Long-term outcomes in a series of idiopathic retinal vasculitis, aneurysms, and neuroretinitis (IRVAN) syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Idiopathic retinal vasculitis, aneurysms, and neuroretinitis (IRVAN) syndrome is a rare entity with a potentially poor visual prognosis. Our objective is to review the clinical presentation and long-term outcomes of patients with IRVAN syndrome. DESIGN: This is a retrospective case series. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of all the patients diagnosed with IRVAN syndrome at our tertiary care centre from 2002 to 2015. RESULTS: We included the long-term clinical outcomes of 7 eyes (5 patients) diagnosed with IRVAN syndrome. After a mean follow-up of 84.9 months, best-corrected visual acuity was 20/40 or better in the majority of eyes (70%). Four (57.1%) patients had systemic conditions, namely, multiple sclerosis, ischemic stroke, and positive antiphospholipid titres. All eyes were treated with laser photocoagulation. Four (40%) eyes received adjunctive intravitreal bevacizumab injections. CONCLUSION: IRVAN is an important diagnosis for clinicians to recognize. When treated in a timely manner, long-term visual outcomes can be favourable.

ENDOPHTHALMITIS IN A PATIENT TREATED WITH BACILLUS CALMETTE-GUÉRIN IMMUNOTHERAPY.

BACKGROUND: Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) instillation has become one of the mainstays of adjunctive therapy in the treatment of superficial bladder cancer. Ophthalmologic complications are rare, but few cases are reported in the literature. METHODS: Retrospective observational case report. RESULTS: The authors report a case of unilateral Mycobacterium bovis BCG endophthalmitis after intravesical BCG instillations. Despite appropriate systemic antituberculous and corticosteroid therapy, the patient almost completely lost sight in the affected eye. This is the fourth case in the literature of proven M. bovis endophthalmitis suggesting a direct choroidal mycobacterial infection and not only a hypersensitivity immunologic reaction as previously suggested. CONCLUSION: This case highlights the direct choroidal mycobacterial infection of the disease after BCG instillations for bladder cancer and failure of treatment despite culture-proven drug sensitivity, thus suggesting the need to revaluate adequate treatment to avoid loss of vision.

Choroidal extranodal marginal zone lymphoma diagnosed by full-thickness retinochoroidal biopsy: case report and review of the literature.

The case of an 89-year-old man who was referred for a painless decrease of vision in his right eye (RE) is reported. Fundus examination of the RE showed an elevated amelanotic lesion located in the posterior pole with an adjacent focal round pigmented lesion. There was also a more peripheral amelanotic lesion extending from 6 to 9 o'clock clockwise inferotemporally. Uveitis workup and imaging studies of brain and orbits were normal. A retinochoroidal biopsy was done and showed the presence of choroidal extranodal marginal zone lymphoma. The patient was treated with external beam radiotherapy. This report presents a review of the literature of all reported cases of choroidal extranodal marginal zone lymphoma.

Incidence of cystoid macular edema after cataract surgery in patients with and without uveitis using optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of cystoid macular edema (CME) after cataract surgery among eyes with and without uveitis using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to determine risk factors for postoperative CME among eyes with uveitis. DESIGN: Prospective, comparative cohort study. METHODS: Single-center, academic practice. Forty-one eyes with uveitis and 52 eyes without uveitis underwent clinical examination and OCT testing within 4 weeks before cataract surgery and at 1-month and 3-month postoperative visits. The main outcome measure was incidence of CME at 1 and 3 months after surgery. RESULTS: Both uveitic and control eyes gained approximately 3 lines of vision (P = .6). Incidence of CME at 1 month was 12% (5 eyes) for uveitis and 4% (2 eyes) for controls (P = .2). Incidence of CME at 3 months was 8% (3 eyes) for uveitis and 0% for eyes without uveitis (P = .08). Eyes with uveitis treated with perioperative oral corticosteroids had a 7-fold reduction in postoperative CME (relative risk [RR], 0.14; P = .05). In uveitic eyes, active inflammation within 3 months before surgery increased the risk of CME when compared with eyes without inflammation (RR, 6.19; P = .04). CME was significantly associated with poorer vision (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Eyes with well-controlled uveitis may obtain similar outcomes to control eyes after cataract surgery (up to 3 months). Use of perioperative oral corticosteroids and control of uveitis for more than 3 months before surgery seemed to decrease the risk of postoperative CME among uveitic eyes in this study.

