Quality of Life Outcomes Among Patients Being Screened for Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in Thailand.

PURPOSE: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis can have debilitating impacts on quality of life (QOL), but few contemporary studies have characterized these ramifications. This study assessed the impact of CMV retinitis on vision-related QOL for those living with HIV/AIDS in Thailand. METHODS: QOL was assessed as part of a prospective interventional cohort study of patients referred to a tertiary hospital in Thailand for CMV retinitis screening. A validated vision-related QOL questionnaire was administered at the baseline screening visit and at the 6-month study visit. Multivariable linear regression models were performed to determine the effect of CMV retinitis diagnosis on QOL score. RESULTS: A total of 152 participants completed the QOL questionnaire at their initial clinic visit. At baseline, a diagnosis of CMV retinitis diagnosis was significantly associated with decreased QOL score: unilateral retinitis was associated with a 0.11 (95% CI: -0.26-0.03) decrement in QOL, and bilateral retinitis was associated with a 0.33 (95% CI: -0.51-0.16) decrement (joint P-value = 0.0009). For the 78 participants with a 6-month visit, changes in QOL from baseline were small and not significant. A diagnosis of CMV retinitis was still associated with decreased QOL score at 6 months (joint P-value = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: This study found that vision-related QOL was lower in those with CMV retinitis, especially with bilateral involvement, and did not improve after treatment among those with follow-up. These findings reinforce the debilitating clinical manifestations of this disease, and support efforts for earlier screening to detect CMV retinitis before impacts on QOL have occurred.

Comparison of Three Handheld Fundus Cameras for Assessment of the Vertical Cup-To-Disk Ratio.

Purpose To compare the quality of optic nerve photographs from three different handheld fundus cameras and to assess the reproducibility and agreement of vertical cup-to-disk ratio (VCDR) measurements from each camera. Methods Adult patients from a comprehensive ophthalmology clinic and an intravitreous injection clinic in northern Thailand were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Each participant had optic nerve photography performed with each of 3 handheld cameras: the Volk iNview, Volk Pictor Plus, and Peek Retina. Images were graded for VCDR in a masked fashion by two photo-graders and images with > 0.2 discrepancy in VCDR were assessed by a third photo-grader. Results A total of 355 eyes underwent imaging with three different handheld fundus cameras. Optic nerve images were judged ungradable in 130 (37%) eyes imaged with Peek Retina, compared to 36 (10%) and 55 (15%) eyes imaged with the iNview and Pictor Plus, respectively. For 193 eyes with gradable images from all 3 cameras, inter-rater reliability for VCDR measurements was poor or moderate for each of the cameras, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.41 to 0.52. A VCDR ≥ 0.6 was found in 6 eyes on iNview images, 9 eyes on Pictor Plus images, and 3 eyes on Peek images, with poor agreement between cameras (e.g., no eyes graded as VCDR ≥ 0.6 on images from both the iNview and Pictor Plus). Conclusions Inter-rater reliability of VCDR grades from 3 handheld cameras was poor. Cameras did not agree on which eyes had large VCDRs.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Scleritis following Pterygium Surgery with Mitomycin C or Beta Irradiation: Three-Case Report.

Purpose: To report three cases of culture-positive Pseudomonas aeruginosa scleritis following pterygium surgery. Patients and Methods. A retrospective study of all patients of Pseudomonas aeruginosa scleritis after pterygium surgery presented from May 2017 to May 2020 was performed. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics included age, gender, time between prior surgery and onset, adjunctive therapy, risk factors, initial visual acuity, final visual acuity, clinical features, medical treatment, and surgical intervention were analyzed. Results: Three eyes of three patients with clinical characteristics and laboratory-confirmed Pseudomonas aeruginosa scleritis were identified. Two patients were related with mitomycin C application after pterygium surgery, and only one had beta irradiation. Antibiotic administration and scleral debridement were required in 3 patients. One eye was enucleated. Final visual outcomes of two patients were improved. Conclusions: Pseudomonas aeruginosa scleritis after pterygium surgery is a crucial ophthalmic disease. An early diagnosis with a prompt intensive antibiotic treatment in combination with surgical interventions may improve visual outcome.

Cardio-ankle vascular index of increased arterial wall stiffness is associated with neurocognitive impairment in well-controlled HIV.

