Evaluation of Long-Term Silicone Hydrogel Use on Ocular Surface Inflammation and Tear Function in Patients With and Without Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether silicone hydrogel (SH) contact lens (CL) use, with or without meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), promotes ocular surface inflammation. METHODS: Subjects wearing SH-CL for at least 6 months who also had coexisting MGD (group 1, n=20), SH-CL users who did not have MGD (group 2, n=20), patients who had MGD but did not use CL (group 3, n=20), and healthy CL-naive individuals with no known systemic or ocular diseases (group 4, n=20) were included in this cross-sectional, single-center study. All subjects underwent tear function tests consisting of tear break-up time (tBUT), ocular surface staining, Schirmer test, and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, as well as determination of tear IL-1RA, IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-2R, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, IFN-α, IFN-γ, TNF-α, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, IP-10, monokine induced by gamma interferon, RANTES, eotaxin, MIP-1α, MIP-1ß, and MCP-1 levels using Luminex multicytokine immunobead assay. Intergroup comparisons were made using one-way analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: The tBUT was lower (P=0.048) and ocular surface staining (P=0.032) as well as OSDI scores (P=0.001) were higher in group 1 but not in groups 2 or 3 when compared with those in the control group. Tear cytokine levels were similar across all groups. None of the tear cytokine levels were elevated in CL wearers (groups 1 and 2) or those with MGD (groups 1 and 3) as compared to those in control subjects. CONCLUSION: Silicone hydrogel contact lens use with concomitant MGD is not associated with cytokine-driven ocular surface inflammation but may impact tear function leading to dry eye symptoms.

Impact of Part-time Occlusion on Visual Outcomes in Pediatric Patients With Optic Nerve Pathology.

The visual outcomes of seven children with specific optic nerve pathologies and coexisting amblyopia after at least 1 year of part-time patching demonstrated a visual acuity improvement of greater than 0.1 logMAR. The results suggest that part-time patching may lead to improvement in visual function even in the setting of optic nerve pathology, albeit with a more limited response compared to full-time patching. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2023;60(3):e19-e21.].

Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome in the pediatric population: A review.

Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS) is a rare autosomal-dominant neurocristopathy that presents with a variety of classical ocular and systemic findings. The pathophysiology of the disease involves anterior segment dysgenesis, and patients may present with ophthalmic complications early in life, including secondary glaucoma, high refractive errors, amblyopia, and permanent visual damage. There are a limited number of studies in the literature that focus primarily on pediatric patients with ARS. The purpose of this article was to review the current literature on clinical presentation, genetic associations, diagnosis, secondary complications, and treatment of ARS in pediatric patients. Evaluating the essential clinical aspects of the disease in children may allow for earlier diagnosis and treatment and prevent visual morbidity from amblyopia and secondary glaucoma that may result in permanent visual damage.

Spontaneous lens resorption in a patient with Marshall-Stickler Syndrome and glaucoma.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this case report is to describe the increased fragility of anterior capsule in patients with the rare genetic disease Marshall-Stickler syndrome. OBSERVATIONS: We describe a 3-year old patient with Marshall-Stickler Syndrome and congenital glaucoma treated with glaucoma drainage implant placement who subsequently developed spontaneous lens resorption in one eye, which was noted incidentally during one follow-up appointment. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: It is hypothesized that the lens material left the eye through the glaucoma drainage implant over time. This process was not associated with elevation of intraocular pressures or inflammation and did not require subsequent surgery to remove any residual lens fragments, which has not been reported before to the best of the authors' knowledge.

