Clinical Experience of Using a Combination of Dexamethasone and Levofloxacin After Cataract Surgery.

Background: Where routine prophylactic antibiotics have been adopted following cataract surgery, rates of endophthalmitis have been decreasing. Intracameral and topical antibiotics are currently used to prevent endophthalmitis after cataract surgery. When applying topical antibiotics, there are different recommendations on the frequency and duration of therapy. The development of bacterial resistance to the excessive and long-term use of antibiotics is a growing problem worldwide. The goal is to achieve a good antibiotic effect with the shortest possible use of antibiotics. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a new combination therapy of dexamethasone and levofloxacin for seven days after cataract surgery with the previous regimen of dexamethasone, neomycin sulfate, and polymyxin B, which was given for 21 days. Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records and administered a questionnaire was conducted to assess the effectiveness of postoperative therapy in our cataract surgery patients. The study involved 52 patients who underwent surgery within the last year, performed by a single surgeon at our institution. The findings can help us improve the quality of care we provide and optimize our patients' overall quality of life. Results: We conducted an in-depth study on 52 individuals who underwent cataract surgery at our institution. The prescribed therapeutic regimen for the participants included administering Ducressa solution four times daily for the first seven days and Maxidex solution three times daily for the subsequent 14 days. The study found that none of the participants experienced complications after surgery, and all found it easy to instill the medication. The prescribed regimen effectively managed the postoperative recovery of the participants, and the medication was well-tolerated. Conclusion: Our research found that a new combination of levofloxacin and dexamethasone, when used topically, may require a shorter treatment period, reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance and providing a safe alternative for endophthalmitis prevention.

Vitreous hyper-reflective dots and the macular thickness after cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To assess the association between vitreous hyper-reflective dots (VHD) and the macular thickness changes following uneventful phacoemulsification. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study optical coherence tomography (OCT) examinations were performed preoperatively and 1 week, 1 month and 3 months postoperatively in patients undergoing cataract surgery. OCT images were analyzed for retinal central subfield thickness (CST) and preretinal VHDs. Surgeries were recorded for the assessment of lens fragments in the space of Berger. RESULTS: 111 eyes of 97 patient were enrolled of whom 69 (62.2%) were female. VHDs were seen in 25 eyes (22.5%) at week 1; in 21 eyes (18.9%) at month 1 and in 3 eyes (2.7%) at month 3. In all eyes with VHDs retro-capsular lens fragments were visible immediately after phacoemulsification. The number of VHDs significantly decreased over the postoperative period. There was a moderate correlation between the number of VHDs and CST at 1 month (r = 0.426, p<0.001). In eyes with VHD the CST averaged 238.8±17.6 µm (214-266) at 1 week; 276.1±63.5 µm (231-481) at 1 month and 285.1±122.3 µm (227-785) at 3 months. In eyes with no detectable VHDs CST averaged 235.9±23.3 µm (192-311) at 1 week; 240.1±21.6 µm (200-288) at 1 month and 242.2±21.3 µm (205-289) at 3 months. Although the differences among the assessment points were relatively low, there was a significant difference in general (p<0.001, Friedman test). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, VHDs seem to cause macular thickening throughout the postoperative course. The origin of VHDs is still unknown; however, they presumably represent lens fragments that provoke subclinical inflammation.

Corneal epithelial and fibrovascular downgrowth postcataract surgery with intrastromal bleed: a rare case study with multimodal imaging.

A woman in her 60s presented with diminution of vision and redness in her right eye (OD) 1.5 months duration, 10 months post cataract surgery. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) on the OD was fingers counting at 0.5 m. The anterior section of the OD demonstrated superior pre-Descemet's intrastromal bleeding, superior dense fibrovascular growth in the corneal mid-stroma and superior fibrovascular downgrowth measuring 5×5 mm in the anterior chamber. Along with topical prednisolone acetate (1%) suspension 4 times per day on a tapering dose, antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy was administered intrastromally and subconjunctivally in the superior bulbar conjunctiva near limbus (0.05 mL of 2.5 mg/0.1 mL at each site). Over the course of a week, the intrastromal bleed had completely stopped. Three months later, at the final follow-up, the BCVA had marginally improved to fingers counting 2 m, with a lingering 4×4 mm nebulomacular scar.

