Rise in intraocular pressure with elevator travel in post-vitrectomy patients.

To evaluate the impact of elevator travel on intraocular pressure after vitreoretinal surgery with gas tamponade. Patients undergoing pars plana vitreoretinal surgery with and without gas insertion were recruited on post-operative day 1. All intraocular pressures were measured three times by Tono-Pen AVIA (Reichert, USA) on the fourth floor and, after rapid ascent in an elevator, on the 12th floor of the hospital. All patients were observed and asked for any symptoms of pain or nausea for at least 15 min. In this study, 54 patients were recruited. Twenty-seven patients underwent vitreoretinal procedures with gas insertion, while 27 patients without gas insertion acted as controls. The mean age of patients was 60.9 years. The mean changes in intraocular pressure of the patients with gas insertion (+ 1.39 mmHg) were greater than those without gas insertion (- 0.43 mmHg) and statistically significantly different (95% CI 1.17-2.48, P < 0.0001). Patients undergoing vitreoretinal surgery with gas insertion had statistically significant intraocular pressure rise even with 8-floor ascent in the immediate post-operative period. Further studies are needed to evaluate the change in intraocular pressure with a larger range of altitudes and different gases.

COVID-19 reduced scleral buckling training in fellows and shifted young ophthalmologists' preference toward vitrectomy: An Asia-Pacific survey.

BACKGROUND: To assess rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) surgery trends and training among young ophthalmologists (YOs, vitreoretinal fellows or attendings/consultants with ≤10 years of independent practice) and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was completed by 117 YOs in the Asia-Pacific regarding their RRD surgery experiences in 2021-2022. RESULTS: To achieve a 90% probability of surgical competency, 91 vitrectomy and 34 scleral buckling (SB) completions during fellowship were needed. In total, 49 (41.9%) YOs had fellowship affected by COVID-19. In the COVID versus pre-COVID era, however, the volume of SB completions per fellowship year decreased significantly (median [IQR] 3.3 [1.5, 9] vs. 13 [6.5, 23]; p < 0.001) and was lower than the required volume to achieve competency. YOs were less confident in conducting SB versus vitrectomy (3.5 ± 1.1 vs. 4.2 ± 0.8, p < 0.001), and they reported a decrease in the proportion of SB (-3.1%, p = 0.047) and an increase in the proportion of vitrectomy (+4.8%, p < 0.001) after the pandemic outbreak. Apart from RRD clinical characteristics, surgical confidence is among the main factors that affect surgical method decisions. During the pandemic, more YOs may have avoided SB due to the need for general anaesthesia, leading to longer surgical time and risk of viral transmission during intubation/extubation. CONCLUSIONS: SB surgical exposure is suboptimal in most fellowship programs in the 11 Asia-Pacific countries/regions we surveyed and further declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. YOs are less confident in performing SB, leading to a trend toward primary vitrectomy since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Safety review of anti-VEGF therapy in patients with myopic choroidal neovascularization.

INTRODUCTION: Anti-angiogenesis therapy with intravitreal anti-VEGF agents is now the standard-of-care treatment for myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV). AREAS COVERED: We provide a critical review of the safety of all the anti-VEGF agents currently used for treating myopic CNV including ranibizumab, aflibercept, conbercept, bevacizumab, and ziv-aflibercept. EXPERT OPINION: Anti-VEGF therapy for myopic CNV with the currently available anti-VEGF drugs generally have favorable safety outcomes in the short-term. Nonetheless, ocular adverse events following anti-VEGF therapy for myopic CNV may develop and these include worsening or new development of myopic traction maculopathy, increased risk of retinal detachment, and progression of chorioretinal atrophy. Clinicians should be aware of these potential complications and evaluate them before and after anti-VEGF therapy.

The Contemporary Role of Photodynamic Therapy in the Treatment of Pachychoroid Diseases.

Recent advances in retinal imaging technology have improved our understanding in the pathogenesis and evolvement of various chorioretinal diseases. Central serous chorioretinopathy and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy are now recognized to belong to the same spectrum of disorders known as pachychoroid diseases. Pachychoroid diseases have similar pathogenesis pathway and common characteristics of thickened choroid, dilated outer choroidal vessels, and thinning of choriocapillaris. More disease entities have been identified to belong to this disease spectrum. Photodynamic therapy can induce choroidal hypoperfusion, remodeling of abnormal choroidal vessels, and reduction of choroidal congestion. It is known to be an effective treatment for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. Many new studies are being performed to investigate its efficacy in other pachychoroid diseases. In this review, we provided an overview of the rationale, efficacy, and treatment strategies of photodynamic therapy in different pachychoroid diseases and discussed its role in the management along with other treatment modalities with most updated clinical evidence.