Visual Outcomes in Pediatric Patients with Peters Anomaly.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the visual outcomes of pediatric patients diagnosed with Peters anomaly (PA) in a tertiary eye care center. METHODS: This was a retrospective study undertaken at a single academic center. Clinical records of pediatric patients diagnosed with PA from 2000 to 2017 were reviewed. Parameters recorded included visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), presence of glaucoma, and surgical procedures performed. The impact of PA type on final visual acuity levels was analyzed using generalized estimation equation models. RESULTS: Twenty-one eyes from 11 patients were analyzed. At the final visit, 9 eyes (42.8%) had a VA ≥20/200, while 12 (57%) had <20/200, ranging from 20/250 to no light perception. Of the study cohort, 15 (71.5%) eyes had type I, while six (28.5%) had type II PA. Glaucoma was present in 20 eyes (95%) at the final visit. One eye had dense central leucoma and microphthalmos where IOP could not be measured accurately. Seventeen eyes (81%) underwent at least one intraocular surgery, while the average number of surgeries per eye was 2.9 ± 2.5 (range=0- 9). The type of PA beta(se)=0.53 (0.41), p = 0.20] was not found to be a significant risk factor for worse VA. CONCLUSION: Severe visual impairment develops in the majority of patients with PA. The type of anomaly does not appear to be associated with a worse visual function in patients with PA. Glaucoma develops in a high percentage of this patient population, and thus close monitoring of IOP in this patient population is crucial.

Evaluation of All Causes of Visual Function Loss in Children With Congenital Blepharoptosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the overall frequency of visual function loss in pediatric patients with congenital blepharoptosis. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary center. The clinical records of patients younger than 18 years who were diagnosed as having congenital blephroptosis, underwent surgery, and had at least 1 year of postoperative follow-up were evaluated. Visual acuity results, presence of structural eye abnormalities, presence and type of amblyopia and strabismus, and refractive errors were recorded. The Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and stepwise regression analysis were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: The mean final visual acuity was 0.11 ± 0.23 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) (range: 0.0 to 1.0 logMAR) at the final follow-up visit for 143 eyes of 123 patients (65 male and 58 female). In this cohort, 30 patients (24.4%) had amblyopia and 5 patients (4.1%) had visual loss related to structural eye pathology, amounting to a total of 35 patients (28.5%) with visual function loss. The mean final visual acuities of patients without amblyopia, patients with amblyopia, and patients with organic eye disorders were 0.01 ± 0.03, 0.29 ± 0.28, and 0.55 ± 0.42 logMAR, respectively. Severe blepharoptosis (≥ 4 mm) was present in 25 patients (83.3%) with amblyopia. Deprivational amblyopia was detected in 25 of 36 eyes (69.4%) with amblyopia. Independent risk factors associated with final visual acuity were presence of amblyopia at presentation (correlation coefficient [ß] ± standard error [SE] = -0.29 ± 0.04; P < .001), anisometropia (ß ± SE = -0.27 ± 0.06; P < .001), and ptosis severity (ß ± SE = -0.09 ± 0.04; P = .012). Visual impairment (visual acuity < 20/40) persisted in 11.9% of eyes at the final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Visual function loss was present in one-third of pediatric patients with congenital blepharoptosis. Both amblyopia and structural eye disorders contribute to visual impairment in this patient population. Structural eye pathology contributes independently to 4.1% of visual loss in this clinical setting. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2020;57(2):97-102.].