Chloroprocaine 3% Gel as a Novel Ocular Topical Anesthetic: Results from a Multicenter, Randomized Clinical Trial in Patients Undergoing Cataract Surgery.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of a novel ophthalmic anesthetic, chloroprocaine 3% gel to tetracaine 0.5% eye drops in patients undergoing cataract surgery with phacoemulsification. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, multicenter, active-controlled, masked-observer, parallel group competitive equivalence study. The study comprised 338 patients having routine cataract extraction by clear corneal phacoemulsification, randomized to receive 3 drops of chloroprocaine gel (n = 166) or tetracaine eye drops (n = 172) before surgery. The primary objective of the study was to assess the equivalence of chloroprocaine gel to tetracaine eye drops as proportion of patients with successful ocular surface anesthesia, without any supplementation just before intraocular lens implantation. Safety measurements were pain, irritation, burning, stinging, photophobia, and foreign body sensation, graded by the patient and objective ocular signs. Results: Equivalence was demonstrated, with a somewhat higher success rate of chloroprocaine gel: 152/166 (92.0%) chloroprocaine versus 153/172 (90.5%) tetracaine patients achieved ocular surface anesthesia with no supplementation. Difference in proportions was 1.5% confidence interval [95% CI: (-3.6 to 6.6)] and 90% CI fell within (-10 to 10). Mean onset of anesthesia was 1.35 ± 0.87 min for chloroprocaine and 1.57 ± 1.85 for tetracaine (P = 0.083). Mean duration of anesthesia was 21.57 ± 12.26 min for chloroprocaine and 22.04 ± 12.58 for tetracaine (P = 0.574). No treatment emergent adverse events related to chloroprocaine were reported and no relevant findings related to local tolerance or vital signs were observed in both arms. Conclusions: Results obtained from the present cataract study demonstrated that chloroprocaine 3% ophthalmic gel is safe and effective, representing a valid alternative in ocular topical anesthesia. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT04685538.

Comparison of three techniques for simultaneous intraocular lens implantation in subluxated cataract surgery: Transconjunctival intrascleral, Z-suture knotless transscleral, and Cionni capsular tension ring assisted.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the clinical outcomes of three different methods of intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in the surgery of subluxated cataracts. METHODS: In this retrospective, comparative, clinical interventional study, the medical records of patients who underwent IOL implantation with sutureless 27-gauge needle-assisted transconjunctival intrascleral (Group 1), Z-suture knotless transscleral (Group 2), and Cionni capsular tension ring (Cionni-CTR) assisted (Group 3) simultaneously with subluxated cataract extraction between June 2010 and June 2022 were evaluated. Demographic characteristics, follow-up times, uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), spherical and cylindrical refractive values, and spherical equivalent (SE) values of three groups were compared. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: There were 20 eyes in Group 1, 35 eyes in Group 2, and 40 eyes in Group 3. In all groups, statistically significant improvement was observed in postoperative UDVA and CDVA compared to preoperative values (each p < 0.05). There was no statistical difference between the groups in postoperative UDVA and CDVA values. (p = 0.130, p = 0.167 respectively). No significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of postoperative spherical, cylindrical, and SE values (each p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study suggests that three different IOL implantation techniques for simultaneous IOL implantation in subluxated cataract surgery have similar effects on visual and refractive outcomes.

Narrative review after post-hoc trial analysis of factors that predict corneal endothelial cell loss after phacoemulsification: Tips for improving cataract surgery research.

PURPOSE: Identifying pre/perioperative factors that predict corneal endothelial-cell loss (ECL) after phacoemulsification may reveal ways to reduce ECL. Our literature analysis showed that 37 studies have investigated one or several such factors but all have significant limitations. Therefore, the data of a large randomized controlled trial (PERCEPOLIS) were subjected to post-hoc multivariate analysis determining the ability of nine pre/perioperative variables to predict ECL. METHODS: PERCEPOLIS was conducted in 2015-2016 to compare two phacoemulsification techniques (subluxation and divide-and-conquer) in terms of 3-month ECL. Non-inferiority between the techniques was found. In the present study, post-hoc univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine associations between ECL and age, sex, cataract density, preoperative endothelial-cell density, phacoemulsification technique, effective phaco time (EPT), and 2-hour central-corneal thickness. The data are presented in the context of a narrative review of the literature. RESULTS: Three-month data were available for 275 patients (94% of the randomized cohort; mean age, 74 years; 58% women). Mean LOCSIII cataract grade was 3.2. Mean EPT was 6 seconds. Mean ECL was 13%. Only an older age (beta = 0.2%, p = 0.049) and higher EPT (beta = 1.2%, p = 0.0002) predicted 3-month ECL. Cataract density was significant on univariate (p = 0.04) but not multivariate analysis. The other variables did not associate with ECL. CONCLUSIONS: Older age may amplify ECL due to increased endothelial cell fragility. EPT may promote ECL via cataract density-dependent and -independent mechanisms that should be considered in future phacoemulsification research aiming to reduce ECL. Our literature analysis showed that the average ECL for relatively unselected consecutively-sampled cohorts is 12%.

