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Capsulorhexis is an integral step of cataract surgery, and continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis is crucial during phacoemulsification to prevent intraoperative complications. However, sometimes during phacoemulsification in complicated and hard cataract cases, rhexis extension may occur, resulting in posterior capsular rent, nucleus drop, cortex drop, and aphakia. It may not always be possible to continue with phacoemulsification in all cases. In this perspective, the authors describe a novel flap motility sign (FMS) to predict the extent of anterior capsular tear during phacoemulsification. A total of 21,678 patients underwent phacoemulsification for three years, from July 2016 to June 2019. One hundred and twenty-one patients had an anterior capsular tear. There were 102 cases (84.3%) with pre-equatorial tears and 19 cases (15.70%) with postequatorial tears. All pre-equatorial flaps were everted and fluttering, and all postequatorial flaps were inverted and nonfluttering. Posterior capsule rupture (PCR) was observed in all 19 cases of postequatorial flaps (100%). No PCR was observed in patients with fluttering and everted flaps (0%). In-the-bag and scleral-fixated intraocular lens implantations succeeded in pre-equatorial and postequatorial tears, respectively. There was no case of a nucleus drop. This study validates FMS as a predictor for identifying the extent of anterior capsular tears, thereby determining the endpoint of safe phacoemulsification and the site for intraocular lens implantation. Pre-equatorial tears allow for the continuation of safe phacoemulsification and in-the-bag intraocular implantation. Postequatorial tears necessitate timely conversion to small-incision cataract surgery or extracapsular cataract extraction.
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Purpose: To study the corelation between outer retinal layer thickness (ORL), outer photoreceptor segment thickness (PROS), and central macular thickness (CMT) with best?corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in patients having clinically significant macular edema (CSME) and compare these parameters with normal patients. Methods: This was a prospective, nonrandomized, observational, comparative study done during the period of January to May 2019. The study included 60 eyes of 36 patients. The patient population was segregated into two Groups: Group ? (30 normal eyes of 15 normal patients) and Group ?? (30 eyes of 21 diabetic patients) with CSME. The comparison between ORL, PROS, and CMT was made between both the groups, and the correlation between ORL thickness, PROS thickness, and CMT with BCVA in Group ?? was studied. Results: The mean age in Group I was 52.6+10.66 years, and 53.42+8.15 years in Group II. The male/ female ratio was 1.1:1 in Group I and 4:3 in Group II. The mean CMT was greater in Group ?? (330.13 ± 37.01) than in Group ? (222.20 ± 12.30). The mean ORL thickness was greater in Group ? (97.73 ± 6.92) than in Group ?? (80.63 ± 9.03). The PROS thickness was statistically significant in Group ? (35.05 ± 3.4) than in Group ?? (28.57 ± 3.53). There was a strong correlation between BCVA and ORL thickness (r = ?0.580, P < 0.001) and more strong correlation between BCVA and PROS thickness in Group ?? (r = ?0.611, P < 0.000). There was a moderate correlation between BCVA and CMT (r = 0.410, P < 0.025), and all results were statistically significant. Conclusion: Both ORL and PROS thickness were greater in healthy normal eyes than in eyes with CSME. BCVA was strongly correlated with PROS and ORL thickness and moderately associated with CMT.
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In this era of cutting-edge research and digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly penetrated all subspecialties, including ophthalmology. Managing AI data and analytics is cumbersome, and implementing blockchain technology has made this task less challenging. Blockchain technology is an advanced mechanism with a robust database that allows the unambiguous sharing of widespread information within a business model or network. The data is stored in blocks that are linked together in chains. Since its inception in 2008, blockchain technology has grown over the years, and its novel use in ophthalmology has been less well documented. This section on current ophthalmology discusses the novel use and future of blockchain technology for intraocular lens power calculation and refractive surgery workup, ophthalmic genetics, payment methods, international data documentation, retinal images, global myopia pandemic, virtual pharmacy, and drug compliance and treatment. The authors have also provided valuable insights into various terminologies and definitions used in blockchain technology.
