Comparison of the efficacy of topical insulin with autologous serum eye drops in persistent epithelial defects of the cornea.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of topical insulin on epithelization in persistent epithelial defects (PED) refractory to usual treatment compared to autologous serum. DESIGN: Retrospective, consecutive case-control series. METHODS: The charts of 61 consecutive patients with PED treated with topical insulin (case group) and 23 treated with autologous serum (control group) were reviewed. Primary efficacy end points were the percentage of patients in which epithelization was achieved, as well as the rate and time until epithelization. Secondary efficacy point was need for amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) or other surgeries. RESULTS: Mean time between PED diagnosis and start of topical insulin was 22.7 ± 18.5 days (range 13-115) and the mean area was 14.8 ± 16.2 mm2 (range 1.1-70.6). In the control group, mean time was 27.9 ± 16.8 days, mean epithelial defect area being 18.6 ± 15.0 mm2 (range 1.7-52.9). No differences in baseline characteristics were found between groups (p > 0.05). Epithelization was achieved in 51 patients (84%) on insulin and 11 patients (48%) on autologous serum (p = 0.002). In those patients, mean time until reepithelization was 32.6 ± 28.3 days (range 4-124) in the insulin group and 82.6 ± 82.4 days (range 13-231) in the autologous serum group (p = 0.011). The need for AMT was significantly lower in the insulin group (p = 0.005). PED recurrence was higher in patients treated on autologous serum (43%) compared with insulin (11%) (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Topical insulin is an effective treatment and safely promotes healing of PED. In our series, topical insulin presented better epithelization outcomes than autologous serum and could thus be considered as a first-line treatment.

Recommendations for ophthalmologic practice during the easing of COVID-19 control measures.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper provides recommendations for medical eye care during the easing of control measures after lockdown. The guidelines presented are based on a literature review and consensus among all Spanish Ophthalmology Societies regarding protection measures recommended for the ophthalmologic care of patients with or without confirmed COVID-19 in outpatient, inpatient, emergency and surgery settings. We recommend that all measures be adapted to the circumstances and availability of personal protective equipment at each centre and also highlight the need to periodically update recommendations as we may need to readopt more restrictive measures depending on the local epidemiology of the virus. These guidelines are designed to avoid the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among both patients and healthcare staff as we gradually return to normal medical practice, to prevent postoperative complications and try to reduce possible deficiencies in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of the ophthalmic diseases. With this update (5th ) the Spanish Society of Ophthalmology is placed as one of the major ophthalmology societies providing periodic and systematized recommendations for ophthalmic care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Topical insulin for refractory persistent corneal epithelial defects.

PURPOSE: To evaluate insulin eye drops for persistent epithelial defects (PEDs) that are refractory to usual treatment in clinical practice and to analyze how it may improve epithelization. METHODS: A prospective non-randomized hospital-based study was performed. Patients with PEDs that were refractory to conventional treatment were treated with insulin eye drops four times a day. Patients' demographics, PED etiology, concomitant treatments, and comorbidities were reviewed. The rate of PED closure and epithelial healing time were considered the primary outcome measures. RESULTS: 21 patients were treated with insulin drops (12 females and 9 males; mean age 72.2 years). Mean PED area before treatment was 17.6 ± 16.5 mm2 (median 13.2; range 3.9-70.6). PED comorbidities included seven eyes with infectious keratitis (33%), five eyes with calcium keratopathy (24%), ocular surgery on three eyes (14%), three eyes with lagophthalmos (14%), two eyes with bullous keratopathy (10%), and one patient with herpetic eye disease (5%). The eyes of 17 patients (81%) with refractory PEDs had reepithelized and four patients (19%) had still presented an epithelial defect by the end of the study follow-up period, although it had decreased in size. In patients where PED closure was achieved, mean time until reepithelization was 34.8 ± 29.9 days (median 23; range 7-114). In the remaining patients, a mean area reduction of 91.5% was achieved for the PEDs. CONCLUSION: Topical insulin can promote and accelerate corneal reepithelization of refractory PEDs. It also offers many other advantages, including excellent tolerance, availability, and cost-effectiveness.

Recomendaciones para la atención oftalmológica durante el estado de alarma por la pandemia de enfermedad por coronavirus COVID-19 / Recommendations for eye care during the alarm state bythe coronavirus disease pandemic COVID-19

OBJETIVO: Minimizar la exposición al virus SARS-CoV-2, reducir las posibilidades de transmisión cruzada entre pacientes y personal sanitario, y evitar el desarrollo de complicaciones postoperatorias por la atención a pacientes con enfermedades oculares durante la pandemia de Enfermedad por Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). MÉTODOS: Elaboración de un documento de revisión del estado del conocimiento sobre COVID-19 y consenso entre diferentes sociedades oftalmológicas españolas y afines, al objeto de proporcionar guías y recomendaciones de máximos recursos primariamente condicionadas por el estado de alerta, confinamiento y distanciamiento social que acontece en España desde el 16 de marzo de 2020. RESULTADOS: Las recomendaciones promoverán la adopción de medidas de actuación y protección para el desarrollo de la actividad asistencial en consultas externas, área quirúrgica y hospitalización, tanto para pacientes no confirmados - asintomáticos y sintomáticos - como confirmados de COVID-19. Deberán ser adaptadas a las circunstancias y disponibilidad de Equipos de Protección Individual (EPI) en cada uno de los Centros y Comunidades Autónomas, debiendo ser actualizadas en función de las fases de la pandemia y de las medidas que adopte el Gobierno de la Nación. CONCLUSIONES: Durante la pandemia COVID-19, la atención a los potenciales riesgos de salud para la población ocasionados por el coronavirus deberá prevalecer sobre la posible progresión de enfermedades oculares comunes. Tanto médicos oftalmólogos como restantes profesionales de la salud ocular deberán asumir una posible progresión de dichas enfermedades ante la imposibilidad de un seguimiento adecuado de los pacientes

