Evaluation of Outer Retinal Layers in Diabetic Macula Edema Treated with Intravitreal Ranibizumab

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) reduces choroidal thickness by choroidal hypoperfusion in diabetic macula oedema (DME) patients. Indirect effect of anti-VEGF towards outer retinal layers (ORL) which supplied by choroidal circulation has not been well described. We evaluate the ORL thickness between retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) with inner-segment-outer-segment photoreceptor junction (IS/OS) and RPE with external limiting membrane (ELM) in pre- and post-intravitreal Ranibizumab (IVR) treated eyes with central foveal diabetic macula edema. A total of 60 eyes (40 patients) were analysed. ORL thickness measured with optical coherence tomography at pre- and post-injection day 1, week 4 and week 6. Mean thickness of RPE-IS/OS was statistically significant over time (p=0.023) but not for RPE-ELM (p=0.216). Thickness ratio between RPE-IS/OS and RPE-ELM and central subfoveal thickness (CST) both showed statistically significant result over time with p=0.038 and p=0.000, respectively. We observed an initial reduction of ORL thickness at day 1 followed by increased in thickness at week 4 with subsequent reduction at week 6 was observed. ORL is an aspect that can be explore and emphasized further in patients considered for IVR injections. The long-term effects of IVR to the ORL however could not be concluded due to short follow up period.

Evaluation of inner segment/outer segment junctions in different types of epiretinal membranes / Avaliação da junção segmento interno/segmento externo em diferentes graus de membranas epirretinianas

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the relationships of inner/outer segment (IS/OS) junction disruption, macular thickness, and epiretinal membrane (ERM) grade with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), as well as the relationship between IS/OS junction disruption and ERM grade. Methods: Fifty-four eyes of 54 patients with different grades of ERM were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were classified into three groups by ERM grade according to retinal striae and vessel distortion: grade/group 1, visible membranes without retinal striae or vessel distortion; grade/group 2, mild to moderate macular striae or vessel straightening; and grade/group 3, moderate to severe striae and vascular straightening. Correlations of BCVA with age, central retinal thickness, ERM grade, and IS/OS disruption as well as of IS/OS disruption, central macular thickness, and BCVA with ERM grade were evaluated. Results: Twenty-nine (53.7%) eyes exhibited IS/OS junction disruption. Groups 1 and 2 differed significantly with respect to BCVA (p=0.038), but groups 2 and 3 did not (p=0.070). Central macular thickness was significantly greater in group 2 than in group 1 (p=0.031) and in group 3 than in group 2 (p=0.033). Groups 1 and 2 differed significantly in terms of IS/OS disruption (p=0.000), but groups 2 and 3 did not (p=0.310). Conclusions: The IS/OS junction appears to be disrupted during the early stages of ERM. Grade 3 ERM is associated with a significantly higher incidence of IS/OS disruption.

RESUMO Objetivo: Este estudo foi realizado para avaliar a relação entre a interrupção da junção segmento interno/segmento externo (IS/OS), espessura macular e grau de membrana epirretiniana (ERM), com a melhor acuidade visual corrigida (BCVA), e a relação entre a interrupção da junção IS/OS com a severidade da ERM. Métodos: Cinquenta e quatro olhos de 54 pacientes com diferentes graus de ERM foram avaliados retrospectivamente. ERMs foram classificadas, de acordo com as estrias de retina e a distorção dos vasos, em 3 grupos: grupo 1 foram membranas visíveis sem estrias retinianas ou distorção dos vasos, grupo 2 membranas com estrias maculares discretas a moderadas ou retificação dos vasos, e grupo 3 membranas com estrias moderadas a graves e retificação vascular. A correlação da BCVA com a idade, espessura central da retina, severidade da ERM e interrupção da junção IS/OS foram avaliadas. A relação de interrupção da junção IS/OS, a espessura macular central e acuidade visual com a severidade da ERM também foram avaliadas. Resultados: Vinte e nove olhos (53,7%) apresentavam interrupção da junção IS/OS. A BCVA foi diferente entre ERMs grupo 1 e grupo 2 (p=0,038), a diferença entre o grupos 2 e 3 não foi estatisticamente significativa (p=0,070). A espessura macular central foi estatisticamente maior no grupo 2, quando comparado ao grupo 1 (p=0,031) e maior no grupo 3 quando comparado ao grupo 2 (p=0,033). A diferença entre o grupo 1 e grupo 2 em relação à interrupção da junção IS/OS foi estatisticamente significativa (p=0,000), ao passo que a diferença entre o grupo 2 e do grupo 3 não foi estatisticamente significativa (p=0,310). Conclusões: As junções IS/OS parecem estar interrompidas nos estágios iniciais da ERM. O grau 3 de ERM têm uma maior incidência significativa de interrupção da junção IS/OS.

