures were visual acuity, number of antiglaucoma medication (AGM), complications, and risk factors for failure of trabeculectomy. RESULTS: Thirty-five eyes of 31 patients with median (interquartile range) follow-up of 3 (0.5, 9) years were included in the study. Median age at presentation was 55 (47, 60) years. Median duration of symptoms at presentation was 10 (4, 16) days and median time from presentation to surgery was 13 (6, 25) days. Median IOP reduced from 42 (36, 46) to 13 (12, 16) mmHg (P < 0.001) and median number of AGM reduced from 3 (1, 3) to 0 (0, 0) after trabeculectomy at the end of 1 year. The probability of complete and qualified success was 88% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 72%-95%) and was 97% (95% CI: 81%-99%) at 1 year, respectively. Failure was noted in six eyes. Subsequent cataract surgery was needed in 13 eyes (37%) with a median duration from trabeculectomy being 6.75 (1, 11) years. None of the preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative factors tested were associated with failure (P > 0.10 for all associations on Cox proportional hazard regression analysis). CONCLUSION: In medically unresponsive cases of acute primary angle-closure attack, primary trabeculectomy seems safe and effective in Indian eyes.

Phacoemulsification versus Phacotrabeculectomy in Medically Controlled Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma with Cataract in an Indian Cohort: A randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of phacoemulsification with phacotrabeculectomy in primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) eyes with medically controlled intraocular pressure (IOP). METHODS: Prospective, randomized control trial including 33 eyes of 33 patients who underwent phacoemulsification (Phaco) and 37 eyes (37 patients) who underwent phacotrabeculectomy (PT). The primary outcome measure was survival defined as IOP control (IOP ≥ 6 and ≤ 21 mmHg without antiglaucoma medications (AGM) at different time points. Secondary outcome measures were the rate of visual recovery and complications. RESULTS: The mean age in years (PT: 58.5 ± 9.8, Phaco:61.6 ± 8.9; p = 0.16), preoperative mean deviation in decibel (PT: -18.7 ± 9.3; Phaco: -16.6 ± 7.9; p = 0.32) and the mean follow up in years (PT: 2.5 ± 1.8; Phaco: 2.8 ± 2.0; p = 0.63) were similar in the two groups. The mean preoperative AGMs were more in the PT group (PT: 2.13 ± 0.97, Phaco: 1.60 ± 0.78; p = 0.01). In both the groups the survival was similar at all-time points (PT: 78% at 1-year and 52% at 5-years, Phaco: 80% at 1 year and 59% at 5 years (P = 0.82). The postoperative visual acuity in LogMAR was significantly better in the Phaco group at 1 month (PT: 0.22 ± 0.38, Phaco:0.06 ± 0.07; p = 0.02). Postoperative AGM (p = 0.68) and rate of visual field progression PT: -0.46 ± 0.41 dB/year; Phaco: -0.38 ± 0.73 dB/year; p = 0.67) were similar in both groups. One eye in PT group developed malignant glaucoma which resolved with laser hyaloidotomy and cycloplegic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: More rapid visual recovery with similar IOP control and similar visual field stability favor phacoemulsification to phacotrabeculectomy in medically controlled PACG eyes with cataract.

Optical Microangiography and Progressive Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Loss in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between optical microangiography (OMAG) measurements and progressive retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) loss in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). DESIGN: Prospective case series. METHODS: Sixty-four eyes of 40 patients with POAG (108 quadrants) with mild to moderate functional damage were longitudinally studied for at least 2 years and with a minimum of 3 optical coherence tomography examinations. OMAG imaging was performed at the baseline visit. Effect of clinical parameters (age, sex, presence of systemic diseases, central corneal thickness, presence of disc hemorrhage, and mean and fluctuation of intraocular pressure during follow-up), baseline hemifield mean deviation, baseline quadrant optical coherence tomography RNFL and ganglion cell inner plexiform layer thickness), and OMAG (peripapillary and macular perfusion density [PD] and vessel density [VD]) on the rate of RNFL change was evaluated using linear mixed models. RESULTS: Average (±SD) mean deviation, RNFL, and ganglion cell inner plexiform layer thickness of the analyzed quadrants at baseline were -5.5 ± 2.9 dB, 96.5 ± 17.9 µm, and 73.8 ± 8.6 µm, respectively. Peripapillary PD and VD in the quadrant were 44.6% ± 5.9% and 17.5 ± 2.2 mm/mm2, respectively. Rate of quadrant RNFL change was -1.8 ± 0.6 µm/y. Multivariate mixed models showed that lower peripapillary PD (coefficient = 0.08, P = .01) and lower VD (coefficient = 0.21, P = .02) were significantly associated with a faster rate of RNFL loss. CONCLUSIONS: Lower baseline peripapillary PD and VD measured using OMAG were significantly associated with a faster rate of RNFL loss in POAG. OMAG imaging provides useful information about the risk of glaucoma progression and the rate of disease worsening.