Angle-closure glaucoma associated with vitreous prolapse after neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminumgarnet laser posterior capsulotomy.

Capsulotomy with neodymium-doped yttriumaluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser is an effective treatment for posterior capsule opacification following cataract surgery. A wide opening of the posterior capsule associated with the ruptured anterior hyaloid can cause anterior chamber vitreous prolapse. Two patients who developed angle-closure glaucoma associated with vitreous prolapse following Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy were successfully treated with antiglaucoma medication and peripheral iridotomies. Patient identification for potential risk factors and a careful postoperative follow-up are essential to avoid these serious complications.

Sideways sculpting - A novel technique in eyes with posterior polar cataracts.

Posterior polar cataracts (PPCs) have long been a concern for cataract surgeons due to their natural proclivity for posterior capsule rupture. Although problems can be avoided, there is no surgical procedure that can completely eliminate the possibility of posterior capsular rupture. Research reports a higher percentage of capsule rupture and related complications post surgical intervention. The sideways sculpting technique is a novel method to alleviate unnecessary tension on the posterior capsule. To disseminate this novel technique to practicing ophthalmologists to reduce the risk of complications related to polar cataracts. This video presents the creation of sculpting or trench at the center of the nucleus, sideways movement of the phacotip trench, rotation of the nucleus, and phacoemulsification steps while operating a dense PPC. Step-by-step demonstration of sideways sculpting and an overview of its significance. Video Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ukCjdr9DlEgguCgfh0DPAPYxCCEzirq/view?usp=sharing .

Novel Management of Ocular Surface Inflammation in Patients With Ocular Graft-Versus-Host Disease in the Setting of Cataract Surgery.

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of cataract surgery in patients with ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD) using a novel preoperative immunomodulatory regimen in a collaborative subspecialty care setting. METHODS: Retrospective case series of patients with oGVHD who underwent cataract surgery using a novel preoperative immunomodulatory regimen in a collaborative care setting. A preoperative regimen consisting of pooled human immune globulin 1%, autologous serum 50%, and methylprednisolone 1% eye drops was prescribed. Outcome measures included visual acuity (VA), ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score, lissamine green staining, and complications with a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Thirty-five eyes from 20 patients with oGVHD were studied. The mean age was 59 years (range 30-70 years). A healthy comparison group included 35 eyes from 24 patients with a mean age of 63 years (range 44-74 years). At the 2-year follow-up, the mean corneal staining score was 2.3/15, the mean OSDI score was 37.5, and the mean VA was 20/30 (logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution 0.17). The global complication rate was 2.8% at the last follow-up with no difference versus a healthy comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: A collaborative care model improving ocular surface health before cataract surgery with dry eye and cataract subspecialists can optimize outcomes in patients with oGVHD.

Late spontaneous posterior capsule rupture with single-piece hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens dislocation.

In this study, we described and discussed the late onset spontaneous posterior capsule rupture with intraocular lens (IOL) dislocation years after uncomplicated cataract surgery and implantation of hydrophobic acrylic IOLs. Eight patients presented with spontaneous posterior capsule rupture and IOL dislocation 5-20 years after uncomplicated phacoemulsification and IOL (AcrySof, Alcon, US) implantation. None of the patients had undergone posterior capsulotomy in the past. Four of the patients admitted habitual eye rubbing. An intact and well-centered continuous curvilinear capsulotomy edge was observed in all cases. IOLs were dislocated or displaced behind the anterior capsulotomy with a significant decrease in vision. A large rupture with a curled edge of the broken posterior capsule was visible. Dislocated IOLs were removed, and a three-piece IOL was inserted in the sulcus in six cases and suture fixated to the sclera in two cases. Improved vision was achieved in all cases. Although the mechanism underlying this late complication is unclear, habitual eye rubbing or IOL design may play a role. Further investigation is needed to prevent this complication in the future.

