A Detailed Analysis of Individuals Having Graft Failure After Corneal Transplantation.

PURPOSE: To describe demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with graft failure after keratoplasty, determine the cause of graft failure and outcomes. METHODS: The charts of patients between 2008-2013 in the Cornea Service at Wills Eye Hospital with a history of a corneal transplant before the end of 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Included were patients who had graft failure after corneal transplantation and had at least one year of follow-up after transplantation. Penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and Descemet's stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) patients were analyzed separately. RESULTS: A total of 186 eyes of 170 patients with graft failure after a PK (156) or DSEK (30) procedures were identified. The baseline characteristics included 100 female and 70 male patients with an age between 0 and 90 years (median 63 years). At the time of surgery, 38% had three or more systemic diseases and 68% were using three or more systemic medicines. Mean follow up time for PK was nearly four times of DSEK. Only 2 DSEK eyes (7%) underwent a 3rd DSEK graft, while 47 (30%) PK eyes underwent a 3rd PK and 15 (10%) PK eyes underwent more than three PK procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Most DSEK failures occurred in 1st year, while graft failure in PKs is scattered over years. Failure in DSEK is mostly due to graft or surgical risk factors but in PK mostly due to factors in the host. DSEK does not appear to be as affected by the patients' demographic and clinical characteristics as much as PK.

The results of Muller Muscle Conjunctival Resection versus Levator Advancement for mild to moderate ptosis.

Purpose: To compare the surgical outcomes of Muller muscle conjunctival resection (MMCR) and levator advancement (LA) in patients with mild to moderate blepharoptosis. Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent surgery for mild to moderate ptosis between 2015 and 2020 was performed. The degree of ptosis was graded based on the amount of upper eyelid drooping: mild ≤ 2 mm and moderate < 4 mm. Surgical success was defined as post-operative marginal reflex distance 1 (MRD1) ≥ 4.0 and ≤ 5.0 mm, and a satisfactory eyelid contour. Results: A total of 82 eyes of 65 patients underwent ptosis repair surgeries. MMCR was performed in 48 eyes and LA in 34 eyes. Under-correction was detected in 8.3% and 11.8% of the patients in MMCR group and LA group respectively. There was no patient with over-correction in the MMCR group postoperatively, 3 patients in the LA group had over-correction (0% vs. 8.8% respectively). The success rate in our study was found to be 91.7% in the MMCR group and 72.2% in the LA group. Conclusions: The MMCR and LA procedures are effective approaches in treating patients with mild to moderate eyelid ptosis in our population. Each procedure had its superiority in selected groups of patients. However, the complication rate and duration of surgery were found to be lower in MMCR group. Abbreviations: LA = Levator Advancement, LF = Levator Function, MMCR = Muller Muscle Conjunctival Resection, MRD 1 = Marginal Reflex Distance.

Interexaminer Reliability of Meibography: Upper or Lower Eyelid?

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the interexaminer reliability of meibography evaluation and the impact of eyelid selection for the procedure. METHODS: Meibography images of 30 subjects' right eye, including both lids, were evaluated by three clinicians. Meibomian gland (MG) dropout was noted with respect to both percentage and grading (0-4). The examiners' (E1, E2, and E3) consistency was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient for MG loss percent and weighted kappa for grading. Correlations between the meibography findings and the fluorescein tear break-up time (FBUT), ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire, and noninvasive tear break-up time (NIBUT) data were also analyzed. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 49.2±13.4 years, and the male/female ratio distribution was 15/15. Mean FBUT was 9.6±3.1 sec. OSDI and NIBUT were not correlated with meibography findings. FBUT measurements were correlated with the MG loss assessments of all examiners for the upper lid (Spearman correlation test, E1: r=-0.617, P<0.001; E2: r=-0.428, P<0.018; E3: r=-0.429, P=0.018) but not for the lower lid. Weighted kappa statistics based on MG dropout grading revealed moderate-to-good agreement for the upper lid (E1-E2: κ=0.516, P<0.001; E1-E3: κ=0.621, P<0.001; E2-E3: κ=0.650, P<0.001) and fair-to-moderate agreement for the lower lid (E1-E2: κ=0.212; E1-E3: κ=0.272; E2-E3: κ=0.530). CONCLUSIONS: Meibography is an objective tool for the detection of MG loss. Because of the correlation with FBUT and better interexaminer agreement on dropout by grading, the upper lid might be the preferred lid to make an evaluation.

