Bilateral choroidopathy in systemic lupus erythematosus.

We report a case of bilateral choroidopathy in a 35-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) diagnosed 3 years previously, and treated with hydroxychloroquine and steroids that ceased 6 months before ocular signs. She complained about rapid bilateral blurred vision with a severe loss of visual acuity. Fluorescein angiography found multiple leakage points in the posterior pole of the pigment epithelium. Ocular coherence tomography (OCT) and fundoscopy showed bilateral retinal detachments. Lupus choroidopathy was diagnosed and high steroids were given intravenously and allowed a rapid improvement. Visual acuity, fundoscopy, retinal angiography and OCT were normalized at 2 months. Choroidopathy is rarely reported in lupus and only about 30 patients are found in the literature.

[Intravitreal bevacizumab for treatment of neovascular glaucoma. Report of 20 cases]. / Utilisation du bevacizumab en injection intravitréenne dans le traitement du glaucome néovasculaire. A propos de 20 cas.

INTRODUCTION: Bevacizumab is a recombinant humanised monoclonal antibody directed against the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We report the results of bevacizumab injections in the treatment of 20 cases of neovascular glaucoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seven women and 13 men, of average age 73 years old, presented with neovascular glaucoma secondary to central retinal vein occlusion in 8 cases, proliferative diabetic retinopathy in 8 cases, central retinal artery occlusion in 2 cases, radiation retinopathy in 1 case and ocular ischemic syndrome in 1 case. Iris fluorescein angiography was performed before and two days after 2,5 mg intravitreal bevacizumab. Diode laser cyclophotocoagulation was realised in 12 cases of grade 4 neovascular glaucoma in the week following the injection. Panretinal photocoagulation was conducted in all cases. RESULTS: After a 4 months and a half follow up, iris angiography revealed dramatic regression of iris neovascularisation in a few days. In grade 2 and 3 neovascular glaucoma, the single injection is sufficient to control intraocular pressure. In grade 4 neovascular glaucoma, intraocular pressure was controlled in 87,5 % of cases with one injection and one or more diode laser cyclophotocoagulation. DISCUSSION: The antiangiogenic effect of bevacizumab leads to fast reduction of the iris neovascularization with control of intraocular pressure without any surgery in grade 2 or 3 neovascular glaucoma. Panretinal photocoagulation was facilitated by improvement of corneal swelling. Diode laser cyclophotocoagulation was necessary in grade 4. CONCLUSION: Intravitreal bevacizumab was effective in reversing iris neovascularization in association with panretinal photocoagulation and cyclophotocoagulation.

[Severe bacterial keratitis. A clinical, epidemiologic, and microbiologic study]. / Kératites bactériennes sévères. Etude épidémiologique, clinique et microbiologique.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to report the epidemiologic and microbiologic features and to define the risk factors of hospitalized cases of bacterial keratitis in the Toulouse University Hospital Center of Ophthalmology (France). METHODS: This was a retrospective study including all cases of serious bacterial keratitis hospitalized between January 2006 and November 2007. Epidemiologic, microbiologic, and clinical factors such as age, reasons for hospitalization, visual loss, and risk factors were described. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients were hospitalized during this period, with a mean age of 46 years. The two most frequent clinical features for hospitalization were the area of stromal infiltrate (63%) and central corneal localization (61%). A local risk factor was identified in 92.5% of cases in decreasing order: contact lens wear (49%), keratopathy (16%), corneal injury (12%), and corneal surgery (7%). Sixteen percent had immunodeficiency from the most part because of diabetes and Gougerot-Sjögen's syndrome. Bacterial samples were positive in 57% of cases. Gram-negative bacteria were often isolated (45%) among contact lens wearers. After 3 months, the final visual acuity improved in 85% of the eyes studied. DISCUSSION: Contact lens wear, even if it was the leading risk factor of serious bacterial keratitis requiring hospitalization, was not a negative prognosis factor in our study. CONCLUSION: Factors such as a low preoperative visual acuity, age, and the size of the initial infiltrate have a poor prognosis and immunodeficiency is the predisposing factor associated with the worst final visual acuity.

[Evulsion of the optic nerve, a diagnosis to be recognised!]. / L'avulsion du nerf optique, un diagnostic à connaître!

INTRODUCTION: Evulsion of the optic nerve is a rare but serious injury. It occurs generally after an ocular contusion and may cause blindness. CASE: We report the case of a 53-year-old woman who presented with a blunt ocular trauma after having been punched by her husband. Initial examination of the left eye was impossible due to a major palpebral oedema. A CT scan of the orbit revealed a thickened optic nerve. No improvement was noted. DISCUSSION: Optic nerve avulsion is often caused by sudden and forceful rotation of the eye with tearing of the optic nerve as its globe entry level. The diagnosis can be confirmed by examination of the ocular fundus or by medical imaging such as CT scan of the orbital cavity as in our case report. The prognosis is usually poor.

[Treatment of central retinal vein occlusion by isovolemic hemodilution]. / Traitement par hémodilution des occlusions de la veine centrale de la rétine.

PURPOSE: Evaluate the effects of hemodilution in the treatment of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We carried out a retrospective, noncomparative study of 25 patients presenting unilateral CRVO, treated with one to three hemodilution sessions. The patients were re-examined in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 12th months following treatment with measurement of visual acuity, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: Our study included 17 men and eight women, averaging 63 years of age (range, 35-87 years), and monitored for an average of 7 months (range, 3-12 months). After the 6th month following treatment, average visual acuity improved compared to initial visual acuity. Initial visual acuity of less than 1/10, with the existence of poorly irrigated areas in the angiography, presented negative prognosis factors. The number of hemodilutions did not produce a significant difference in final visual acuity. No serious complications due to hemodilution were observed. DISCUSSION: Treatment of CRVO is subject to debate. Some practitioners recommend against treatment, while others advocate intervention and offer laser-induced chorioretinal venous anastomosis. Surgical vitrectomy and radial optical neurotomy, with or without injection of triamcinolone, await evaluation. Hemodilution may offer a therapeutic approach to this pathology, in which the etiopathogenesis is not yet recognized, but in which blood viscosity plays a key role. This treatment is well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Hemodilutions appear to have beneficial effects in treating CRVO, whatever the number of hemodilutions used. This study should be confirmed by a prospective study using an untreated control group.