Self-reported dual sensory impairment and related factors: a European population-based cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Data on population-based self-reported dual vision and hearing impairment are sparse in Europe. We aimed to investigate self-reported dual sensory impairment (DSI) in European population. METHODS: A standardised questionnaire was used to collect medical and socio-economic data among individuals aged 15 years or more in 29 European countries. Individuals living in collective households or in institutions were excluded from the survey. RESULTS: Among 296 677 individuals, the survey included 153 866 respondents aged 50 years old or more. The crude prevalence of DSI was of 7.54% (7.36-7.72). Among individuals aged 60 or more, 9.23% of men and 10.94% of women had DSI. Eastern and southern countries had a higher prevalence of DSI. Multivariable analyses showed that social isolation and poor self-rated health status were associated with DSI with ORs of 2.01 (1.77-2.29) and 2.33 (2.15-2.52), while higher income was associated with lower risk of DSI (OR of 0.83 (0.78-0.89). Considering country-level socioeconomic factors, Human Development Index explained almost 38% of the variance of age-adjusted prevalence of DSI. CONCLUSION: There are important differences in terms of prevalence of DSI in Europe, depending on socioeconomic and medical factors. Prevention of DSI does represent an important challenge for maintaining quality of life in elderly population.

Fellow of the European board of ophthalmology glaucoma examination and diploma (FEBOS-Gl): update on 8 years of experience and future perspectives.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Early diagnosis and appropriate management of the disease are essential to avoid a significant impact on the quality of life of millions of patients and the socioeconomic impact on societies. Education is the hallmark of good medical care. The European Glaucoma Society (EGS) has dedicated significant efforts to provide means of improving education, training, and testing knowledge in the field of glaucoma. The Fellow of the European Board of Ophthalmology Subspecialty (FEBOS)-Glaucoma examination, introduced and organized yearly by the EGS since 2015 in collaboration with the European Board of Ophthalmology (EBO), has become a valuable tool for increasing overall knowledge in the field. Over the 8 years of experience, several updates and new projects have emerged around the examination to further increase the overall quality of education, training, and knowledge in the field of glaucoma in Europe, particularly in UEMS and associated countries. This article discusses in detail the various projects and measures introduced by the EGS.

Topical Antibiotic Prophylaxis and Intravitreal Injections: Impact on the Incidence of Acute Endophthalmitis-A Nationwide Study in France from 2009 to 2018.

Background: The dramatic increase in intravitreal injections (IVTs) has been accompanied by a greater need for safer procedures. The ongoing debate about topical antibiotic prophylaxis after IVTs emphasizes the importance of large-scale studies. We aimed to study the role of topical antibiotic prophylaxis in reducing the risk of acute endophthalmitis after IVTs. Methods: Population-based cohort study, in France, from 2009 to 2018, including all French patients receiving IVTs of corticosteroids or anti-VEGF agents. Results: A total of 5,291,420 IVTs were performed on 605,434 patients. The rate of topical antibiotic prophylaxis after IVTs progressively decreased during the study period, with a sharp drop in 2014 (from 84.6% in 2009 to 27.4% in 2018). Acute endophthalmitis occurred in 1274 cases (incidence rate = 0.0241%). Although antibiotic prophylaxis did not alter the risk of endophthalmitis (p = 0.06), univariate analysis showed an increased risk after fluoroquinolone and aminoglycoside prophylaxis. This increased risk was not found in multivariate analysis. However, we observed an increased risk related to the use of fixed combinations of fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides with corticosteroids (IRR = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.57-2.27%, antibiotics combined with corticosteroids). Conclusion: These results are consistent with the literature. Endophthalmitis rates after IVTs did not decrease with topical antibiotic prophylaxis. The use of a combination of antibiotics and corticosteroids doubles the risk of endophthalmitis and should be avoided. Avoiding antibiotic prophylaxis would reduce the costs and the potential risks of antibiotic resistance.

Modification of erythrocyte membrane phospholipid composition in preterm newborns with retinopathy of prematurity: The omegaROP study.

