Periocular abscesses following brow epilation.

PURPOSE: The aim of this article was to report the clinical presentation, radiography, culture results, treatment modalities, and outcomes of periocular abscesses associated with brow epilation. METHODS: This was a retrospective case series including 26 patients referred for periocular abscess following brow epilation. RESULTS: Twenty-six female patients with a median age of 20.5 (range, 12-73) years were referred for oculoplastic evaluation of periocular abscesses related to recent brow epilation. All patients were treated with incision and drainage along with systemic antibiotics. Culture results revealed 16 cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 3 of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, and 7 cultures that showed no growth. All patients had resolution of their abscesses at 1-month follow-up visits without progression to orbital cellulitis. CONCLUSIONS: Periocular abscess formation after brow epilation has been previously described in only a single case report in the literature. The authors believe this entity is underreported given their current report describing 26 such cases. Given the high prevalence of cosmetic brow epilation in females, the authors believe a careful history regarding brow epilation in any patient presenting with a periocular abscess or preseptal cellulitis is essential to explore the possible cause of their infection. The majority of patients in the current study's cohort had methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-related abscesses, and treatment with antibiotics with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus coverage may be a prudent first line choice in such patients.

Bilateral marked dacryops following trauma.

A 35 year-old man presented for evaluation of bilateral lacrimal fossa masses. He sustained left and right periocular trauma, eight months and five years prior to presentation, respectively. The patient had marked dacryops, left greater than right, which was confirmed by orbital CT. Surgical excision of the left dacryops was performed, and excision of the right sided lesion was deferred by the patient.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration Masquerade: A Review of Pentosan Polysulfate Maculopathy and Implications for Clinical Practice.

ABSTRACT: Pentosan polysulfate (PPS) sodium (Elmiron) is the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved oral medication to treat interstitial cystitis, also known as bladder pain syndrome. A symptomatic pigmentary maculopathy associated with PPS was reported in 2018. Since then, recognition of this unique drug toxicity has increased rapidly. This potentially sight-threatening side effect prompted the FDA in June 2020 to update the label for PPS to warn about "retinal pigmentary changes." A challenging feature of pentosan maculopathy is its ability to mimic many other retinal conditions, including inherited retinal dystrophies such as pattern dystrophy, mitochondrially inherited diabetes and deafness, and Stargardt disease, and age-related macular degeneration. In this review, we discuss the history of PPS maculopathy and its implications for thousands of at-risk interstitial cystitis patients. We use published literature and an illustrative case from our institution to highlight the importance of diagnosing PPS maculopathy. We also compare PPS maculopathy to age-related macular degeneration, explain why differentiating between the 2 is clinically important, and highlight avenues for further research. Finally, we highlight the paucity of data on patients of color and why this lack of understanding may impact patient care.