Experience of using adalimumab in treating sight-threatening paediatric or adolescent Behcet's disease-related uveitis.

PURPOSE: To report the clinical outcomes of adalimumab in treating refractory Behcet's disease (BD)-related uveitis in paediatric or adolescent patients. METHODS: Retrospective review of five paediatric or adolescent patients with BD-related uveitis with a minimum follow-up of 24 months. RESULTS: Disease quiescence was observed in 9 (90%) of 10 eyes at 12 months. The mean number of relapses per year per patient was 5 (range, 3-7) before initiation of adalimumab treatment. This was reduced to 0.2 relapse per patient per year among the five patients during the first 24 months after starting adalimumab treatment. At baseline, 5 eyes had active retinal vasculitis. Retinal vasculitis resolved in all cases (100%) after starting adalimumab. The mean time to complete resolution of inflammation was 3.4 weeks. The mean ± standard deviation logMAR best-corrected visual acuity was 0.711 ± 0.63 at baseline and improved to 0.172 ± 1.04 at 12 months (P < 0.001). None of the patients developed any adverse events associated with adalimumab treatment. CONCLUSION: Adalimumab was effective in preventing irreversible sight-threatening BD-related uveitis in paediatric or adolescent patients. Adalimumab appears to be a promising treatment option for young patients with recalcitrant BD-related uveitis and has a favourable safety profile.

Repeated intraocular crystallization of ganciclovir in one eye after bilateral intravitreal injections: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is an opportunistic infection that primarily affects immunocompromised individuals. Intravitreal ganciclovir injection monotherapy or in combination with systemic anti-CMV therapy are effective treatments for CMV retinitis. Crystallization of ganciclovir after intravitreal injection is extremely rare. Only two cases had been reported in literature. Crystallization in only one eye after bilateral injections had not been reported before. We hereby report a case of intraocular ganciclovir crystallization in one eye after bilateral intravitreal injections, and repeated crystallization in the same eye after repeated injections. CASE PRESENTATION: A 79-year-old patient had bilateral cytomegalovirus retinitis and received bilateral intravitreal ganciclovir injections of 2.5 mg in 0.05 ml sterile water. Fundus examination after injection showed formation of needle-shaped, golden-yellow crystals in the vitreous of right eye but not in left eye. The crystals dissolved spontaneously. Repeated bilateral intravitreal ganciclovir injections 4 days later resulted in repeated crystallization of ganciclovir in right eye but not in left eye. The crystals dissolved spontaneously and completely after 5 minutes. Visual acuity remained unchanged and intraocular pressure was normal. CONCLUSIONS: Intraocular ganciclovir crystallization could occur after intravitreal injections. It is important to perform fundus examination after injection. The crystals may dissolve rapidly and vitrectomy may not be necessary. Our case suggested intraocular ganciclovir crystallization is an idiosyncratic phenomenon, subjects to distinctive intraocular environment which could be different between two eyes of the same patient. The susceptible intraocular environment could be persistent leading to repeated crystallization.

Predictability and stability of laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy with mitomycin C for the correction of high myopia.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictability and stability of laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) with mitomycin C (MMC) in correction of high myopia (≤-6.0 diopters [D]) as compared to low-to-moderate myopia (>-6.0 D).This is a retrospective, comparative, cohort study which included 43 eyes of 43 consecutive patients who underwent LASEK with MMC in a private hospital in Hong Kong by a single surgeon. Twenty-five eyes had high myopia (mean spherical equivalent [SE] = -8.53 ±â€Š1.82 D) and 18 eyes had low-to-moderate myopia (mean SE = -3.99 ±â€Š1.37 D) before surgery.In terms of refractive predictability, mean SE was significantly better in eyes with preoperative low-to-moderate myopia than high myopia at 6 months (0.04 ±â€Š0.23 vs 0.31 ±â€Š0.52 D, P = .035). In terms of refractive stability, between 1 and 3 months, both groups had mean absolute change of SE of around 0.25 D. Between 3 and 6 months, preoperative low-to-moderate myopia group had significantly less absolute change of SE compared to high myopia group (0.07 vs 0.23 D, P = .003). More eyes with preoperative high myopia changed SE by more than 0.25 D than those with low-to-moderate myopia between 3 and 6 months (32.0% vs 5.6%, P = .057).In conclusion, LASEK with MMC is more unpredictable and unstable in correction of high myopia than low-to-moderate myopia. The refractive outcome of most low-to-moderate myopia correction stabilizes at 3 months. Stability is not achieved until after 6 months in high myopia correction.

