Frontalis suspension with supramid suture: longevity results in very young patients with congenital ptosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the duration of effect of frontalis suspension using Supramid suture (polyfilament, cable-type 3-0 suture) technique in very young children with congenital ptosis. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective review of 44 patients aged 4 years or less who underwent frontalis suspension using Supramid at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Surgical success was defined as good eyelid height and position. Duration of the sling was defined as the time from initial surgery until additional surgery was performed or the date of last follow up. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed with failure time measured as time from initial surgery until additional surgery was performed. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a success rate of 87.5% at 1 year, 78.2% at 2 years, 74.5% at 3 years, 58.2% at 4 years, and 53.7% at 5 years. Complications were noted in 10 cases (23%) and included damage to the Supramid sling secondary to trauma and granuloma formation. CONCLUSIONS: Given the ready availability, ease of placement, and reliable cosmetic and functional results, Supramid suture is an excellent temporizing treatment option in cases of early amblyogenic congenital ptosis in children <4 years of age. Due to the inherent decline in effect over time and likely need for a secondary procedure at a later age, however, they do not recommend this as an alternative to other sling materials, such as autogenous fascia lata, in patients over 4 years of age.

Reflux hyphema from transient hypotony after Ozurdex® in eyes with prior GATT.

Purpose: To report on delayed-onset hyphema following intravitreal injection of dexamethasone implant Ozurdex® in eyes with a history of gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (GATT). Observations: We describe two cases of hyphema occurring within one day following Ozurdex® implantation in eyes that had undergone GATT at least one year prior. One case responded well to medical management, while the other required anterior chamber paracentesis for intraocular pressure (IOP) control. Both patients achieved normalization of IOP following resolution of the hyphema, and have not had recurrence. Conclusions and importance: We propose that transient hypotony immediately after Ozurdex® injection may lead to a reflux of blood from the episcleral venous network into the anterior chamber in eyes with prior ab interno trabeculotomy. Glaucoma and retina specialists should be aware of this potential complication to guide follow up and management in the post-injection period for these patients.

Unrecognized ROPER in a child with a novel pathogenic variant in ZNF408 gene.

BACKGROUND: Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) is a rare hereditary disorder characterized by abnormal or incomplete retinal angiogenesis commonly inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. Up to 50% of FEVR cases are linked to known genetic mutations affecting retinal vasculature development. PURPOSE: To report a case, a novel pathogenic variant of the ZNF408 gene associated with a case of FEVR in a premature male. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 10-month-old male who was born prematurely at 34 weeks' gestation in the Dominican Republic was referred for persistent avascular retina. The baby was treated with bilateral intravitreal ranibizumab injections for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) with the presence of plus disease. Fundus examination several months after treatment revealed the absence of tortuosity of the vessels with avascular periphery; fluorescein angiography (FA) confirmed peripheral avascularity and demonstrated irregular sprouts of vascularization in the absence of neovascularization. We performed genetic testing under the suspicion of FEVR and results identified a heterozygous mutation in the ZNF408 gene on chromosome 11, c.1307 C > T. CONCLUSION: FEVR is an important differential diagnosis in premature infants with retinopathy, as clinical presentation can overlap with common findings in ROP. Maintaining high suspicion for the disease is especially critical in cases with findings unusual for ROP. FEVR in the presence of prematurity has been well described, falling under the proposed term ROPER. Genetic testing is key to confirm diagnosis.

The association between developmental delay and endophthalmitis after pediatric cataract surgery using an insurance claims database.