OBJECTIVES: HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) remain prevalent in people living with HIV (PLWH) despite widespread use of combined antiretroviral therapy (ART). Vascular disease contributes to the pathogenesis of HAND, but traditional vascular risk factors do not fully explain the relation between vascular disease and HAND. A more direct measure of vascular dysfunction is needed. This cross-sectional study tested whether the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), a novel method to assess arterial stiffness, is associated with HAND among PLWH. METHODS: Participants included 75 non-diabetic adults with well-controlled HIV from an outpatient HIV clinic. We assessed the relation between CAVI and neurocognitive impairment (NCI). The latter was primarily characterized by the Frascati criteria and secondarily (post hoc) using the Global Deficit Score (GDS). Logistic regression models tested whether high CAVI (≥ 8) was independently associated with NCI when controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS: Participants (Mage  = 45.6 ± 8.3 years; 30.1% male) had few traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors (hypertension, n = 7; dyslipidaemia, n = 34; body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2 , n = 12; smoking history, n = 13; 2.2% mean 10-year risk of CVD or stroke). Twelve (16%) participants had high CAVI, which was independently associated with meeting Frascati criteria for NCI [n = 39, odds ratio (OR) = 7.6, p = 0.04], accounting for age, education, gender, income, CD4 nadir, recent CD4 and traditional CVD risk factors. High CAVI was also associated with NCI as reflected by higher GDS (OR = 17.4, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Cardio-ankle vascular index is a promising measure of vascular dysfunction that may be independently associated with NCI in relatively healthy PLWH. Larger studies should test the utility of CAVI in predicting NCI/decline in PLWH.

Diagnostic accuracy of handheld fundus photography: A comparative study of three commercially available cameras.

The objective of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of handheld fundus cameras in detecting diabetic retinopathy (DR), diabetic macular edema (DME), and macular degeneration. Participants in the study, conducted at Maharaj Nakorn Hospital in Northern Thailand between September 2018 and May 2019, underwent an ophthalmologist examination as well as mydriatic fundus photography with three handheld fundus cameras (iNview, Peek Retina, Pictor Plus). Photographs were graded and adjudicated by masked ophthalmologists. Outcome measures included the sensitivity and specificity of each fundus camera for detecting DR, DME, and macular degeneration, relative to ophthalmologist examination. Fundus photographs of 355 eyes from 185 participants were captured with each of the three retinal cameras. Of the 355 eyes, 102 had DR, 71 had DME, and 89 had macular degeneration on ophthalmologist examination. The Pictor Plus was the most sensitive camera for each of the diseases (73-77%) and also achieved relatively high specificity (77-91%). The Peek Retina was the most specific (96-99%), although in part due to its low sensitivity (6-18%). The iNview had slightly lower estimates of sensitivity (55-72%) and specificity (86-90%) compared to the Pictor Plus. These findings demonstrated that the handheld cameras achieved high specificity but variable sensitivities in detecting DR, DME, and macular degeneration. The Pictor Plus, iNview, and Peek Retina would have distinct advantages and disadvantages when applied for utilization in tele-ophthalmology retinal screening programs.

Two-Step Transepithelial Photorefractive Keratectomy with WaveLight EX500 Platform for Adolescents and Adults with Low to Moderate Myopia: A 12-Month Comparative Evaluation.

PURPOSE: To compare the visual and refractive results obtained after two-step TransPRK using an EX500 excimer laser for low to moderate myopic correction in adolescents and adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospectively, 91 eyes of 52 patients were categorized into four groups based on age and level of myopia. The demographics, data of efficacy, safety, predictability, stability, and post-operative complications were evaluated at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-operatively. RESULTS: At 1-month, adolescents with low myopia achieved the highest mean efficacy index (P =0.034). The efficacy indices continuously increased during the 1-year follow-up in all groups, except in adolescents with moderate myopia. The highest safety and efficacy indices were recorded in adolescents with low myopia at 1-year. Post-operative spherical equivalent within ±0.50 D at 1 year was 48.75% of all treated eyes; however, the final mean refractive spherical equivalent (MRSE) was under-corrected in all groups. By month 3, the percentage of eyes that had grade 0.5 haze was most prevalent in adolescents with moderate myopia (P <0.001). CONCLUSION: two-step TransPRK using an EX500 proved to be an effective, predictable, stable and safe procedure for the correction of low to moderate myopia with or without astigmatism at 1 year. Adolescents with low myopia achieved the best-post-operative UDVA, efficacy and safety indices. Adolescents tolerated night visual problems and dry eye symptoms better than adults.