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Purpose: To analyze the demographics and clinical outcomes of posterior chamber phakic intraocular (IOL) implantation for refractive amblyopia in children and adolescents. Methods: A prospective interventional study was performed on children and adolescents with amblyopia at a tertiary eye care center from January 2021 to August 2022. Twenty?three eyes of 21 anisomyopic and isomyopic amblyopia patients operated for posterior chamber phakic IOL (Eyecryl phakic IOL) as a treatment for amblyopia were included in the study. Patient demographics, pre? and postoperative visual acuity, cycloplegic refraction, anterior and posterior segment examination, intraocular pressure, pachymetry, contrast sensitivity, endothelial count, and patient satisfaction scores were evaluated. Patients were followed up at day 1, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year after surgery, and visual outcomes and complications were documented. Results: The mean age of patients was 14.16 ± 3.49 years (range: 10–19 years). The mean intraocular lens power was ? 12.20 diopter spherical (DS) in 23 eyes and ? 2.25 diopter cylindrical (DC) in four patients. The mean unaided distant visual acuity (UDVA) and best?corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were 1.39 ± 0.25 and 0.40 ± 0.21 preoperatively on the log of minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) chart. Postoperatively, the visual acuity improved by 2.6 lines in 3 months period and maintained till 1 year. Postsurgery, contrast sensitivity in the amblyopic eyes significantly improved, and the average endothelial loss recorded was 5.78% at 1 year, which was statistically insignificant. Patient satisfaction score was statistically significant, with 4.736/5 recorded on the Likert scale. Conclusion: Posterior chamber phakic IOL is a safe, effective, and alternative method for treating amblyopia patients who are noncompliant with glasses, contact lenses, and keratorefractive procedures.
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Purpose: To compare the impact of Sibling Motivational Card (SMC) and oral counseling in screening siblings of primary open?angle glaucoma (POAG) probands. Methods: Two hundred and thirty-four newly diagnosed POAG probands were randomized to receive either oral counseling or SMC to motivate their siblings for a glaucoma screening at a tertiary eye care hospital in South India from July 2015 and June 2017. A total of 116 probands were orally counseled with a standard template of dialogs about the importance of family screening to motivate their siblings for a screening. One hundred and eighteen probands were randomized to receive SMC, bearing the details of the proband, sibling, and a message stressing the importance of family screening, in addition to oral counseling. We assessed the response rate in each group. Additionally, we evaluated the prevalence of POAG in the siblings. Results: A total of 95 siblings of 234 POAG probands were screened. The mean age distribution was 53.33 ± 10.9 years (range 28–79 years). The male to female ratio was 3:4. The percentage of siblings screened was more in the oral counseling group (63.2%) than in the SMC group (36.8). About 43 (45%) siblings had some form of glaucoma, and 13.6% had POAG. An additional 22.1% were disk suspects, and 5.2% had ocular hypertension. Conclusion: SMC did not have an additional benefit over the standard oral counseling in promoting sibling screening. Our study stresses the importance of sibling screening in POAG probands. Targeting siblings of POAG probands with oral counseling may offer a relatively inexpensive way of detecting glaucoma
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Purpose: The current study was aimed at assessment of optic disk by disk damage likelihood scale (DDLS) staging using slit?lamp biomicroscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in diagnosing primary open?angle glaucoma (POAG) patients. Methods: This was a cross?sectional observational study of 106 POAG patients, which was conducted from April 2017 to April 2018. All patients underwent slit?lamp fundoscopy with a +78 D lens and high?definition (HD)?OCT, and the vertical cup disk ratios (VCDRs) were recorded. Disk size and neuroretinal rim assessment were done, and the disk was then staged using the recent version, which stages the optic nerve head (ONH) from 1 to 10 as read from the DDLS nomogram table. DDLS scores >5 indicate glaucomatous damage. Pearson coefficient was used to correlate the DDLS staging by slit?lamp biomicroscopy with best?corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), disk size, and VCDR and VCDR, mean deviation, and DDLS staging by HD?OCT. Results: The mean age of the patients was 59.54 ± 6.61 years. The male: female ratio was 2:1. The mean IOP was 16.04 ± 1.97 mmHg, and BCVA was 0.72 ± 0.13 LogMAR units. The mean VCDR on 78 D slit?lamp biomicroscopy was 0.76 ± 0.09 (standard deviation [SD]) (range 0.1–0.77), whereas on HD?OCT, the mean VCDR was 0.81 ± 0.09 (SD) (range 0.07–0.81). The mean deviation on visual field testing in decibels was ?14.43 ± 3.31 (SD). The correlation coefficient between DDLS staging by slit?lamp biomicroscopy and DDLS staging by HD?OCT parameters was r = 0.96. Conclusion: There is a positive correlation between the DDLS system of optic disk evaluation on slit?lamp biomicroscopy and most of the HD?OCT evaluation parameters
