Efficacy and safety of ultrasound cycloplasty in Indian eyes with open-angle glaucoma

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of ultrasound cycloplasty in eyes with primary or secondary open?angle glaucoma, not amenable to adequate control of intra?ocular pressure (IOP) with medical treatment. Methods: Prospective interventional cohort study of 28 eyes of 28 subjects in a tertiary eye care centre in India in patients with open?angle glaucoma. All enrolled eyes underwent ultrasound cycloplasty with the second?generation probe with six shots of 8 s each, operated by a single surgeon between November 2018 and January 2020. They were followed up for a period of 12 months. The primary treatment outcome was IOP and the secondary outcomes were vision and postoperative complications. Results: A total of 28 eyes of 28 patients were studied, and the mean age was 63.82 ± 6.46 years. Primary open?angle glaucoma (75%) was the most common etiology. There was significant reduction in IOP from the baseline (24.93 ± 4.27 mmHg) to the postoperative value (15.82 ± 3.14 mmHg) at the end of 12 months (P < 0.00001). Mean reduction in IOP was 9.14 ± 4.09 mmHg at 12 months (36.66%). Number of ocular hypotensives reduced significantly from baseline (3.32 ± 0.47) to 12?month postoperative follow?up (0.68 ± 0.74) (P < 0.00001). Qualified success was achieved in 89.28% eyes. No major complications were noted. Conclusion: Ultrasound cycloplasty is found to be effective and safe in eyes with open?angle glaucoma because of the primary or secondary etiology, being more effective in the former

Prevalence of glaucoma in Eastern India: The Hooghly River Glaucoma Study.

Context: Glaucoma is the leading cause of global irreversible blindness. No recent study with adequate sample size has been carried out to estimate glaucoma prevalence in Eastern India. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess and compare the prevalence and types of glaucoma in a rural and urban East Indian population. Settings and Design: The Hooghly River Glaucoma Study (HRGS) is a population‑based cross‑sectional study from West Bengal. A tertiary hospital in Kolkata was our urban study center. Our rural study area included 28 contiguous villages from the district of Hooghly surrounding the rural base hospital located at Dhobapara in village Bakulia. Individuals aged 40 years and above were included in this study. Subjects and Methods: All subjects underwent a detailed ophthalmic examination at our base hospitals including applanation tonometry, ultrasound pachymetry, gonioscopy, and frequency doubling technology perimetry. Glaucoma was defined using modified International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology criteria. Statistical Analysis Used: Analysis was performed using Chi‑square test and multiple logistic regression using SPSS. Results: Totally, 14,092 individuals participated; 2.7% were detected to have glaucoma in rural arm and 3.23% in urban arm (P < 0.001). In urban population, 2.10% had primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), 0.97% had primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG), and 0.15% had secondary glaucoma. In rural population, 1.45% had POAG, 1.15% had ACG, and 0.10% had secondary glaucoma. Conclusions: HRGS is the largest population‑based glaucoma study in India to date with glaucoma prevalence comparable to other landmark Indian studies. POAG was the most common form of glaucoma in our study population as well. PACG was more common in this region than previously thought.

Descemet's tear due to injector cartridge tip deformity.

Foldable intraocular lens (IOL) implantation using an injector system through 2.8-mm clear corneal incision following phacoemulsification provides excellent speedy postoperative recovery. In our reported case, a Sensar AR40e IOL (Abbott Medical Optics, USA) was loaded into Emerald C cartridge, outside the view of the operating microscope, by the first assistant. The surgeon proceeded with the IOL injection through a 2.8-mm clear corneal incision after uneventful phacoemulsification, immediately following which he noted a Descemet's tear with a rolled out flap of about 2 mm near the incision site. Gross downward beaking of the bevelled anterior end of the cartridge was subsequently noticed upon examination under the microscope. We suggest careful preoperative microscopic inspection of all instruments and devices entering the patient's eyes to ensure maximum safety to the patient.

Comparative role of intravitreal ranibizumab versus bevacizumab in choroidal neovascular membrane in age-related macular degeneration.

Context: Ranibizumab and bevacizumab are used widely for treating patients with choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Aims: To determine and compare the efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab and bevacizumab in treatment of CNVM due to AMD. Settings and Design: Prospective comparative case series carried out in an eye institute and eye department of a hospital in Kolkata, India. Materials and Methods: One hundred and four eyes with CNVM due to AMD were randomized into two groups. Group A (n=54; 24 occult) received monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections (0.5 mg in 0.05 ml) and Group B (n=50; 22 occult) received monthly bevacizumab injections (1.25 mg in 0.05 ml) for 3 consecutive months and then as per study criteria. Data analysis done using SPSS software. P-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the ranibizumab group increased from 58.19 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters at baseline to 64 ETDRS letters at month 3 (P<0.001). In bevacizumab group mean BCVA increased from 56.80 to 61.72 ETDRS letters at month 3 (P<0.001). At the end of 18 months, there was no statistically significant difference between groups A and B with respect to change in BCVA (P=0.563) or central macular thickness (CMT; P=0.281), as measured by optical coherence tomography (Stratus OCT 3000). No significant sight-threatening complications developed. Conclusions: Ranibizumab and bevacizumab are equally safe and efficacious in treating CNVM due to AMD.