Thai version of the dry eye-related quality-of-life score questionnaire: preliminary assessment for psychometric properties.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to develop a Thai version of the Dry Eye-Related Quality-of-Life Score (DEQS-Th) questionnaire and evaluate its validity, reliability, and feasibility among Thai participants. METHODS: The DEQS-Th, a 15-item self-report measuring dry eye and its impact on quality of life (QOL) was developed based on the DEQS. The questionnaire was divided into two subscales: Bothersome Ocular Symptoms (six questions), and Impact on Daily Life (nine questions). It employed a 5-point Likert scale, addressing on both the frequency and the degree of symptoms. Backward and forward and cultural adaptation process translation methods were employed. Thirty healthy participants were enrolled to evaluate the feasibility of the DEQS-Th in terms of difficulty and convenience. Reliability was assessed using internal consistency determined by Cronbach's alpha, with values > 0.7 considered acceptable. Convergent validity was determined by the correlation between DEQS-Th and overall health status. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted for its factor structure. RESULTS: The participants' mean age was 38.6 ± 12.9 years, and 23 (76.7%) were females. The mean time to complete the questionnaire was 9.3 ± 2.7 min. The Cronbach's alpha of the ocular symptoms subscale, impact on QOL subscale, and summary score on frequency and degree were 0.80 and 0.70, 0.89 and 0.89, and 0.90 and 0.89, respectively. The overall health status significantly correlated with the summary score (r = 0.564, p = .001), subscale ocular symptoms (r = 0.594, p = .001), and impact on QOL scores (r = 0.626, p < .001) of the DEQS-Th, respectively. A one-factor model fitted the data the best for both the ocular symptoms subscale (CFI = 1.000, TLI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000) and the impact on QOL subscale (CFI = 0.998, TLI = 0.997, RMSEA = 0.053). CONCLUSION: When tested among normal participants, the DEQS-Th is a valid and reliable measurement for dry eye symptoms and impact on QOL.

Psychometric utility of the international HIV dementia scale and Montreal Cognitive Assessment in HIV-associated asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment.

There is a growing need for brief screening measures for HIV Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND). We compared two commonly used measures (the Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA] and the International HIV Dementia Scale [IHDS]) in their ability to identify asymptomatic HAND (i.e., asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment [ANI]). Participants included 74 Thai PLWH: 38 met Frascati criteria for ANI and 36 were cognitively normal (CN). Participants completed Thai language versions of the MoCA (MoCA-T) and IHDS, and a validated neurocognitive battery. We examined between-group differences for MoCA-T and IHDS total scores, and scale subcomponents. We also conducted receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses to determine the ability of the MoCA-T and IHDS to discriminate between CN and ANI groups, and compared their area under the curve (AUC) values. Results revealed lower MoCA-T total score, as well as the Visuospatial/Executive and Delayed Recall subtask scores, in the ANI relative to CN group. Groups did not differ on the IHDS. For ROC analyses, the MoCA-T, but not the IHDS, significantly differentiated the ANI from CN group, and there was a significant difference in AUC values between the MoCA-T (AUC = .71) and IHDS (AUC = .56). Sensitivity and specificity statistics were poor for both screening measures. These data indicate while the MoCA-T functions better than the IHDS in detecting Thai PLWH with ANI, the mildest form of HAND, neither cognitive screener, showed strong utility. Our findings reflect the limited efficacy of common screening measures in detecting subtler cognitive deficits among Thai PLWH, and highlight the need for better screening tools.

Contralateral Eye Involvement and Retinal Detachment in Patients with Cytomegalovirus Retinitis Treated with Intravitreous Ganciclovir.

