Angle Closure and the Acute Rise of Intraocular Pressure after Administration of Methazolamide

PURPOSE: To report a case involving an unexpected increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) and acute angle closure after oral administration of methazolamide. CASE SUMMARY: A 38-year-old male visited the emergency department complaining of decreased visual acuity (VA) and ocular pain. These symptoms developed after he took two tablets of 50 mg methazolamide because his IOP was above normal after a short course of systemic steroid treatment. His uncorrected VA dropped to 0.04 and the refractive error was −6.5 diopters in both eyes. The anterior chamber was very shallow, and the IOPs were 46 mmHg in the right eye and 42 mmHg in the left eye. Macular retinal folds were observed in both eyes in infrared fundus images. The patient was instructed not to take methazolamide, which was suspected as the cause of this idiosyncratic drug reaction. He was prescribed topical anti-glaucoma medications and cycloplegics to relieve the acute angle closure, and all symptoms disappeared after these treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Methazolamide is a sulfa derivative like topiramate, which can cause acute angle closure involving edema of the ciliary body and anterior displacement of the lens-iris diaphragm. Clinicians should consider this possible IOP increase before prescribing methazolamide.

Association between Metabolic Syndrome and Retinal Vascular Changes in Koreans based on Health Check-ups

PURPOSE: To evaluate the associations between components of metabolic syndrome and retinal vascular changes in a Korean population based on data collected at health check-ups. METHODS: Fundus photographs of 381 patients participating in a health check-up were examined to identify central retinal artery equivalent (CRAE), central retinal vein equivalent (CRVE), and arteriovenous ratio (AVR) by IVAN software. Retinal hemorrhage, arteriovenous nicking, and retinal exudate were also noted. The association between metabolic syndrome and each component was then analyzed. RESULTS: Significant associations were shown between metabolic syndrome and CRAE (p = 0.032), central obesity and CRAE (p = 0.037), triglyceride and CRAE (p = 0.011), and triglyceride and AVR (p = 0.005), in addition to central obesity and arteriovenous nicking (odds ratio [OR] = 2.68, p = 0.013), central obesity and retinal exudate (OR = 2.30, p = 0.038), serum glucose and retinal hemorrhage (OR = 8.06, p = 0.030), and blood pressure and arteriovenous nicking (OR = 2.78, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic syndrome showed a significant relationship with retinal artery diameter. Central obesity showed the greatest relationship with retinal vascular changes among each of the components of metabolic syndrome.

Relationship between Pain and Injection Site during Intravitreal Injection

PURPOSE: Using a visual analogue scale, patients pain was compared according to injection site during intravitreal injection. METHODS: A prospective, clinical trial was conducted on 171 eyes of patients experiencing age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, or central serous chorioretinopathy. After determining the anatomic quadrant of the injection site, patients were randomized to receive intravitreal bevacizumab, aflibercept, ranibizumab, or dexamethasone injection. Fifteen minutes after the injection, patients completed a survey about pain using a visual analogue scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain). RESULTS: According to the visual analogue scale, pain score was 3.20 at the superotemporal site, 3.03 at the superonasal site, and 2.35 at the inferonasal site. Pain was lowest when injected in an inferotemporal site (p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal injection at an inferotemporal site can help reduce patient pain.