Bilateral Nonpenetrating Deep Sclerectomy: Difference in Outcomes Between First- and Second-Operated Eyes at 24 Months.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the difference in outcome between the first-operated and the second-operated eyes after nonpenetrating deep sclerectomy (DS), and to identify potential success predictors for the second eye. METHODS: This single-surgeon, retrospective study analyzed the outcomes of all bilateral nonsimultaneous DS with at least 24 months of follow-up. Its main outcome measure was surgical success, defined as unmedicated intraocular pressure (IOP) ≤15 mm Hg associated with a relative reduction ≥20%. RESULTS: In all, 104 eyes of 52 patients who underwent bilateral (standalone or combined) DS, within a mean of 344.3±526.3 days of each other, were analyzed. Postoperatively, the mean medicated IOP decreased from 20.7±7.9 (first-operated eyes) and 19.3±6.6 mm Hg (second-operated eyes) at baseline (P=0.107) to 13.8±4.8 [(-33.3%; P<0.001) first-operated eyes) and 12.7±3.8 mm Hg [(-34.2%; P<0.001) second-operated eyes] after 2 years (P=0.619). Postoperative IOP and treatment reduction, respectively, showed fair (r=0.53) and good (r=0.71) levels of correlation between fellow eyes. The rates of complete success were comparable between first-operated and second-operated eyes (32.7% and 40.4%, respectively; P=0.364). At 2 years, among patients whose first-operated eyes were considered a success, 82.4% of surgeries in second eyes were successful (P=0.001). The odds ratio of a second-operated eye experiencing complete success were 6.32 (P=0.011) if the first-operated eye experienced complete success. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated a strong association between first-operated and second-operated eyes after DS, in terms of surgical outcomes and IOP reduction. In effect, surgical success in the first-operated eye increases the odds of success in the second eye by 6-fold.

Trabeculectomy with Mitomycin-C in Post-Traumatic Angle Recession Glaucoma in Phakic Eyes With no Prior Intraocular Intervention.

PURPOSE: : To evaluate the outcomes of primary trabeculectomy with mitomycin-C (trab MMC) in phakic eyes with post-traumatic angle recession glaucoma with no prior intraocular surgeries. METHODS: : We included 32 phakic eyes of 32 patients who underwent trab MMC between January-2002 and December-2017. Complete success was IOP between 6 and 21 mm Hg without anti-glaucoma medications (AGM) and failure was when IOP >21 mm Hg with AGM or need for additional intervention for IOP control or loss of light perception. RESULTS: : Thirty-two eyes of 32 subjects with a mean age (± standard deviation) of 30.6 ± 12.6 years were included. The majority were male (97.6%) and the major cause of blunt trauma were sports injury in 28/32 eyes (88%) and 24/32 eyes (75%) had >180-degree angle recession. The Median (interquartile range) follow-up duration was 1.3 years (0.3,3.5). There was significant IOP reduction at 1-year postoperatively (34 (28,40) to 13 (12,16) mm Hg; p < .001). The median postoperative AGM at 1-year was significantly less (4 (3,4) to 0; p < .001) with stable Log MAR visual acuity (p = .24). The complete survival of trab MMC was 88% at 1 year and was 77% from 2 to 5 years. Complications were intraoperative vitreous prolapse needing limited vitrectomy in two eyes and postoperative choroidal detachment in two eyes that resolved with conservative management. The contralateral eyes of three patients (9.7%) developed elevated IOP during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: : Trabeculectomy with mitomycin-C in phakic eyes with traumatic angle recession glaucoma showed good safety and efficacy in the medium-term follow-up. The contralateral fellow eye needs monitoring for glaucoma in these patients.

Progressive Vessel Density Reduction on OCT Angiography in Glaucoma Eyes with Disc Hemorrhages.