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may prevent retinal vascular abnormalities observed in oxygen-induced retinopathy, a model of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). In the OmegaROP prospective cohort study, we showed that preterm infants who will develop ROP accumulate the n-6 PUFA arachidonic acid (ARA) at the expense of the n-3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in erythrocytes with advancing gestational age (GA). As mice lacking plasmalogens -That are specific phospholipids considered as reservoirs of n-6 and n-3 PUFAs- Display a ROP-like phenotype, the aim of this study was to determine whether plasmalogens are responsible for the changes observed in subjects from the OmegaROP study. Accordingly, preterm infants aged less than 29 weeks GA were recruited at birth in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of University Hospital Dijon, France. Blood was sampled very early after birth to avoid any nutritional influence on its lipid composition. The lipid composition of erythrocytes and the structure of phospholipids including plasmalogens were determined by global lipidomics using liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). LC-HRMS data confirmed our previous observations by showing a negative association between the erythrocyte content in phospholipid esterified to n-6 PUFAs and GA in infants without ROP (rho = -0.485, p = 0.013 and rho = -0.477, p = 0.015 for ethanolamine and choline total phospholipids, respectively). Phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) species with ARA, namely PtdCho16:0/20:4 (rho = -0.511, p < 0.01) and PtdEtn18:1/20:4 (rho = -0.479, p = 0.015), were the major contributors to the relationship observed. On the contrary, preterm infants developing ROP displayed negative association between PtdEtn species with n-3 PUFAs and GA (rho = -0.380, p = 0.034). They were also characterized by a positive association between GA and the ratio of ethanolamine plasmalogens (PlsEtn) with n-6 PUFA to PlsEtn with n-3 PUFAs (rho = 0.420, p = 0.029), as well as the ratio of PlsEtn with ARA to PlsEtn with DHA (rho = 0.843, p = 0.011). Altogether, these data confirm the potential accumulation of n-6 PUFAs with advancing GA in erythrocytes of infants developing ROP. These changes may be partly due to plasmalogens.

Dietary Inulin Supplementation Affects Specific Plasmalogen Species in the Brain.

Plasmalogens (Pls) are glycerophospholipids that play critical roles in the brain. Evidence supports the role of diet and that of the gut microbiota in regulating brain lipids. We investigated the impact of dietary intake of inulin-a soluble fiber used as prebiotic-on the Pl content of the cortex in mice. No global modification in the Pl amounts was observed when evaluated by gas chromatographic analysis of dimethyl acetals (DMAs). However, the analysis of individual molecular species of Pls by liquid chromatography revealed a reduced abundance of major species of ethanolamine Pls (PlsEtn)-PE(P-18:0/22:6) and PE(P-34:1)-in the cortex of mice fed a diet supplemented with inulin. DMA and expression levels of genes (Far-1, Gnpat, Agps, Pla2g6 and Tmem86b) encoding key enzymes of Pl biosynthesis or degradation were not altered in the liver and in the cortex of mice exposed to inulin. In addition, the fatty acid profile and the amount of lyso forms derived from PlsEtn were not modified in the cortex by inulin consumption. To conclude, inulin affects the brain levels of major PlsEtn and further investigation is needed to determine the exact molecular mechanisms involved.

Repeatability and Reproducibility of Retinal Fractal Dimension Measured with Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Healthy Eyes: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

The retinal vascular network fractal dimension (FD) could be a promising imaging biomarker. Our objective was to evaluate its repeatability and reproducibility in healthy eyes. A cross-sectional study was undertaken with young, healthy volunteers who had no reported cardiac risk factors or ocular disease history. For each participant, three SS-OCTA images (12 × 12 mm) were acquired using the Plex Elite 9000 (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany) by two ophthalmologists. Automated segmentation was obtained from both the superficial and deep capillary plexuses. FD was estimated by box counting. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used as measures for repeatability and reproducibility. A total of 43 eyes of healthy volunteers were included. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age was 30 ± 6.2 years. The results show good repeatability. The ICC was 0.722 (95% CI, 0.541-0.839) in the superficial capillary plexus and 0.828 (95% CI, 0.705-0.903) in the deep capillary plexus. For reproducibility, the ICC was 0.651 (95% CI, 0.439-0.795) and 0.363 (95% CI, 0.073-0.596) at the superficial and deep capillary plexus, respectively. In this study, the FD of the vascular network measured via SS-OCTA showed good repeatability and reproducibility in healthy participants.

Acute postoperative endophthalmitis: Microbiology from the laboratory to the bedside.