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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the endothelial cell loss during manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS) using the viscoelastic-assisted nucleus removal versus basal salt solution plus technique. Methods: This was a prospective randomized trial of 204 patients who underwent MSICS using viscoelastic-assisted nucleus removal (Group 1- OVD) versus basal salt solution plus technique (Group 2- BSS) at a tertiary eye care hospital in North India from January 2018 to 2021. Of these 204 patients, 103 (50.5%) and 101 (49.5%) were allocated to Group 1 and 2, respectively. The parameters assessed were detailed history, demographics, and anterior and posterior segment details. Visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), keratometry, pachymetry, and endothelial cell density were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively on day 1 and 30. Results: The mean age of the patients was 64.5 � 8.2 years (range 48� years). There were 129 (63.2%) males and 75 (36.8%) females. The mean LogMAR visual acuity for both groups on day 1 (Group 1- 0.3 � 0.1, Group 2- 0.5 � 0.2) and day 30 (Group 1- 0.1 � 0.2, Group 2- 0.1 � 0.1) was statistically significant (P < 0.001), and the mean IOP value showed a statistically significant value (P < 0.009) on day 1 in Group 2 (15.0 � 2.4 mmHg) and on day 30 (P < 0.001) in both the groups (Group 1- 13.6 � 1.8 mmHg, Group 2- 13.5 � 2 mmHg). The horizontal and vertical k values also showed a statistically significant difference on day 1 and day 30 (P < 0.001). The mean percentage change of central corneal thickness (CCT) in Group 1 was 17.7% and in Group 2 was 17.4% on day 1, and it was 1.1% on day 30 in both the groups, which was statistically significant (P < 0.001) compared to preoperative values. The percentage change in endothelial cell density on day 1 was 9% in Group 1 and 4.6% in Group 2, which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). On day 30, it was 9.7% and 4.8%, respectively, which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study highlights statistically significant endothelial cell loss with viscoelastic-assisted nuclear delivery compared to BSS-assisted nuclear delivery during MSICS in a short follow-up of 1 month. The CCT values showed a slight increase, and the keratometry and IOP were unaffected compared to the preoperative parameters in both the groups
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Purpose: To analyze the hesitancy and motivational factors related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID?19) vaccination among patients visiting for eye care. Methods: A telephonic survey was conducted using validated questionnaires consisting of 36 questions in five sections from July 1 to July 31, 2021. Patients visiting six tertiary centers and one secondary center of our eye hospitals were interviewed over their phones, and their responses were entered onto the Google forms. The responses were recorded as demographics, health status, awareness about vaccination, factors contributing to hesitancy or acceptance to vaccinate, and general perception about the vaccine. Results: A total of 5033 patients were surveyed. The mean age was 49.0 ± 14.2 years. A total of 563 (11.2%) patients gave a history of symptoms or were tested positive for COVID?19; 2225 (44.2%) patients were already COVID?19 vaccinated. Around 2883 (56%) patients were aware of getting infection despite vaccination, and 4092 (81.3%) perceived vaccination should be compulsory. The main reason for vaccination hesitancy was the fear of side effects (n = 487, 17.3%). The fear of getting infected was the most common reason for vaccination (n = 911, 40.9%). Factors associated with a lower proportion of vaccinated individuals included younger age (P < 0.001), female gender (P < 0.001), lower education (P < 0.001), lower income (P < 0.001), and rural residence (P = 0.33). Conclusion: Creating awareness about the minor side effects and reassurance can allay an individual’s fears. The fear associated with the rapid spread of infection and associated mortality needs to be utilized to increase vaccination acceptance. A targeted approach toward groups with poor uptake of vaccination is necessary.