The Relationship Between Optic Nerve Cup-to-Disc Ratio and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Suspected Pediatric Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between optic nerve cup-to-disc ratio and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in suspected pediatric glaucoma with large cup-to-disc ratios. METHODS: This was a retrospective study undertaken at a single academic institution. Eighty-six eyes of 43 patients who presented with large (≥ 0.5) cup-to-disc ratios in both eyes and without elevated intraocular pressure were evaluated using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Global and sectoral peripapillary RNFL thickness measurements, Bruch's membrane opening size, refractive error in spherical equivalents, and intraocular pressure levels were recorded for all patients. Cup-to-disc ratios were manually derived using digital fundus images (D-cup-to-disc ratio). Parameters were compared between gender or race by t tests or analysis of variance. The differences in the relationship among the clinical parameters between two eyes were assessed using generalized estimation equation modeling followed by Pearson's correlation analysis. RESULTS: Forty-three patients (25 boys and 18 girls) with a mean age of 9.3 ± 2.7 years (range: 5 to 15 years) were included. The mean global peripapillary RNFL thickness and the D-cup-to-disc ratio of study eyes were 99.0 ± 9.2 µm and 0.66 ± 0.03, respectively. The peripapillary RNFL thickness was found to be correlated with refractive error (r = 0.404; P = .008) and Bruch's membrane opening size (r = 0.410; P = .008) but not with cup-to-disc ratios (r = 0.029; P = .858) or patient age (r = -0.044; P = .797). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with suspected pediatric glaucoma who present with large cup-to-disc ratios, RNFL thickness does not correlate with the degree of optic nerve cupping. Myopic refractive errors and Bruch's membrane opening size need to be taken into consideration to prevent misinterpretation of peripapillary RNFL measurements. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2020;57(2):90-96.].

Update in Genetics and Surgical Management of Primary Congenital Glaucoma

Primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) continues to be an important cause of visual impairment in children despite advances in medical and surgical treatment options. The progressive and blinding nature of the disease, together with the long lifespan of the affected population, necessitates a thorough understanding of the pathophysiology of PCG and the development of long-lasting treatment options. The first part of this review discusses the genetic features and makeup of this disorder, including all currently identified genetic loci (GLC3A, GLC3B, GLC3C and GLC3D) and relevant protein targets important for trabecular and Schlemm canal dysgenesis. These target molecules primarily include CYP1B1, LTBP2, and TEK/Tie2 proteins. Their potential roles in PCG pathogenesis are discussed with the purpose of bringing the readers up to date on the molecular genetics aspect of this disorder. Special emphasis is placed on functional implications of reported genetic mutations in the setting of PCG. The second part of the review focuses on various modifications and refinements to the traditional surgical approaches performed to treat PCG, including advances in goniotomy and trabeculotomy ab externo techniques, glaucoma drainage implant surgery and cyclodiode photocoagulation techniques that ultimately provide safer surgical approaches and more effective intraocular pressure control in the 21st century.

Sensory Adaptation to Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lens Wear Is Not Associated With Alterations in the Corneal Subbasal Nerve Plexus.

PURPOSE: To evaluate corneal subbasal nerve alterations in contact lens (CL)-naive silicone hydrogel CL wearers and to investigate the relationship between structural subbasal nerve changes with corneal sensitivity. METHODS: Twenty eyes of 20 neophyte daily silicone hydrogel CL wearers and 20 eyes of age-matched control subjects were recruited for this prospective longitudinal study. Corneal subbasal nerve densities were evaluated using in vivo confocal microscopy. Central corneal tactile sensitivity was measured using Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometers. In vivo confocal microscopy and Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometry were performed before and at the 6-month time point after the initiation of CL wear. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance, χ, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: The mean ages of CL users and control subjects were 21.8 ± 1.8 years (range = 19-24 years) and 21.5 ± 2.3 years (range = 20-24 years), respectively (P = 0.579). Compared with their baseline values, there were no significant changes at the 6-month follow-up period in the mean total subbasal nerve fiber length (2266.6 ± 414.6 vs. 2277.9 ± 405.0 µm/frame; P = 0.432), mean total subbasal nerve branch density (10.4 ± 1.5 vs. 10.5 ± 1.3 nerves/frame; P = 0.655), or the mean long nerve fiber density (4.7 ± 0.7 vs. 4.8 ± 0.7 nerves/frame; P = 0.564) of CL users. Mechanical corneal sensitivity remained unaltered during the 6-month period in CL users (11.2 ± 0.5 vs. 11.2 ± 0.5; P = 1.000). No significant changes were observed in the subbasal nerve plexus or corneal tactile sensitivity of the control subjects during the study interval. CONCLUSIONS: Sensory adaptation to CL wear is not mediated through attenuation of the subbasal nerve or reduction of corneal tactile sensitivity in CL-naive users.