The Association between Diabetes and Herpes Simplex Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and presence and severity of Herpes simplex eye disease (HSED). METHODS: We conducted two sub-studies. We included the patients seen on the Cornea Service of the Wills Eye Hospital from January 2008 to August 2012. Study 1 included 541 patients with HSED and 3226 controls. Study 2 involved 40 diabetic and 120 non-diabetic ocular surface HSED patients. Severity of ocular surface HSED was graded as mild, moderate, or severe, based on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Patients were excluded if they had fewer than two office visits or had non-Herpes simplex-related vision-threatening conditions. Diabetes was graded as: diet group (DM controlled with diet), oral group (DM controlled with oral medications), and insulin group (DM control required insulin). RESULTS: Five of 541 (0.93%) HSED patients had type 1 DM, similar to 19/3246 (0.59%) controls (p = 0.375); 48 of 541 (8.88%) HSED patients had type 2 DM, similar to 287/3246 (8.84%) controls (p = 0.981). Using multinomial logistic regression analyses, the probability/risk of being in the severe ocular surface HSED group as opposed to the mild ocular surface HSED group were not statistically significantly different between DM patients and those without DM (p = 0.120; OR, 1.900; 95% CI, 0.846-4.266). CONCLUSIONS: There may not be a positive association between type 2 DM and HSED.

Long-term results of cataract surgery in patients with anterior uveitis.

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to assess the long-term results of phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation in patients with anterior uveitis. METHODS: Patients with complicated cataract secondary to anterior uveitis who underwent phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation were included in this study. Long-term results and all complications were evaluated throughout the postoperative 4 years. RESULTS: A total of 55 eyes of 48 patients were identified in this study. Cases with anterior uveitis were categorised into four aetiologic groups. Of the 55 eyes, 22 (19 patients) had idiopathic anterior uveitis, 10 (9 patients) had viral anterior uveitis, 10 (9 patients) had Fuchs' anterior uveitis and 13 (11 patients) had anterior uveitis associated with collagen vascular diseases. Preoperative macular oedema was more frequent (63.6%) in the idiopathic group than in the other groups (p < 0.001). The success rates of the best corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better ranged from 80.0 to 100.0% in the groups. While postoperative increased intraocular pressure rate was statistically significantly higher in the Fuchs' group (p = 0.047), there was no statistically significant difference in other complication rates between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term outcomes of phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation in patients with uveitic cataract were satisfactory with excellent visual acuity and relatively low complication rates.

OCULAR FINDINGS IN A PATIENT WITH ECTODERMAL DYSPLASIA.

PURPOSE: Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) results from abnormal development of the ectodermal layer. Although coexistence of ED and retinal pathology has been described, concomitance with retinal venous tortuosity has not been reported in the literature. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: We report the case of a 23-year-old man with ED with bilateral retinal venous tortuosity, trichomegaly, meibomian gland dysfunction, and dry eye. Although the coexistence of ED with trichomegaly and meibomian gland dysfunction has been previously reported, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of retinal venous tortuosity associated with ED. CONCLUSION: Coexistence of retinal venous tortuosity and ED may be the consequence of a genetic mutation affecting cellular signaling pathways during retinal angiogenesis.

Alterations in corneal epithelial thickness in patients with congenital myogenic eyelid ptosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the corneal epithelial thickness (CET) maps obtained by optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the congenital myogenic eyelid ptosis differ from controls. METHODS: CET maps of 13 patients with congenital myogenic eyelid ptosis (m/f = 9/4; mean age 20.5 ± 7.5) and randomly selected one eye of 13 controls (m/f = 7/6; mean age 21.5 ± 6.5) were investigated. Three pachymetry scans of each eye were performed by OCT (RTVue-XR, Optovue Inc., USA), and the scan with the highest signal strength index was selected for the analysis. RESULTS: In ptosis group: Minimum corneal epithelial thickness was thinner (p = 0.029), standard deviation of thickness was higher (p = 0.039), the negative of min-max values were higher (p = 0.007). This difference was originating from the significant thinness of the superior sectors (S, SN, ST) of the corneal epithelium than the inferior counterparts (I, IT, IN) (p = 0.001, p = 0.017, p = 0.002), respectively. There was no difference regarding total corneal thickness measurements. CONCLUSIONS: The mechanic effects of ptotic eyelid to the ocular surface may reshape the corneal epithelium, which can be objectively detected by OCT.

Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Adult Patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate changes in retinal, choroidal, ganglion cell complex (GCC) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thicknesses in genetically diagnosed adult patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). METHODS: A total of 50 eyes of 50 genetically diagnosed patients with FMF and 50 eyes of controls were analyzed. Patients were recruited from the Genetic Diagnostic Center of Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Research and Training Hospital, Turkey. Retinal and choroidal thicknesses were obtained using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography from choroid, retina, GCC, and RNFL. RESULTS: Average baseline choroidal thickness was statistically significantly thinner in patients with FMF than controls at Ccenter (325.85 ± 30.8 µm and 338.97 ± 23.9 µm, respectively, p = 0.038), Cnasal500 (328.77 ± 31.6 µm and 349.00 ± 23.3 µm, respectively, p = 0.002), Cnasal1000 (324.97 ± 33.6 µm and 351.23 ± 23.8 µm respectively, p = 0.0001) and Cnasal1500 (324.75 ± 37.1 µm and 344.61 ± 27.3 µm, respectively, p = 0.008). However, there was no significant difference in temporal choroidal thickness (Ctemporal500, Ctemporal1000 and Ctemporal1500) in patients with FMF compared to controls (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in retinal, GCC and RNFL thicknesses between the groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: We hypothesize that the chronic inflammation seen in FMF could be the reason for the reduction seen in choroidal thickness in adult patients with FMF. Retinal, GCC and RNFL thicknesses did not differ from controls.

Surgical Management of Double-Head Pterygium Using a Modified Split-Conjunctival Autograft Technique.

AIM: To describe a modified split-conjuctival autograft technique for double-head pterygium and evaluate the postoperative outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent split-conjunctival autograft surgery for double-head pterygium from November 2012 to March 2014. Conjunctival autograft was split vertically, in order to obtain limbal sides of cojunctival autograft for both sides. No adjunctive agent was used. Records of included patients were reviewed and outcomes and recurrence rates were noted. RESULTS: Eight cases of double-head pterygia were noted in 158 total cases of pterygia evaluated (5%). The baseline characteristics included 2 female and 6 male with an age between 26 and 71 (average 42.63) years. All eyes had 12-month follow-ups in average (6-21 months). No intraoperative or postoperative complications were noted. No recurrence was observed. CONCLUSION: A modified, vertical-split conjunctival autograft without any adjunctive agents is a successful and safe technique in management of double-head pterygium.

A case of retrobulbar optic neuritis caused by duloxetine.

Psychotropic medications may cause many ocular adverse effects including toxic optic neuropathy. We present a unique case of a 44-year-old woman using duloxetine who presented with unilateral visual loss due to retrobulbar neuritis. Physicians and patients should be alerted to this potential side effect. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of developing retrobulbar neuritis related to duloxetine usage.

Association Between Keratoconus and Familial Mediterranean Fever in Turkey.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and keratoconus (KC). METHODS: This retrospective case-control study was performed to compare the prevalence of KC in patients with FMF with the corresponding prevalence in control patients without FMF referred to Genetic Diagnostic Center at Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital from June 2012 to June 2015. We included all 100 patients with FMF. Each FMF-affected patient was matched to 3 controls. RESULTS: None of the patients in the control group (0%, 0/300) had KC, whereas 4 of 100 patients with FMF (4%) had KC (P < 0.004). Three of 33 patients with a homozygous mutation (9.1%) (M694V/M694V in 2 cases and M680I/M680I in 1 case) and 1 of the 46 patients with a compound heterozygous mutation (2.2%) (M694V/M680I) had KC, whereas none of the 21 patients with a heterozygous mutation (0%) had KC. All patients with KC were women, and mean age was 40.8 years (range, 30-51). Although 1 of the 4 patients with KC had hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus, the other 3 patients did not have any systemic illness except FMF. When we compared the prevalence of KC in patients with FMF (4%) with the highest prevalence of KC reported in the literature (0.2%), FMF was a predisposing factor to develop KC [odds ratio: 18.1 (95% CI: 11.9-27.5)] especially in patients with a homozygous mutation [odds ratio: 43.4 (95% CI: 28.6-65.7)]. CONCLUSIONS: Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene mutations, particularly in homozygous mutations of the MEFV gene, may be a predisposing factor in the development of KC.

Long-Term Results of the Boston Keratoprosthesis for Unilateral Corneal Disease.

PURPOSE: To report the results of unilateral implantation of a Boston keratoprosthesis (BKPro) in patients with good visual acuity in the fellow eye. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 37 eyes of 37 patients who underwent an optical BKPro and had a preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/40 or better in the fellow eye at Wills Eye Hospital from September 2005 to November 2013 was performed. Patients were excluded if they had less than 1 year of postoperative follow-up. RESULTS: The mean follow-up after BKPro implantation was 31.7 months (range, 12-78 months; SD, 21). Twenty-eight patients underwent a BKPro for failed penetrating keratoplasty, and 9 patients underwent a primary BKPro. The most common complications were elevated intraocular pressure and retroprosthetic membrane formation in 16 eyes (43%) each. The mean final BCVA (1.0 ± 0.8 logMAR; median, 1.0 logMAR) was statistically better than the mean preoperative BCVA (1.8 ± 0.2 logMAR; median, 1.8 logMAR) (P < 0.001). The probability of postoperative BCVA of 20/200 or better was 54.1% with an average 45.1 ± 4.7 (confidence interval: 35.9-54.3) months of follow-up. The probability of postoperative BCVA of 20/40 or better was 37.8% with an average 51.8 ± 4.9 (confidence interval: 42.0-61.5) months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Half of the patients in our study achieved the minimum visual acuity required for binocular functioning, whereas one-third of the patients achieved a BCVA somewhat similar to that of the contralateral eye. The complications were similar to those reported previously with good retention of the device. BKPro implantation is a reasonable option for patients with good vision in the fellow eye.