Purpose: To determine the incidence of contralateral eye involvement and retinal detachment in HIV-infected patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis treated with repeated intravitreous ganciclovir.Methods: In a prospective cohort study in Northern Thailand, HIV-infected patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis were treated with antiretroviral therapy and intravitreous ganciclovir injections and followed for 3 months for contralateral cytomegalovirus retinitis and retinal detachment.Results: Of 49 participants with unilateral cytomegalovirus retinitis at enrollment, 7 developed contralateral eye involvement (4.8/100 person-months, 95% CI 1.9-9.8). Of 105 eyes without a retinal detachment at enrollment, 6 developed a retinal detachment (2.0/100 eye-months, 95% CI 0.7-4.3). Baseline clinical factors were not associated with the development of either outcome.Conclusion: Eyes treated with intravitreous ganciclovir experienced retinal detachment at a rate similar to other populations treated with systemic antivirals. The risk of contralateral eye involvement was relatively high during the first 3 months after initial diagnosis despite the institution of antiretroviral therapy.

Twelve-Month Outcomes of the Wavefront-Optimized Photorefractive Keratectomy for High Myopic Correction Compared with Low-to-Moderate Myopia.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the 12-months outcomes of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in patients with high myopia (≥ 6.0 diopters, D) compared with low-to-moderate myopia (< 6.0 D). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Records of 46 patients (69 eyes) who underwent PRK for myopic and astigmatic correction between October 2015 and December 2018 were reviewed. High myopic eyes (29 eyes) were compared with low-to-moderate myopic eyes (40 eyes). All surgeries were adjunct with 0.02% mitomycin C intraoperatively. Measured outcomes included postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), manifest refraction spherical equivalent, corneal haze rate, and any complications. RESULTS: At 12 months post-PRK, 26 eyes (89.7%) in the high myopia and 39 eyes (97.5%) in the low-to-moderate myopia group had UDVA ≥ 20/20, (p=0.30). Average postoperative logMAR UDVA at 12 months was -0.04 (20/18) and -0.11 (20/15) for the high myopia and low-to-moderate myopia groups, respectively. No eyes in either group had residual refractive errors >1 D. No eyes in both groups developed significant corneal haze at month 12. No eyes had a loss of greater than two Snellen lines of CDVA at 12 months post-surgery. The efficacy and safety indices at 12 months post-surgery were not significantly different between groups (1.06±0.26 vs.1.14±0.27, p =0.25 and 1.14±0.27 vs 1.17±0.26, p=0.60 for low-to-moderate myopia vs high myopia groups, respectively). CONCLUSION: PRK with high myopic correction provides excellent refractive outcomes and is safe, compared to those of low-to-moderate myopic correction.

Incidence and predisposing factors of anterior chamber gas bubbles during femtosecond laser flap creation.

AIM: To investigate the incidence and the predisposing factors of anterior chamber (AC) gas bubbles during femtosecond laser (FS) flap creation for laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). METHODS: All patients who underwent FS-LASIK surgery at CMU LASIK Center between January 2013 and May 2016 were retrospective reviewed. Preoperative and intraoperative data including keratometry, white-to-white (WTW) corneal diameter, flap parameters (diameter, thickness, hinge position, and tunnel length) and pulse energy were reviewed and compared between incident group and control group. To determine the risk factors, univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression were used; the eye was unit of analysis. RESULTS: The incidence of AC gas bubbles was 1.6% (22 out of 1378 eyes). The median WTW in the AC bubbles group was 11.5 mm (range 11.1-12.1), which was significantly different from the control group (11.7 mm, range 10.5-12.8, P=0.021). The result of the median WTW minus the flap diameter in the AC bubbles group was 2.5 mm (range 2.1-3.2), which was statistically different to the control group (2.7 mm, range 1.5-3.8, P=0.008). The logistic regression analysis showed that the result of the WTW minus the flap diameter in the AC bubbles group had an adjusted odds ratio of 0.204 (95%CI; 0.056-0.747, P=0.016). CONCLUSION: Development of AC gas bubbles during FS flap creation is not an uncommon event in Asian eyes which typically have a small WTW. The flap diameter when adjusted relatively to the WTW is a predisposing factor to the possibility of AC gas bubbles occurrence.

Accuracy of computer-assisted vertical cup-to-disk ratio grading for glaucoma screening.