The effects of anti-VEGF drugs on the retinal pigment epithelium and inner segment after intravitreal injection in the monkeys / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

? AIM: To compare the effects on the retina inner segment and retinal pigment epithelium ( RPE ) of intravitreally injecting bevacizumab, ranibizumab and aflibercept into monkey eyes.? METHODS: Fourteen healthy cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis, aged 3-8y,10 males,4 females) were raised at the Covance Laboratories under standard conditions. The 14 monkeys were grouped into 4 groups. Three of the groups with 4 monkeys each were injected intravitreally with one of the drugs, either bevacizumab, ranibizumab or aflibercept, while the 4th group with 2 monkeys served as a negative control. On 1d and 7d of injection, 2 monkeys from each drug treatment group were sacrificed under general anaesthesia and the 4 eyes were enucleated. All the enucleated eyes were fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin wax, cut into 4. 0 μm sections and deparaffinized according to standard procedures. Image-Pro Plus was used for all the photos to measure the content of vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF) in the inner segment and RPE. The ANOVA test from JMP10. 0 statistical program was used to evaluate the results.?RESULTS:Retinal sections were checked for their anti-VEGF immune reactivity. The untreated control samples had the highest level of VEGF in the RPE and inner segment. All of these three drugs can reduce the level of VEGF in the RPE and inner segment, but Avastin seems to be more effective than Eylea in this regard. Lucentis treatment at 1d seems to be more effective than Eylea at VEGF 1d. But at 7d, both Lucentis and Eylea have the same effect on reducing VEGF expression level in the RPE and inner segment.?CONCLUSION: All of these three drugs can reduce the level of VEGF in the RPE and inner segment.

A Case of Bilateral Maculopathy Caused by High-Voltage-Induced Spark Injury

PURPOSE: To report a case of maculopathy after exposure to a high-voltage spark. CASE SUMMARY: A 40-year-old male patient visited our clinic complaining of visual disturbance in both eyes 1 day after exposure to a high voltage arc discharge. His best corrected visual acuity was 4/20 in both eyes. On fundus examination, a yellowish retinal scar was observed at the foveal area. The spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) showed inner segment/outer segment line disruption. The best corrected visual acuity was 4/20 in both eyes and SD-OCT showed a remaining inner segment/outer segment line disruption after 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: Maculopathy can result from exposure to a high voltage arc discharge exposure.

Analysis of Spectral Domain - Optical Coherence Tomography and Fundus Autofluorescence in Typical Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Purpose: To study fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) characteristics in patients with typical retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and correlate them to visual acuity. Design: Retrospective observational case series. Methods: 110 eyes of 56 RP patients were included. FAF and SD-OCT imaging were done for all eyes. Extent of the autofluorescence ring, central foveal thickness, photoreceptor outer-segment length (PROS), foveal outer segment pigment epithelial thickness (FOSPET), and inner segment-outer segment (IS-OS) extent were defined and measured and correlated to logMAR best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using linear regression. Results: Study included 110 eyes of 56 patients (34 male and 22 female). Mean BCVA was 0.33 logMAR with no difference between genders. The mean age of patients was 15.4 ± 15.1 years. Mean autofluorescence extent was 3590 ± 1994 μm horizontally, and 2880 ± 1836 μm vertically. These values were significantly correlated with preserved IS/OS junction extent (mean values horizontally = 2865 μm and vertically = 2464 μm). Mean central retinal thickness (218.74 μm) and PROS (44.85 μm) were significantly correlated to BCVA with correlation coefficient r = –0.189, P = 0.015; and r = –0.874, P = 0.0001, respectively. FOSPET (mean = 71.15 μm) did not show a significant correlation with BCVA, independent of PROS. Conclusions: Retinal microstructural changes as studied on SD-OCT, especially PROS length can be used as a surrogate marker to monitor degenerative diseases such as RP. Further, studies are required to clearly delineate the microstructuralfunctional relationship in the human retina.