Postoperative endophthalmitis is a dreaded complication of intraocular surgery. Acute presentations need prompt management and good knowledge of differential diagnoses. In the last 10 years, progress in direct microbial detection and identification from intraocular samples included the use of blood culture systems and, more recently, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, improving the rate of bacterial identification. Whatever the method used, diagnostic sensitivity is better for vitreous samples than for aqueous humor samples. Besides, molecular biology techniques have further improved the identification rate of infectious agents in intraocular samples. They also provide faster results compared to culture-based techniques. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) can also determine the bacterial load in intraocular samples. Several studies have shown that intraocular bacterial loads in endophthalmitis patients are usually high, which helps differentiating infection from contamination. The prognostic value of qPCR remains to be validated. Whole genome DNA sequencing technologies facilitate direct and sequencing of single DNA molecules. They have the potential to increase the rate of microbiological identification. Some antibiotic resistance markers (e.g., methicillin resistance in staphylococci and vancomycin resistance in enterococci) may be detected earlier using molecular techniques (usually real-time PCR tests). Early determination of the involved microorganism and their antibiotic resistances can help establishing an earlier therapeutic strategy.

Plasma Fatty Acids Pattern and Dry Eye Disease in the Elderly: The Montrachet Population-Based Study.

(1) Background: To investigate the association between plasma fatty acids (FAs) and dry eye disease (DED) in an elderly population; (2) Methods: We conducted a population-based study, the Montrachet study, in individuals older than 75 years. DED was evaluated using the Schirmer I test without anesthesia, tear film breakup time (TFBUT) measurement and fluorescein corneal staining. Plasma FAs were measured in fasting blood using gas chromatography; (3) Results: A total of 740 subjects with a plasma measurement of 25 FAs were included in this study. The mean age was 82.2 ± 3.7 years, and 62.7% were women. DED was present in 35.0% of participants. We identified a plasma FAs pattern positively associated with DED, characterized by low polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), high monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and low saturated fatty acids (SFAs) levels. After adjustment for major confounders, individuals in the upper quartile of the FAs pattern scores compared with those in the lower quartile were more likely to present DED (OR 2.46 (95% CI 1.51-4.01), p = 0.001); (4) Conclusion: In this study, we found that a plasma FAs pattern characterized by low PUFAs, high MUFAs and low SFAs was significantly associated with DED in elderly participants.

Plasmalogens Regulate Retinal Connexin 43 Expression and Müller Glial Cells Gap Junction Intercellular Communication and Migration.

Plasmalogens are a specific glycerophospholipid subtype characterized by a vinyl-ether bound at their sn-1 moiety. Their biosynthesis is initiated in the peroxisome by dihydroxyacetone phosphate-acyltransferase (DHAPAT), which is encoded by the DAPAT gene. Previous studies have shown that plasmalogen-deficient mice exhibit major physiological dysfunctions including several eye defects, among which abnormal vascular development of the retina and a reactive activation of macroglial Müller cells. Interestingly, plasmalogen deficiency in mice is also associated with a reduced expression of brain connexin 43 (Cx43). Cx43 is the main connexin subtype of retinal glial cells and is involved in several cellular mechanisms such as calcium-based gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) or cell migration. Thus, the aim of our work was 1) to confirm the alteration of Cx43 expression in the retina of plasmalogen-deficient DAPAT-/- mice and 2) to investigate whether plasmalogens are involved in crucial functions of Müller cells such as GJIC and cell migration. First, we found that plasmalogen deficiency was associated with a significant reduction of Cx43 expression in the retina of DAPAT-/- mice in vivo. Secondly, using a siRNA targeting DHAPAT in vitro, we found that a 50%-reduction of Müller cells content in plasmalogens was sufficient to significantly downregulate Cx43 expression, while increasing its phosphorylation. Furthermore, plasmalogen-depleted Müller cells exhibited several alterations in ATP-induced GJIC, such as calcium waves of higher amplitude that propagated slower to neighboring cells, including astrocytes. Finally, in vitro plasmalogen depletion was also associated with a significant downregulation of Müller cells migration. Taken together, these data confirm that plasmalogens are critical for the regulation of Cx43 expression and for characteristics of retinal Müller glial cells such as GJIC and cell migration.

Macular Pigment and Open-Angle Glaucoma in the Elderly: The Montrachet Population-Based Study.