PURPOSE: Glaucoma screening can be performed by assessing the vertical-cup-to-disk ratio (VCDR) of the optic nerve head from fundus photography, but VCDR grading is inherently subjective. This study investigated whether computer software could improve the accuracy and repeatability of VCDR assessment. METHODS: In this cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study, 5 ophthalmologists independently assessed the VCDR from a set of 200 optic disk images, with the median grade used as the reference standard for subsequent analyses. Eight non-ophthalmologists graded each image by two different methods: by visual inspection and with assistance from a custom-made publicly available software program. Agreement with the reference standard grade was assessed for each method by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and the sensitivity and specificity determined relative to a median ophthalmologist grade of ≥0.7. RESULTS: VCDR grades ranged from 0.1 to 0.9 for visual assessment and from 0.1 to 1.0 for software-assisted grading, with a median grade of 0.4 for each. Agreement between each of the 8 graders and the reference standard was higher for visual inspection (median ICC 0.65, interquartile range 0.57 to 0.82) than for software-assisted grading (median ICC 0.59, IQR 0.44 to 0.71); P = 0.02, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Visual inspection and software assistance had similar sensitivity and specificity for detecting glaucomatous cupping. CONCLUSION: The computer software used in this study did not improve the reproducibility or validity of VCDR grading from fundus photographs compared with simple visual inspection. More clinical experience was correlated with higher agreement with the ophthalmologist VCDR reference standard.

A Randomized Controlled Double-Masked Study of Transdermal Androgen in Dry Eye Patients Associated With Androgen Deficiency.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and quality of life (QOL) of transdermal androgen in treatment of dry eye patients associated with androgen deficiency. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Fifty patients with dry eye from a tertiary eye center in northern Thailand were randomized to receive transdermal androgen (AndroGel; Besins Healthcare, Brussels, Belgium) or placebo for 4 weeks. Main outcome measures were symptoms and signs of dry eye. Serum level of sex hormone and QOL questionnaires were also evaluated at the baseline and after treatment. RESULTS: After 4 weeks, the Ocular Surface Disease Index decreased significantly in the AndroGel group compared to the placebo (-14.36 ± 7.76 vs 0.14 ± 14.60, P < .001). Significant improvements of tear break-up time (7.40 ± 3.37 vs -1.14 ± 1.68 seconds, P < .001), corneal fluorescein staining (-0.62 ± 0.30 vs 0.19 ± 0.37, P < .001), and Schirmer test (6.84 ± 5.10 vs -0.48 ± 2.14 mm, P < .001) were observed in the AndroGel group compared to the placebo. Serum testosterone in female patients significantly increased in the AndroGel group compared to the placebo (P < .001), while no different change was observed in serum testosterone in male subjects and the sex hormone-binding globulin in both groups. In the AndroGel group, 20% of patients had oily skin and 4% had acne. No serious adverse effects were reported. The menopause rating score improved significantly in the AndroGel group compared to the placebo (P < .001), while the aging male symptoms were not different in both groups (P = .589). CONCLUSIONS: Transdermal androgen was effective in relieving symptoms and signs of dry eye as well as improving QOL in aging patients. There were no serious side effects during a short-term treatment.

Visual acuity outcomes in cytomegalovirus retinitis: early versus late diagnosis.

AIMS: To determine if early dilated fundus examination for cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis leads to better visual outcomes in areas with limited HIV care, where patients may have long-standing retinitis before they are diagnosed with HIV. METHODS: Twenty-four eyes of 17 patients with CMV retinitis who were seen at an urban HIV clinic in Chiang Mai, Thailand, were included in this retrospective cohort study. Participants were divided into two groups based on the amount of time from the first documented CD4 count below 100 cells/mm3 to the first eye examination for CMV retinitis. Average visual acuity in each group was calculated at the time CMV retinitis was first detected, and then at 3, 6 and 12 months after diagnosis. RESULTS: The group of patients who received an eye examination within approximately 4 months of the initial low CD4 count measurement had better baseline visual acuity (median 20/30,IQR 20/20 to 20/60) compared with patients who presented later (median 20/80, 20/60 to hand motion); p=0.03). Visual acuity did not change significantly during the 12-month study period in either the early group (p=0.69) or late group (p=0.17). CONCLUSION: In this study, patients who were examined sooner after a low CD4 count had better vision than patients who were examined later. Routine early screening of patients with CD4 counts under below 100 cells/mm3 may detect earlier disease and prevent vision loss.