A potential role for inflammatory cytokines in a rare late-onset capsular block syndrome: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Late-onset capsule block syndrome (CBS) is a rare complication of cataract phacoemulsification and the implantation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens (PCIOL), which manifests six months to years after surgery. The hallmark of CBS is the formation of an opaque liquid substance between the implanted intraocular lens (IOL) and the posterior capsule. However, its pathogenesis remains unclear. CASE PRESENTATION: A 64-year-old female patient with chronic angle-closure glaucoma (axis length < 21 mm) underwent trabeculectomy surgery combined with phacoemulsification and PCIOL. After a 4-year follow-up, a decline in visual acuity occurred in her right eye due to the location of opaque fluid in the visual axis and distension of the capsular bag. The initial course of action was to release the trapped fluid. Neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd: YAG) laser capsulotomy could not be employed due to her non-dilating pupil and high extension of the posterior capsule. Subsequently, anterior capsule peeling and anterior segment vitrectomy surgery were performed. The depth of the anterior chamber (ACD), the distance between the face of the retro-IOL and the posterior capsule, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and the visual quality (VQ) were measured both before and after surgery. Inflammatory cytokine levels in the opaque substances (OS) trapped between the PCIOL and the posterior capsule were assessed using a flow cytometer and compared to normal statistical data in aqueous humor. After surgery, the patient experienced a significant improvement in BCVA and VQ. The distance between the face of the retro-IOL and the posterior capsule was on the verge of disappearing. However, ACD did not differ between pre- and post-operatively. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and basic fibroblast growth factor (BFGF) concentrations were higher in the OS than in aqueous humor, especially in the former. However, the concentration of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) in the OS was lower than in aqueous humor. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior segment vitrectomy surgery proved to be a successful treatment for late-onset CBS, presenting a challenging case. In the human lens, inflammatory cytokines originating from the opaque substances may contribute to abnormal metabolism in the sealed area, a consequence of late-onset CBS.

Diagnostic Ultrasound: On-Site Diagnosis of Type B Aortic Dissection During Cataract Surgery.

We report a case of aortic dissection occurring during cataract surgery under local anesthesia, which was diagnosed on-site by point-of-care ultrasound. Intimal flaps were detected in the abdominal aorta, whereas the parasternal view showed no abnormalities in the aortic root or left ventricular function. According to these ultrasound findings, a Stanford type B aortic dissection was more likely than a type A aortic dissection, and imminent death was unlikely. Therefore, we decided to resume and complete the surgery. Subsequent computed tomography (CT) confirmed the point-of-care diagnosis. The patient was transferred to a tertiary hospital for medical treatment.

The comparison of corneal densitometry in cases with glaucoma following childhood cataract surgery and juvenile glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To compare the corneal densitometry (CD) in pediatric cases with glaucoma following childhood cataract surgery and juvenile open-angle glaucoma (JOAG). METHODS: This prospective comparative study involved 13 eyes with JOAG, 12 eyes with pseudophakic glaucoma, 13 eyes with aphakic glaucoma, and 15 control subjects. Pentacam HR Scheimpflug corneal topography was employed to evaluate corneal thickness (CCT) and CD values. RESULTS: The mean intraocular pressure (IOP) and CCT were significantly higher in aphakic glaucoma cases than the other groups (p = 0.001). In aphakic eyes, the mean CD values were higher in most of the anterior, center, and posterior layers of 0-2 mm, 2-6 mm, 6-10 mm, and total zones (p < 0.001 for all). In pseudophakic eyes, the mean CD values were statistically similar with that of aphakic eyes and higher than that of JOAG and control eyes in all layers of 0-2 mm zone and in anterior layer of 10-12 mm and anterior and total layers of 2-6 mm zones (p < 0.05 for all). The CD values demonstrated significant correlations with CCT values in both aphakic and pseudophakic eyes. However, a significant correlation of CD values with IOP was only demonstrated in aphakic eyes (p = 0.01 for all). CONCLUSION: The probable effects of childhood cataract surgery especially aphakia might cause corneal backscatter of light and increased CD in all layers in all zones of the cornea. Increased CD values and its correlation with CCT and IOP in aphakic glaucoma eyes may be of importance in clinical management.

Effect of direct oral anticoagulants on bleeding during and after cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To assess the risk for intraoperative and postoperative ocular bleeding associated with direct oral anticoagulant treatment in patients undergoing phacoemulsification surgery. METHODS: Consecutive patients had phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation while taking uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulants (dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or apixaban). Gender and age-matched patients without antithrombotic therapy were used as the control group. Patients were examined one week postoperatively. Intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhagic and non-hemorrhagic complications were assessed. RESULTS: Forty patients (56 eyes) on direct oral anticoagulants and 120 patients (172 eyes) without anticoagulation, at a mean age of 77 years, had phacoemulsification. There was no significant difference between the groups in the rate of intraoperative and postoperative bleeding. One eye (1.8%) in the treatment group and 3 eyes (1.7%) in the control group had hyphema (p = 0.72). No patient had thromboembolic event during or after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Cataract surgery was safely performed while continuing direct oral anticoagulation.

