A COVID-19 perspective of multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS).

Multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) is a rare form of posterior uveitis characterized by involvement in the posterior pole and mid-periphery. A viral etiology that provokes an immune-mediated response has been hypothesized to be the inciting factor of the pathology. Recently, there has been an increase in the literature regarding new-onset uveitis and reactivation of previously diagnosed cases of uveitis following COVID-19 vaccinations. The COVID-19 vaccination has been speculated to trigger an immunomodulatory shift in recipients, resulting in an autoimmune event. MEWDS following COVID-19 vaccination was reported in 31 patients. It was most commonly observed following the first dose, affecting 15 patients, and least commonly after the booster dose, in only one patient. MEWDS-like disease following anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations was reported the most in 16 cases after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination (BNT162b2 mRNA). Most of these cases had Primary MEWDS without any previous history of a similar event in the past.

[Intermediate and Posterior Uveitis - Disease entities]. / Intermediäre und posteriore Uveitis ­ Teil 2.

Intermediate and posterior uveitis can have multiple infectious and noninfectious causes, and posterior uveitis in particular is clinically multifaceted. Some entities require prompt initiation of therapy to ensure visual prognosis. This article presents typical characteristics of intermediate and posterior uveitides and explains special features of their treatment.

Assessment of choriocapillaris and choroidal vascular changes in posterior uveitis using swept-source wide-field optical coherence tomography angiography.

PURPOSE: To evaluate choriocapillaris (CC) and choroidal vascular changes in patients with posterior uveitis using swept-source (SS) wide-field optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). METHOD: Consecutive patients with posterior uveitis were evaluated using 3×3 mm and 12×12 mm OCTA scan patterns and montage images of 5×12×12 mm or 2×15×9 mm, covering approximately 70°-90° of the retina. The images were quantitatively and qualitatively analysed and compared with healthy controls. RESULTS: Eighty-six eyes of 56 patients with posterior uveitis (mean age 45.2±19.9 years; 58.9% female), and 38 eyes of 19 age-matched healthy controls (57.9% female) were included. The mean perfusion density (PD) in 3×3 mm and 12×12 mm CC scans was significantly lower in eyes with posterior uveitis compared with those of healthy controls. However, no significant difference in the mean PD of choroidal scans was found comparing eyes with posterior uveitis and healthy controls. The mean PD in eyes with active disease was significantly higher compared with the inactive eyes on 12×12 mm choroidal scans (55.61% vs 51.25%, p=0.02), while no difference was found in the CC slabs. CONCLUSION: CC and choroidal assessment using OCTA provides useful information in patients with posterior uveitis. SS-OCTA metrics of the CC and choroidal slabs are promising tools in uveitis patients in the future. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02811536.

Pediatric Posterior Infectious Uveitis.

PURPOSE: To describe the most important cause of infectious posterior uveitis in pediatric patients. METHODS: Review of the literature. RESULTS: The most important causes of infectious uveitis in pediatric patients are: cat-scratch disease, toxocariasis, tuberculosis, viral diseases and toxoplasmosis. Ocular manifestations include retinitis, neuroretinitis, choroidal granulomas, peripheral granulomas and posterior pole granulomas. CONCLUSION: Infectious posterior uveitis is a challenging subject and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any posterior uveitis in children. Infectious uveitis must be excluded before initiating immunosuppressive therapy.

[Intermediate and Posterior Uveitis - Classification, diagnostics, complications, and therapeutic algorithms]. / Intermediäre und posteriore Uveitis ­ Teil 1.

Intermediate and posterior uveitis describes a broad variety of different types of intraocular inflammation. Before starting treatment of intermediate or posterior uveitis, a differentiation between infectious or non-infectious uveitis must always be made. Pathognomonic symptoms do not exist, visual loss and vitreous floaters are the most common symptoms. The indication for therapy is influenced by the anatomical localization, the degree of inflammation, an association, complications and the activity of the inflammation. In addition to clinical ophthalmological standard examination, angiography and OCT are the most important investigations to classify and assess the course of inflammation. Macular edema is the most common complication of intermediate or posterior uveitis and should be treated at first onset, recurrence, or worsening. Oral, intravenous, or intravitreal corticosteroids are usually the primary therapy for intermediate or posterior uveitis. Systemic immunosuppression is indicated after steroid failure in non-infectious uveitis.