PURPOSE: To evaluate risk factors for postoperative endophthalmitis in pediatric cataract surgery based on an analysis of a large insurance claims database. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed pediatric (0-18 years) cataract surgeries from the IBM MarketScan Research Database from 2004 to 2017. Suspect cases of endophthalmitis were identified by International Classification of Diseases codes; confirmed cases, by Current Procedural Terminology codes within 7 days of diagnosis. Odds ratios (OR) were assessed for age, sex, aphakia, concomitant vitrectomy, open-globe injury, uveitis, lens displacement, developmental delay, trisomy 21, and immunocompromised status. RESULTS: Among 5,304 eyes of 6,835 patients, the following were factors significantly associated with pediatric cataract surgery-related suspect endophthalmitis: open-globe injury (OR = 7.75; 95% CI, 3.32-18.09; P < 0.001), ocular trauma (OR = 3.64; 95% CI, 1.83-7.24; P < 0.001), aphakia (OR = 2.33, CI 1.15-4.69, P = 0.018), and developmental delay (OR = 4.24, 95% CI, 1.00-18.02; P = 0.05). With univariate analysis of confirmed endophthalmitis cases, the following were identified as statistically significant: open-globe injury (OR = 8.1; 95% CI, 2.64-24.87; P < 0.001), ocular trauma (OR = 4.34, CI 1.72-10.97; P = 0.002), subluxated or dislocated lens (OR = 3.62; 95% CI, 1.04-12.57; P = 0.043), aphakia (OR = 2.86; 95% CI, 1.13-7.26; P = 0.027), and developmental delay (OR = 8.24; 95% CI, 1.86-36.44; P = 0.005). Age, sex, concomitant vitrectomy, and uveitis were not associated with increased risk of endophthalmitis. CONCLUSIONS: Developmental delay may be a risk factor for postoperative endophthalmitis in pediatric cataract surgery. Surgeons can assess preoperative risk by performing a detailed medical and social history for challenges particular to this population that may complicate the postoperative course.

Advances in magnetic resonance imaging of orbital disease.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used by the orbital surgeon to aid in the diagnosis, surgical planning, and monitoring of orbital disease. MRI provides superior soft tissue detail compared with computed tomography or ultrasound, and advancing techniques enhance its ability to highlight abnormal orbital pathology. Diffusion-weighted imaging is a specialized technique that uses water molecule diffusion patterns in tissue to generate contrast signals and can help distinguish malignant from benign lesions. Steady-state free precession sequences such as Constructive Interference in Steady-State (CISS) and Fast Imaging Employing Steady-state Acquisition (FIESTA) generate highly detailed, 3-dimensional reconstructed images and are particularly useful in distinguishing structures adjacent to cerebral spinal fluid. Magnetic resonance angiography can be used to characterize vascular lesions within the orbit. New developments in magnetic field strength as well as the use of orbital surface coils achieve increasingly improved imaging resolution.

Adoption and Use of Social Media Platforms by Ophthalmology Programs during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic influenced the presence of ophthalmology residency programs on social media platforms. Methods The presence of all accredited ophthalmology residency programs on Twitter and Instagram was assessed for January 2020 and August through March 2021 through an online search. The number of followers and posts per month during these periods was collected for each program. The presence of programs on social media was compared between the two time periods. Results The percentage of programs on Instagram rose from 18% in January of 2020 to 57% in March of 2021 ( p < 0.001). On Twitter, the percentage of programs rose from 24 to 37% ( p < 0.001). From January 2020 to March 2021, the mean number of Instagram followers increased from 265 to 649 ( p < 0.0001), while the mean number of Twitter followers increased from 421 to 532 ( p < 0.0001). The top ten ophthalmology residency programs in 2021 according to Doximity all had Instagram pages, while 57 (53%) of remaining programs had pages ( p = 0.005). Meanwhile, 7 top ten programs (70%) were on Twitter compared with 36 (34%) of the remaining programs ( p = 0.036). Conclusions The presence of ophthalmology residency programs on Instagram and Twitter increased significantly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Social media represents an evolving platform through which programs can connect with prospective residents.

Macular Retinal Pigment Epithelial Clumping Leading to a Diagnosis of FEVR.

Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) is a rare hereditary disorder characterized by abnormal or incomplete retinal angiogenesis. The peripheral avascularity, irregular neovascularization, and vascular leakage seen in FEVR are similar to changes that may be seen in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The authors report a case of atypical macular pigment clumping leading to the diagnosis of ROPER (ie, ROP vs FEVR) in a premature infant born at 23 weeks of gestation with a birth weight of 451 grams, who presented with atypical aggressive posterior ROP and a heterozygous variant in the LRP5 gene. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2021;52:505-508.].

Serpiginous Intraretinal Lesions Associated With Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy.

Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) is a rare inherited disorder affecting retinal angiogenesis that may present with a wide range of phenotypic characteristics. In this report, the authors describe an atypical presentation of FEVR in a healthy 9-year-old male with progressive decreased visual acuity in the left eye. Fundus examination showed an avascular retina in the temporal periphery bilaterally. The left eye also revealed serpiginous hypopigmented lesions in the superior quadrant, which showed intraretinal location on optical coherence tomography and hyperautofluorescence. Genetic testing revealed LRP5 mutation, confirming a diagnosis of FEVR. The serpiginous lesions represent an unusual finding associated with FEVR not previously described in the literature. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2021;52:155-159.].

Emergent Ophthalmic Surgical Care at a Tertiary Referral Center During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: This study characterized the delivery of emergent ophthalmic surgical care during April 2020 of the coronarvirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic compared with the same interval the previous year. DESIGN: Retrospective observational before-and-after study. METHODS: This study reviewed and characterized each emergent and/or urgent procedure performed during April 2020 and April 2019 at a single tertiary ophthalmology referral center. Information collected included the details of patient presentation, diagnosis, surgical procedure, and preoperative COVID-19 testing. RESULTS: In total, 117 surgical procedures were performed on 114 patients during the month of April 2020 compared with 1,107 performed in April 2019 (P < .0001). Retinal detachment repair was the most common procedure (n = 37; 31.6%) in April 2020, whereas elective cataract surgery (n = 481; 47.3%) was the most common procedure in April 2019. The mean age of patients was 50.0 years in April 2020 compared with 59.0 years (P < .0001) the previous year. During April 2020, the mean age of surgeons performing procedures was 42.3 years compared with 48.4 years (P < .0001) during April 2019. In April 2020, all but 5 patients (96%) had reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction based COVID-19 testing before their procedure. One patient (0.88%) had a positive COVID-19 test. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic decreased our institution's surgical volume in April 2020 to approximately 10% of the usual volume. The pandemic changed the type of cases performed and led to a statistically significant decrease in both the age of our surgeons and patients relative to the same interval in the previous year. Broad preoperative screening led to 1 positive COVID-19 test in an asymptomatic patient.

Classification, diagnosis, and management of conjunctival lymphoma.

Lymphoma is a malignant lymphoproliferative tumor that can involve the conjunctiva. Approximately 5-15% of all extranodal lymphomas are found in the ocular adnexal region, with approximately 25% of those involving the conjunctiva. Ninety-eight percent of conjunctival lymphomas arise from B-lymphocytes. The most common subtype of conjunctival lymphoma is extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (80%), followed by follicular lymphoma (8%), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (3%) and mantle cell lymphoma (3%). Natural killer and T cells (NK/T) are rare causes of lymphoma. While most conjunctival lymphomas are localized to the ocular adnexa at the time of presentation, systemic examination and management are of key importance in the long-term care of the patient. This review outlines the classification, etiology, presentation, diagnosis, and management of conjunctival lymphoma. The novel use of high resolution optical coherence tomography, both as a diagnostic tool and as a means for ongoing evaluation during treatment, is illustrated. Treatment options discussed include external beam radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, antibiotic therapy, and combination regimens. Future investigation of the etiology and pathogenesis of conjunctival lymphoma is expected to reveal opportunities for innovative and individualized therapeutic agents. Collaboration between multiple disciplines is key in the advancement of the field.