A Case of SmartPlug Partial Extrusion through Canalicular Mucosa

PURPOSE: To report a case of a SmartPlug that partially extruded through the canalicular mucosa. CASE SUMMARY: A 62-year-old female patient visited our Department of Ophthalmology for redness and discharge in her right eye that began worsening a week prior. The patient was diagnosed with severe dry eye syndrome via Sjogren's syndrome. The SmartPlug was inserted into her left lower punctum 12 years prior, and another plug was inserted in the right 9 years prior. Nothing notable was found in her history. The best corrected visual acuity and intraocular pressure at the initial visit was 1.0 and 14 mmHg, respectively, in both eyes. Swelling, erythema, and tenderness at the right lower punctum were identified. As we irrigated the lower lacrimal system, partial obstruction was suspected and a large amount of mucopurulent discharge in the conjunctival fornix with conjunctival injection was seen. Under the right lower punctum, a 1 × 1 mm yellowish foreign body was partially extruding from the canalicular mucosa. The foreign body was removed, and a round defect was left. The patient's symptom completely resolved after 4 weeks of topical antibiotics and ointment treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In patients who have a SmartPlug inserted prior to visits for redness and discharge, a SmartPlug plug extrusion should be considered.

Clinical Analysis of Newly Diagnosed Diabetes Mellitus Patients by Abnormal Fundus Examination

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical analysis of newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus (NDM) patients with abnormal fundus examination at the first visit. METHODS: This retrospective study utilized the first visit medical records of 15 patients (30 eyes) who were diagnosed with NDM from February 2011 to October 2016. RESULTS: Patients were divided into 3 groups: 1) diabetic retinopathy group including proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) (3) and severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) (1); 2) retinal vascular disease group including central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) (1), branch retinal vein occlusion (1), vitreous hemorrhage with CRVO (1) and macular edema (1); and 3) other retinal disease group including vitreous hemorrhage due to choroidal neovascular rupture (1), exudative age-related macular degeneration (3), central serous chorioretinopathy (2), and macular hole (1). All 3 PDR patients had latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (type 1.5 diabetes). The remaining 12 patients had type 2 diabetes. Three patients showed mild NPDR in the opposite eye and the other 9 patients did not have diabetic retinopathy in the opposite eye. Onset age, HbA1C and proteinuria were significantly different between the diabetic retinopathy group and the other retinal disease group (p = 0.006, p = 0.012 and p = 0.006, Mann-Whitney test). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with various retinal diseases, early detection of NDM could be achieved by performing fundoscopic imaging and systemic examination as well as basic ophthalmologic examination. In addition, patients with diabetic retinopathy should be treated promptly through ophthalmology and internal medicine consultation. For the retinal vascular disease and other retinal disease groups, not only treatment for ophthalmic diseases, but also education about diabetes treatment are important.

Clinical Results after Phacoemulsification in Mature Cataract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical results after phacoemulsification in mature and immature cataracts. METHODS: Mature cataract was defined as a classification of C5 by Lens Opacities Classification System III compared with other types of cataracts as controls. The present study included 37 (37 eyes) patients diagnosed with mature cataracts that received phacoemulsification and were followed up for at least 1 year. Thirty-seven (37 eyes) patients with other types of cataracts were selected randomly as controls. Intraoperative factors and rate of complications during and after surgery were evaluated. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), corneal endothelial cell density and central macular thickness (CMT) were measured during the 1 year of follow-up and compared with the controls. RESULTS: Twenty-seven eyes (mature cataracts) and 36 eyes (controls) received a complete continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC). The success rate of complete CCC was significantly high in the control eyes (p = 0.025). However, in mature cataract patients, 3 cases of posterior capsule rupture occurred among the 6 cases of radial tear of the anterior capsule, resulting in implantation of the lens in the sulcus. Posterior capsular ruptures were observed in 4 patients with mature cataracts and in 1 control with no statistically significant difference in the occurrence rate. Total phacoemulsification time and effective phacoemulsification time were significantly longer in the mature cataract patients (p = 0.038 and p = 0.041, respectively). BCVA, the amount of corneal endothelial cell density reduction and CMT at postoperative 1 year was not different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The success of complete CCC was a significant factor for the occurrence of intraoperative complications in mature cataract surgery. Based on the clinical results, the mature cataract patients and controls had a similar visual prognosis.