(1) Background: To compare macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and its spatial distribution between eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and control eyes in an elderly population. (2) Methods: The Montrachet study (Maculopathy Optic Nerve and nutrition neurovAsCular and HEarT) is a population-based study including participants aged 75 years and over. All participants had a slit lamp examination, fundus photographs, and a questionnaire about their medical past history and smoking status. Optic disc spectral domain optical coherence tomography was also performed. All glaucoma-suspected patients were convocated to have a new full examination. We only retained one eye with POAG for analysis in the glaucoma group and one eye without optic neuropathy in the control participants group. MPOD measurements were performed with the two-wavelength autofluorescence method (488 and 514 nm). (3) Results: Overall, 601 eyes had MPOD measurements among 1153 participants. Among the 601 eyes, 48 had POAG. The mean age for the glaucoma and control participants was 84.01 ± 4.22 years and 81.94 ± 3.61 years, respectively (p < 0.001). In the multivariable analysis, we could not find any association between POAG and MPOD at 0.5° (p = 0.336). We found no significant difference regarding MP spatial distribution between the two groups (p = 0.408). (4) Conclusion: In this elderly population-based study, eyes with POAG and control eyes without optic neuropathy did not differ in terms of MPOD and MP spatial distribution.

Retinal cholesterol metabolism is perturbated in response to experimental glaucoma in the rat.

Alterations of cholesterol metabolism have been described for many neurodegenerative pathologies, such as Alzheimer's disease in the brain and age-related macular degeneration in the retina. Recent evidence suggests that glaucoma, which is characterized by the progressive death of retinal ganglion cells, could also be associated with disruption of cholesterol homeostasis. In the present study we characterized cholesterol metabolism in a rat model of laser-induced intraocular hypertension, the main risk factor for glaucoma. Sterol levels were measured using gas-chromatography and cholesterol-related gene expression using quantitative RT-PCR at various time-points. As early as 18 hours after the laser procedure, genes implicated in cholesterol biosynthesis and uptake were upregulated (+49% and +100% for HMG-CoA reductase and LDLR genes respectively, vs. naive eyes) while genes involved in efflux were downregulated (-26% and -37% for ApoE and CYP27A1 genes, respectively). Cholesterol and precursor levels were consecutively elevated 3 days post-laser (+14%, +40% and +194% for cholesterol, desmosterol and lathosterol, respectively). Interestingly, counter-regulatory mechanisms were transcriptionally activated following these initial dysregulations, which were associated with the restoration of retinal cholesterol homeostasis, favorable to ganglion cell viability, one month after the laser-induced ocular hypertension. In conclusion, we report here for the first time that ocular hypertension is associated with transient major dynamic changes in retinal cholesterol metabolism.

Mid-Term Impact of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Agents on Intraocular Pressure.

The effect of intraocular injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on intraocular pressure (IOP) has not been clearly stated. We extracted data from the electronic health records at Dijon University Hospital of 750 patients who were unilaterally injected with anti-VEGF agents between March 2012 and March 2020. These were treatment-naïve patients who had received at least three injections of the same treatment (aflibercept, bevacizumab, or ranibizumab) in one eye only, and had IOP measurements before and after the injections. Fellow untreated eyes were used as comparators. A clinically significant IOP rise was determined as an IOP above 21 mmHg and an increase of at least 6 mmHg compared to baseline, or the need for IOP-lowering agents. We found an overall slight increase in IOP between treated and untreated eyes at 6 months (+0.67 ± 3.33 mmHg, 95% confidence interval 0.33-1.02, p < 0.001). Ranibizumab had a higher final IOP at 1 and 3 months. Age, sex, and the number of injections were not associated with IOP variation. Ranibizumab was associated with a higher rate of increase in clinically significant IOP at 6 months (p = 0.03). Our study confirms that anti-VEGF injections constitute a relatively safe treatment regarding their impact on IOP.

Epidemiology of Acute Endophthalmitis after Intraocular Procedures: A National Database Study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the causes of postoperative acute endophthalmitis at the national level longitudinally. DESIGN: Cohort study from 2009 to 2018 in France. PARTICIPANTS: Patients diagnosed with acute endophthalmitis after intraocular procedures. METHODS: The French medical-administrative database was used. Endophthalmitis cases and intraocular procedures were identified based on billing codes in all French hospitals and private practices. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The incidence of acute endophthalmitis within 42 days of the procedure. RESULTS: From January 1, 2009, to October 31, 2018, 7522 cases of acute endophthalmitis occurred after 14 438 854 intraocular procedures. Most cases occurred after standalone cataract surgery (4808 cases for 7 316 077 procedures; 63.92%), followed by after intravitreal (IVT) injections (1296 cases for 5 455 631 IVT injections; 17.23%), vitreoretinal surgery (698 for 442 263 procedures; 9.28%), anterior segment surgery (245 cases; 3.26%), combined cataract and vitreoretinal surgery (191 cases; 2.54%), cornea surgery (142 cases; 1.89%), and glaucoma surgery (80 cases; 1.06%). The overall incidence of acute endophthalmitis was 1 per 1920 procedures (0.0521%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0520-0.0522). The surgery with the highest incidence of endophthalmitis was scleral and globe surgery, with an incidence of 0.1827% (95% CI, 0.1757-0.1898), followed by vitreoretinal surgery combined with cataract surgery, with an incidence of 0.1685% (95% CI, 0.1663-0.1706). The incidence of endophthalmitis after IVT injections was stable over the study period, and patients receiving IVT injections were the oldest, aged 75.4 years (standard deviation, 12.0 years; P < 0.001). The onset of endophthalmitis after IVT procedures, i.e, after receiving IVT injections or undergoing vitreoretinal surgery, was earlier than that after the other procedures (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The profile of patients referred for acute endophthalmitis has been evolving over the past decade, with a decrease in the raw number of endophthalmitis cases after cataract surgery as opposed to an increase in the number of patients presenting with endophthalmitis after IVT injections.