Outcomes of LASIK for Myopia or Myopic Astigmatism Correction with the FS200 Femtosecond Laser and EX500 Excimer Laser Platform.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy, predictability, stability and safety of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using the FS200 femtosecond laser and EX500 excimer laser platform. METHODS: The outcomes of 254 eyes of 129 consecutive patients with myopia or myopic astigmatism who underwent full correction femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK at CMU LASIK Center were assessed. Pre-operative and post-operative parameters including manifest refraction, Uncorrected Distance Visual Acuity (UDVA), Best Corrected Distance Visual Acuity (BDVA), corneal topography and tomography were analyzed. The results between low to moderate myopia and high myopia were compared up to 12 months. RESULTS: Mean pre-operative Spherical Equivalent (SE) was -5.15±2.41 Diopters (D) (range -0.50 to -11.50 D) and -0.13±0.28 D, -0.13±0.27 D, -0.13±0.28 D and -0.14±0.30 D at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, post-operatively. At 12 months, the propor¬tion of eyes achieving UDVA ≥ 20/20 was 90.0% and ≥20/40 was 98.8%. The proportion of eyes achieving post-operative mean SE ±0.5 D, and ±1 D was 91.3%, and 98.5%. No eyes lost more than two lines of BDVA. The low to moderate myopic group had a statistically significant better UDVA at one (p=0.017) and three months (p=0.014) but no difference at six (p=0.061) and 12 months (p=0.091). The mean post-operative SE was better in low to moderate myopic group at every follow-up visit (p=0.001, 0.007, <0.001 and <0.001). CONCLUSION: One-year clinical results of LASIK with the FS200 femtosecond laser and EX500 excimer laser showed high efficacy, predictability, stability and safety.

Anterior segment and external ocular disorders associated with HIV infections in the era of HAART in Chiang Mai University Hospital, a prospective descriptive cross sectional study.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes impairment to the human immune system which leads to immunocompromised conditions, including ocular complications. Several important HIV-associated disorders may involve the anterior segment, ocular surface, and adnexae organ such as dry eye, blepharitis which reduce quality of life of patients. In present, potent antiretroviral therapies HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) has improved the length and quality of life which may lead to an increased prevalence of anterior segment ocular disorders. Hence, this study has been undertaken to identify the prevalence and associated factors of anterior segment and external ocular disorder in HIV infected patients in the era of HAART. A prospective descriptive cross sectional study was carried out in HIV positive patients conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Chiang Mai University Hospital, from February 2014 to October 2015. Detail history and ocular examination was carried out to examine for anterior segment and external ocular disorders. A total number of 363 patients were included for this prospective cross-sectional study. From the total of 363 patients, 123 patients had an anterior segment and external ocular disorder which account as the prevalence of 33.9%. The most common anterior segment manifestations was dry eye seen in 36 patients (9.9%), followed by posterior blepharitis (Meibomian gland dysfunction) seen in 23 patients (6.3%) and anterior blepharitis seen in 12 patients (3.3%). Other ocular complications included microvasculopathy, immune recovery uveitis, conjunctivitis, papilloma, anterior uveitis, corneal ulcer, nevus, trichiasis, molluscum contangiosum, Kaposi sarcoma, interstitial keratitis, conjunctival lymphangiectasia, dacryocystitis, vernal keratoconjunctivitis and eyelid penicilosis. In this study, the prevalance of anterior segment disorders was higher than in the preHAART era. Dry eye, blepharitis and uveitis were the top three most common anterior segment disorders in the HAART era. The statistical analysis showed no association between age, sex, CD4 count, duration of infection or receiving HAART and anterior segment disorders. Anterior segment abnormalities reduce the quality of life of patients, so ophthalmologists have to be aware and complete ocular examination should be performed in all HIV infected patients.