Evaluation of the underlying causes of papilledema in children.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify the types and relative frequencies of intracranial disorders in pediatric patients who present with papilledema. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in 2 pediatric ophthalmology clinics, both providing community-based care in a large inner-city urban center in the U.S. Pediatric patients aged between 0 and 16 years diagnosed with papilledema and who had an underlying etiology identified were included in the study. Patient demographic data, ophthalmologic examination findings, and diagnostic work-up results were identified from clinical records. RESULTS: The mean age of 38 study patients (19 female, 19 male) was 8.6 ± 4.8 years. Of the 38 patients, 16 (42.1%) had idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) as the underlying cause of the papilledema, 7 (18.4%) had a craniosynostosis disorder, 6 (15.8%) had intracranial tumours, 2 (5.3%) had primary hydrocephalus, and 1 (2.6%) patient each had transverse sinus thrombosis related to sinusitis, hypertensive crisis, subdural hematoma, intracranial abscess, Lyme disease, presumed neurosarcoidosis, and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Of the 6 intracranial tumours, 2 (33.3%) presented in the sellar/parasellar region, 2 (33.3%) in the posterior fossa, and 2 (33.3%) were in cortical locations. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for IIH and brain tumours in children presenting with papilledema. Patients with craniosynostosis should have routine eye examinations to monitor for asymptomatic papilledema. Understanding the relative incidence of etiologies for papilledema highlights the urgency of appropriate work-up and the need to consider low-frequency etiologies.

Quality of Life of Caregivers of Children With Glaucoma in an Arab Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) measures of caregivers of children with glaucoma using the Caregiver's Congenital Glaucoma Quality of Life (CarCGQoL) questionnaire. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study undertaken at King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. QoL of the caregivers, the main outcome, was assessed using the 20-item CarCGQoL questionnaire. Raw QoL scores of caregivers were converted to Rasch-calibrated interval level scores. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with caregivers' QoL. RESULTS: Eighty-five caregivers (46 fathers and 39 mothers) aged 42.5±7.5 years were included in the study. The mean QoL score of caregivers was 0.63 (±1.05). The presence of additional children with glaucoma in the household had the strongest negative relationship with caregivers' QoL [ß=-0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.22, -0.27; P=0.003]. A poor QoL was noted with mother caregivers (ß=-0.46, 95% CI: -0.87, -0.04; P=0.031) and those caring for blind children (vision <20/200 in the better eye) (ß=-0.52, 95% CI: -0.98,-0.05; P=0.030) when compared with their reference groups. A 22.3% variance in the QoL score was explained by these three factors (adjusted R=0.223). CONCLUSIONS: The QoL of caregivers of children with glaucoma was poor. Caregiver's relation to patients, additional children with glaucoma in the family and patient's vision in the better eye could influence a caregiver's QoL. Periodic evaluation of QoL of caregivers is recommended to plan counseling and other support services.

Hyaluronic acid coated poly-epsilon-caprolactone nanospheres deliver high concentrations of cyclosporine A into the cornea.