Cataract extraction and intraocular pressure-lowering agents delivery: A nationwide French study between 2005 and 2017.

PURPOSE: Cataract and glaucoma are among the leading causes of blindness worldwide in older people, and they are often concomitant. To assess topical intraocular (IOP)-lowering agents delivery changes after cataract extraction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Longitudinal matched exposed-unexposed study from the French national healthcare database from January 1, 2005 to January 1, 2017. We compared individuals using topical IOP-lowering agents who underwent bilateral cataract extraction with individuals matched on IOP-lowering agents load, age, and sex who did not undergo cataract extraction. IOP-lowering agents number of drops was assessed 12 months before the first cataract extraction and compared with number of drops 12 months after the second cataract extraction. RESULTS: About 1194 individuals treated with IOP-lowering agents were included, 597 exposed to bilateral cataract extraction and 597 unexposed to any surgery (total mean age 74.8 ± 8.3 years; 69.0% women). Mean IOP-lowering agents delivery at baseline was 1.4 daily drops in both groups. The mean number of drops decreased greater in the exposed than unexposed group (-25.5% vs -3.5%; p < 0.0001). Overall, 159 (26.6%) and 48 (8.0%) individuals in the exposed and unexposed groups interrupted medication (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: A decrease of around one quarter of IOP-lowering agents delivery was observed after cataract extraction in the present real-life study with a longstanding interruption observed in one quarter of patients. Phacoemulsification as a standalone procedure reduces IOP-lowering agents delivery in ocular hypertension and glaucoma.

Incidence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in France from 2010 to 2016: seasonal and geographical variations.

AIMS: To investigate the annual and monthly hospital incidence rate of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs) from 2010 to 2016 in France at the national and regional levels. METHODS: In this nationwide database study, we identified hospital and clinic admissions of French residents for a first episode of RRD in France during 2010-2016 from the national administrative database. The annual and monthly hospital incidence rates of RRD per 100 000 population were calculated for the whole country and for each region. RESULTS: The average annual national hospital incidence rate of RRD was 21.97±1.04 per 100 000 population. The annual national hospital incidence rate of RRD was the lowest in 2010 (20.91 per 100 000 population) after which it increased until 2015 (23.55 per 100 000 population). The average monthly national RRD hospital incidence rate was the highest in June (2.03±0.12 per 100 000 population) and the lowest in August (1.60±0.09). The average annual age-standardised and sex-standardised regional hospital incidence rate was the highest in Guadeloupe and Pays de la Loire (28.30±2.74 and 26.13±0.84 per 100 000 population, respectively) and the lowest in French Guiana and Martinique (15.51±3.50 and 17.29±2.12 per 100 000 population, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The average annual national hospital incidence rate of RRD increased from 2010 to 2015. The hospital incidence rate of RRD seemed to vary according to season and geographical location.

The gut microbiota in retinal diseases.

The gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem that inhabits the gastrointestinal tract and consists of archaea, fungi, viruses, and bacteria, with bacteria being dominant. From birth onwards, it coevolves dynamically together with the host. The composition of the gut microbiota is under the influence of a complex interplay between both host and environmental factors. Scientific advances in the past few decades have shown that it is essential in maintaining homeostasis and tipping the balance between health and disease. In addition to its role in food digestion, the gut microbiota is implicated in regulating multiple physiological processes in the host gut mucosa and in distant organs such as the brain. Persistent imbalance between gut microbial communities, termed "dysbiosis," has been associated with several inflammatory and metabolic diseases as well as with central nervous system disorders. In this review, we present the state of the art of current knowledge on an emerging concept, the microbiota-retina axis, and the potential role of its disturbance in the development of retinopathies. We also describe several microbiota-targeting strategies that could constitute preventive and therapeutic tools for retinopathies.