Ocular side effects and trichomegaly of eyelashes induced by erlotinib: a case report and review of the literature.

Therapeutics belonging to the group of epidermal growth factor inhibitors are currently in widespread use for the treatment of certain malignancies, especially in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. A wide spectrum of the cutaneous side effects of these drugs are well known but the ocular side effects and trichomegaly of eyelashes are rarely reported, particularly for an ophthalmology audience. This report presents a case of erlotinib induced eyelash trichomegaly and the other ocular side effects of this drug in a 74 year-old female patient with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma. Trichomegaly is not a drug-limiting side effect, however long eyelashes often cause eyeball irritation and corneal epithelial defects. Herein, the authors emphasize the importance of recognizing this side effect in order to avoid from severe complications such as corneal ulcers in uncared patients.

Long-term results of simultaneous bilateral external dacryocystorhinostomy in cases with bilateral dacryostenosis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the long-term results of simultaneous bilateral external dacryocystorhinostomy (EX-DCR) in cases with bilateral dacryostenosis. METHODS: Thirty-four eyes of 17 consecutive patients with a history of bilateral epiphora were included in the study between 2007 and 2011. Demographic information, etiology of the obstruction, history of lacrimal surgery, type of anesthesia, duration of surgery, incidence of postoperative nasal bleeding and infection, surgical outcomes, and duration of follow-up were recorded. During the lacrimal irrigation, there was not any passage noticed in the patients' eyes. The post-operative follow-up was 13 to 44 months (mean 33.6 months). RESULTS: Of 17 patients undergoing simultaneous bilateral EX-DCR with a mean age of 42.8 years, one of the patients had a history of bilateral unsuccessful DCR performed in a different center. One patient had previously failed bilateral probing before undergoing bilateral EX-DCR. This latter patient was a four-month-old baby with bilateral dacryoceles. Bicanalicular silicone intubation was performed in 15 eyes of 10 patients that had a canalicular problem or fibrotic lacrimal sac. It has been discerned that complaints about epiphora disappeared in 33 of the eyes (97%) and that the passage was open during the lacrimal irrigation. One eye with a history of unsuccessful dacryocystorhinostomy failed to respond positively to our operation. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, high success rates of simultaneous bilateral EX-DCR were found in both children and adult patients with bilateral dacryostenosis during a long-term follow-up. We believe that simultaneous bilateral dacryocystorhinostomy has medical, social, and economic advantages.

Vascularization of coralline versus synthetic hydroxyapatite orbital implants assessed by gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the fibrovascular in-growth of coralline and synthetic hydroxyapatite orbital implants by reporting the enhancement patterns on Gadolinium-Dietilen triamin penta acetic acid (Gad-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: The medical records of 26 patients who had undergone primary or secondary orbital implantation between April 2008 and February 2011 were reviewed. T1 weighted Gad-DTPA MRI was performed between 5 and 12 months (mean 9.2 ± 5.9 months) after implantation and graded as follows to evaluate the fibrovascular in-growth of the implants; grade 1 (rim enhancement), grade 2 (peripheral foci of enhancement, not including the center), grade 3 (central, non-homogenous enhancement), grade 4 (central, homogenous enhancement) and grade 5 (central, intense enhancement).Results were analysed according to vascularization patterns on Gad-DTPA MRI. RESULTS: Central vascularization patterns (grade 3, 4 or 5) were seen 62.5% of coralline orbital implants and 46.1% of synthetic orbital implants. Central fibrovascular in-growth of the coralline implants were found significantly more than synthetic implants (p < 0.05). Central vascularization of coralline implants with primary implantation was 75% and with secondary implantation was 50%. Synthetic orbital implantation with primary surgery demonstrated 66.6% and synthetic orbital implantation with secondary surgery demonstrated 26.6% central vascularization pattern. In both natural coralline and synthetic implants, primary orbital implantation was demonstrated significantly better fibrovascular in-growth than secondary implantation (p < 0.05). Two patients with synthetic orbital implants had dehiscence that was repaired by using autogenous fascia lata. CONCLUSIONS: In both coralline and synthetic orbital implants, central vascular in-growth was observed much more with primary orbital implantation. This study indicates that coralline HA orbital implants significantly supply more rapid and homogenous vascularization than synthetic implants.