Prevalence of optical coherence tomography-diagnosed postoperative cystoid macular oedema in patients following uncomplicated phaco-emulsification cataract surgery.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative cystoid macular oedema is a complication of uneventful cataract surgery. Whereas improved surgical techniques have decreased the incidence of cystoid macular oedema, it remains a cause of unfavourable visual outcome following surgery. Fundus fluorescein angiography has been the 'gold standard' for diagnosing subclinical cystoid macular oedema; however, non-invasive cross-sectional imaging of the retina with optical coherence tomography may be equally effective at detecting the condition and offers the ability to quantify and repeat results over time. DESIGN: Prospective pre-post case series of patients undergoing routine phaco-emulsification surgery. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty consecutive patients (100 eyes) with cataracts and an age range of 40 to 90 years (mean 76.18). METHODS: Macular thickness of participants was determined using time-domain optical coherence tomography preoperatively and after surgery at 1 day, 1 week, 4 weeks and 6 months. Optical coherence tomography was used to diagnose postoperative cystoid macular oedema. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence of cysts at the macula, identified by optical coherence tomography, in addition to foveal and macular thickness (µm). RESULTS: Cystoid macular oedema was present in 5% of eyes. Macular thickness increased after surgery and central foveal thickness increased by almost 7% but returned to preoperative levels after 6 months. Findings also indicate that patients who developed postoperative cystoid macular oedema had significantly thicker central foveal thickness of approximately 5% compared with those that did not. CONCLUSIONS: Optical coherence tomography is a useful, non-invasive diagnostic tool in determining subclinical cystoid macular oedema in uncomplicated cataract surgery patients and detects the presence of retinal thickening and intra-retinal cysts very soon after surgery, thereby facilitating earlier diagnosis and treatment of postoperative cystoid macular oedema.

Paracentral acute middle maculopathy associated with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

PURPOSE: To present a case of paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) associated with transient loss of vision from eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA)-associated ischaemic vasculitis. METHODS: Case report and review of literature. RESULTS: A 52 year-old man presented with recurrent episodes of amaurosis of the right eye. A diagnosis of EGPA was established with the combination of late-onset asthma, peripheral eosinophilia, patchy parenchymal consolidation and diffuse pansinusitis. Fundus examination displayed cotton wool spots in the right eye. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the macula showed features of paracentral focal inner nuclear layer/outer plexiform layer hyperreflectivity consistent with PAMM. He was treated with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide. At 2-months following treatment his EGPA was in remission, the patient reported no recurrence of visual symptoms. Dilated fundoscopy revealed resolution of the cotton wool spots. A repeat OCT macula showed resolution of PAMM. CONCLUSION: Our case supports sublethal hypoxia of the middle retinal layers as the underlying mechanism for PAMM. Ophthalmologists should be cognizant to look for PAMM on OCT in patients presenting with transient visual loss and be aware of EGPA-associated ischaemic vasculitis as a rare cause of amaurosis.

Ophthalmological manifestations of Fabry disease: a survey of patients at the Royal Melbourne Fabry Disease Treatment Centre.

BACKGROUND: Fabry disease is a rare X-linked inborn error of glycosphingolipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to document the ophthalmological manifestations of patients attending the Royal Melbourne Hospital Fabry disease treatment centre. METHODS: Patients at the treatment centre had full ophthalmological examination performed. This included best corrected visual acuity, ocular motility examination and examination of the adnexae. Patients also underwent slit-lamp examination looking for the presence of features of Fabry disease, particularly examining the bulbar conjunctiva, cornea, lens and fundus. RESULTS: Thirty-four hemizygous male and 32 heterozygous female patients were recruited. The mean age of the hemizygous male patients was 37.7 years (range 18-57 years). The mean age of the heterozygous female patients was 34.6 years (range 1-78 years). Visual acuity was not affected. 97.1% of the hemizygotes and 78.1% of the heterozygotes had vascular abnormalities of the bulbar conjunctiva. Cornea verticillata was noted in 94.1% of the hemizygotes and 71.9% of the heterozygotes. 41.2% of the hemizygotes and 9.4% of the heterozygotes had anterior cataract formation. Posterior lens opacities were observed in 11.8% of the hemizygotes and none of the heterozygotes. Retinal vascular tortuosity was observed in 76.5% of the hemizygotes and 18.8% of the heterozygotes. CONCLUSION: Conjunctival vascular tortuosity was the most common manifestation in this series. Conjunctival and retinal vessel tortuosity, and corneal verticillata are frequently observed in Fabry disease. The incidence of lenticular changes is not consistently reported, but in this series and many others, it is much less common than that of corneal, conjunctival and retinal changes.