Fundus findings in a series of patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Thailand.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of fundus abnormalities among patients who are undergoing or have recently completed treatment for extrapulmonary tuberculosis (eTB). METHODS: This is a prospective cross-sectional study conducted in a TB clinic of a tertiary hospital in northern Thailand. All patients who had eTB between January 2014 and August 2015 were invited by telephone to return to the clinic for fundus photography. Three uveitis specialists reviewed all photographs to identify posterior segment lesions that were consistent with ocular TB. RESULTS: A total of 265 patients were diagnosed with eTB during the specified period, of which 118 (44.5%) were reached by telephone and 60 (50.8%) participated in the study. A total of 7 eyes from six patients (10.0% of participants, 95% CI 2.2% to 17.8%) had lesions consistent with ocular TB. The group with possible ocular TB lesions was on average 16.8 years older than those without ocular lesions (p=0.01), but the two groups were otherwise not significantly different. CONCLUSION: Ocular lesions consistent with TB were not rare in a group of patients who were undergoing or had recently completed treatment for eTB. Fundus examination may provide diagnostic information that could influence a clinician's beliefs when diagnosing eTB. Given the low costs and immediate results of eye examination, this diagnostic test should be considered in patients suspected for eTB, especially when other tests are negative.

Limbal stem cell and oral mucosal epithelial transplantation from ex vivo cultivation in LSCD-induced rabbits: histology and immunologic study of the transplant epithelial sheet.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of cultivated limbal epithelial and oral mucosal epithelial transplantation (CLET and COMET) in limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD)-induced rabbit model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six New Zealand white rabbits were divided into two groups of three rabbits each. Limbal tissue was harvested from the first group, and oral mucosal biopsy was obtained from the second group. The tissues were cultured using an explant technique with amniotic membrane as a substrate and co-culture with the 3T3 fibroblast and air-lifting method. The right eye of each rabbit was induced to have LSCD using alkali burns. After three weeks, the LSCD-induced rabbit eyes were transplanted with the cultivated limbal and oral mucosal epithelial sheet in the first and second group, respectively. The transplanted eye was evaluated weekly post-operation. After 2 months, all transplanted eyes were enucleated and the epithelial morphology and phenotype of ocular surfaces were studied and compared with normal corneal and oral mucosal tissue. RESULTS: At 2-month post-transplantation, the eyes of four animals recovered with corneal transparency, one partially recovered, and one failed. The histology of the majority of transplanted eyes was stratified layers of corneal epithelia similar to normal rabbit cornea with some different findings such as goblet cells in the limbal region. Corneal epithelial thickening and stromal vascularization in two animals were observed. Phenotypic characterization of transplanted eyes showed a similar pattern of marker expression with the absence of p63 expression in the limbal or corneal epithelium in the COMET group. CONCLUSIONS: The histology and phenotype of transplanted eyes after CLET and COMET were most likely to have similar characteristics as a normal healthy rabbit eye even though the COMET eyes have some inferior characteristics to the CLET eyes.

Diagnostic Utility of Ocular Symptoms and Vision for Cytomegalovirus Retinitis.

PURPOSE: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis remains a leading cause of blindness in countries with a high burden of AIDS. Although dilated fundus examinations are recommended for those with CD4 counts below 100 cells/µL, in practice only those with poor vision and/or symptoms are routinely referred for screening. Therefore, the predictive value of this common practice should be assessed. METHODS: This is a prospective cross-sectional study. Patients with known HIV and a CD4 count of less than 100 cells/µL attending an HIV clinic in Chiang Mai, Thailand completed a standardized questionnaire about visual symptoms and underwent visual acuity testing and dilated fundus examination. Participants without CMV retinitis were invited for repeated examinations every 3 months until their CD4 count exceeded 100 cells/µL. Patient-level statistical analyses were conducted to calculate diagnostic test characteristics, with bootstrapping to account for correlated data. RESULTS: Of 103 study participants, 16 had CMV retinitis diagnosed at some point during the study. Participants with CMV retinitis were more likely to complain of visual symptoms compared to those without CMV retinitis (p = 0.01), including scotoma (p = 0.0002), itchy or watery eyes (p < 0.0001), and eye pain (p = 0.003); they were also more likely to have visual acuity worse than Counting Fingers (p = 0.0003). However, the absence of eye symptoms and the absence of poor vision did not strongly affect the probability that a patient did not have disease (negative likelihood ratio 0.56 and 0.76, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Ocular symptoms and poor visual acuity were poor diagnostic indicators for the presence of CMV retinitis. Systematic screening of HIV patients with CD4 counts below 100 cells/µl should be carried out to detect disease at an early stage, when blindness can still be prevented.