Association between Microperimetric Parameters and Optical Coherent Tomographic Findings in Various Macular Diseases

PURPOSE: To analyze the correlation between microperimetric parameters and optical coherent tomographic findings in the eyes of patients with macular diseases. METHODS: A total of 64 eyes were included in this retrospective cross-sectional study. Differences in the macular integrity index and microperimetric parameters were analyzed according to types of outer retinal band defects. Correlations between average threshold values and retinal thickness in the corresponding areas were analyzed. Finally, microperimetric parameters were compared between inner and outer retinal lesions. RESULTS: Measures of best-corrected visual acuity, macular integrity index, and average threshold values were significantly worse in eyes with defects in the ellipsoid portion of the photoreceptor inner segment (ISe), the cone outer segment tip (COST), and the external limiting membrane (ELM) than in eyes without ISe, COST, and ELM defects. Also, visual functionality is more significantly impacted by ELM defects than by other hyper-reflective band defects. There was a significant negative correlation between retinal thickness and the average threshold of the corresponding area in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study grid. Microperimetric parameters in the eyes of patients with inner retinal lesions were better than in the eyes of patients with outer retinal lesions. CONCLUSIONS: The macular integrity index may be a useful factor for reflecting the functional aspects of macular diseases. Specifically, ELM, ISe, and COST defects are significantly associated with poor retinal sensitivity and macular integrity index values that suggest abnormalities. Among eyes with these particular defects, the visual functionality of patients is most sensitively impacted by ELM defects. This finding suggests that microperimetric parameters are sensitive and useful for evaluating functional abnormalities in the eyes of patients with macular disease, particularly in patients with outer retinal pathology.

Inner and outer segment junction (IS/OS line) integrity in ocular Behçet's disease / Integridade da junção do segmento ınterno e externo (linha IS/OS) na doença de Behçet ocular

Purpose: In this study, we examined the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings of ocular Behçet's disease (OB) in patients with inactive uveitis. Specifically, we analyzed the inner and outer segment junction (IS/OS line) integrity and the effect of disturbed IS/OS line integrity on visual acuity. Methods: Patient files and OCT images of OB patients who had been followed-up between January and June of the year 2013 at the Dicle University Eye Clinic were evaluated retrospectively. Sixty-six eyes of 39 patients were included the study. Results: OCT examination of the patients with inactive OB revealed that approximately 25% of the patients had disturbed IS/OS and external limiting membrane (EML) line integrity, lower visual acuity (VA), and lower macular thickness than others. Linear regression analysis revealed that macular thickness was not an independent variable for VA. In contrast, the IS/OS line integrity was an independent variable for VA in inactive OB patients. Conclusion: In this study, we showed that the IS/OS line integrity was an independent variable for VA in inactive OB patients. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate the integrity of the IS/OS line in OB patients. .

Objetivo: Neste estudo, examinamos os achados da tomografia de coerência óptica (OCT) de domínio espectral na doença de Behçet ocular (OB) em pacientes com uveíte inativa. Especificamente, analisamos a integridade da junção dos segmentos interno e externo (linha IS/OS) e o efeito da alteração da integridade da linha IS/OS na acuidade visual. Métodos: Avaliamos retrospectivamente os prontuários e as imagens de OCT dos pacientes com OB examinados entre janeiro e junho de 2013 na Dicle University Eye Clinic. Sessenta e seis olhos de 39 pacientes foram incluídos no estudo. Resultados: Análise das imagens de OCT dos pacientes com OB inativa revelou que aproximadamente 25% dos pacientes tinham alterações da integridade da linha IS/OS e da membrana limitante externa (ELM), e apresentavam acuidade visual (VA) e espessura macular menor do que os outros. A análise de regressão linear revelou que a espessura macular não é uma variável independente para VA. Por outro lado, a integridade da linha IS/OS foi uma variável independente para VA em pacientes com OB inativa. Conclusão: Neste estudo, nós mostramos que a integridade da linha IS/OS foi uma variável independente para a VA em pacientes com OB inativa. Precisamos de mais estudos prospectivos para avaliar a integridade da linha IS/OS em pacientes com OB. .

