Post-trabeculectomy choroidal detachment: not an adverse prognostic sign for either visual acuity or surgical success.

PURPOSE: To report the incidence of choroidal detachment (CD) following trabeculectomy and to evaluate its effect on long-term surgical success and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). METHODS: A total of 253 eyes of 198 subjects who underwent trabeculectomy between 1993 and 2003 with at least 1 year follow-up were reviewed retrospectively. Twenty-eight eyes of 28 subjects which developed CD postoperatively were classified as Group 1 and the remaining 225 eyes of 170 subjects as Group 2. The risk factors for the development of CD and the influence of CD on BCVA and on the success of trabeculectomy were analyzed and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: In Group 1, preoperative BCVA was significantly lower and cup to disc ratio and the frequency of pseudoexfoliative glaucoma were higher with respect to the control group (p=0.009, p=0.01, p=0.02). The correlations between the development of CD and postoperative findings such as shallowing of the anterior chamber, hypotony, hypotonic maculopathy, hyphema, and fibrin reaction in the anterior chamber were statistically significant.CD was not associated with a significant reduction of BCVA. Intraocular pressures at postoperative first day, sixth month, and first year were lower in Group 1. The success of trabeculectomy and the average number of medications used were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: CD following trabeculectomy occurred in 11% of our patients. CD was not associated with either a significant drop in BCVA or an adverse influence on long-term IOP control.

ThinOptX vs AcrySof: comparison of visual and refractive results, contrast sensitivity, and the incidence of posterior capsule opacification.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the visual and refractive results, the changes in contrast sensitivity, and the incidence of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after the implantation of UltraChoice 1.0 ThinOp-tX (ThinOptX Inc.) intraocular lens (IOL) and conventional acrylic foldable IOL (AcrySof MA30AC). METHODS: Twenty-five patients were randomized into two groups prospectively. In Group 1, microincisional phacoemulsification and the ThinOptX IOL implantation were applied in one eye, and in Group 2, conventional phacoemulsification and the AcrySof IOL implantation were applied in the fellow eye. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), surgically induced astigmatism (SIA), contrast sensitivity, and the incidence of PCO were observed in the two groups and comparisons were made. RESULTS: Mean follow-up period was 12.8+/-1.5 months (range 11 to 14 months). In the last follow-up examination, UCVA and BCVA were significantly lower and the PCO scores were significantly higher in Group 1 (p<0.05). Although SIA was lower in Group 1, the difference was not statistically significant. Contrast sensitivity in higher spatial frequencies was significantly lower in Group 1 in the 6th month and 12th month visits. Capsular contraction was seen in 3 eyes (12%) in Group 1 whereas there was no capsular contraction or phimosis in Group 2. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term evaluation of the ThinOptX IOL concludes with an increased rate of PCO, a diminished resistance to the capsular contraction vs the AcrySof IOL, and a decrease in visual performance. The poor after cataract performance of this rollable lens shows that microphacoemulsification and ThinOptX IOL implantation is not as effective as conventional hacoemulsification and AcrySof IOL implantation in the long term.

Comparison of botulinum toxin-A injection in lacrimal gland and conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy for treatment of epiphora due to proximal lacrimal system obstruction.

PurposeTo investigate and compare the efficacy of botulinum toxin-A injection in the lacrimal gland and conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy surgery for the treatment of epiphora caused by proximal lacrimal system obstruction.MethodsCharts of the patients with proximal canalicular obstruction who had undergone conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy with permanent tube insertion (18 patients, group 1) or 4 units of botulinum toxin-A injection in the palpebral lobe of the lacrimal gland (20 patients, group 2) were reviewed retrospectively. The upper lacrimal system obstruction was diagnosed by lacrimal system irrigation. Schirmer-1 test and Munk epiphora grading for evaluation of epiphora were performed before the interventions and on tenth day, first, third, and sixth months after the interventions.ResultsImprovement of epiphora was statistically significant at all visits when compared with values before injection (P<0.001) in both of groups. When two techniques were compared, difference in degree of epiphora before and after intervention was not statistically significant (P<0.05). In group 2, none of the patients had punctate epitheliopathy, although there was a significant decrease in Schirmer test results (P<0.001, paired t-test). In group 1, 9 cases (50%) had tube dislocation, 4 cases (22.2%) had obstruction, and granuloma formation. Five cases (25%) had ptosis in group 2.Conclusion Conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy requires surgical experience, special postoperative care, and multiple revisions. As botulinum toxin-A injection in the lacrimal gland is technically easy, less-invasive, safe, with reversible effects, it can be considered as an alternative treatment in patients with proximal lacrimal system obstruction.

Remove, rotate, and reimplant: a novel technique for the management of exposed porous anophthalmic implants in eviscerated patients.

PURPOSE: To describe and to evaluate a new and relatively easy technique for porous implant exposure repair. METHODS: Eleven patients with exposed porous orbital implants after evisceration were included in this study. Five patients with large exposures (diameter >7 mm) and six patients with small exposures of orbital implants (diameter <7 mm) that persisted despite posterior vaulting of the prosthesis and usage of antibiotics and steroids for more than 6 weeks, underwent revision surgery with the remove-rotate-reimplant technique (3R technique). Negative microbiological culture taken from the exposed socket surface before surgery was the major inclusion criterion. Five patients with insufficient conjunctival tissue also underwent additional mucosa or hard palate grafting of the defect in addition to the remove-rotate-reimplant procedure. RESULTS: Patients have been followed up for more than 18 months (ranging from 18-30 months). None of them received motility peg insertion after repair. Implant reexposure was detected in one patient during the follow-up period, which was managed by dermis fat grafting with implant removal. CONCLUSION: The remove-rotate-reimplant technique is an effective surgical method for repairing exposed porous anophthalmic implants after evisceration with a 90% success in this study. It avoids the removal of the implant from the sclera, which is a traumatic procedure that may lead to the tearing and loss of scleral tissue covering the implant. Saving the porous implant and scleral cover reduces the surgical time and cost.