Serial Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Findings in Acute Retinal Pigment Epitheliitis and the Correlation to Visual Acuity.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the features of acute retinal pigment epitheliitis (ARPE) at onset and in the course of recovery by serial spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) and the correlation to visual acuity (VA). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients with ARPE. METHODS: A review of medical records was performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Integrity of SD OCT retinal bands at onset and in the course of disease, time required to achieve each retinal band restoration, corresponding VA change, and final VA. RESULTS: Four patients were included. Initial SD OCT showed a dome-shaped hyper-reflective lesion at the photoreceptor outer segment layer disrupting the ellipsoid zone (EZ) and interdigitation zone (IZ) (100%). In the early phase, there was also upward displacement of the external limiting membrane (ELM) and mild transient thickening of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/Bruch's complex (Bc). Acute retinal pigment epitheliitis resolved in a sequence of (1) a decrease in height of SD OCT hyper-reflective lesion and the upwardly displaced ELM returning to its normal position with irregularity; (2) complete disappearance of the hyper-reflective lesion; (3) restoration of ELM; (4) restoration of EZ; and (5) restoration of IZ. The average time to restore ELM, EZ, and IZ was 4.3±5.2, 7.3±7.2, and 12.5±12.4 weeks, respectively, and the corresponding logarithm of the minimum angles of resolution (logMAR) VAs were 0.24±0.23, 0.09±0.07, and 0.05±0.06, respectively. Visual acuity improved when IZ was restored. CONCLUSIONS: Early SD OCT revealed an inflammatory lesion in the photoreceptor outer segment layer displacing ELM. The RPE was involved only mildly and transiently. Recovery occurred in a sequence of ELM, EZ, and IZ restoration, and VA improved when the IZ was restored. These features suggested that the IZ (i.e., the contact between photoreceptors and RPE) is the primary site of inflammation in ARPE.

A CASE OF ACCIDENTAL OCULAR INJURY FROM COSMETIC LASER BURN.

PURPOSE: To report the clinical course of a patient sustaining a ocular laser injury from 1,064-nm Nd:YAG cosmetic laser machine. METHOD AND PATIENT: A 31-year-old beauty parlor aesthetician was operating an Nd:YAG cosmetic laser machine of 1,064 nm wavelength. However, the probe was held in the opposite direction, and on firing, the laser shot fired into her left eye. The patient heard a "pop" sound followed by immediate floaters and blurring of vision. Her clinical course was followed for 6 weeks, with investigations including optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiogram, and Humphrey's visual field examination performed. RESULTS: Optical coherence tomography taken over the injured area showed thickened retina and preretinal hyperreflectivities. Fluorescein angiogram showed hypofluorescence superonasal to the disk with late staining of vessels. Humphrey's visual field showed a dense scotoma emanating from the blind spot. The lesion eventually scarred down, and the patient's vision recovered. DISCUSSION: The eye is the most susceptible body part to laser light injury. A review of reported laser accidents revealed the majority to be ocular injuries. The retina is particularly vulnerable, as laser light with wavelength between 400 nm and 1,400 nm is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina, increasing the retinal irradiance as a result. Most injuries were parafoveal, suggesting that most injuries occurred during laser beam alignment. The prognosis is generally favorable. As laser use becomes more widespread and its application increasingly heterogeneous, regulation of laser use and monitoring of laser safety are crucial but at the same time challenging.

An update of treatment options for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

OBJECTIVES: To review the role of conventional and new treatment modalities in the management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. DATA SOURCES AND EXTRACTION: Literature search of Medline till March 2007, using the key words/terms 'treatment' and 'age-related macular degeneration' to retrieve relevant original papers and review articles. DATA SYNTHESIS: Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible visual loss in the elderly in developed countries. Neovascular age-related macular degeneration has a relentless course and the consequent visual loss is debilitating. Successful treatment has always been a challenge due to poor understanding of its pathogenesis. Laser photocoagulation and photodynamic therapy with verteporfin are the standard conventional treatments. However, these approaches do not prevent disease recurrence and repeated treatments are required. Recent advances in understanding the molecular pathway for the angiogenesis of neovascular age-related macular degeneration enables exploration of new treatment approaches. Antiangiogenic therapy with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents, such as pegaptanib and ranibizumab, have recently been approved for clinical practice. Other antiangiogenic agents include bevacizumab, triamcinolone, and anecortave are also being evaluated in clinical trials. Additional treatment modalities include transpupillary thermotherapy and surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Regarding patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration, increased understanding in its pathogenesis coupled with rapid development in instrumental technology and new/emerging medications greatly expands available treatment options. Despite these various therapeutic options, current treatment is mainly directed at achieving visual stabilisation. Restoration of vision with newer agents is limited and not possible in every patient. Thus, early recognition and treatment to arrest the progression of neovascular age-related macular degeneration is the preferred means of attaining the best visual outcome.