Posterior Herpetic Uveitis: A Comprehensive Review.

PURPOSE: To report and illustrate the main clinical presentations of posterior herpetic uveitis. METHODS: Narrative review. RESULTS: The ocular manifestations of posterior herpetic uveitis include different clinical presentations. Herpes simplex and varicella zoster can cause acute retinal necrosis, progressive outer retinal necrosis, and non-necrotizing herpetic retinopathies. Cytomegalovirus has been associated with fulminant retinitis with confluent areas of retinal necrosis and retinal hemorrhages, indolent/granular retinitis, and frosted branch angiitis. These diverse clinical presentations are often associated with specific risk factors and different immunological profiles of the host. CONCLUSIONS: Herpetic viruses can cause posterior uveitis, presenting various clinical findings. Specific ocular manifestations and the immunological status of the host can help to differentiate the various herpetic entities before laboratory tests confirm the diagnosis.

[Noninfectious posterior uveitis : Clinical aspects, diagnostics, management and treatment]. / Nichtinfektiöse posteriore Uveitis : Klinik, Diagnostik, Management und Therapie.

Noninfectious posterior uveitis (NPU) comprises a heterogeneous group of vision-threatening, immune-mediated ocular and systemic diseases. It is predominantly bilateral and recurrent and, if not treated properly, leads to severe tissue damage that threatens the eyesight. In industrialized countries ca. 10-20% of all cases of blindness are caused by NPU. An NPU can occur at any age but is most common between the ages of 20 and 50 years. Laboratory diagnostic and imaging procedures enable an increasingly better differentiation of the disease spectrum. This makes it possible to better assess the course and prognosis of individual disease entities. An increasing repertoire of systemic and intravitreal forms of treatment has already led to more favorable long-term treatment outcomes. It can be expected that further progress can be achieved with better knowledge of the pathophysiology of the different clinical disorders and appropriate, targeted treatment.

Stepwise approach for fundus imaging in the diagnosis and management of posterior uveitis.

An array of retinochoroid imaging modalities aid in comprehensive evaluation of the immunopathological changes in the retina and choroid, forming the core component for the diagnosis and management of inflammatory disorders such as uveitis. The recent technological breakthroughs have led to the development of imaging platforms that can evaluate the layers of retina and choroid and the structural and functional alteration in these tissues. Ophthalmologists heavily rely on imaging modalities such as dye-based angiographies (fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography), optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, as well as dye-less angiography such as optical coherence tomography angiograph,y for establishing a precise diagnosis and understanding the pathophysiology of the diseases. Furthermore, these tools are now being deployed with a 'multimodal' approach for swift and accurate diagnosis. In this comprehensive review, we outline the imaging platforms used for evaluation of posterior uveitis and discuss the organized, algorithmic approach for the assessment of the disorders. Additionally, we provide an insight into disease-specific characteristic pathological changes and the established strategies to rule out disorders with overlapping features on imaging.

Recurrence of tubercular choroiditis following anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

PURPOSE: To report recurrence of tubercular choroiditis following anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in two patients with quiescent disease activity for more than a year. METHODS: Retrospective observational case reports. RESULTS: Two patients (one female and one male) under follow-up for posterior uveitis having stable course with absence of ocular inflammation for more than a year presented with recurrence of choroiditis lesions 2-6 weeks following anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Both the patients were managed with intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex®, Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA, USA) and showed resolution of choroiditis lesions upon follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Acute onset recurrence of inflammation, in absence of any change in health status or treatment suggests the potential role of vaccination being the trigger of this reactivation. Given large-scale vaccination against novel coronavirus- SARS-CoV-2, careful vigilance is warranted to pick up the disease recurrence in patients with posterior uveitis.