Morphometric analysis of fovea with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and visual outcome postsurgery for retinal detachment.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to correlate the postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) fi ndings in fovea involving rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) surgery. Materials and Methods: Thirty eyes with preoperative fovea-involving RRD, who underwent scleral buckling (SB) (6 eyes) and pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) (19 eyes) and combined SB and PPV (5 eyes) were recruited. Patients underwent clinical examination and SD-OCT scan of fovea preoperatively and at 30 days and 90 days postoperatively. The correlations between SD-OCT fi ndings and BCVA were analyzed. Results: Inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) junction integrity was the indicator of bett er BCVA at 30 days and 90 days (P = 0.0002 and P = 0.0003, respectively) whereas outer retinal corrugation (ORC) was related to worse BCVA at 30 days and 90 days (P = 0.001). External limiting membrane did not have a co-relation with visual outcome, but cystoid macular edema showed co-relation at 90 days (P = 0.047). All eyes of SB and 3 eyes of PPV had a minimal subfoveal fl uid at 30 days follow-up that had no eff ect on visual acuity. All retinas were att ached at fi nal follow-up. Conclusion: IS/OS junction integrity and ORC may be important predictors of postoperative visual outcome after anatomically successful RRD surgery.

Use of Optical Coherence Tomography to Evaluate Visual Acuity and Visual Field Changes in Dengue Fever

Dengue fever is a viral disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes and affects humans. In rare cases, dengue fever can cause visual impairment, which usually occurs within 1 month after contracting dengue fever and ranges from mild blurring of vision to severe blindness. Visual impairment due to dengue fever can be detected through angiography, retinography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, electroretinography, event electroencephalography (visually evoked potentials), and visual field analysis. The purpose of this study is to report changes in the eye captured using fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green, and OCT in 3 cases of dengue fever visual impairment associated with consistent visual symptoms and similar retinochoroidopathic changes. The OCT results of the three patients with dengue fever showed thinning of the outer retinal layer and disruption of the inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) junction. While thinning of the retina outer layer is an irreversible process, disruption of IS/OS junction is reported to be reversible. Follow-up examination of individuals with dengue fever and associated visual impairment should involve the use of OCT to evaluate visual acuity and visual field changes in patients with acute choroidal ischemia.

Use of Optical Coherence Tomography to Evaluate Visual Acuity and Visual Field Changes in Dengue Fever

Dengue fever is a viral disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes and affects humans. In rare cases, dengue fever can cause visual impairment, which usually occurs within 1 month after contracting dengue fever and ranges from mild blurring of vision to severe blindness. Visual impairment due to dengue fever can be detected through angiography, retinography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, electroretinography, event electroencephalography (visually evoked potentials), and visual field analysis. The purpose of this study is to report changes in the eye captured using fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green, and OCT in 3 cases of dengue fever visual impairment associated with consistent visual symptoms and similar retinochoroidopathic changes. The OCT results of the three patients with dengue fever showed thinning of the outer retinal layer and disruption of the inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) junction. While thinning of the retina outer layer is an irreversible process, disruption of IS/OS junction is reported to be reversible. Follow-up examination of individuals with dengue fever and associated visual impairment should involve the use of OCT to evaluate visual acuity and visual field changes in patients with acute choroidal ischemia.

Surgical Outcome According to Morphology in Epiretinal Membrane Based on Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

PURPOSE: To determine the influence of morphologic classification based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) on epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 77 eyes with ERM treated by vitrectomy with ERM peeling. By using OCT, the preoperative ERM was classified into four types: diffuse (DIF), cystoids macular edema (CME), pseudolamellar hole (PLH), and vitreomacular traction (VMT). The postoperative changes of central macular thickness (CMT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were compared. RESULTS: Approximately six months postoperatively, the DIF type had the best BCVA for both idiopathic and secondary ERM, followed by the PLH, CME, and VMT types. On the other hand, regarding the mean BCVA improvement, the VMT type was the best, followed by the DIF, PLH, and CME types. When comparing the difference in BCVA improvement by each type, idiopathic ERM showed a clearer distinction when the inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) junction was not disrupted. CONCLUSIONS: BCVA improvement was significantly different depending on the morphologic classification of ERM by using OCT. Especially in cases of ERM with an intact IS/OS junction, the morphologic classification can help predict surgical outcomes.