The objective of this study was to determine cyclosporine A (Cy A) levels in ocular tissues and fluids after topical administration of poly-epsilon-caprolactone (PCL)/benzalkonium chloride (BKC) nanospheres and hyaluronic acid (HA) coated PCL/BKC nanospheres onto healthy rabbit corneas. Nanospheres were prepared by nanoprecipitation and purified by gradient-rate centrifugation. Cy A (0.1%) in either castor oil solution (group 1), PCL/BKC nanosphere formulation (group 2) or HA coated PCL/BKC nanosphere formulation (group 3) was instilled onto rabbit corneas. Tear samples were adsorbed onto Schirmer tear strips. Cy A concentrations of fluid (blood, aqueous humor, tear) and specimen extracts (cornea, conjunctiva, iris/ciliary body) were determined by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The mean corneal Cy A concentration obtained at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24h following instillation of the formulations ranged between 0.12 and 1.2 ng/mg tissue for group 1, 5.9-15.5 ng/mg tissue for group 2 and 11.4-23.0 ng/mg for group 3 (one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and pairwise tests (SNK (Student-Newman-Keuls) and Tukey); p<0.05). Conjunctival Cy A levels of group 2 and 3 were not significantly different at any of the time points tested. However, there was a significant difference between Cy A concentration of castor oil formulation and that of PCL/BKC nanosphere formulation at 1 and 8h (p<0.05). The mean iris/ciliary body concentrations obtained with the three formulations were not significantly different at any time point with the exception of group 2 levels being higher than those of groups 1 and 3 at 1h (p<0.05). The lowest ocular tear Cy A concentrations (16-114 ng/ml) were found following the instillation of HA coated PCL/BKC nanoparticles (group 3) during the time period tested. Cy A loaded PCL/BKC and HA coated PCL/BKC nanospheres are able to achieve high levels of Cy A in the cornea that is 10-15-fold higher than that is achieved with Cy A solution in castor oil. Nanosphere formulation and HA may play an important role in delivering high levels of cyclosporine A into the cornea.

Chandler syndrome manifesting as ectropion uvea following laser in situ keratomileusis.

We report the case of a 30-year-old woman with recent onset of unilateral iris distortion and glaucoma that was noticed following uneventful laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). The corneal endothelium in the right eye appeared normal with the slitlamp microscope, and LASIK-related anterior segment ischemia was initially considered in the differential diagnosis. However, in vivo confocal microscopy revealed abnormal endothelial cells, confirming the diagnosis of iridocorneal endothelial syndrome. In patients having refractive corneal procedures, in vivo confocal microscopy is recommended to diagnose preexisting corneal abnormalities that might otherwise remain undetected.

The significance of Vogt's striae in keratoconus as evaluated by in vivo confocal microscopy.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the association of the presence, extent and width of Vogt's striae with other microstructural corneal alterations in keratoconus using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). METHODS: Sixty-eight keratoconic corneas of 68 patients were evaluated with slit-lamp examination (SLE), corneal topography and IVCM. For each eye, the presence, extent and width of alternating light and dark bands (Vogt's striae) observed using IVCM was recorded together with keratocyte and endothelial cell densities, stromal nerve thickness, subbasal nerve density and thickness. The refractive status and the mean and steepest corneal curvatures were noted. RESULTS: Vogt's striae were present in 43 (63.2%) eyes on SLE and dark bands were present in 53 (77.9%) eyes on IVCM. Compared with patients without dark bands, patients with dark bands had significantly higher refractive errors in spherical equivalents (SE; -8.15 +/- 3.70 vs. -5.18 +/- 2.46 diopters [D], P = 0.007), higher astigmatic errors (-5.88 +/- 2.69 vs. -4.10 +/- 1.84 D, P = 0.027), higher steepest corneal curvatures (54.33 +/- 4.38 vs. 51.23 +/- 3.72 D, P = 0.018), lower anterior stromal keratocyte densities (1106 +/- 172 vs. 1222 +/- 171 cells/mm(2), P = 0.022) and lower nerve fibre densities (18.74 +/- 6.54 vs. 22.66 +/- 6.47 nerves/mm(2), P = 0.054). Compared with patients in whom dark bands were confined to the posterior stroma, patients with dark bands extending into the anterior stroma had significantly higher refractive errors in SE (-11.17 +/- 2.25 vs. -6.34 +/- 3.48 D, P < 0.001), higher astigmatic errors (-7.44 +/- 2.56 vs. -4.69 +/- 2.22 D, P = 0.006) and wider bands (6.0 +/- 2.1 vs. 9.6 +/- 3.1 microm, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Vogt's striae appear to be more prevalent in keratoconic corneas than can be appreciated clinically. The presence of Vogt's striae may be associated with corneal topographic and microstructural changes.