Fluocinolone acetonide 0.19-mg implant for the treatment of noninfectious uveitis with involvement of the posterior segment: a real-world study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of 0.19-mg fluocinolone acetonide implant (FAi) for preventing inflammatory relapses in noninfectious uveitis with posterior segment involvement in standard clinical practice. Further, to assess the value of remission induction therapy with intraocular and periorbital administered high-dose corticosteroids before FAi. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study in a tertiary referral center specialized in uveitis management. The primary study outcomes were the best-corrected visual acuity (BVCA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) within a 12-month observation period. The secondary outcomes were intraocular pressure (IOP) and intraocular inflammation. The main safety measures were IOP increase and cataract formation. RESULTS: In total, 76 eyes of 57 patients received FAi. Locally administered high-dose corticosteroids were applied in 68.4% of all eyes before FAi. BCVA remained stable within the 12-month observation period (63.21 vs. 62.95, difference 0.26 letters; 95% CI: - 6.31 to 6.84; p > 0.9). Significant CRT reduction upon FAi was sustained after 12 months (362.7 vs. 309.1 µm, difference 53.57 µm; 95% CI: 1.55 to 105.6; p = 0.04). Intraocular inflammation was reduced until 9 months of follow-up (0.82 vs. 0.3, difference 0.53; 95% CI: 0.11 to 0.95; p = 0.007). A mean IOP increase (13.68 vs. 15.6; difference - 1.92; 95% CI: - 3.85 to 0.004; p = 0.0507) and cataract development (20% of all phakic eyes) were noted. CONCLUSION: We observed similar levels of FAi effectiveness for the treatment of noninfectious uveitis in standard clinical practice compared to previous randomized clinical trials. Moreover, remission induction therapy before FAi can benefit patients with increased baseline uveitis activity.

Single Low-dose Suprachoroidal Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection in Macular Edema Secondary to Noninfectious Posterior Uveitis.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to study the anatomical and functional outcome following single low-dose suprachoroidal triamcinolone acetonide (LD-SCTA) (2 mg) injection in noninfectious posterior uveitis. METHODS: Eleven patients with macular edema (ME) more than 280 µ secondary to noninfectious uveitis were included in the study. A single LD-SCTA (0.5 ml) injection was performed in the study eye with the help of a novel suprachoroidal microneedle (Pricon, Iscon Surgicals, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India). The study parameters were noted at 4 and 12 weeks post LD-SCTA injection. RESULTS: Ten of 11 patients had a significant decrease in central macular thickness (CMT). The mean CMT measurement at baseline was 513.6 ± 191.73 µm for the 10 patients who responded to the treatment, which reduced significantly to 265.1 ± 34.72 µm (P < 0.003) and 260.6 ± 34.72 µm (P < 0.002) at 4 and 12 weeks, respectively. The mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline was 0.84 ± 0.41 logMAR unit which improved to 0.52 ± 0.33 (P < 0.001) and 0.25 ± 0.22 (P < 0.000) at weeks 4 and 12, respectively. The mean intraocular pressure at baseline recorded was 16.36 ± 2.97 mmHg, 19.45 ± 4.80 mmHg (P = 0.06) at 4 weeks, and 17.27 ± 2.53 mmHg (P = 0.35) at 12 weeks. One eye which did not respond to LD-SCTA was a case of recurrent Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. CONCLUSION: Single LD-SCTA injection is efficacious in reducing CMT in ME, improving BCVA, and controlling the inflammation in noninfectious posterior uveitis. LD-SCTA can be used as a first-line therapy in noninfectious uveitis over other routes of steroid administration with a favorable outcome and safety profile.

Morphological characterization of subretinal hyper-reflective material in posterior uveitis using swept-source optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography.

Purpose: To analyze the structural features of subretinal hyper-reflective material (SHRM) in posterior uveitis using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). Methods: In this observational study, subjects with quiescent posterior uveitis and the presence of SHRM on SS-OCT were subjected to SS-OCTA to identify the presence of an intrinsic choroidal neovascular (CNV) network. OCT features were compared for SHRM harboring CNV (vascular SHRM) with those without CNV network (avascular SHRM) to identify clinical signs pointing toward the presence of CNVM inside SHRM. Results: Forty-two eyes of 33 subjects (18 males; mean age: 29.52 ± 12.56 years) were evaluated. Two-thirds (28/42) of eyes having SHRM on SS-OCT harbored intrinsic neovascular network (vascular SHRM). Increased reflectivity of SHRM (P < 0.001) and increased transmission of OCT signal underlying SHRM (P = 0.03) were suggestive of the absence of CNVM. The presence of intra/subretinal fluid (P = 0.08) and pitchfork sign (P = 0.017) were important markers of vascular SHRM. Conclusion: SHRM is an important OCT finding in eyes with posterior uveitis. Meticulous assessment of SHRM characteristics on SS-OCT can aid in identifying the underlying intrinsic neovascular network.