A method of reporting macular edema after cataract surgery using optical coherence tomography.

OBJECTIVE: To validate a method of reporting postcataract macular edema (ME) using optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: : Data were analyzed for 130 eyes followed prospectively for ME after uncomplicated cataract surgery. Each eye underwent OCT within 4 weeks before surgery and at 1 month and 3 months after surgery. ME was defined by observation of cystoid changes by OCT. RESULTS: Incidence of ME was 14% (95% confidence interval, 8-20). Average increase in baseline center point thickness (CPT) +/- SD at 1 month for eyes with and without ME was 202 +/- 113 microm and 8 +/- 19 microm, respectively (P < 0.001), which resulted in a 1-letter loss (-0.02 logMAR [logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution]) and a 3-line gain (0.29 logMAR) in vision, respectively (P < 0.001). Percent change in baseline CPT +/- SD for eyes with and without ME was 115 +/- 67% and 6 +/- 11%, respectively (P < 0.001). A > or =40% increase in baseline CPT accurately determined 100% of eyes with ME and 99% of eyes without ME. CONCLUSIONS: A > or =40% increase in baseline CPT, determined by OCT, offers a valid and objective method of reporting clinically relevant postcataract ME. Standardized reporting of postcataract ME would allow objective assessment and comparison of treatment outcomes among clinical studies.

Safety of intravitreal ketorolac and diclofenac: an electroretinographic and histopathologic study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical, histologic, and electroretinographic effects in the rabbit retina of escalating doses of two intravitreally delivered nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): ketorolac and diclofenac. METHODS: Right eyes received a single 0.1 mL injection of either ketorolac (500-6000 microg/0.1 mL) or diclofenac (300-1500 microg/0.1 mL) prepared in balanced salt solution (BSS). Left eyes served as controls and received BSS. Dark- and light-adapted electroretinograms (ERG) were obtained at baseline and 4 and 8 weeks postinjection. Enucleated eyes were examined histologically. RESULTS: Ophthalmic examinations demonstrated no signs of intraocular inflammation or retinal toxicity. Intraocular pressure measurements remained similar between NSAID injected and control eyes. Histologic and ERG studies of eyes injected with 6000 microg ketorolac and >or=500 microg diclofenac demonstrated toxicity. In contrast, doses up to 3000 microg ketorolac demonstrated enhanced b-wave amplitude responses. Delayed drug toxicity was observed for the highest doses of both NSAIDs. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal 3000 microg ketorolac and 300 microg diclofenac were nontoxic in this animal study, and may offer an effective and safer alternative to intravitreal corticosteroids.

Long-term preservation of vision in progressive outer retinal necrosis treated with combination antiviral drugs and highly active antiretroviral therapy.

PURPOSE: To report the successful long-term treatment of varicella zoster virus-associated progressive outer retinal necrosis (VZV-PORN) with aggressive antiviral combination drugs along with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: Combined treatment of progressive outer retinal necrosis in a university-based tertiary eye hospital with ganciclovir implant, intravenous acyclovir (10 mg/kg every 8 h), intravitreal foscarnet (2.4 mg), and HAART. RESULTS: Successful treatment of progressive outer retinal necrosis with disease remission and preservation of 20/20 visual acuity out to 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Combination antiviral therapy and HAART may improve long-term visual outcomes for VZV-PORN.

The effect of compression on clinical diagnosis of glaucoma based on non-analyzed confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy images.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of different image compression formats of non-analyzed Heidelberg Retina Tomography (HRT; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) images on the diagnosis of glaucoma by ophthalmologists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three topographic and reflectance images taken with the HRT representing different levels of disease were transformed using nine different compression formats. Three independent ophthalmologists, masked as to contour line and stereometric parameters, classified the original and compressed HRT images as normal, suspected glaucoma, or glaucoma, and Kappa agreement coefficients were calculated. RESULTS: The Tagged Image File Format had the largest file size and the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) 2000 format had the smallest size. The highest Kappa coefficient value was 1.00 for all ophthalmologists using the Tagged Image File Format. Kappa values for JPEG formats were all in the range of good to excellent agreement. Kappa values were lower for Portable Network Graphic and Graphics Interchange Format compression formats. CONCLUSION: Image compression with JPEG 2000 at a ratio of 20:1 provided sufficient quality for glaucoma analysis in conjunction with a relatively small image size format, and may prove to be attractive for HRT telemedicine applications. Further clinical studies validating the usefulness of interpreting non-analyzed HRT images are required.