In vivo confocal microscopic findings of two siblings with Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome.

PURPOSE: To describe the clinical and in vivo confocal microscopic findings of the cornea in 2 male siblings with Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome. METHODS: Two male siblings 27 and 22 years of age who had been diagnosed with Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome underwent ophthalmologic assessment. In vivo confocal microscopy of their corneas was performed with Confoscan 3.0 (Vigonza, Italy). RESULTS: Slit-lamp examination of the central and peripheral corneas of both siblings revealed mild haze and diffuse stromal opacities. The fundus examination of the older sibling was significant for left optic disc swelling and bilateral radial macular folds. In vivo confocal microscopy of the corneas of both cases revealed several microdeposits that were present extracellularly and within keratocytes in all stromal layers, ranging in size from 1.0 to 3.8 microm. Abnormal keratocytes containing hyporeflective vacuoles were present to a greater extent in the posterior and middle stromal layers compared with the anterior stroma. The endothelial cell layer, the subbasal nerve plexus, and the stromal nerves had normal morphologic features. CONCLUSIONS: In corneas of patients with Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, glycosaminoglycan deposition and abnormal keratocytes may be present in all stromal layers. The endothelial layer seems to be normal at the third decade of life in both subjects studied.

Delayed tear clearance in patients with conjunctivochalasis is associated with punctal occlusion.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of punctal occlusion on ocular tear clearance and occurrence of epiphora in patients with conjunctivochalasis (CCh). METHODS: Seventy-five eyes with the diagnosis of CCh were included in the study. CCh was graded on the basis of the extent of inferior lid margin involvement as follows: 1 = one location, 2 = 2 locations, and 3 = whole lid. Patients within the 3 groups were also subdivided on the basis of the presence of punctal occlusion. The presence of epiphora, occlusion of the inferior punctum, and fluorescein clearance test (FCT) results were recorded for every patient. RESULTS: Of the 75 patients, 56 (75%) had epiphora, 47 (63%) had punctal occlusion, and 54 (72%) had delayed FCT. Twenty-two patients had grade 1 CCh, 43 had grade 2 CCh, and 10 had grade 3 CCh. Epiphora was present in 10 (45%) patients with grade 1 CCh, 38 (88%) patients with grade 2 CCh, and 8 (80%) patients with grade 3 CCh. Punctal occlusion and epiphora were observed more frequently in patients with grades 2 and 3 CCh compared with those with grade 1 CCh (Pearson chi test, P < 0.001). There was a strong correlation between delayed FCT and punctal occlusion (Spearman rank correlation analysis, r = 0.808, P < 0.001). Punctal occlusion was also correlated with the presence of epiphora (Spearman rank correlation analysis, r = 0.691, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of patients with CCh are symptomatic beginning with early stages of CCh. There seem to be no significant differences in any of the clinical parameters between patients with grade 2 and grade 3 CCh. Punctal occlusion seems to play an important role in the impairment of ocular tear clearance and the occurrence of epiphora.

The characteristics and surgical outcomes of medial rectus recessions in Graves' ophthalmopathy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of medial rectus (MR) recessions in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The clinical records of 32 patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy who underwent MR recessions with adjustable sutures for restrictive esotropia were reviewed. The clinical characteristics of patients, the size of the esodeviations, the limitations of ductions, the surgical doses, and observed responses to surgery were recorded and analyzed. Main outcome measures included the ratio of predicted to observed correction for MR recessions, improvement in ductions, and restoration of binocular status. RESULTS: The mean age of the 32 patients (20 women, 12 men) at surgery was 54.1+/-11.4 years. The mean duration of thyroid eye disease was 4.3+/-5.4 years (range, 1 to 24 years). The ratios of predicted to observed correction for esodeviations at distance and near, respectively, were 2.21+/-1.24 and 2.16+/-1.81 at the time of adjustment and 1.61+/-0.37 and 1.84+/-0.90 at final follow-up. The limitation of abduction improved from -2.3+/-1.3 to -0.75 +/-0.98. Binocular single vision was achieved in 73% of patients, and a further 10% of patients were able to fuse with prisms. A history of decompression was present in 75% of cases. Patients with a history of decompression had more restriction in abduction (-2.49 vs -1.78, P =.061), more frequently required bilateral surgery (75% vs 62.5%), and had a higher ratio of predicted to observed correction (1.71 -0.37 vs 1.37+/-0.28, P = .043). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy who undergo MR recession for restrictive esotropia are prone to undercorrection. A history of decompression is associated with a less favorable clinical outcome. Augmented surgery, adjustable sutures, or both are recommended for improved surgical outcomes.