PURPOSE: To identify longitudinal changes in peripapillary and parafoveal vessel density (VD) measured by OCT angiography (OCTA) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes with disc hemorrhages (DHs). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study conducted from August 2016 through August 2020 PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen Asian-Indian participants with POAG (18 eyes) who sought treatment at the clinic with a single DH in the peripapillary region were recruited consecutively. METHODS: The study was conducted at a tertiary eye care center. All participants who were recruited underwent a baseline OCT and OCTA, which were repeated every 4 to 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Peripapillary VD and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, parafoveal VD and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness in the DH sector, and the corresponding mirror-image sector across the horizontal meridian (control) were evaluated over time using linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: The baseline average RNFL thickness was 79 ± 9 µm. Mean duration of follow-up was 2.6 ± 0.7 years. In the DH sector, all VD and structural parameters showed a significant negative slope (P < 0.01). In the control sector, the slopes of the structural parameters (RNFL and GCIPL thickness) were not significant (P > 0.05), but the rate of change of the peripapillary and parafoveal VDs were significant (P < 0.01). The rate of change of peripapillary VD was greater in the DH sector compared with the non-DH sector (-2.86 ± 0.6%/year vs. -1.71 ± 0.7%/year; P < 0.01). However, the parafoveal VD slopes did not differ significantly between DH and control sectors (-2.9 ± 0.17%/year vs. -2.8 ± 0.8%/year; P = 0.51). CONCLUSIONS: Eyes with POAG harboring a DH showed not only progressive RNFL and GCIPL loss in the DH sector, but also progressive peripapillary and parafoveal VD reduction in the DH and non-DH regions as documented on OCTA.

Changes in peripapillary and macular vascular density after laser selective trabeculoplasty: an optical coherence tomography angiography study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of laser trabeculoplasty on peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFL), fovea avascular zone (FAZ), peripapillary and macular vessel density (VD) in glaucoma using with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A). METHODS: This was a prospective observational study performed at the Glaucoma Research Centre, Montchoisi Clinic, Lausanne, Switzerland. Thirty-seven eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma from 21 patients were included. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) scans were performed before laser trabeculoplasty and at 2 and 6 months after the procedure. AngioVue AngioAnalytic (Optovue Inc, Fremont, CA, USA) software was used to analyse the RNFL, FAZ, peripapillary and macular VD. Changes were analysed using mixed models, controlling for intraocular pressure (IOP) and signal strength index (SSI) variations. RESULTS: Mean IOP decreased from 18.5 (±3.7) mmHg at baseline to 15.6 (±2.7) mmHg after 2 months (-15.3%; p < 0.001). No significant changes in RNFL thickness were noted following laser trabeculoplasty. Changes in peripapillary VD were mostly nonsignificant. Parafoveal (p = 0.001) and perifoveal VD (p = 0.025) significantly increased at 2 months, before reverting to near-baseline values at 6 months. No significant changes were observed in foveal parameters. Retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFL) and VD changes were independent from IOP, but SSI had a significant influence on VD. CONCLUSIONS: Following laser trabeculoplasty, peripapillary and macular VD temporarily increased before returning to near-baseline values by 6 months. No correlation was found between microvascular fluctuations and IOP, and no significant effect of laser trabeculoplasty on VD or RNFL was observed at 6 months despite persistent IOP reduction. Further research is warranted to understand its exact causes and clinical relevance.

Optical Microangiography and Progressive Ganglion Cell-Inner Plexiform Layer Loss in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between optical microangiography (OMAG) measurements and progressive ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) loss in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). DESIGN: Prospective case series. METHODS: Sixty-three eyes of 38 patients with POAG were studied for ≥2 years and with ≥ 3 optical coherence tomography examinations. Only those hemifields with mild to moderate functional damage at baseline (106 hemifields) were included in the analysis. OMAG imaging was performed at the baseline visit. The effects of clinical parameters (age, gender, central corneal thickness, presence of disc hemorrhage, and mean and fluctuation of intraocular pressure), baseline mean deviation, retinal nerve fiber layer, and GCIPL thickness and baseline OMAG measurements (peripapillary and macular perfusion density [PD] and vessel density [VD]) on the rate of change of GCIPL thickness were evaluated using linear mixed models. RESULTS: Average (± standard deviation) mean deviation, quadrant retinal nerve fiber layer, and sector GCIPL thickness of the analyzed hemifields respectively at baseline were -5.2 ± 2.8 dB, 94.5 ± 20.0 µm, and 72.4 ± 8.7 µm, respectively. Peripapillary PD and VD in the quadrant were 43.1% ± 7.0% and 17.0 ± 2.6 mm/mm2, respectively. Macular PD and VD in the quadrant were 37.2% ± 6.9% and 15.1 ± 2.6 mm/mm2, respectively. Rate of sector GCIPL change was -0.97 ± 0.15 µm per year. Multivariate mixed models showed that lower peripapillary PD (coefficient 0.04, P = .01) and VD (coefficient 0.09, P = .05) were significantly associated with a faster rate of GCIPL loss. CONCLUSIONS: Lower baseline peripapillary OMAG measurements were significantly associated with a faster rate of GCIPL loss in patients with mild to moderate POAG.