Refractive outcomes of immediately sequential bilateral cataract surgery in eyes with long and short axial lengths.

PURPOSE: To report the refractive outcomes of long (≥25.00 mm) and short (≤22.00 mm) axial length (AL) eyes undergoing immediately sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS). METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, patients who underwent ISBCS were identified and eyes of patients with bilateral long and short ALs were included. Pre- and postoperative biometry, autorefraction, and ocular comorbidities or complications were recorded. The primary outcome was the mean refractive prediction error. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients (74 eyes) with long ALs and 18 patients (36 eyes) with short ALs were included. The means ± standard deviations of the ALs were 26.40 ± 1.38 mm and 21.44 ± 0.46 mm in the long and short AL groups, respectively. In long AL eyes, the mean absolute error from the biometry-predicted refraction was - 0.16 ± 0.46 D, corresponding to 74% of eyes achieving a refraction within ±0.50 D of the predicted value. In short AL eyes, the mean absolute error was - 0.63 ± 0.73 D, corresponding to 44% of eyes achieving a refraction within ±0.50 D of the predicted value. Eight (44.4%) patients with short AL eyes had a myopic deviation greater than ±0.50 D from the predicted result in both eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to patients with long AL eyes, ISBCS in patients with short ALs had a wider variance in refractive outcome and a lower rate of achieving a postoperative refraction within ±0.50 D of the predicted target.

Immediately sequential bilateral cataract surgery.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aims to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of immediately sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS) based on recent studies, illustrate the safety of this approach, the cost-effectiveness, and present the importance of inclusion protocols for the best results. RECENT FINDINGS: In recent studies, the authors found no evidence of an increased risk of bilateral devastating complications such as endophthalmitis with ISBCS based on descriptive evidence compared to delayed sequential bilateral cataract surgery (DSBCS). Furthermore, recent studies on cost analyses showed that ISBCS resulted in fewer costs and significant cost savings to third-party payers, patients, and society compared to DSBCS. SUMMARY: The ISBCS surgical approach decreases hospital visits, reduces costs, and provides rapid visual rehabilitation and neuro adaptation. The risk of bilateral simultaneous complications is now recognized to be very rare with intracameral antibiotics and compliance with correct protocols. With new generations of optical biometry and lens calculation formulas, refractive surprises are occasional for normal eyes. However, refractive surprise is controversial, especially in the implantation of presbyopia correction intra-ocular lenses, which must be evaluated carefully in the ISBCS approach.

Improvements to a GLCM-based machine-learning approach for quantifying posterior capsule opacification.

BACKGROUND: Posterior capsular opacification (PCO) is a common complication following cataract surgery that leads to visual disturbances and decreased quality of vision. The aim of our study was to employ a machine-learning methodology to characterize and validate enhancements applied to the grey-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) while assessing its validity in comparison to clinical evaluations for evaluating PCO. METHODS: One hundred patients diagnosed with age-related cataracts who were scheduled for phacoemulsification surgery were included in the study. Following mydriasis, anterior segment photographs were captured using a high-resolution photographic system. The GLCM was utilized as the feature extractor, and a supported vector machine as the regressor. Three variations, namely, GLCM, GLCM+C (+axial information), and GLCM+V (+regional voting), were analyzed. The reference value for regression was determined by averaging clinical scores obtained through subjective analysis. The relationships between the predicted PCO outcome scores and the ground truth were assessed using Pearson correlation analysis and a Bland-Altman plot, while agreement between them was assessed through the Bland-Altman plot. RESULTS: Relative to the ground truth, the GLCM, GLCM+C, and GLCM+V methods exhibited correlation coefficients of 0.706, 0.768, and 0.829, respectively. The relationship between the PCO score predicted by the GLCM+V method and the ground truth was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the GLCM+V method demonstrated competitive performance comparable to that of two experienced clinicians (r = 0.825, 0.843) and superior to that of two junior clinicians (r = 0.786, 0.756). Notably, a high level of agreement was observed between predictions and the ground truth, without significant evidence of proportional bias (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our findings suggest that a machine-learning approach incorporating the GLCM, specifically the GLCM+V method, holds promise as an objective and reliable tool for assessing PCO progression. Further studies in larger patient cohorts are warranted to validate these findings and explore their potential clinical applications.