The Value of the Frontalis Suspension Procedure as a Repeat Intervention in Congenital Blepharoptosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the therapeutic benefits of frontalis suspension as a repeat intervention in congenital blepharoptosis. METHODS: Pediatric patients diagnosed as having congenital ptosis who had at least 2 years of postoperative follow-up were included in this retrospective study. A successful outcome was defined as a postoperative margin-reflex distance of 3 mm or greater. The chi-square, Student's t, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used in comparisons. RESULTS: Eighty-four eyes of 77 patients with a follow-up period of 8.4 ± 0.7 years were included. The initial surgery was levator resection in 29 (34.5%) eyes and frontalis suspension in 55 (65.5%) eyes. Frontalis suspension was performed for all repeat interventions (n = 20). Surgical success was achieved in 61.9% of patients with single surgery (75.9% for levator resection vs 54.5% for frontalis suspension; P = .06) and in 77.4% of patients following repeated surgeries (93.1% vs 69.1% for patients who initially underwent levator resection vs frontalis suspension, respectively; P = .012). A higher success rate was associated with better preoperative levator function (P = .01) and a higher margin-reflex distance (P = .004), and was inversely proportional to ptosis severity (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Frontalis suspension as a repeat intervention for congenital blepharoptosis is associated with a further increase in long-term anatomic success rates and should be considered when initial procedures fail or remain inadequate. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2017;54(5):320-323.].

Morphologic alterations of both the stromal and subbasal nerves in the corneas of patients with diabetes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the subbasal and the stromal nerves of the corneas of patients with type 2 diabetes with in vivo confocal microscopy and to compare them with those of nondiabetic patients. METHODS: Thirty-five corneas of patients with type 2 diabetes and 24 corneas of age-matched control subjects were included in the study. Patients with diabetes were further classified with respect to the stage of retinopathy. Subbasal and stromal nerve plexus morphology and thickness were evaluated with in vivo confocal microscopy. Subbasal long nerve fiber (LNF) and total nerve branch (NB) densities were calculated. RESULTS: The mean stromal nerve thickness was significantly higher in patients with diabetes (8.99 +/- 2.32 microm) than that of the control subjects (5.69 +/- 1.49 microm; Mann-Whitney U test; P < 0.001). The proportion of curved stromal nerves in patients with diabetes (45.7%) was also higher than that of normal subjects (20.8%; chi(2), P = 0.05). Subbasal LNF and NB densities were found to significantly lower in the corneas of patients with diabetes (28.3 +/- 10.4 and 39.7 +/- 13.2 nerve/mm(2), respectively) than those of the control subjects (34.1 +/- 5.7 and 58.5 +/- 12.4 nerve/mm(2), respectively; Mann-Whitney, P = 0.012 and P < 0.001). In addition, the subbasal nerve plexus of patients with diabetes appeared significantly thicker and more tortuous than those of the control subjects (Mann-Whitney, P = 0.002 and P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Both stromal and subbasal nerves appear abnormal in the corneas of patients with diabetes. Patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy show more pronounced nerve alterations than patients who do not have diabetic retinopathy.