OBJECTIVE: Minimize exposure to the SARS-CoV-2, reduce the chances of cross-transmission between patients and healthcare personnel, and prevent the development of postoperative complications from the management of patients with eye diseases during the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID -19). METHODS: COVID-19 literature review and consensus establishment between different Spanish ophthalmology societies in order to provide guidelines and recommendations of máximum resources primarily conditioned by the state of alert, confinement and social distancing that occurs in Spain since March 16, 2020. Results: The recommendations will promote the adoption of action and protection measures for eye care in outpatient clinics, surgical areas and hospitalization, for unconfirmed (asymptomatic and symptomatic) and confirmed COVID-19 patients. Measures must be adapted to the circumstances and availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in each of the centers and Autonomous Communities, which will be updated according to the pandemic phases and the measures adopted by the Spanish Government. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, attention to the potential health risks to the population caused by coronavirus should prevail over the possible progression of the common eye diseases. Ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals must assume a possible progression of these diseases due to the impossibility of adequate patient follow-up

Uvemaster: A Mobile App-Based Decision Support System for the Differential Diagnosis of Uveitis.

Purpose: To examine the diagnostic accuracy and performance of Uvemaster, a mobile application (app) or diagnostic decision support system (DDSS) for uveitis. The app contains a large database of knowledge including 88 uveitis syndromes each with 76 clinical items, both ocular and systemic (total 6688) and their respective prevalences, and displays a differential diagnoses list (DDL) ordered by sensitivity, specificity, or positive predictive value (PPV). Methods: In this retrospective case-series study, diagnostic accuracy (percentage of cases for which a correct diagnosis was obtained) and performance (percentage of cases for which a specific diagnosis was obtained) were determined in reported series of patients originally diagnosed by a uveitis specialist with specific uveitis (N = 88) and idiopathic uveitis (N = 71), respectively. Results: Diagnostic accuracy was 96.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 93.2-100). By sensitivity, the original diagnosis appeared among the top three in the DDL in 90.9% (95% CI, 84.1-96.6) and was the first in 73.9% (95% CI, 63.6-83.0). By PPV, the original diagnosis was among the top DDL three in 62.5% (95% CI, 51.1-71.6) and the first in 29.5% (95% CI, 20.5-38.6; P < 0.001). In 71 (31.1%) patients originally diagnosed with idiopathic uveitis, 19 new diagnoses were made reducing this series to 52 (22.8%) and improving by 8.3% the new rate of diagnosed specific uveitis cases (performance = 77.2%; 95% CI, 71.1-82.9). Conclusions: Uvemaster proved accurate and based on the same clinical data was able to detect more cases of specific uveitis than the original clinician only-based method.

Effect of lubricating eyedrops on ocular light scattering as a measure of vision quality in patients with dry eye.

PURPOSE: To determine light scattering by the eye as a measure of optical quality using the Optical Quality Analysis System in patients with mild to moderate dry-eye disease and to examine change patterns after lubricating eyedrop use. SETTING: Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain. DESIGN: Evaluation of diagnostic test or technology. METHODS: Eyes with mild to moderate dry-eye disease (study group) and healthy eyes (control group) were examined in a single visit. All patients completed a questionnaire to assess dry-eye disease symptoms (ocular surface disease index [OSDI]). Signs of dry eye were recorded as the tear breakup time, Schirmer I test, and corneal staining score. Scattered light was measured as the objective scatter index (OSI) at 0.5-second intervals over 20 seconds without blinking. The measurements were repeated 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60 minutes after eyedrop instillation, and the OSI change rate was calculated. RESULTS: The OSI was significantly higher in the study group (25 eyes) than in the control group (10 eyes). After eyedrop instillation in the study group, the OSI change rate decreased significantly from baseline at each time point (P<.001, 45 minutes; P<.01, 60 minutes). No significant differences in the OSI change rate were detected between time points except between 45 minutes and 60 minutes (P<.01). A correlation was observed in all the dry-eye variables except the corneal staining score. CONCLUSION: Lubricating eyedrops improved ocular scattering in patients with mild to moderate dry eye for at least 60 minutes after instillation. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

Nonorganic visual loss and associated psychopathology in children.

PURPOSE: To report the frequency of nonorganic visual loss (NOVL) and associated psychopathology in children. METHODS: A total of 973 children were examined in our ophthalmology practice between 2006 and 2009. Basic ophthalmologic exploration (visual acuity, stereopsis, cycloplegic refraction, ocular motility, pupil dynamics, biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy) and specific tests for NOVL diagnosis were performed (confusion with lenses test, mirrors test, Roth test, Bravais test). We also investigated the psychosocial situation and associated psychiatric problems. RESULTS: Thirty children were diagnosed with NOVL. The mean age of the children was 8.93 years (± 2.61); 70% were girls. September was the commonest month of presentation (26.7%) and unilateral (3.3%) or bilateral (80%) visual loss was the most frequent symptom (83.3% in total). In 20% of cases we detected psychosocial anomaly and 40% were seeking to wear glasses. CONCLUSIONS: Malingering in children is very frequent. We can make the diagnosis with simple tests. It is not necessary to perform imaging and electrophysiologic testing, thus avoiding unnecessary examinations as well as absenteeism from work for parents and health care costs.