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Mentor? mentee relationship in any discipline is a professional and interpersonal relationship. It associates a mentor with a protégé or a mentee. Mentoring is a serious business in Ophthalmology, both academically and surgically. The mentors act as role models for future generations by acting as a friend, coach, or guide to the mentee. They do so by giving valuable advice, moral support, and inculcating skills in a mentee. It is difficult to pinpoint the precise function of the mentor?mentee relationship, but the final goal is to achieve personal and professional objectives. In the current article, the authors have shed light on the imperative aspect of one’s Ophthalmology career, i.e., the mentor?mentee relationship. This article describes various aspects of mentoring, the traits of a perfect mentor and mentee, the pre?requisites for a good mentee? mentor relationship, the hindrances and obstacles in a good relationship, and the impact of COVID?19 on the same. The potential goal of this article is to ignite the constructive spirit of the mentor?mentee relationship, encourage potential mentors to become ideal mentors, and potential mentees to gain from serious mentors
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Purpose: To perform a comprehensive analysis of COVID?19 publications published in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology (IJO) during the two years of the pandemic and to study their impact on ophthalmic literature. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of all expedited COVID?19 articles published in IJO from April 2020 to March 2022. The data was obtained from the official website of IJO, editor IJO monthly emails, and PubMed database. The data was then extracted as XML into Microsoft Access for scientometric analysis. The expedited articles were segregated into different categories: original, review, case report/series, letter to the editor, commentary, current ophthalmology, consensus criteria, perspective, innovations, ophthalmic images, photoessays, research methodology, and surgical techniques. The monthly data was analyzed and COVID?19 articles were assessed for subspecialty?wise distribution, number of citations, monthly growth rate, and their impact on ophthalmic literature. Results: A total of 431 COVID?19 related articles were published during the study period. The majority of the articles were letters to the editor (158, 36.65%) followed by original articles (97, 22.50%), and commentaries (53, 12.29%). The least were perspectives and ophthalmic images (2, 0.46%) each followed by consensus criteria (1, 0.23%). The maximum publications came in July 2020 (44, 10.20%) followed by December 2021 (37, 8.58%) and October 2021 (36, 8.35%), and the least were in April 2020 (1, 0.23%). Considering subspecialty, a majority of the articles were related to general ophthalmology (156, 36.19%), and the least was in oncology (2, 0.46%). The maximum number of citations were attracted by original articles (97, 1146 (11.81)), which were approximately 1.5 times higher than the letters to the editor (158, 743 (4.70)) and 3 times higher than review articles (9, 387 (43)). Among specialties, the maximum number of citations were gathered by general ophthalmology (156, 1320 (8.46)) followed by oculoplasty (36, 592 (16.44)) due to the concurrent mucormycosis epidemic. Conclusion: IJO opened a window of opportunity for authors by publishing quality expedited articles. Evidence?based orbital mucormycosis and general ophthalmology publications gathered most of the attention due to their heterogeneous presentation. The peak of the first wave (June–July 2020) and the October and December 2021 issues had maximum number of COVID?19 articles.