Peripapillary Microvascularization Analysis Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Optic Chiasmal Compression.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the vessel density (VD) of the radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) network using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) "en face" images of eyes with chiasmal compression caused by brain tumors before and after decompressive surgery compared with healthy controls. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 patients with chiasmal compression confirmed by neuroimaging. Sixteen healthy participants were also included. All patients with chiasmal compression underwent a neuro-ophthalmological examination one week before and 6 months after brain surgery, including static automated perimetry as well as measurement of the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and the ganglion cell complex (GCC) with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Based on this neuro-ophthalmological examination, the presence of an optic neuropathy (ON) was evaluated. Peripapillary VD was obtained in four sectors on a 6 × 6 mm SS-OCTA image using the Cirrus Plex Elite 9000. RESULTS: Baseline average VD was significantly lower in patients with chiasmal compression and ON than in controls (median: 55.62; interquartile range (IQR): 2.96 vs. 58.53; IQR: 2.02; p=0.003). This decrease was also found in the temporal, superior, and nasal sectors. Average postoperative VD was decreased in patients with chiasmal compression compared with average preoperative VD (median: 56.16; IQR: 4.07 vs. 57.48; IQR: 3.83; p=0.004). Preoperative VD was significantly correlated with RNFL, GCC thickness, and visual field defects. CONCLUSIONS: The VD of the RPC network was decreased in chiasmal compressive ON, and it was further decreased at 6 months after decompressive surgery.

Quality-of-Life Improvement After Scleral Lens Fitting in Patients With Keratoconus.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the quality-of-life improvement after scleral lens fitting in patients with keratoconus. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study of all consecutive patients with keratoconus starting scleral lens fitting in 2019, from January 2 to December 27, at the Dijon University Hospital, France. Quality of life was assessed before and after wearing scleral lenses for 3 months through the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire 25 (NEI-VFQ 25) questionnaire. We investigated factors potentially influencing quality of life: final visual acuity, keratoconus stage, and maximum keratometry reading. RESULTS: In total, 41 eyes of 24 patients were successfully fitted with scleral lenses, 92.9% were 18 mm in diameter and 7.1% were 17 mm. The visual acuity improved by -0.4±0.3 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (P<0.001) after scleral lens fitting. Visual gain increased with keratometry and keratoconus severity (P<0.001; P<0.01). The NEI-VFQ 25 score increased by 19.5±19.1 points on average (P<0.001). No association was found between the factors under study and improvement in quality of life. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms the functional improvement in patients with keratoconus fitted with scleral lenses, especially in patients with more advanced disease. Moreover, it suggests a major role of these lenses in improving quality of life, independently of the severity of the disease and the visual gain.

Soluble Fiber Inulin Consumption Limits Alterations of the Gut Microbiota and Hepatic Fatty Acid Metabolism Caused by High-Fat Diet.

Diet shapes the gut microbiota which impacts hepatic lipid metabolism. Modifications in liver fat content are associated with metabolic disorders. We investigated the extent of dietary fat and fiber-induced alterations in the composition of gut microbiota and hepatic fatty acids (FAs). Mice were fed a purified low-fat diet (LFD) or high-fat diet (HFD) containing non-soluble fiber cellulose or soluble fiber inulin. HFD induced hepatic decreases in the amounts of C14:0, C16:1n-7, C18:1n-7 and increases in the amounts of C17:0, C20:0, C16:1n-9, C22:5n-3, C20:2n-6, C20:3n-6, and C22:4n-6. When incorporated in a LFD, inulin poorly affected the profile of FAs. However, when incorporated in a HFD, it (i) specifically led to an increase in the amounts of hepatic C18:0, C22:0, total polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), total n-6 PUFAs, C18:3n-3, and C18:2n-6, (ii) exacerbated the HFD-induced increase in the amount of C17:0, and (iii) prevented the HFD-induced increases in C16:1n-9 and C20:3n-6. Importantly, the expression/activity of some elongases and desaturases, as well as the gut microbiota composition, were impacted by the dietary fat and fiber content. To conclude, inulin modulated gut microbiota and hepatic fatty acid composition, and further investigations will determine whether a causal relationship exists between these two parameters.