Anterior and posterior uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis -case report.

Anterior uveitis is the most common extra-articular manifestation in children diagnosed with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). It is typically a non-granulomatous, chronic, and asymptomatic uveitis. The lack of acute symptoms often delays the diagnosis with the incidence of severe ocular complications. Chorioretinitis lesions have been described in only 1% of cases. The absence of fundus changes can be explained by the impossibility of performing fundoscopy through the cloudy ocular media, secondary to inflammation. A 7-year-old female with a 3-month history of painless reduced vision came to have an eye examination. An initial diagnosis of bilateral anterior granulomatous uveitis complicated with glaucoma and cataract was formulated. Because of the concomitant diagnosis of COVID-19 disease (same day as the eye examination), the child was hospitalized in a hometown COVID-19 patient ward, so both local and general treatment, monitorization, and investigations were discontinued. The following eye examination revealed the persistence of anterior uveitis, inflammatory glaucoma, cataract, and the appearance of band keratopathy. Fundoscopy revealed numerous disseminated lesions of choroiditis. Further examinations established JIA-associated uveitis diagnosis, so systemic corticosteroids were initiated followed by Methotrexate and Adalimumab. Monitoring with fundoscopy in a patient diagnosed with JIA-U is necessary to detect possible chorioretinal or vascular damage. Abbreviations: BVA = best visual acuity, CVA = corrected visual acuity, CS = corticosteroids, IOP = Intraocular pressure, JIA = Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, JIA-U = Juvenile idiopathic arthritis associated uveitis, LE = left eye, MTX = Methotrexate, OU = both eyes, OCT = Optical Coherence Tomography, RE = right eye, TNF = tumor necrosis factor.

Long-term efficacy of dexamethasone intravitreal implant in the treatment of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease relapsing posterior uveitis.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy and safety of dexamethasone intravitreal implant in the treatment of relapsing posterior uveitis in patients with chronic recurrent Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. Methods: This was a prospective study of 29 eyes of 16 patients with posterior uveitis in chronic recurrent VKH disease. All patients received previous systemic steroid and immunosuppressive regimens. All patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). All patients underwent intravitreal injection with sustained-release dexamethasone 0.7 mg implant (Ozurdex®). Primary outcome measures included mean change in BCVA and central foveal thickness (CFT) at 24 months of follow-up compared to the baseline. Results: At 24 month of follow-up, the mean BCVA improved from 0.82 ± 0.13 to 0.38 ± 0.06 logMAR (P < 0.0001). The mean CFT reduced from 505 ± 29 to 244 ± 23 um (P < 0.0001). The mean intraocular pressure (IOP) changed from 15.1 ± 2.2 to 16.9 ± 3.1 mmHg with no significant value (P-value = 0.0955). Twenty-one eyes (72.4%) received one injection, whereas eight eyes (27.6%) required two injections. The mean number of injections was 1.2 ± 0.60. The mean follow-up time was 24.75 ± 0.9 months. No serious ocular or systemic adverse events were noted during the follow-up period. Ocular hypertension was recorded in three (10.3%) eyes and controlled by IOP lowering medications. Cataract progression occurred in 11 (37.9%) eyes. Conclusion: Our cohort highlights the beneficial effects of the dexamethasone implant of 0.7 mg in the treatment of VKH disease relapsing posterior uveitis improving visual acuity, reducing macular edema, and minimizing the burden of systemic steroids in this sample study.

MULTICOLOR CONFOCAL SCANNING LASER OPHTHALMOSCOPE IMAGING IN POSTERIOR UVEITIS.

PURPOSE: To study the utility of MultiColor confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope imaging (MCI) in identifying the morphology of uveitic lesions compared with conventional color fundus photography (CFP) in patients with posterior uveitis. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, subjects with posterior uveitis underwent MCI and CFP. The images obtained by the two modalities were analyzed by two independent reviewers for vitreoretinal surface abnormalities, retinal fluid and hemorrhages, and depth/location of lesions. These findings were compared with the clinical findings and other imaging techniques. RESULTS: Sixty-nine eyes of 43 patients (25 men) with mean age of 33.5 ± 13.9 years were studied. MultiColor imaging had better sensitivity and specificity in detecting vitreoretinal interface abnormalities, such as epiretinal membrane and inner retinal striae, compared with CFP. MultiColor imaging failed to detect retinochoroiditis lesions in 5 of 6 eyes (83%) and choroiditis in 9 46 eyes (20%), which were detected on CFP and clinical examination. Also, MCI showed a high false-positive rate of 34% in detecting intraretinal hemorrhages. CONCLUSION: Retinochoroidal lesions in posterior uveitis may be poorly identified on MCI compared with CFP and clinical examination. One must exercise caution in commenting on disease morphology based on MCI alone.

A case of non-necrotising herpetic retinitis.

In developed countries, the main etiology of posterior uveitis is of infectious origin, Herpes is the most common viral agent as it has a wide spectral of ocular manifestations. These manifestations could depend on the patient's immunologic state, ranging from a mild focal form of non-necrotizing herpetic renitis (NNHR) to a severe form of Acute retinal necrosis (ARN). We present a case of NNHR by VHS 2 and the different differential diagnostics previous to its diagnosis: atypical ocular toxoplasmosis, ocular tuberculosis and ARN. During its evolution, it presented a drastic drop in the visual acuity despite of the antiviral treatment, and with systemic corticoids and the injury's clinical improvement. This event led to reevaluate the suspected entities, establishing the NNHR as a definitive diagnostic by exclusion that constituted a challenging diagnostic.

Un caso de retinitis herpética no necrosante / A case of non-necrotising herpetic retinitis

En países en vías de desarrollo la principal etiología de uveítis posterior es de origen infeccioso, siendo el herpes virus el agente viral más común, con un amplio espectro de manifestaciones oculares que puede depender del estado inmunológico del paciente: desde una forma leve focal de retinitis herpética no necrosante (RHNN) hasta una forma severa de necrosis retiniana aguda. Presentamos un caso de RHNN por VHS 2 y los diferentes diagnósticos diferenciales planteados previos a su diagnóstico: toxoplasmosis ocular atípica, tuberculosis ocular y necrosis retiniana aguda. Durante su evolución presentó una caída súbita de la agudeza visual a pesar del tratamiento antiviral y con corticoides sistémicos y de la mejoría clínica de la lesión. Este evento conllevó a replantear las entidades sospechadas, estableciendo la RHNN como diagnóstico definitivo por exclusión, lo cual constituyó un reto diagnóstico. (AU)

In developed countries, the main origin of posterior uveitis is an infection. Herpes is the most common viral agent, as it has a wide spectrum of ocular manifestations. These manifestations may depend on the immunological state of the patient, and range from a mild focal form of non - necrotising herpetic retinitis (NNHR) to a severe form of acute retinal necrosis (ARN). A case of NNHR due to Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is reported, along with the different differential diagnostics prior to its diagnosis: atypical ocular toxoplasmosis, ocular tuberculosis, and ARN. During its course, despite the antiviral treatment, systemic corticoids and the clinical improvement of the injury, there was a drastic drop in the visual acuity. This event led to the re-evaluation of the suspected entities, establishing the NNHR as a definitive diagnostic by exclusion, which was a diagnostic challenge (AU)

Infectious Posterior Uveitis - Toxoplasmosis, Treponema, Tuberculosis (TTT). / Infektiöse posteriore Uveitis ­ Toxoplasmose, Treponema, Tuberkulose (TTT).

Toxoplasma gondii, Treponema pallidum and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are the most important infectious causes of posterior uveitis. The epidemiology, clinical picture, diagnostic and treatment strategies of these diseases are presented.

Optical Coherence Tomography Findings in Infectious Posterior Uveitis.

PURPOSE: To describe and illustrate the main optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings of infectious uveitis. METHODS: Narrative review. RESULTS: Posterior segment OCT in patients with infectious uveitis reveals posterior hyaloid face precipitates, superficial retinal precipitates and infiltrates, foveolitis, retinitis, neuro-retinitis, choroidal granulomas, and choroiditis as main imaging biomarkers. Some of these features are specific to the underlying causing etiology and may support the diagnosis and the initiation of treatment. Some OCT features disappear completely with resolution; some others are associated with irreversible retinal damage. CONCLUSIONS: OCT identifies different features of infectious uveitis into the vitreous, the retina, and the choroid. OCT characteristics, combined with other multimodal imaging features, are helpful in the differential diagnosis of infectious uveitis, the early detection of complications, and the assessment of the response to therapy.